2008 Lexus Lx570 Sport Utility 4-door 5.7l on 2040-cars

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8 things you should know about the Lexus LC 500h powertrain

Lexus unveiled the LC 500h today in The Netherlands, and I got to take a look inside its new hybrid system. On one hand it seems like a box of magic – it combines two seemingly incompatible transmission types into one package. But that's also the ingenious simplicity of the thing. We don't have all of the details on how it all works yet, but here's a rundown of the high points.Efficient business in front, low-key party in the back. What makes it all work is the mullet of transmissions. For the new hybrid transmission, Lexus used the Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive/Lexus Hybrid System – which consists of an e-CVT with a planetary gearset and two electric motors (one for charging the battery, the other for motivation and regen) – and grafted a conventional four-speed automatic onto the back. The two units actually coexist in one package, with the e-CVT making things efficient and the automatic expanding the capabilities. So at the low end, the system can deliver more torque, and the engine can also run at lower rpm on the highway. It's all thanks to those fixed gear ratios, and it's surprisingly simple.Except it's not that simple. This is where the virtual gear ratios come in. Like current Lexus hybrids, the system has ratios it can call up with the e-CVT. In this case, there are six virtual ratios to complement the four real physical ratios, for a total of 10 "gears" at the transmission's disposal. (Not coincidentally, the V8 LC 500 coupe has a 10-speed automatic.) One of the four fixed gears is always engaged when the car is moving, so the 10 ratios come about from combinations of what the e-CVT in front and the automatic in the back are doing. In other words, all 10 ratios are variations on the four fixed gear ratios, which means that all 10 gears could be considered virtual.It won't use all the gears all the time. In Eco mode, the car will start off on electric power and skip the first couple of "gears." When it's set to Sport or Sport +, the engine will be engaged from a stop and the transmission will select the lowest ratio. The sportier modes will also ignore the top couple of gear ratios.It can drive faster with the engine off. In a Lexus GS 450h with the Lexus Hybrid System, for example, at speeds above 62 mph or so the engine has to start up. This is because something needs to take up some slack from the battery-charging motor-generator or else it will start spinning too quickly.

Why Lexus shies away from plug-in hybrids

Lexus may have softened its stance a bit from the anti plug-in vehicle ads the Toyota luxury badge ran last year, but at least one executive from the company casts a pretty critical eye towards the concept as a way to cut both emissions and refueling costs. In fact, Lexus doesn't really buy the fact that buyers of plug-in hybrids are really looking to save both gas and the environment, Green Car Reports says, citing an interview at the recent New York Auto Show with Lexus executive Mark Templin. Templin also said hydrogen fuel-cell technology may be a better way to edge towards zero emissions. Templin decried plug-in hybrid technology because it adds weight to vehicles, which contributes to poor emissions figures in the process. He added that plug-in vehicle buyers are motivated more by potential tax credits and solo driving rights in high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes than cutting back on fuel use. Last summer, Lexus ran an supposedly tongue-in-cheek print ad poking fun at how long it takes to charge a plug-in vehicle and how using air conditioning can shorten a car's charging range. Last spring, Lexus had to backpedal from an anti-electric ad it ran that had serious mistakes about hydrogen infrastructure. News Source: Green Car Reports Green Lexus Toyota Hybrid PHEV

2019 Quail Motorsports Gathering Mega Photo Gallery | Automotive Excellence

For the past 17 years, enthusiasts have flocked to The Quail Motorsports Gathering to see some of the hottest vehicles that automakers the world over have to offer. As you'll see below, 2019 is no different. We've collected image galleries of some of the best and most interesting vehicles that were on display at the event this year, and we've organized them in no particular order below. You'll see older vehicles rubbing fenders with brand-new models, from classic McLaren F1s to the very latest from Bugatti. Enjoy! McLaren F1s at the Quail 01-mclaren-f1-quail View 25 Photos 2020 Rezvani Beast at the Quail 01-2020-rezvani-tank-quail View 11 Photos 2020 Lexus LC Inspiration at the Quail 01-2020-lexus-lc-inspiration-quail View 9 Photos 2020 Acura NSX at the Quail 01-2020-acura-nsx-quail View 8 Photos De Tomaso P72 at the Quail 01-de-tomaso-p72-quail View 13 Photos Ferrari P80/C at the Quail 01-ferrari-p80-c-quail View 12 Photos SSC Tuatara at the Quail 01-ssc-tuatara-quail View 13 Photos Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus Baja Boot at the Quail 01-scg-baja-boot-quail View 12 Photos 2020 Drako GTE at the Quail 01-2020-drako-gte-quail View 9 Photos Acura Type S Concept at the Quail 01-acura-type-s-concept-quail View 12 Photos Pagani Huayra BC Roadster at the Quail 01-pagani-huayra-bc-roadster-quail View 15 Photos Lotus Evija at the Quail 01-lotus-evija-quail View 14 Photos Lamborghini Huracan Evo GT Celebration at the Quail 01-lamborghini-huracan-evo-gt-celebration-quail View 11 Photos Lamborghini Aventador SVJ 63 Roadster at the Quail 01-lamborghini-aventador-svj-63-roadster-quail View 16 Photos Aston Martin Valhalla at the Quail 01-aston-martin-valhalla-quail View 16 Photos Bugatti Centodieci Unveiling 01-bugatti-centodieci-quail View 17 Photos Featured Gallery Quail, A Motorsports Gathering 2019 View 38 Photos Misc. Auto Shows Acura Aston Martin Bugatti Ferrari Lamborghini Lexus Lotus Convertible Coupe Special and Limited Editions Performance Classics Sedan The Quail