Toyota rolls out first hybrid-only Lexus model with hopes green...

Toyota rolled out its first hybrid-only Lexus luxury model Tuesday, as the world's top automaker seeks to turn itself around by pushing the increasingly popular green technology.

[Illini 75]

Check your math, 23 kilometers doesn't translate to 54 miles per gallon. Somethings incorrect about this story. Seemingly, a regular occurence since Zippy Zell took the reins.

[The Master Cylinder]

At the end of the story, the chief engineer is quoted as saying "We have what we call intelligent packaging," said Koba. "This model is made so people can get in and out easily, and drive easily."

Mull that one over for a bit. I almost can't believe someone in an official capacity could actually say something like that.

[Dan]

23 kilometer/liter is 54 miles/gallon. You have to convert both the distance and volume. Regardless, this car is for stupid people. It's a prius with leather, a different logo and a considerable markup. I can't understand why people pay more for a lexus when it's the same car as a toyota. If you're going to pay more money for a car, it should at least be designed from the groud up as a nice car, not just a rebadged economy car.

[Carguy]

So, now you can be pretentious and smug at the same time!

I wonder if this Lexus lacks any and all inspiration in design like every other product that Toyota puts out.

Master Cylinder -- People that buy Toyota products can generally be told anything about their cars, and they'll take it to the bank. It's like for years, many Toyota customers were fooled into thinking that their cars were never recalled by the factory because, instead of calling them "recalls" like every other company, Toyota called them "warranty enhancements."

[Greg]

Illini 75 wrote:

Check your math, 23 kilometers doesn't translate to 54 miles per gallon. Somethings incorrect about this story. Seemingly, a regular occurence since Zippy Zell took the reins.

23 kilometer per liter translates to 54 miles per gallon.

23km/l x 3.78541 l/g x 1 mi/1.609km = 54.11 mi/g.

[Colin]

Rest assured, if GM rolled this car out it would be killed as a "rebadge".

The Toyota Kool Aide in the press is amazing...

[Jess]

Well, at least the people driving these Lexuses (or is it Lexi?) will be douche-bags with a conscience instead of just regular douche-bags.(That's a step in the right direction, at least).

[Dan]

Colin wrote:

Rest assured, if GM rolled this car out it would be killed as a "rebadge".
The Toyota Kool Aide in the press is amazing...

The difference is GM would rebadge it without changing another thing and cannibalize its sales. These are separated by cost and target audience from its donor vehicle.(example GMC Acadia = Saturn Outlook, or Pontiac Solstice = Saturn Sky, or Chevrolet Equinox = Pontiac Torrent = Saturn Vue, or Chevrolet Cobalt = Pontiac G5, etc.)

That's why Toyota's doing poorly and GM is a corpse. Cannibalized sales, no brand distinction, a platoon of underdeveloped cars. Toyota's success can partially be attributed to its sense to have clearly distinguished lines between cars and brands, but they've been straying away from that philosophy lately.

[Charlene Blake]

Shouldn't Toyota properly resolve the engine oil sludge problem before it "moves on?"

See the following websites:

http://www.toyotaoilgel.com
http://www.petitiononline.com/TMC2003/petitio...
http://www.uc2.blogspot.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch...

The Lexus vehicles were involved in the original engine oil sludge problem and the repair costs were much more expensive that the repair costs on the Toyota vehicles.

Follow "toyotasludge" on Twitter.com for updates.

There are some serious questions being posed by former and current Toyota and Lexus owners.

[Charlene Blake]

It is interesting to note the Prius "Harmony" video comments have been manipulated by ToyotaUSA. Questions posed about the Prius have been REMOVED by ToyotaUSA.

Will this also be done with the promotion of the Lexus "green" vehicle?

For more information on what those removed comments were, see the "autoresearcher" CHANNEL site on YouTube.com .

Decide for yourself if removal of internet commentary is OK if the end result is manipulation of public image.

[Reality]

I guess it would be too much to expect a picture. So here's one:

http://www.greencarreports.com/blog/1021993_r...

[CROWN VICTORIA]

ugly over priced prius with leather seats and an L on the grill.

[Free is free]

I saw their new hybrid in the showroom when I took my GS in for an oil change. I think it's ugly, but that's just me. I don't care much for the new hardtop convertible coupe, either.

[CROWN VICTORIA]

ugly ugly and ugly.

[BartBuzz]

I really like my 2010 Prius with leather and radar cruise control. The 48+ average mpg has made going places fun again.

[CROWN VICTORIA]

BartBuzz wrote:

I really like my 2010 Prius with leather and radar cruise control. The 48+ average mpg has made going places fun again.

congratulations on driving one of the most horrible looking car ever created.