The guy that ordered a caviar/black hybrid with Performance package at my dealership just changed his mind to a V8. So the one he ordered is for sale! Brand new, just arrived last week. The story on it is they ordered it at the launch party, right before Lexus shut down that option on the hybrid in the US. Only a handful got built, and all were special ordered. So anyone interested in buying a hybrid with Performance package in the US, at least this year, this is your only chance. It's sitting at Johnson Lexus in Durham NC; speak to Tim Carnes if interested. He's happy to ship it anywhere in the US, probably for a fee. Just sharing the news with fellow forum members, as I know some of you were lamenting the lack of this package on the hybrid.

 

Are you sure hybrid models are not being shipped to the US with the Performance Pkg? The online configurator certainly confirms what you wrote... however, I'm seeing that combination starting to show up online!

Check out these links:
http://www.longolexus.com/VehicleDet...-CA/3044654623
http://www.johnsonlexusdurham.com/Ve...-NC/3037680023
http://www.performancelexus.com/Vehi...-OH/2979378333

 

That second link is the one I test drove Wednesday. And it showed up as available online last week, when actually is was custom ordered for a customer so not really available for sale. Sales guy told me that's how the Lexus system works - cars show up in their inventory even though they are already sold. Could be those other 2 links are to cars that were similarly ordered by customers at the launch party several months ago and just now getting delivered, but not for sale. My sales guy said one of the only others he was aware of was in California.

Also could be he's making all this up to sell me a car...

 

That makes sense. Thanks for your insight. It's puzzling that Lexus feels it's not necessary to include the Performance Pkg as at least an option on a $100K performance car, hybrid or not. I don't care so much about the rear steering or carbon fiber, but for me personally - the rear wing is one of the best design features that I know I would miss if I didn't have it.

 

Yeah the sales guy couldn't figure it out either. He said in the past they exclude certain options due to weight or mpg issues - maybe the performance package made the hybrid tip a scale or cross a limit. Same question I have for why the hybrid with touring package can't have the limited slip diff.