HybridLexusRx450h

The RX 450h (second generation) made its world debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show next to the RX 350. The car will go on sale in the spring of
2009. The RX 450h will feature an exclusive grille, hybrid badging including blue-trimmed Lexus logos, unique front bumper, a special 19-inch optional
wheel design, blue-tinted headlamps and taillamps, and optional LED headlamps. Under the hood there is a Lexus Hybrid Drive system with a 3.5-liter V6
engine. This, combined to a new, more efficient inverter delivers 295 hp, 27 more hp than the current generation RX hybrid. The RX 450h features a
front-wheel hybrid drive or an electronically driven, part-time all-wheel-drive (AWD) hybrid drive system, which supplies the rear wheels with the optimal
amount of torque as conditions demand. Unlike mechanical AWD systems that reduce fuel efficiency via added weight and friction, the RX 450h’s
rear-mounted electric motor-generator allows all four wheels to perform regenerative braking, charging the hybrid battery more effectively. [topspeed.com]