Lexus set to expand product line
Lexus set to expand product line; more engines, hybrids likely coming soon
MARK RECHTIN | Automotive News Posted Date: 12/16/04 LOS ANGELES -- Lexus will expand its product line with more engines, two gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles and another SUV, all likely within the next 18 months. The move shows the intent of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. to challenge the German luxury brands, which have a choice of engines for nearly all of their nameplates. It also shows Toyota's commitment to use hybrid technology in premium vehicles. This expansion comes as Lexus looks to be the best-selling luxury brand in America for the fifth straight year in 2004. Toyota sources and U.S. government filings state that Lexus will offer more and larger engines in IS and GS sedans. The biggest change comes in fall 2005 with the redesign of the IS 300 sedan, which is powered only by a 3.0-liter inline-six engine. The next IS sedan will have a choice of a 2.5-liter V-6 or 3.5-liter V-6, according to Toyota sources and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office filings. Lexus executives have said broadening the lineup is necessary to challenge BMW 3-series sedans. The V-6s are from a new engine family that will have front- and rear-drive applications. Both Toyota and Lexus vehicles will use the engines, which can be as large as 4.0 liters. The redesigned GS sedan will arrive in the spring. It will come with either a 3.5-liter V-6 or 4.6-liter V-8. That is an upgrade from today's 3.3-liter V-6 and 4.3-liter V-8 engines. The GS sedan lineup also will get a hybrid derivative, called the GS 450h, according to trademark filings. It will team a 4.5-liter V-8 with an electric motor, which Toyota sources boast will create V-12 performance with V-6 fuel economy. The launch date for the GS 450h has not been established. Japanese media reports say production will begin next spring. The GS 450h will join the RX 400h hybrid sport wagon, which goes on sale April 15. On the SUV side, the LX 470 is showing its age. Lexus will give the high-end line some support in the form of the JX 470. The JX 470 comes from the Toyota Sequoia platform, while the LX 470 is derived from the smaller Land Cruiser platform. The JX 470 should arrive in spring 2006. It is not certain whether the JX 470 will replace the LX 470 or supplement it. Lexus this year has sold 255,446 units through November, a 10.3 percent increase over the year-ago period. |
About bloody time. We all knew the 4.3 wasn't going to last long. 4.6 isn't much growth especially considering that going from 4l to 4.3 didn't increase power at all but the hybrid sounds pretty interesting. Then again, bimmer is supposedly taking the v8 from 4.5 to 4.8 liters and making around 400hp with it. Sort of have to with even Chrysler making 340hp with the hemi. Have to wait and see what the v8 ends up at and what the hybrid really does. Honda has some very good performance on the Accord hybrid and if that technology is going to go somewhere, it needs to move out of econoboxes.
|
it would be interesting to see how toyota will try to lead the whole industry with their new lineup. it would be nice to see a damn fast car from lexus, very luxury, and with high fuel efficiency
i need more power too :) |
Hmmm JX ? this is going to be interesting.
|
Show them ALL how it should be done.:thumbup: :thumbup: Lexus is NOT resting on its laurels. It is NOT satisfied. Lexus is already a top 3 marque in 15 years. Now they are going for #1.
|
Just my opinion but I think having multiple versions of the V-6 engine in 2.5L and 3.5L is the wrong way to go.
The Nissan strategy of re-purposing an engine platform into multiple vehicle platforms (i.e. their VQ35DE 3.5L V-6 in the Maxima, Altima, Murano, 350Z, Quest, FX35, G35 etc.) is better for the company since they have less variety in manufacturing (think repeatable and sustainable manufacturing = less variability, higher reliability, lower cost) and better for the consumer since it's essentially the same platform means more people better understand it for better maintenance practices and aftermarket tuning as well. And ditto for the V-8 lineup, according to the press release I count at least 3 different V-8s to be produced, a 4.5, 4.6 and a 4.7? |
I don't trust this news (but thanks for posting)
I highly doubt if this is really news from some authoritive source or if it's just a speculation of the recent trademark filings from some random journalist.
