Lexus Hybrids Hit 5.5 Billion Mile Mark

Automaker showcases full line of hybrid vehicles in new marketing campaign

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Mar 09, 2010, 01:01 ET

TORRANCE, Calif., March 5 /PRNewswire/ -- When Lexus debuted its first hybrid in 2004 your status did not need to be "updated," more people had landlines than cell phones and Wi-Fi was hard to come by. Now Lexus has more than 190,000 hybrids on the road that have traveled over 5.5 billion miles* - that's further than the length of every paved road on the planet. For the first time, Lexus has launched a marketing campaign that showcases all four of their hybrid vehicles currently in market: the RX 400h, GS 450h, LS 600h and HS 250h. The recently-announced Lexus CT 200h - not featured in this current campaign - will represent the fifth Lexus hybrid.

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"We are very proud of our leadership in luxury hybrids and have created a campaign that lets consumers know that at Lexus, hybrids aren't just a concept for a future car, but vehicles that have been on the road for five years," states Dave Nordstrom, vice president of marketing for Lexus. "We will continue to explore groundbreaking technologies that will allow us to expand our hybrid offerings and remain at the forefront of alternative-fuel vehicle development."

The new multiplatform campaign, debuting this weekend, reinforces Lexus' hybrid leadership and demonstrates the brand's creative thinking and technological innovation.

"Milestones," the new TV spot, highlights a series of advancements and changes that the world has seen since the first Lexus Hybrid hit the road five years ago. The spot shows thousands of Lexus Hybrid vehicles forming the shape of a computer cursor, a gas nozzle, a landline and, finally, the letter "h," illustrating how much the world has evolved during those five years. It is the story of the Lexus Hybrids as told by the vehicles themselves. The commercial, which begins airing on March 6, will run during primetime, on network television and cable, during NCAA® March Madness® and throughout Major League Baseball® programming and finally, in conjunction with Google TV, an auction based television buying platform. Additional media programs, currently in development, will launch as the hybrid campaign continues throughout 2010.

In addition to television, Lexus will run a national print campaign, online banners and out-of-home advertising in 12 markets. Two print ads titled, "Close Your Eyes" and "Roads" will appear in consumer print publications such as Men's Health, Women's Health, People, Sports Illustrated, Vogue and USA Today.

The hybrid campaign also includes a partnership with Current TV, where the Lexus Hybrid philosophy became a part of popular conversation. The community was invited to express the power of "h" by shedding light on great achievements. Current producers created and submitted a VCAM (Viewer Created Advertising Message). The ads had to either demonstrate Lexus' "actions speak louder" philosophy, or profile a person or organization that, like Lexus, puts creative thinking and innovation into action. The effort drew hundreds of submissions. The producers of the four VCAM ads, selected by Lexus, receive $2,500 each, and their ads will air on Current TV and Current TV online, as well as social media spaces and lexus.com.

To see the selected VCAM ads, please visit: http://www.youtube.com/lexusvehicles

For more information about the Lexus hybrids, visit http://www.lexus.com/hybrids/

*Estimate based on total global sales, using an average of 10K miles/year.

About The Lexus Hybrids

HS 250h:

The HS is powerful yet efficient, luxurious yet responsible - the perfect blend of technology with sustainability. Engineered from the ground up, the HS 250h is packed with amenities such as available Driver Attention Monitor and four driving modes that allow the driver to decide how much power and performance he or she wants. It redefines the word "hybrid" with sleek styling and impressive fuel economy, making this hybrid unlike any other in the world.

LS 600h L:

The hybrid version of the flagship LS features a powerful 5.0 - liter engine that delivers a high-output electric-drive motor, giving the LS 600h L a total 438 horsepower and a 0-to-60 time of 5.5 seconds. This certified Super Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle II (SULEV II) also features an available Advanced Parking Guidance System, the world's first LED headlamps for low-beam use and a Dual-swivel Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS).

GS 450h:

The GS Hybrid features a 3.5-liter V6 engine that delivers 340 total system horsepower and a 0-to-60 time of 5.2 seconds. The GS 450h, certified as a Super Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle II (SULEV II), dual exhaust and Variable Gear-Ratio Steering (VGRS) that adjusts the steering responsiveness based on the vehicle's speed.

RX 450h:

The RX 450h, the world's first-ever luxury hybrid SUV, boasts the sleek styling of the RX, complete with integrated foglamps, a unique grille and front bumper, and privacy glass for a sporty look. Powered by a V6 gas engine and electric-drive motors, the RX 450h produces 295 total system horsepower, outperforming many of its V8-equipped competitors.

About Lexus

Lexus is the leading luxury automaker in the United States. With its reputation for high-quality products and exemplary customer service from its 228 dealers, Lexus has been the top-selling luxury automaker for ten years in a row. In addition, Lexus is the luxury hybrid leader, now offering four hybrids that provide the best in innovative technology and first-class luxury. When Lexus was established in 1989, it offered two models of vehicles. Now, more than 20 years later, Lexus offers variations of 11 vehicles, from the entry-level IS 250 to its first V10 supercar, the LFA.

SOURCE Lexus