At The LA Auto Show, Lexus Debuts A 500-Horsepower Hybrid
Lexus unveiled its LF-LC Concept last month in Sydney, since its blue opal color is inspired by the blue opal found in the Australian Outback, but this week in Los Angeles is the first time Americans will have a chance to see the 500-horsepower hybrid up close.
The car is special, a crucial step for Lexus as the company fights to stay abreast of the alternative-drivetrain wars currently being waged at Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz. It’s going to have to be very good in order to gain traction against Lexus’s currently-stronger rivals, and Lexus has endowed the coupe with a 5.0 liter V8 engine backed up by two electric motors and a Ni-MH battery pack, all of which produce nearly 500hp and which will push the car to 60mph in 5.5 seconds. Top speed is 130 mph.
Along with sister-vehicle the LF-CC, the coupe will serve as design inspriation for the 2014 IS. Look for the rear bumper, front grille and wheel arches in production vehicles over the next few years. Article from Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/hannahelliott/2012/11/29/at-the-la-auto-show-lexus-debuts-a-500-horsepower-hybrid/
