China's BYD Debuts Lexus RX-Inspired S6DM Dual-Mode Hybrid at Detroit Motor Show

Chinese automaker BYD marked its fourth consecutive appearance at the North American International Auto Show with the world premiere of the S6DM hybrid, with the DM in the name standing for "Dual-Mode".

The gasoline-electric hybrid is based on the Chinese firm's S6, a mid-size SUV model first introduced at the Shanghai Auto Show in 2009. And no, you're not the only one to find the overall styling of the S6 reminiscent of the previous generation Lexus RX.

The Warren Buffett-backed battery and car maker claims the S6DM is "the world’s first independent 4WD dual-mode electric SUV". Under the hood, the Chinese model is equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and three electric motors. Two 10-kilowatt electric motors drive the front wheels while a more potent 75 kilowatt motor powers the rear wheels. A six six-speed dual clutch transmission handles power transfer.

Despite the "Dual-Mode" moniker, BYD says the system offers three driving modes including electric only, hybrid gasoline-electric and gasoline engine only. In detail, here's how the Chinese automaker describes each mode:

THREE DRIVING MODES

Fully electric (BEV) mode: At normal speeds, the vehicle can operate in its all-electric mode, with the electric motor (M2) propelling the rear wheels.

Hybrid gasoline-electric (HEV):

1. 2WD: The gasoline engine not only directly powers the vehicle, but also drives the electric motor (M1) at the front wheels to charge the battery pack.

2. 4WD: When more power is needed, the gas engine and the electric motor (M2) power the vehicle together. If the combined power is enough, the gasoline engine will also drive the electric motor (M1) to charge the battery pack. As speed increases, the gasoline engine can take over seamlessly with support from the 6-speed DCT; when braking, the gas engine automatically shuts down and the electric motor (M2) takes over.

3. 2WD: When battery power is low and not much driving power is required, the gasoline engine drives the electric motor (M1) to charge the battery pack and the electric motor (M2) powers the vehicle by itself.

Gasoline powered: When driving on the highway or in case the battery pack is depleted, the gasoline engine can power the vehicle on its own very efficiently.

According to BYD, the S6DM can travel over 38 miles (60km) purely on electric power (BEV) and over 500km (310 miles) combined when engaging the gasoline engine.

BYD said that the S6DM is amongst the models being considering for the U.S market. At the Detroit show, the company's Chairman, Wang Chuanfu, pushed back the brand's U.S. launch to the first quarter of 2012.

Lexus UK Winters-up RX 450h with New SE-I Special Edition

A new special edition model has been added to the UK range of the Lexus RX450h hybrid crossover. Named the SE-I, the new model sports a host of accessories said to be suited for those "who love the great outdoors" - always according to Lexus.

On the outside the so-called Lifestyle model adds roof rails and a rear bumper protect, plus front and rear under-run plates. Interior features of the package include a tough boot liner, claimed to be designed to cope with muddy boots, and a warm / cold storage box.

Lexus says that if these features were to specified individually, it would cost buyers up to £1,500, but brought together for the new RX 450h SE-I Lifestyle they add just £499 to the on-the-road price of the crossover for a total of £48,899.

2010 Lexus RX350 Pricing Announced, Cheaper Than its Predecessor

More often than not, an all-new model comes to the market with a slightly higher price tag than its predecessor, but that's not the case with the 2010 Lexus RX350 that arrives at U.S. dealerships this month. The new gasoline-powered RX carries a base MSRP of $36,800 for the front-wheel drive (FWD) model and $38,200 for the all-wheel drive (AWD) version meaning that it is priced $900 lower than the outgoing RX350 that cost $37,700 and $39,100 respectively.

The 2010 RX 350 mates a revised 275-horsepower strong 3.5-liter V6 engine with an all-new six-speed Multi-Mode Automatic Transmission. The luxury SUV's standard equipment includes among other things, 10 airbags, 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels and SmartAccess keyless-entry.

China's BYD Auto launches S6 Lexus RX Clone, Holds European Patent for Design Copyrights...

These are the first photos of BYD Auto's newest proposal in the SUV / Crossover segment, the S6 that is bound to make its debut at next month's 2009 Shanghai Auto Show that runs from April 20 to 28. If you haven't noticed it already, the Chinese automaker's SUV looks remarkably similar to the previous generation Lexus RX350. Sure the S6 has a different grille and revised headlamps / tail lights but unless your paycheck is coming from BYD Auto, few will disagree with us when we say that overall, its design shamelessly copies that of the RX350.

But what makes this story even more intriguing and apparently quite frustrating for Toyota / Lexus officials, is that believe it or not, we discovered that BYD Auto has actually succeeded in patenting the S6's design (see photo gallery bellow) at the European trademark office!

We don't have any other information on the S6 other than it is scheduled to go on sale in China later on in the year. However, what we really would like to find out is what Toyota and Lexus have to say about this latest cloning incident from China.

BYD AUTO S6 vs 2007 LEXUS RX350

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BYD AUTO S6 European Design Patents

Lexus Prices 2010 RX450h Hybrid from $41,660, Lower than '09MY

The difficult economic environment in the U.S. seems to have 'forced' Lexus to take a more aggressive approach on the all-new 2010 RX450h Hybrid SUV's pricing which at $41,660 for the front-wheel drive (FWD) model and $43,250 for the all-wheel drive (AWD) version, is $460 and $230 respectively cheaper than the outgoing '09 RX400h model. Set to arrive at Lexus dealerships in mid-summer, the new RX450h introduces an updated version of Lexus Hybrid Drive, featuring a 3.5-liter V6 Atkinson-cycle engine, lighter electric motors and a smaller and lighter power-control unit.

In terms of fuel economy, this translates to an EPA-estimated 32 mpg city and 28 mpg highway (30 mpg combined) for the front-wheel drive model and 30 mpg city, 28 mpg highway (29 mpg combined) for the AWD, meaning that it achieves 16 to 20 percent better fuel economy than its les powerful predecessor.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com