Female Speaker: 299 horsepower, consumption 6.3 liters per 100 kilometers, 148 grams of CO2; theses are values that move the automotive world today. They're achieved by the New Lexus RX 450h, an SUV with hybrid drive, weighing in at 2.1 tons. Up till today, Lexus is still the only carmaker that offers this technology as a full hybrid with pure electric drive.
Michael Potthast: So generally speaking, we have left the periphery of the car, so front engine, front electro motor and three electric motor but we fine-tuned all the components that be have in the car. So the new combustion engine has 3.5 liter displacement and is now working in Atkinsons cycle. This Atkinsons cycle helped us a lot in combustion engine efficiency. Also the electric motors are much improved and also all the software components in the car are new.
For example, we now offer a remote full electric drive conditions, steered by the driver himself and also new eco mode which allows this 148 grams of CO2 emission.
Female Speaker: Four years ago, Lexus introduced hybrid drive technology in the previous model, the first time in a premium class car. In Germany, the SUV is the most popular model of the brand and is ordered by around 95% of all our ex-customers.
The new Lexus RX 450h looks much flatter, wider and more muscular than the previous RX 400h. This new sporty appearance is a result of the extremely compact dimensions. The new model is actually only 35 millimeters longer, 40 millimeters wider and 10 millimeters higher than the former model. The track is now 70 millimeters wider, the wheel base has grown 25 millimeters. What's more? The new Lexus RX still has the smallest turning radius in its class, 11.4 meters.
Lexus continues to use the old nickel metal high dried batteries which are proven to be not only efficient but also great for daily use. And as far as their cost-benefit ratio goes, they're unbeatable. Still the Japanese have also been developing new lithium-ion batteries for years. But until the technology makes good sense to market, it will still take some time according to Toyota and Lexus and it will only be used in test vehicles.
Ulrich Selzer: When we introduced the technology in 1995, we obviously thought in much smaller dimensions, but then the request from the market really over ran us. So we doubled our production capacities and we still cannot satisfy the demand. So I think in future, we expect a much stronger market. Hybrid is the technology for the future. So we will add additional variants in this direction.
Female Speaker: The Lexus RX 450h is a luxury SUV which meets the expectations of its customers. The most striking characteristic is and has been its hybrid drive. Lexus is not only way ahead of the competition with this innovative technology. This is a luxury car that is really friendly to the environment, frugal and low on emissions.
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