RX 330? Not according to these guys.

http://www.imakenews.com/autospies/e...e000101772.cfm

 

is someone, think I.

A 240 HP hybrid makes no sense, doesn't compute.

I'd buy into 180HP gas engine with 60 HP electric "boost" for a total of 240HP but it seems unlikely that the hybrid would end up with exactly the same HP as the standard RX.

I'd bet the hybrid RX will come in somewhere in the range of 130 to 160HP total gas+electric.

And I'd design it so the electrics drive the rear wheels and the gas the front, do away totally with the extra driveline weight, center diff'l, etc.

I'd rather see the reverse, electrics driving the front, but being something of a realist....

 

It's funny that the article mentions "My wife has the 'big' Lexus", not "My wife has the LS430". My dad does that

I personally like the numbers, but I like things technical.

 

Interesting, but I'd take the info with a little bit of skepticism.

One point is that it would seem a bad marketing idea to make
a third seat available on the 2004 RX330. It'd be better to
upsell the buyer to the GX470 in order to get a third seat.
(Which is of course more expensive) That and a third seat in
an RX would be kind of cramped and take up valuable
cargo space assuming that the RX will be shorter in length
than the GX (188").

I also don't think Lexus is going to drop the numbers as the
article implies. Maybe their idea is to refer to the SERIES of car
as an RX, LS or GS etc. Not necessarily the particular model.
This is like how BMW has the 3 series but has different models
under that series. There's a lot of marketing hubris that surrounds
those numbers. Like 330 is more than 300 so it must be better.

A November 2003 release sounds reasonable. The RXs are
going to be built in a new facility in Canada and there may be
teething problems. Still, I am absolutely hoping that it will be
a Spring or Summer release!

I guess we'll all find out in next year...
I want a silver one!

 

Just Curious,
How often is info from that site correct?

 

I do not know if this helps, but when I was at the dealer last weekend, and the salesman stated the exec's were at the "lexus US headquarters" getting "briefed on the new RX" He would only say it will be bigger and have more power. When I mentioned a spring release, he said "I can not tell, but rumors are oftentimes correct"? He could have been full of it, since he was trying to sell me an overpriced 01 rx.

 

To be honest, I'm hearing a lot that I don't really like.

Third seat? Buy a mini-van or a LX.

More aggressive look? With all the pics/mock ups I've seen of it, no, I don't think so. And if you're trying to tell me adding a third seat and making what is now the sportiest looking of all SUVs BIGGER is the way to make it look more agressive, you've been sniffing too much glue.

The only positive I can find is that the new engine is making 240 hp, but this is negated by the additional weight and size the new RX would undoubtedly carry.

A hybrid engine? Puhhhleeasse....... That technology is far from perfect power-wise like wwest said in so many words. I can see making a hybrid out of a compact car, but not an SUV. To me that screams gimmick.

Dropping the numbers from the Lexus models? I thought you had to be reasonably intelligent to make enough money to own a Lexus (I know this isn't necessarily true, but humor me for the sake of sarcasm here)???? If you're telling me that you drive a Lexus and you can't keep the model of it straight, you shouldn't be driving it. Buy something with a name simple enough to remember - like Geo Prizm or Mitsu Outlander.

Is this the dumbing down of Lexus to match up with the rest of society? I realize much of the info available right now is just rumors and hearsay, but I'm concerned nonetheless. If Lexus was taking criticism for "degrading" it's brand-name by rolling out the IS3 as an "entry-level" model, certainly many of the examples cited here are far more ridiculous. At least the IS3 is well-designed to fit the niche that it was created for - great performance, very sporty/sexy/stylish/modern looks, superior handling to every other Lex out there.

And let's look at the new GX that's supposed to be bigger than the RX, but smaller than the LX... I thought this was a RETARDED idea BEFORE I read that they wanted to make the RX bigger... now it's just out of this world A$$ANINE! The GX is either gonna flop because people will just make the jump from the RX to the LX, or it's gonna kill the sales and niche of the LX. A lose-lose situation...

I've gotta believe that the decisions that have actually been made BY LEXUS when they are OFFICIALLY revealed will differ from the hearsay and rumors that have been surrounding the next generation of Lexus automobiles... but still I worry. Am I out on a plain here, or do others feel the same way I'm feeling about all this?

I might not even sleep tonight - actually, I'll sleep fine knowing that I have my Gen 1 RX3 sleeping safely and soundly in my garage beneath me. Long live the timeless baby we know, love, and refer to as tha RX3

 

As a potnetial buyer, I would worry not just about the car being made in Canada, but the motor for the car is supposed to be made in Buffalo, West Virginia. It is going to take a couple of years before we know of any problems. I have several friends who still curse their 98 and 99 ML320s for several encountered problems. Of course, MLs are made in Alabama.

 

Larger/heavier.

Not really, just on the same wheelbase as the HL.

April 03, Hybrid later.

No third seat

Less minivanish "look" (that's exactly what the man said).

From a salesman I trust.

 

wwest...
Less "minivanish" look than what? The mock ups and spy pics that we've seen? The current RX?
If it's the current RX that you were referring to, I don't think it looks at all like a minivan, and don't really know how you'd make it look any less like a minivan without killing the smooth lines and making it a boxy-looking mess.

 

I would suspect that Lexus did a survey and the results indicated the new RX should look less like a minivan than the current one.

Beauty (or not) is in the eye of the beholder.

 

I would agree w/ that... and the only true test will be the sales numbers after the vehicle is released.

 

Uhh, yeah... Anybody think the 2nd gen RX has got a "Rendezvous" w/ a Buick?

 

Yup Should be called RZ330

 

Does anyone have info from Friday's Dealers Meeting?