Toyota Delays Hybrid Lexus Release Until April 2005 - 17.5K Orders Already

[hatrack]

DETROIT - Toyota Motor Corp.'s Lexus division said it was delaying the U.S. launch of a gasoline-electric hybrid version of its RX 400h sport-utility vehicle.

The Japanese automaker's luxury arm said in late September that it planned to begin selling the RX 400h hybrids early next year. But Toyota announced this week that it would put them on sale April 15, the federal deadline for filing taxes, as a 2006 model-year vehicle.
Lexus decided to delay the release to accommodate burgeoning demand for the SUV, which will be built at the company's Kyushu, Japan, plant, spokesman Bill Ussery said.

"We are attempting to increase the number of vehicles available at launch," Ussery told the Detroit Free Press for a Friday story. "We're in communications with TMC (Toyota) to negotiate a larger share of the global allocation, at least initially, to help satisfy demand."

Lexus said it has 9,500 confirmed orders for the RX 400h, 8,000 buyers on dealership waiting lists and about 46,000 potential purchasers who have indicated online that they want more information about the vehicle. Pricing for the RX 400h hybrid has not been announced yet. The gasoline-powered RX 330 starts between $36,425 and $37,825, according to the Edmunds.com Web site; most buyers pay a premium for hybrid vehicles."

EDIT

Ed. - Word on the hybrid geek listserves is that battery production seems to be the main holdup.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6468649/

[xultar]

1. OK I don't like Toyota and I HATE Lexus...but I'd buy one of these!

in a heartbeat! :loveya:

[ret5hd]

3. question...

why do you hate lexus?

i've never owned one, never planned to own one, have never researched them...but i was just curious.

[xultar]

4. Why because Toyota created Lexus to serve a market..where as

Mercedes benz has always been a Benz wether it is the cheaper ones or the expensive ones. They evolved into Luxury market where Toyota saught to create the market. If they had just created a Luxury Toyota still called it a Toyota and said it was a QX400 That would have been kewler.

Does that make sense? :crazy:

[still_one]

2. The highlander hybrid will be out in the first quarter and must cheaper