Lexus CT 200h

Imagine, if necessary, that you're a young, well-to-do 20- or 30-something looking for a compact luxury car. Conventional logic dictates you should buy an Audi A3 or BMW 1-series, but those wishing to depart from the norm may want to consider the Japanese-built Lexus CT 200h luxury hybrid.

Not only does this car have a badge that will make onlookers solemnly nod in respect, plus an options list that could make a BMW blush, it also offers something its rivals can only dream of -- hybrid propulsion that delivers low-emission, high-economy driving. But is this car any good? We hopped in the £25,200 mid-range CT 200h SE-L to find out. The range starts at £23,485.

Halfway house: The 200h makes a good first impression, for the most part. Its front end has a keen, purposeful appearance, like it's angry with the road ahead. The 'hybrid' badges on the left and right sides spoil any illusion that the 200h is a mental tarmac shredder, but the prominent 'L' emblem on the front and rear will remind onlookers that you're driving something slightly more special than the average Prius.

The back half of the 200h looks pretty decent too, but only if considered in isolation. Call us crazy, but the rear somehow clashes with the front. It's almost as if each end was designed by a separate Lexus team before being welded together.

Although the appeal of the car's exterior is debatable, we were very impressed by its cabin. It has a reassuringly expensive appearance and feel, and is littered with buttons, lights and enough gizmos to keep most tech heads entertained for hours.

Lex me entertain you: The 200h's interface is divided into two areas -- a display zone and a control zone. Taking pride of place in the display zone, which sits on the upper half of the dashboard, is a large, motorised, angle-adjustable, 8-inch TFT display.

The screen can't be controlled by touch, but that's not a huge issue, as it's positioned out of reach anyway. Interacting with the display is only possible by prodding buttons in the control zone, which sits on the lower half of the dashboard and on the centre console.

This main point of interest in the control zone is the Lexus Remote Touch interface, which works exactly like a joystick or mouse. Move the stick left, right, up or down, and a cursor on the display reacts accordingly. The cursor snaps reassuringly onto icons as it passes over them, while a brief vibration is sent through the joystick to affirm you've selected something that can be interacted with.

The system is extremely easy to use while you're stationary or while the vehicle is in motion -- even more so, perhaps, than an ordinary touchscreen, since there's no need to exert yourself by physically holding your arm in the air.

Power cut: Despite its relatively exotic styling, the 200h is powered by the same components as the common, or garden, third-generation Toyota Prius. It uses a 98bhp 1.8-litre engine that ticks over using the Atkinson cycle -- a combustion process optimised for economy rather than performance. This is paired with an 81bhp electric motor that helps provide a combined power output of 134bhp.

That's not a terribly impressive power figure, and it shows. Twist the car's driving-mode knob into the sport setting and the 200h gently eases itself from a standstill to 62mph in 10.3 seconds -- just a hundredth of a second quicker than the Prius. It continues at a relatively pedestrian pace until it reaches the same 112mph maximum speed as its rival.

The car has enough grunt to keep up with the flow of fast-moving motorway traffic, but doesn't really offer enough power to pass Sunday drivers, unless you're driving on a long stretch of road with plenty of room to overtake.

Bend it like Beckham: The 200h isn't particularly quick in a straight line, but Lexus has done its utmost to make the car handle effectively, through clever weight distribution. The car's hybrid-propulsion components are mounted as close to the floor of the vehicle as possible, helping it to maintain a low centre of gravity, and components located furthest away from the centre of gravity have been given the Weight Watchers treatment. The bonnet, tailgate and bumper reinforcements are all made from lightweight aluminium.

Many diesel cars usually mount their 100kg or so engines directly over the front axle, causing handling imbalances. The 200h, on the other hand, has a 50kg engine mounted at the front, and the weight of that engine is offset by a 55kg electric motor over the rear.

The 200h's suspension helps its handling, too. Whereas the Prius uses comparatively decrepit torsion-beam rear-suspension technology, this car uses the slightly fancier double-wishbone variety, which, although heavier by nature, is widely used in sports cars, as it offers better stability when you're driving like a hoodlum.

Emissions statement: The 200h's hybrid gubbins means it's affordable to run -- even with petrol prices higher than a pre-rehab Charlie Sheen. The car achieves an impressive 68.9mpg on the combined cycle, which is considerably more than the 60.1mpg achieved by the diesel-powered BMW 118d, but slightly below the 74.3mpg you'd get with an, albeit slightly less nippy, Audi A3 1.6 TDI 105PS.

