200h Archives | AutoDepot

2011 Lexus CT 200h

Filed under: Hybrid, Hatchback, Lexus, Reviews, Luxury

Lexus Hatches A New Take On Responsible Performance

2011 Lexus CT 200h

2011 Lexus CT 200h – Click above for high-res image gallery

Armchair quarterbacks have been quick to charge Toyota with losing its engineering nerve, labeling it a brand content to churn out safe, middle-of-the-road milquetoast offerings for every segment in which it competes. Admittedly, this isn’t the same company that once marketed a supercharged, mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive minivan shaped like a suppository, nor is it the same company that sold homologated rally specials alongside its workaday iron. But to say that there are no bold spirits in Toyota City just ain’t so – just look at the bonkers LFA supercar, for goodness’ sake.

But you needn’t have a millionaire’s bankbook to see that the Japanese automaker still has cheek to spare – just check out the 2011 Lexus CT 200h. Not only is Toyota’s premium marque dipping its toes into America’s compact luxury market – a segment that nobody but Mini has figured out how to make big dollars on – it’s doing so with a hybrid, an expensive powertrain configuration that, Prius aside, only sells in marginal volumes.

Admittedly, Lexus has made no bones about the fact that it’s squarely targeting Europe with the CT (a market where hatchbacks consistently do big business and “small premium” is not an oxymoron), but make no mistake, this is a brave bet. Lexus says it’s gunning for 1,000 units a month – a small number in the grand scheme of things – but it’s expecting the moon when compared to competitors like the Audi A3, BMW 1 Series and Volvo C30, which typically sell in the hundreds per month. Yet this bold bet is showing early signs of paying off. Thanks in part to heavy advanced marketing, Lexus cleared its decks of over twice that many units in March – 2,199 – the CT’s first month on sale.

Continue reading 2011 Lexus CT 200h…

Gallery: 2011 Lexus CT 200h: Review

2011 Lexus CT 200h

Continue reading 2011 Lexus CT 200h

2011 Lexus CT 200h originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “2011 Lexus CT 200h”

Fox Marketing supercharges the Lexus CT 200h [w/video]

Filed under: Aftermarket, New York Auto Show, Hybrid, Performance, Videos, Hatchback, Lexus

Fox Marketing Supercharged Lexus CT 200h – Click above for high-res image gallery

Fox Marketing has given Lexus’ entry-level hybrid some much-needed teeth, adding an Eaton supercharger to the 2011 CT 200h. The huffer forces air through a Climax Racing intake manifold, helping the CT’s 1.8-liter four pot crank out 300 high-voltage ponies.

Fox also says it beefed up the car’s batteries, but details on what exactly the company did are nil. The added power means the CT 200h has to work a little harder to stay pointed in the right direction, which Fox addressed with a full-on custom suspension and enormous Baer brakes. The 13-inch Baers sit behind a set of 20-inch wheels sporting a huge offset and healthy 225/30-series meats up front and 255/30s at the back.

You’d think that a 300-horsepower hybrid would make an excellent sleeper, but that’s just not Fox Marketing’s style. Instead, it cloaked the little Lexus in metallic burnt orange paint, and draped it in a wide body kit, featuring huge three-inch fender flares. Inside, there’s a set of Yonaka racing seats complemented with LED Lexus logos on the door panels. Check out a video clip of the car after the jump.

Gallery: Fox Marketing Supercharged Lexus CT-200h

Fox Marketing Supercharged Lexus CT-200h front

[Source: Vimeo via Carscoop | Images: FoxMarketing – CC 2.0]

Continue reading Fox Marketing supercharges the Lexus CT 200h [w/video]

Fox Marketing supercharges the Lexus CT 200h [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Fox Marketing supercharges the Lexus CT 200h [w/video]”

Chicago Preview: Lexus bringing tuned… CT 200h?

Filed under: Aftermarket, Chicago Auto Show, Hybrid, Hatchback, Lexus, Luxury

Lexus CT200h by Five Axis

If you just can’t wait for SEMA 2011, head to this year’s Chicago Auto Show. Lexus is bringing a little Las Vegas to the Windy City with a version of the company’s CT 200h hybrid hatchback tuned by the go-fast gurus at Five Axis. The car wears a custom widebody kit, unique paint and a lower suspension courtesy of Tein.

Stoptech hardware handles braking duties, and the interior has been saddled with enough tech to put a man on the moon. The Five Axis CT 200h will be joined by the crowd of tuned Lexus vehicles that we saw at SEMA 2010 too, including cars by VIP auto salon and Paul Tolson.

Lexus says the vast majority of the company’s 20,000-square-foot booth will be devoted to the company’s performance aims and that the luscious LFA will make an appearance as well. Something tells us that machine just might overshadow the widebody CT 200h. Hit the jump for the full press release.

[Source: Lexus]

Continue reading Chicago Preview: Lexus bringing tuned… CT 200h?

Chicago Preview: Lexus bringing tuned… CT 200h? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Chicago Preview: Lexus bringing tuned… CT 200h?”

Report: 2011 Lexus CT 200h to start at $29,120*

Filed under: Hybrid, Hatchback, Lexus

2011 Lexus CT 200h driving

2011 Lexus CT 200h – Click above for high-res image gallery

If Lexus has any hope of meeting its goal of selling 1,000 CTs here in the U.S. each month, the little hybrid hatchback is going to need an attractive price point. Whether or not $29,120, the rumored base price of the 2011 CT 200h (*not including destination, taxes, etc.), will be enough to get foot traffic in Lexus dealerships remains to be seen.

According to the website The Lexus Enthusiast, this pricing data was mistakenly leaked a day ahead of its planned-for arrival by the official blog for Lexus of Reno, apparently since removed. If true, a tad over $31K out the door ought to nab you a nicely equipped CT with a moonroof and heated seats, and of course there are a slew of available options that include premium audio, navigation, leather seating surfaces and Lexus’ Pre-Collision technology.

For what it’s worth, assuming these prices are accurate, the 2011 CT 200h will be the least expensive new Lexus sold in America. The base price for the IS series and HS 250h hybrid sedan is several thousand dollars higher. And, perhaps more importantly, the CT looks to be priced about $2,000 less than the 2011 Audi A3 TDI.

Gallery: 2011 Lexus CT 200h: First Drive

[Source: The Lexus Enthusiast]

Report: 2011 Lexus CT 200h to start at $29,120* originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Dec 2010 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Report: 2011 Lexus CT 200h to start at $29,120*”

Lexus CT 200h F Sport unveiled in Sydney

Filed under: Hybrid, Performance, Hatchback, Lexus, Misc. Auto Shows, Australia, Luxury

Lexus CT 200h F Sport

Lexus CT 200h F Sport – Click above for high-res image gallery

Lexus is serious about pitching the CT 200h as a sportier alternative to most hybrids. Thing is, like the Honda CR-Z, the CT doesn’t really live up to that hype. That won’t stop Lexus from beefing things up a bit, though. To that end, it has unveiled an F Sport package for the hybrid hatch.

Unveiled at Sydney’s Australian International Motor Show, the CT 200h F Sport gets a revised body kit, up-sized alloys, tinted glass, specific dashboard and door panel trim, a thicker steering wheel, and new pedals.

Lexus says it has re-tuned the suspension as well, and an optional Flame Blue color joins the catalog. Unfortunately, we think it makes the CT look more budget than premium. You can read all the details in the press release after the jump.

Gallery: Lexus CT 200h F Sport