2009 Detroit Auto Show – Subaru Lexus Toyota

Today we wrap up the offerings from the Japanese manufacturers at the 2009 NAIAS by discussing the introductions from Subaru Lexus and Toyota.
Subaru

Subaru Legacy Concept

Subaru came to the Detroit Auto Show this year to celebrate two corporate highlights – the introduction of the Legacy Concept sedan and its 2008 U.S. sales which actually rose while its market share here was the highest in 26 years.

2009 marks the 20th anniversary of the Legacy and the company has produced 2.6 million of them. The current 4th generation has been around since 2005, so tit’s about time to start teasing the public about what Subaru has up its sleeve for the next generation.

If the Legacy Concept is more than just a hint (and rumor has it that it is), the next Legacy to grace dealer showrooms will be much larger than the current iteration. With a wheelbase of 108.3 inches and length, width and height dimensions of 188.8” x 71.7” x 59.0”, the concept has a wheelbase 3.2” longer with overall dimensional increases of  3.8” x 3.2” x 2.5”.

In terms of styling, the cues from the concept will give the new sedan a much more aggressive presence. And while the muscular fender flares in some form will probably make it to the production version, the 4-seat interior layout and the lack of rearview mirrors (cameras are used on the concept) probably will not.

Lexus

2010 Lexus HS 250h

For 2010, Toyota introduces a dedicated hybrid to its luxury Lexus brand. Based on the third-generation European Avensis, the HS 250 will not be sold with any other powertrain. Powered by a 2.4 liter Atkinson-cycle engine that produces 187 horsepower, this latest mileage leader from Lexus is projected be 30 percent more efficient than any of its stablemates and have the best combined mpg of any luxury vehicle sold in the U.S.

Other key features for greenies: eco-plastics make up 30 percent of the interior and cargo area and 85 percent of the vehicle, including the battery, can be recycled.

Toyota

2010 Toyota Camry

Toyota snuck this one in under the radar. Nowhere on any of the press schedules was there any mention of a Camry refresh for 2010 but, nonetheless, here it is.

Changes for 2010 include new front and rear fascias with a unique grille and bumper treatment for the Camry Hybrid to differentiate it from its less environmentally correct brethren. Larger headlamps and tail lamps are shared by both models.

Bigger changes lie under the hood where a new 2.5 liter 4-cylinder engine replaces the previous 2.4 liter unit and horsepower has been upped from the current 159 to 169 for the LE and XLE trim levels while the SE gets additional tuning tweaks resulting in an additional 10 hp. The current 5-speed automatic is also shelved in favor of a six speed unit.

2010 Toyota Prius

When it goes on sale this spring, the third generation of the best-selling hybrid in history will, according to Toyota, be the highest-mileage car sold in America with a combined projected 50 mpg.

While retaining the unmistakable shape of the current generation Prius, Toyota has tweaked and refined the body to deliver an aerodynamic drag coefficient of 0.25 making it (again, according to Toyota) the world’s most aerodynamic production vehicle.

The new Prius boasts an even longer list of options than its predecessor that includes, among other things, light-emitting diode headlights as well as a solar-panel sunroof that generates the electricity required to run the ventilation system while the car is parked, reducing interior temperatures.

Tags: 2009 detroit auto show, 2010 prius, camry, detroit auto show, legacy concept, Lexus, lexus hs 250h, NAIAS, prius, subaru, subaru legacy, Toyota