It really offers nothing more than what we already knew from the trademark filings, except for saying that the new GS450h will be powered by a name-matching 4.5L V8, rather than a V6. Yet by saying so it loses all its credibility to me since it's very, very highly unlikely that Lexus will make a 4.5L V8 just for the GS hybrid, while the regular V8 GS gets a 4.6L. It just doesn't make any economic sense. Plus the RX400h is named after its equivalent power to a conventional powertrain--so should the GS hybrid. |
Originally posted by ShadyJC Just my opinion but I think having multiple versions of the V-6 engine in 2.5L and 3.5L is the wrong way to go. The Nissan strategy of re-purposing an engine platform into multiple vehicle platforms (i.e. their VQ35DE 3.5L V-6 in the Maxima, Altima, Murano, 350Z, Quest, FX35, G35 etc.) is better for the company since they have less variety in manufacturing (think repeatable and sustainable manufacturing = less variability, higher reliability, lower cost) and better for the consumer since it's essentially the same platform means more people better understand it for better maintenance practices and aftermarket tuning as well. And ditto for the V-8 lineup, according to the press release I count at least 3 different V-8s to be produced, a 4.5, 4.6 and a 4.7? Also Lexus is sold worldwide. Infintii is not (rumors are they will be sold in Europe in 2007/2008). The IS 300 is already an IS 200/300 overseas. So that is why we will get 2 engines. The world is getting 2 engine offerings as well. Lexus stated 2 years ago, the next IS will go head to head with the 3-series offering multiple engine choices and bodystyles. Not the 1size fits all crap. |
Originally posted by ShadyJC Just my opinion but I think having multiple versions of the V-6 engine in 2.5L and 3.5L is the wrong way to go. The Nissan strategy of re-purposing an engine platform into multiple vehicle platforms (i.e. their VQ35DE 3.5L V-6 in the Maxima, Altima, Murano, 350Z, Quest, FX35, G35 etc.) is better for the company since they have less variety in manufacturing (think repeatable and sustainable manufacturing = less variability, higher reliability, lower cost) and better for the consumer since it's essentially the same platform means more people better understand it for better maintenance practices and aftermarket tuning as well. And ditto for the V-8 lineup, according to the press release I count at least 3 different V-8s to be produced, a 4.5, 4.6 and a 4.7? Having multiple versions of an engine is good for BOTH the customers and the company, IMO. It's a good way for a company to reach a wider range of potential customers, who would otherwise not be able to afford a car if it were only available with an expensive large engine that they don't really care about. |
