The Lexus CT 200h will take the form of a hatchback and will use similar lines to the concept car Lexus LF-Ch which was just unveiled a few months ago.

Lexus explains that the CT 200h is a car designed for those who want to be more responsible and lower their emissions but who will not compromise their standards. The new member of the Lexus garage will be the first full hybrid compact to be offered in the premium market. The drive system of the car will take its cues from the set up utilized for the LS 600h, RX 450h, and the GS 450h.

It is not yet clear if the CT 200h will go on sale in the United States but there is a stringing backing from the management team to roll it out in North America. The sale of the Lexus compact on the US shore might just be the companies answer to plans of Lincoln and Cadillac to introduce new cars to the market. BMW and Audi also plan to send variants of their 1-Series and A3, respectively, stateside.

According to experts, the luxury segment might just hit it big time with the compacts in coming years. A lot of prestige car aficionados are on a downsizing trend plus the congestion of traffic is expected to get worse.

The GS 450H 2010 model still sports the hybrid motor in combo with the V6 3.5L engine capable of giving out 340 horsepower. The fuel mileage is excellent with 25 mpg while on the highway and 22 mpg during city driving.

The new GS 450h gets some fine tuning for its exterior design lines and gives some color options available for car buyers. Lexus also injects some interior trim updates. Safety features like the Pre-Crash system also gets some tweaking. The navigation and entertainment system also received some upgrades.

The exterior aesthetics are not really that major. The designers changed the front grille and put emphasis on the hybrid blue logo. The tail lights are also now covered with clear lenses. The SE-L line has an option for an 18-inch alloy rim. The insides get a Venaro Grey leather treatment while the start-stop button gets the blue backlight to be consistent with the hybrid color concept.

The Pre-Crash system now makes the seatbelts tighter prior to an impending crash while the car implores brake assist to somehow slow the car down before a collision. Whiplash protection is also enhanced with the new headrests equipped with inflators.

The navigation upgrades includes a 40 Gigabyte hard drive that can store the navigation files and also store music for the entertainment system. Consumers can either opt for a 10-speaker set up of Lexus Premium or go for the Mark Levinson 14-speaker surround sound with USB, aux, and Bluetooth capabilities standard to both.

The sticker price for the new Lexus release is expected to stay close with the 2009 model at $56,550.

Hoping to conquer an untapped market, Lexus follows through a recent research that reveals 60 percent of novice luxury car buyers would purchase a hybrid. There were rumors that the Lexus hybrid will undoubtedly be founded on the Prius, but Lexus spokesman Greg Thome said that the HS 250h more likely connects to the Toyota Avensis that is being sold in Europe.

Lexus HS 250h boasts of a 2.4-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder with a total of 187 hp. The Lexus new hybrid is expected to exceed the RX 400h fuel efficiency status by more than 30 percent. The HS 250h is the first Lexus model with a four-cylinder engine.

Warm-up time is shortened with the implementation of an exhaust heat recovery system. The car’s interior is made cooler with the use of windshields that reduces infrared-rays. Its specifically engineered aerodynamics help reduce drag while an electric power steering system is implemented.

The HS 250h’s interior includes a Remote Touch interface, Bluetooth, moon roof, satellite radio, and an iPod port. Luxury options like heads-up display, radar cruise control, wide-view front monitor, and a keep-lane assist system are also accessible. Almost 30% of the interior is made up of a plant-based, carbon-neutral plastic that causes the a greening effect.

The Lexus HS 250h is expected to start low at the $40.000 range.

Company officials did not reveal much about the cars but just the usual “a notch better than the older generation” line. Leaked pictures of the RX though show that it is longer, wider, and taller than its predecessor. The RX and the hybrid will be offered with excellent safety features, technology, comfort, and luxury. The RX 350 will be released to the market in 2009.

The Lexus 2010 IS convertible will also be welcomed to the North American market during the LA auto show on November 19. The IS 350 and 250C both have 3 panel aluminum roofing which opens in a matter of seconds.

The 250C has a 2.5L V6 engine with an output of 204 horse power. It is coupled with a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. The IS 350C has a 3.5L V6 power plant that boasts of 306hp.

All-wheel drive luxury sedans from Lexus will also be featured during the auto show. The 2009 models of the LS 460 and LS 460 L will be unveiled. Both cars are available in long wheel base version or the standard type.

The LS range features great stability and traction performance that can be attributed to the Limited Slip Differential or LSD. The TORSEN LSD is specifically designed to distribute the drive torque between the sets of front and back wheels.