News
(september 16, 2008)
Lexus returns to TARGA Newfoundland with hybrid power
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 12, 2008
Lexus returns to TARGA Newfoundland with hybrid power
Lexus GS 450h proves that hybrids can deliver podium-finish worthy performance
(TORONTO) Proving that hybrid technology can create powerful performance, Team Lexus returns to the 2, 200-kilometre TARGA Newfoundland rally with high hopes to beat their own 2007 record, when they placed 18th place overall, 6th in the modern division, and won praise from other teams and motorsports enthusiasts at every stage of the week-long event. This year, Team Lexus is back and taking on the competition in the Sirius Satellite Radio President's Challenge for Manufacturers from September 13 to 20. The performance-oriented Lexus GS 450h, powered by the fuel-efficient and environmentally-aware Lexus Hybrid Drive, is the only hybrid vehicle in Targa for the second year in a row.
The GS 450h performance hybrid luxury sedan combines a proven 3.5-litre V6 with a high-torque electric motor and continuously variable transmission to create a robust, smooth and quiet Lexus Hybrid Drive power system. With a net power of 339 hp and a torque of 267 lb-ft. torque @ 4,800 rpm added to a rear suspension with multi-link rear control arms and stabilizer bar, this performance hybrid busts any pre-conceived notions that hybrids are not rally-worthy. Prepped for Targa with performance exhaust, shock absorbers, full racing gear and safety cage, the GS 450h is ready to take on The Rock yet again.
"During last year's rally, we not only buried the myth that 21st Century hybrid technology can't go toe-to-toe with conventional powertrains, we proved that the Lexus Hybrid Drive-equipped GS 450h delivers many performance advantages over regular automobiles," said Tony Wearing, Managing Director of Lexus in Canada. "This year, I'm pleased that our 2007 driver, Marc Lachapelle, joins us again, with Alan Ockwell in the co-driver's position. Both are well-known in the Canadian road race and rally circuits and will be backstopped by our great Lexus technical team."
"We're looking forward to putting the GS 450h up against the best offerings from other manufacturers and an international field of competitors, before a global audience of rally fans," Mr. Wearing continued. "We hope to prove once again that, even under extreme driving conditions; the world's only lineup of luxury hybrid vehicles is in a class by itself."
Marc Lachapelle returns to the driver's seat for a second year. Marc is a seasoned automotive journalist who contributes to Autonet, Le Guide de l'auto, MSN Autos US, and more. An avid motor sports enthusiast, he has raced cars for many years. Marc's co-driver, 26-year-old Alan Ockwell, won his first navigational rally at age nine and placed 2nd overall in the Grand Touring division at TARGA Newfoundland 2006. Alan has also notched an impressive five overall victories and 20 podium finishes in performance rallies.
Enthusiasts will be pleased to know that they can track the Lexus GS 450h's daily progress online during the rally. With blog entries, images and exciting insider details posted daily, fans of Team Lexus can get their fill of TARGA rally updates on Autonet.ca (http://blog.autonet.ca/targa for English content and http://blogue.autonet.ca/targa for French content) and PassionPerformance.ca (for French content).
The TARGA Newfoundland 2008 starts and ends in the provincial capital of St. John's. In between, drivers and vehicles face a six-day competition over 2,200 kilometres of challenging roads through the central and eastern portion of the island. The course consists of a mix of public road stages on which all rules of the road apply, as well as several closed-road TARGA speed sections (representing approximately 20 per cent of the course), over which drivers have free reign to push their vehicles to the limits. In the evenings, the Lexus GS 450h will join the other entries on display for local rally fans.
Lexus is the exclusive Canadian distributor of Lexus luxury cars and sports utility vehicles through a sales and service network of 30 dealers across Canada. An industry leader in product quality and ownership satisfaction since its inception, Lexus has sold more than 90,000 vehicles in Canada. The best-selling Lexus RX SUV, the acknowledged benchmark in the luxury sport utility vehicle segment, is built for the North American market in Cambridge, Ontario.
For more information about Lexus products, and the Lexus pursuit of perfection, visit www.lexus.ca. To learn more about Team Lexus and the TARGA Newfoundland 2008 GS 450h, visit the official Targa website at www.targanewfoundland.com.
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For further information:
Dawn Soulis
Lexus in Canada
(416) 431-8333
media@lexus.ca
For a PDF version of this release, please click here.
