Lexus is poised to unveil its new CT 200h rival to the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series at the
Geneva motorshow next week. The five-door hatchback will come with hybrid power as standard and be able to run solely on electric power at speeds of up to 28mph.
Designed specifically for Europe, the CT 200h has a 1.8-litre petrol engine lifted from the current
Toyota Prius. The Prius also donates its electric motor and continuously variable transmission to the Lexus. However, Lexus promises the CT 200h will have more power than the Prius to compete with its rivals from Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
The CT 200h should still deliver low emissions and high economy, though Lexus has yet to reveal any figures. A choice of driving options is standard in the baby Lexus, which will offer the driver Eco, Normal, Sport and full electric modes.
Built on an all-new platform, the CT 200h has double wishbone front and trailing arm rear suspension, which could be tuned to give the hatch sporty handling. Lexus claims the CT 200h will deliver better comfort and handling than its rivals.
Style-wise, the CT 200h is closely based on the
LF-Ch concept seen at the
Frankfurt motorshow last year and comes with Lexus' current corporate look and LED daytime running lights. The rear hatch opens to reveal a 345-litre boot that can be extended by dropping the rear seats to free up 700 litres of cargo capacity.
An asymmetrical dash design is retained from the LF-Ch concept and an eight-inch LCD display screen pops out of the dash-top. The gear lever is positioned high on the centre console and close to the nice, three-spoke steering wheel.
Lexus will officially unveil the CT 200h at the
Geneva motorshow and the car goes on sale at the end of 2010. A three-door hatch is expected to join the CT 200h range close after the five-door model hits showrooms, but prices have yet to be announced.
Alisdair Suttie - 26 Feb 2010