The 200h trumps both its rivals in terms of low emissions. The car emits carbon dioxide at a rate of just 94g/km. That's 5g/km less than the Audi A3 and a whopping 29g/km less than the BMW. It's an even rosier picture as far as nitrous oxide emissions are concerned. The 200h spits out just 3.3mg/km of the stuff, compared to the hundreds of mg/km spewed out by its rivals' diesel engines.

If you're an uber hippie, you may want to take advantage of the car's electric-only driving mode, which disables the engine temporarily to power the car on electric power alone. This can drive the 200h at speeds of up to 27mph, but, with a total range of just 2 miles, it's hardly worth the bother.

Conclusion: We really like the Lexus CT 200h. Its straight-line performance isn't great, but it corners superbly, has a comfortable, luxurious air and is cheap to run. The Prius is less expensive and offers slightly better economy, but the 200h is a far more desirable package.

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Uber, A More Expensive Car Service For iPhone, Headed to NYC

Uber, the San Francisco-based car service start-up, is expanding from California to New York City beginning "in a few short weeks," TechCrunch reports today. Do we need more cars? Do we need to pay more money for more cars? Maybe in the outer boroughs! But what if it will run you as much as three times more than a standard cab or livery service?

The perks are that you can line-up an Uber car from your iPhone (or Android!) and then watch an on-screen map, which shows your ride getting closer. Rich people will love this, maybe, if they're really good at their iPhones, because it is super convenient and reliable and there's no yelling on the phone with a dispatcher. ("Five minutes? Yes, the corner of... no, not 'street,' ... 'avenue,' yes, okay, okay, wait, what?") Or do rich people still have drivers of their own.

TechCrunch explains that Uber's email today to New York-based subscribers "includes a link to a survey which asks what people dislike the most about New York City cabs and livery cars, what they would value most about an Uber experience, and where in the city is service most needed. It also tries to gauge how much more people would be willing to pay for Uber than for a taxi (the choices are from 1X to 3X a taxi fare)."

The company has had success in cities with no reliable rides, like San Fran and Palo Alto, and recently raised $11 million, but New York will be their first foray into actual competition, meaning those in the know could possibly hit on some deals as the service works to gain East Coast visibility. So if you're the type to call a car, sign up here. And let us know how much it ends up costing.

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India: selling cars gets more expensive

It’s never been easy to sell luxury cars in India. The duties on fully assembled imported cars is 60 per cent (which effectively becomes 110 after VAT and local taxes), while the tax on locally-made cars with imported engines is 10 per cent.

So many nervous car makers will have poured over India’s most recent budget announcement on Monday for changes to import taxes. To their dismay they will have found a recent change that could mean cars built in India using imported engines will be treated as fully imported. The change is expected to add over Rs 800,000 ($4500) to the price of entry-level cars of companies like BMW, Audi and Mercedes. It will also affect local companies which import engines like Tata and Mahindra.

For German luxury carmakers this comes as a rude shock, in particular because the luxury car prices were expected to fall after the enactment of the proposed India-EU free trade agreement in April.

But it also comes as a shock to a handful of local Indian companies.

Luckily for Tata Motors, it has already announced plans to manufacture engines for its Freelander model entirely in India.

But for other companies it isn’t as easy as relocating factories to India. Suhas Kadlaskar, director and board member of Mercedes-Benz India, told beyondbrics that the company doesn’t have the option to move production to India because of tough union rules in the company’s home market in Germany. He said: “There is no question of relocation even if there is a cost impact.”

So what is the real motivation behind the proposed new tax?

According to analysts the change in the budget is directed at the Skoda Fabias and the Volkswagen Golfs rather Rolls-Royces and Bentleys.

“The idea is to get mass market manufacturers such as Skoda and Volkswagen to produce their engines in India to form the basis of an auto industry,” said Mohan Guruswamy of the Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Industry officials insist this is a double-whammy victory as it allows the government to increase the share of manufacturing to a desired 25 per cent of GDP from the current 16 per cent over the next 10 years, at the same time increasing levels of localization.

Meanwhile, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) has come to the rescue of worried luxury carmakers promising to mediate and address this issue with the finance ministry.

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Rolls-Royce develops electric car

Rolls-Royce used to boast that at 60mph in one of their cars, the loudest sound was the ticking of the clock. Now the world's best known luxury car is about to become even quieter, with the launch of the first fully electric model to bear the famous Spirit of Ecstasy mascot.

