The early success of Lexus’s NX crossover range is set to gain extra turbo-powered momentum with the introduction of the new NX 200t, the first model to benefit from Lexus’s new 2.0-litre turbocharged engine.
Order books are open now for the NX 200t, which will be available exclusively in F Sport trim with all-wheel drive, emphasising its more performance-oriented character. It joins the full hybrid NX 300h, which has already amassed more than 1,000 sales since being introduced late last year.
The NX 200t costs £38,095 on the road; first customer deliveries will be from mid-March.
The NX 200t is the first Lexus model to use a new 2.0-litre turbocharged direct injection petrol engine. Developed in-house, the 1,998cc unit is matched to a newly developed six-speed automatic transmission with a Drive Mode Select system.
Maximum power of 235bhp/175kW is produced between 4,800 and 5,600rpm, with peak torque of 350Nm delivered at 1,650rpm. Official combined cycle figures for CO2 emissions and fuel consumption are 183g/km and 35.8mpg respectively.
The NX 200t uses a Dynamic Torque Control all-wheel drive system, which maximises traction and cornering stability, while securing the best possible fuel efficiency. According to driving conditions, up to 50 per cent of available torque can be directed to the rear wheels. Performance dampers are fitted as standard.
