Lexus unveiled the production RX 400h luxury sport/utility vehicle, emerging as the first automaker to prove hybrid vehicles can be about more than near-zero emissions and high fuel economy. This new model features a more powerful, more advanced version of the hybrid drivetrain found in the 2004 Motor Trend Car of the Year Toyota Prius. While the 400h achieves 36 city/31 highway mpg and meets California's Super-Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV) requirements, it is the power and its delivery that excites us. The electric-enhanced V-6-based powertrain will produce approximately 270 horsepower, a full 40 horses more than the RX 330. Insiders confide that it is the torque that really impresses, giving the 400h the pull of a V-8. Further defying conventional wisdom, the all-wheel-drive variant reportedly recovers more energy (heightening efficiency) and delivers more acceleration. Beyond the powertrain, the 400h will Vehicle Dynamic Management (VDM), a more advanced version of the automaker's stability control system. Throw in a 600-mile range, and the RX 400h makes being green more appealing than ever. Click here to watch the Lexus Video.