Originally posted by XeroK00L Actually, Nissan offers many engine variants as well, more than Toyota if you will. The VQ engine is offered as VQ20DE, VQ25DE, VQ30DE and VQ35DE, even though North American buyers only get the VQ35DE. Having multiple versions of an engine is good for BOTH the customers and the company, IMO. It's a good way for a company to reach a wider range of potential customers, who would otherwise not be able to afford a car if it were only available with an expensive large engine that they don't really care about. I am though, totally lost why Lexus has a new 3.0 in the GS and not the 3.5 from the IS. |
Originally posted by XeroK00L Actually, Nissan offers many engine variants as well, more than Toyota if you will. The Source: Toysport SZ SERIES L4 1SZ 997 69.0 66.7 DOHC+VVT-i FE NZ SERIES L4 2NZ 1298 75.0 73.5 DOHC+VVT-i FE E SERIES L4 2E 1295 SOHC 3E 1456 73.0 87.0 SOHC 4E 1331 74.0 77.4 DOHC 5E 1496 74.0 87.0 DOHC K SERIES L4 K 1077 75.0 OHV 2K 993 OHV 3K 1166 75.0 66.0 OHV 4K 1290 75.0 73.0 OHV 5K 1496 80.5 73.0 OHV 7K 1781 80.5 87.5 OHV A SERIES L4 1A 1452 SOHC 2A 1295 76.0 71.4 SOHC 3A 1452 77.5 77.0 SOHC 4A 1587 81.0 77.0 SOHC / DOHC FE / GE 5A 1498 78.7 77.0 DOHC FE 7A 1762 81.0 85.5 DOHC FE T SERIES OHV HEMI L4 T 1407 80.0 70.0 OHV 2T 1588 85.0 70.0 OHV / DOHC 3T 1770 85.0 78.0 OHV / DOHC ZZ SERIES ALLOY BLOCK L4 1ZZ 1794 79.0 91.5 DOHC FE 2ZZ 1796 82.0 85.0 DOHC+VVTL-i GE S SERIES L4 1S 1832 80.5 90.0 SOHC 2S 1995 84.0 90.0 SOHC 3S 1998 86.0 86.0 DOHC FE / GE 4S 1838 82.5 86.0 DOHC F 5S 2163 86.0 DOHC FE Y SERIES L4 1Y 1626 2Y 1812 3Y 1998 86.0 86.0 4Y 2237 R SERIES L4 6R 1707 SOHC 7R 1591 SOHC 8R 1858 86.0 80.0 SOHC / DOHC 10R 1858 86.0 80.0 DOHC 16R 1808 SOHC 18R 1968 88.5 80.0 SOHC / DOHC 20/21/22R L4 20R 2189 88.5 3.5 SOHC 21R 1972 84.0 89.0 SOHC 22R 2366 3.6 3.5 SOHC TZ SERIES DOHC L4 2TZ-FE 2438 95.0 86.0 DOHC RZ SERIES L4 1RZ-E 1998 86.0 86.0 SOHC 2RZ-FE 2.4l DOHC 3RZ-FE 2693 95.0 95.0 DOHC G SERIES L6 1G 1988 75.0 75.0 DOHC FE / GE M SERIES L6 M 1988 75.0 75.0 SOHC 2M 2253 74.9 85.0 SOHC 3M 1988 75.0 75.0 DOHC 4M 2563 80.0 85.0 SOHC 5M 2759 83.0 85.0 SOHC / DOHC 6M 2954 83.0 91.0 DOHC GE 7M 2954 83.0 91.0 DOHC GE / GTE JZ SERIES DOHC L6 1JZ 2491 86.0 71.5 DOHC GE / GTE 2JZ 2997 86.0 86.0 DOHC GE / GTE F SERIES L6 F 3878 90.0 102.0 OHV 2F 4230 94.0 102.0 OHV 3F 3956 94.0 95.0 OHV VZ SERIES V6 DOHC V6 1VZ 1992* 78.0 69.5 DOHC FE 2VZ 2507 3.4 2.7 DOHC 3VZ 2958 87.5 82.0 DOHC 5VZ 3378 93.5 82.0 DOHC V SERIES V6 V 2599 OHV 3V 2981 OHV 4V 3376 OHV 5V 3995 87.0 84.0 OHV MZ SERIES V6 1MZ 2995 87.5 83.0 DOHC FE 2MZ 2496 87.5 69.2 DOHC UZ SERIES V8 1UZ 3969 87.5 82.5 DOHC FE 2UZ 4633 DOHC FZ SERIES L6 1FZ-FE 4477 DOHC GZ SERIES V12 1GZ-FE DOHC+VVT |
Originally posted by 1SICKLEX I am though, totally lost why Lexus has a new 3.0 in the GS and not the 3.5 from the IS. |