The one-off Phantom is being built to gather research data that could eventually lead to customers ordering their own all-electric Rolls-Royce. The firm, based at Goodwood in West Sussex, says that project 102EX is crucial to informing future decisions on alternative "drivetrains" – or propulsion systems – for Rolls-Royce cars.

Engineers will use the Phantom, which normally costs from £285,000, to establish whether they can develop a commercial model which can run long enough to be of use and can operate in extreme weather conditions, which are known to effect battery performance.

Despite its enormous price tag, such a commercial model would be exempt from road tax, London's congestion charge and would even qualify for free parking in some areas.

Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Rolls-Royce's executive, said: "We have engineered the world's first battery electric vehicle for the ultra-luxury segment.

"With this vehicle, we begin an exploration into alternative drivetrains, seeking clarity on which alternative technologies may be suitable to drive Rolls-Royce motor cars of the future."

A spokesman for the firm, which posted record sales last month, said that 102EX – also known as the Phantom Experimental Electric (EE) – said that the car company would "carefully test the opinions and reactions to alternative drivetrain options of a range of stakeholders including owners, enthusiasts, members of the public and the media".

The electric Rolls-Royce will be revealed at the Geneva Motor Show on March 1. It will then be taken on a tour of Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America. Selected Rolls-Royce owners will be asked to test drive the electric vehicle and provide feedback on their views.

Rolls-Royce says there are 'no plans to develop a production version'. But, added Mr Müller-Ötvös: "I must be convinced that any alternative drivetrain we choose for the future delivers an authentic Rolls-Royce experience.

"It must be a technology that is right for our customers, our brand and which sets us on a sound footing for a sustainable future.

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Lexus Builds Insanely Expensive Car

It’ll be business as usual for this LFA, which starts at $375,000 before tacking on another $70,000 for the Nürburgring package, bringing the total to $445,000. With just 50 racing-inspired packages to be created, it’d better be special, so Lexus adds new wheels, a carbon-fiber body kit, and an extra 10 horsepower for the 4.8-liter V-10 (re-rated for 562 horsepower). The six-speed sequential transmission changes gear even faster, needing just 0.15 second as the LFA rockets past the competition. It looks more aggressive with the rear wing and reworked body parts, but it’ll still go from 0-62 mph in 3.7 seconds and retain a manufacturer-stated top speed of 202 mph.

The Lexus LFA Nürburgring package is a massively expensive and insanely fast V10 powered monster that is at home, eating up other cars on the world famous German circuit for which it’s named. Lexus announced that they would only be creating 50 examples of this limited edition LFA and they have confirmed that it would be shown at the Geneva Motor Show next week. As if the standard Lexus LFA is weak or doft, the Nurburgring Pack will make it harder and more track-focused. It features additional aerodynamic elements, lowered suspension and engine revisions. Mind you, that engine revision is not very deep and results in just a mere 10 bhp increase in power from V10 engine to 562bhp, thus enabling the car for a 0 to 62 mph sprint of 3.7 seconds. In terms of handling modifications, the package features suspension tuning and a 10mm reduction in the ride height. Exclusive mesh-type wheels are introduced, fitted with dedicated high-grip tyres.

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Lexus LFA Supercar Gets More Expensive with Nurburgring Edition

At $375,000, the Lexus LFA supercar was a sight to behold. Considering that it costs about four times as much as the competiting Nissan GT-R, you have to wonder why someone would want the most expensive road car that Toyota has ever produced. And now you wonder even more with an even more expensive version.

Upping the ante is the new Lexus LFA Nurburgring Package. While only 500 of the regular LFA supercars are being produced, a mere 50 of these upgraded Japanese supercars are going to be made available. With the bump in price to $445,000, the LFA Nurburgring is the most expensive road car ever made by a Japanese manufacturer.

So, what does all that extra cash buy you? Power output is only marginally increased from 552bhp to 562bhp, but they’ve worked on several aerodynamic improvements that allow the monster to race around the legendary Nurburgring track in under 7:20. That’s bloody fast, in case you’re wondering. They’ve also improved the sequential gearbox to switch between gears in 0.15 seconds, compared to the 0.2 on the regular LFA.

In addition to the little changes here and there, buyers of the LFA Nurburgring also get a special jacket commemorating the purchase, a night’s stay at Nurburgring, and a one-year pass to the circuit to rip around the track. The white, orange, and black models are selling at the aforementioned $445k, but matte black comes in at a $20,000 premium.

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