MORE THAN 3000 PRE-LAUNCH ORDERS

+ Click to Enlarge BEAUTIES AND THE (GREEN) BEAST: Riyo Mori (left), Miss Universe 2007, and Kurara Chibana, Miss Universe first princess 2006, introduce the Lexus HS250h, the brand's first hybrid-only model, in Tokyo. Image: AFP

July 15, 2009

Toyota has launched its first Lexus sedan available only as a hybrid, hoping that the popularity of fuel-efficient vehicles will help the luxury range buck the economic downturn.

It claims the Lexus HS250h sedan can achieve fuel consumption as low as 4.3 litres/100km.

The company said it had received more than 3000 pre-launch orders for the new model and aimed to sell 500 a month in Japan with a price tag starting from the equivalent of R350 000.

The Lexus luxury line-up already has several hybrid models but the HS250h is the first that comes only with the fuel-saving system, combining a 2.4-litre petrol engine with an electric motor.

The new Lexus has a system showing the driver how efficiently he (or she) is driving and will go on sale in North America in September.

Japanese automakers have made strides with hybrid cars - which are powered both by petrol and electricity - because of high oil prices and growing concern about emissions blamed for global warming.

Toyota's third-generation Prius has been the top-selling car in Japan for the past two months, boosting the company's efforts to recover from its first annual loss.

Rival automakers are seeking to challenge its lead. Honda's Insight hybrid was the top-selling car in April, before being overtaken by the Prius.

The Lexus range was launched by Toyota in 1999 for the North American market and was later expanded elsewhere, though it was only introduced in Japan in 2005. - AFP