Originally posted by flipside909 That's not true. Nissan only makes a fraction of engines that Toyota has produced... T SERIES OHV HEMI L4 T 1407 80.0 70.0 OHV 2T 1588 85.0 70.0 OHV / DOHC 3T 1770 85.0 78.0 OHV / DOHC |
Originally posted by flipside909 That's not true. Nissan only makes a fraction of engines that Toyota has produced... Source: Toysport SZ SERIES L4 1SZ 997 69.0 66.7 DOHC+VVT-i FE NZ SERIES L4 2NZ 1298 75.0 73.5 DOHC+VVT-i FE E SERIES L4 2E 1295 SOHC 3E 1456 73.0 87.0 SOHC 4E 1331 74.0 77.4 DOHC 5E 1496 74.0 87.0 DOHC K SERIES L4 K 1077 75.0 OHV 2K 993 OHV 3K 1166 75.0 66.0 OHV 4K 1290 75.0 73.0 OHV 5K 1496 80.5 73.0 OHV 7K 1781 80.5 87.5 OHV A SERIES L4 1A 1452 SOHC 2A 1295 76.0 71.4 SOHC 3A 1452 77.5 77.0 SOHC 4A 1587 81.0 77.0 SOHC / DOHC FE / GE 5A 1498 78.7 77.0 DOHC FE 7A 1762 81.0 85.5 DOHC FE T SERIES OHV HEMI L4 T 1407 80.0 70.0 OHV 2T 1588 85.0 70.0 OHV / DOHC 3T 1770 85.0 78.0 OHV / DOHC ZZ SERIES ALLOY BLOCK L4 1ZZ 1794 79.0 91.5 DOHC FE 2ZZ 1796 82.0 85.0 DOHC+VVTL-i GE S SERIES L4 1S 1832 80.5 90.0 SOHC 2S 1995 84.0 90.0 SOHC 3S 1998 86.0 86.0 DOHC FE / GE 4S 1838 82.5 86.0 DOHC F 5S 2163 86.0 DOHC FE Y SERIES L4 1Y 1626 2Y 1812 3Y 1998 86.0 86.0 4Y 2237 R SERIES L4 6R 1707 SOHC 7R 1591 SOHC 8R 1858 86.0 80.0 SOHC / DOHC 10R 1858 86.0 80.0 DOHC 16R 1808 SOHC 18R 1968 88.5 80.0 SOHC / DOHC 20/21/22R L4 20R 2189 88.5 3.5 SOHC 21R 1972 84.0 89.0 SOHC 22R 2366 3.6 3.5 SOHC TZ SERIES DOHC L4 2TZ-FE 2438 95.0 86.0 DOHC RZ SERIES L4 1RZ-E 1998 86.0 86.0 SOHC 2RZ-FE 2.4l DOHC 3RZ-FE 2693 95.0 95.0 DOHC G SERIES L6 1G 1988 75.0 75.0 DOHC FE / GE M SERIES L6 M 1988 75.0 75.0 SOHC 2M 2253 74.9 85.0 SOHC 3M 1988 75.0 75.0 DOHC 4M 2563 80.0 85.0 SOHC 5M 2759 83.0 85.0 SOHC / DOHC 6M 2954 83.0 91.0 DOHC GE 7M 2954 83.0 91.0 DOHC GE / GTE JZ SERIES DOHC L6 1JZ 2491 86.0 71.5 DOHC GE / GTE 2JZ 2997 86.0 86.0 DOHC GE / GTE F SERIES L6 F 3878 90.0 102.0 OHV 2F 4230 94.0 102.0 OHV 3F 3956 94.0 95.0 OHV VZ SERIES V6 DOHC V6 1VZ 1992* 78.0 69.5 DOHC FE 2VZ 2507 3.4 2.7 DOHC 3VZ 2958 87.5 82.0 DOHC 5VZ 3378 93.5 82.0 DOHC V SERIES V6 V 2599 OHV 3V 2981 OHV 4V 3376 OHV 5V 3995 87.0 84.0 OHV MZ SERIES V6 1MZ 2995 87.5 83.0 DOHC FE 2MZ 2496 87.5 69.2 DOHC UZ SERIES V8 1UZ 3969 87.5 82.5 DOHC FE 2UZ 4633 DOHC FZ SERIES L6 1FZ-FE 4477 DOHC GZ SERIES V12 1GZ-FE DOHC+VVT i think you left out the diesel line up i cant find my favourite 1KZ-TE in there |
Originally posted by XeroK00L A Hemi from Toyota??:eek1: And some tiny ones at that. Wonder what models they're used in... Here's another comprehensive site...not fully complete but you get the idea. http://www.toyotagtturbo.com/engines2.html |
All times are GMT -7. The time now is 07:21 AM. |
© 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands