Luxury Cars

MORE GENEVA AUTO SHOW @ INSIDELINE.COM: www.edmunds.com Rolls-Royce has officially announced it will unveil a near-production-ready concept sedan at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show next month. Called the 200EX — a name that recalls some of the British carmaker’s early “experimental” prototypes — the luxuriously equipped four-door previews a new entry-level Rolls-Royce that will go on sale later this year. Known until now by its internal working code RR4, the new Rolls-Royce is expected to be priced to compete against upmarket sedans such as the Bentley Continental Flying Spur and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Holding firm to the strategy taken with its 100EX and 101EX concept cars — both of which have reached the showroom with little change, as the Phantom Drophead and Phantom Drophead Coupe, respectively — the 200EX is said to closely resemble the definitive production version of the RR4. “There will be some very minor difference, but what you see in Geneva is for all intents and purposes what we’ll be bringing to Frankfurt later in the year,” says Rolls-Royce’s newly installed CEO Tom Purves, referring to plans to show its new model at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show in September. As yet, there’s no word on what model name the 200EX will receive. However, Rolls-Royce says it plans to resurrect a name from its past lineup. Among those rumored to be under consideration are Shadow, Wraith, Seraph and Spirit. Rolls-Royce designers have adopted a far less formal look for the 200EX than …

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FOR SPY ARTICLE @ INSIDELINE.COM: www.edmunds.com Already announced for production at the 2009 Shanghai Auto Show, the 2010 Jaguar XJ Sedan is in the final stages of development before its official debut this summer. Our spy shooters caught up with a prototype as it lapped the Nürburgring test track in Germany. Extensive camouflage does a good job of covering up this test mule’s new shape. From what we can see, the new XJ will be wider and longer than the current model. It will also have a more streamlined shape, as the windshield has a more aggressive angle compared to the current model. A teaser Web site has been set up by Jaguar, but it doesn’t provide any additional detail. Jaguar has confirmed that the XJ will continue to use aluminum construction. Combined with the company’s new, more powerful 5.0-liter V8 engines, this XJ should fare well against the likes of BMW’s 7 Series and the upcoming 2010 Mercedes-Benz S-Class. An official debut is scheduled for July 9, with sales in Europe beginning late this year. US sales are expected to begin in early 2010.

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FOR MORE ABOUT THE NEW LEXUS RX 350: www.edmunds.com You expect to see sports cars, sport sedans and even the occasional economy car on the Nürburgring, but now we’re to the point where even luxury crossovers are being tuned on the twisty test circuit in Germany. The 2010 Lexus RX 350 recently hit the ‘Ring, and thanks to a lack of camouflage the prototype gave us a good look at what’s in store for the upcoming midsize crossover. If you’re hoping for big changes you’ll be disappointed, as the next RX looks much like the current model in terms of its overall size and shape. There’s a slightly revised grille up front that’s more angular in appearance along with a reconfigured headlight cluster. In back, a new set of LED taillights is the most noticeable difference. There are a few minor changes to the shape of the rear fascia, but unless you put the 2010 model side by side with the current RX you would find it hard to see the difference between the two. The profile of this new RX is slightly more aggressive than before with a slightly lower roofline. A new design for the rear side windows eliminates one of the smaller quarter windows to give the overall shape a cleaner look. There won’t be big changes under the hood, either. A revised version of the current 3.5-liter V6 will provide the power with a six-speed automatic handling the gearchanges. A hybrid model will be available as well, most likely with the same powertrain as the current GS 450h. Although there have been …

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SEE MORE 2008 LAAS COVERAGE: www.edmunds.com The big story about the 2010 Lexus RX 350 is that there’s nothing big about it. Due to its wider track, it’s slightly broader across the shoulders than the 2009 RX 350, but otherwise it has the same overall footprint. Its 107.9-inch wheelbase is only an inch longer than before, but there’s still no third-row seat. RX owners, we’re told, still don’t want one. “Keeping the right size was something we heard a lot of, because we certainly studied whether we wanted to add a third row,” Ben Mitchell, an RX product planner, told us. “The majority of RX owners prioritize space in back, room for luggage.” To that end, the 2010 RX 350 has a more compact double-wishbone rear suspension, and after inspecting the cargo bay, we can attest that it intrudes less than the previous strut arrangement. The previous RX’s 3.5-liter V6 carries over but makes 275 horsepower this year (an increase of 5), and last year’s five-speed automatic gives way to Toyota’s six-speed unit with a manual-shift mode. The RX 350 gained some weight in the redesign (same basic platform architecture but more luxury gadgets), but we’re told 0-60 times won’t be affected much. Electric power steering assist is new this year, but based on our recent experience with the Toyota Venza, we don’t think this is a bad thing for the RX. “Owners asked for a little bit tighter response in the steering,” said Mitchell, and we think we’ve delivered that without compromising comfort …

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FOR MORE DETROIT AUTO SHOW COVERAGE: www.edmunds.com Lexus has determined that those of you shopping in the entry-level luxury sedan class are underserved by hybrid cars. “Research has shown that more than 60 percent of entry-luxury car buyers would have considered a hybrid if available,” the company reports. Come late summer of 2009, the 2010 Lexus HS 250h will be that hybrid. Although the five-passenger, front-wheel-drive HS 250h sedan unveiled today at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show shares a few basic styling cues with the Lexus IS 250 and ES 350, it doesn’t share much, if anything, beneath the skin. Like the Toyota Prius, it rides on a 106.3-inch wheelbase, but at 184.8 inches overall, it’s a lot longer from nose to tail. It’s 4.5 inches longer than an IS sedan but 6.3 inches shorter than the ES 350. The 2010 HS 250h also owns the distinction of being the tallest (59.3 inches) and narrowest (70.3 inches) passenger car in the Lexus lineup. Since the 2010 Lexus HS 250h is focused more on fuel economy than performance, it’s not surprising to see that it has the same Atkinson-cycle, 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine used by the Toyota Camry Hybrid. Lexus says total horsepower is 187. In the Camry, 147 hp is coming from the 2.4-liter engine, with a nickel-metal hydride battery pack contributing the remaining 40 hp. It’s a fair guess that in the HS 250h it’s the same. To get this power to the front wheels, there’s a transaxle with the electric motors and a planetary-type …

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