Lexus CL 500h

While in the city center today I noticed a Lexus CL 500h parked on the street. It's a very beautiful car and among the few hybrid sports cars on the market. This versio of the CL has a 3.5 liter V6 petrol engine (295 hp) and two electric motors with a total maximum output of 177 hp. The transmission is unique in the sense that it's a dual system with a four-speed automatic transmission embedded in a continuous variable transmission.

Finland has a progressive car tax system based on CO₂ emissions, which means that sports cars, pickups or other types of cars with powerful engines tend to be more expensive that in most countries. Because the Lexus CL 500h is a hybrid, it's about €50,000 cheaper than the 5.0 liter V8 version. The price range is from €130,000 to €140,000 depending on equipment.