Lexus unveiled a new hybrid at the North American International Auto Show on Sunday, saying it will be the most fuel-efficient vehicle in the luxury brand’s lineup.
The 2010 HS250h sedan, Lexus’ fourth hybrid, will be the first standalone gas-electric vehicle for Toyota’s luxury nameplate.
Lexus said the car will arrive at dealerships this summer.
Mark Templin, group vice-president and general manager of Lexus, told reporters that more than 60% of entry-level luxury car buyers would have considered buying a hybrid if one were available.
He said the HS250h is designed to meet that need.
The HS250h is the first of two Toyota debuts—both hybrids—at the Detroit auto show. Toyota is set to reveal its 2010 Prius hybrid Monday.
Toyota spokesman Irv Miller said an official price for the HS250h will be released in the spring, but the car will have a base price between $30,000 and $35,000.
No EPA fuel economy rating has been assigned yet, but the carmaker said its city fuel economy rating will be better than that of the Smart fortwo two-seater.
Also at the Auto Show today, General Motors Corp.’s chief operating officer said that the automaker has presented a worst-case scenario to Congress in which it would need more money than the US$13.4 billion allocated by the U.S. Treasury Department.
But Fritz Henderson would not speculate on whether GM will need all of the $18 billion in government loans it sought from Congress in December.
Speaking to reporters, Henderson said he is confident GM will work out concessions from the United Auto Workers. GM, Chrysler and the union have been talking about labour cost reductions and other concessions required under the government’s loan terms.
The companies have until Feb. 17 to hammer out amendments to their current labor contracts that would bring worker costs in line with those of employees at foreign auto companies’ plants in the U.S.
Hourly wages for UAW workers at GM factories already are about equal to the average of $30 per hour Toyota pays at its older U.S. factories. But including benefits and the cost of providing health care to retirees, the Detroit automaker says its total labor cost is around $69 per hour, compared with an all-inclusive cost of $53 per hour at Toyota.
GM’s total cost will drop to $62 per hour in 2010 when a UAW administered trust fund starts paying retiree health care costs, with the remaining difference due to the “legacy” costs of century-old GM paying its retiree pensions.
