Lexus CT 200h to Have the Ideal Seating Position

The upcoming premium hybrid from Lexus, the CT 200h, is likely to revolutionize the automotive industry thanks to the attention paid by the manufacturer to perfecting the ideal driving position. Lexus says the seat design and location, steering wheel position and even the angle of the pedals have been calculated for the best possible results.

Lexus considered this element of the full hybrid CT 200h to be so important that it even came up with a new engine air intake design so that the bonnet profile could be kept low to ensure a clear view from the low-set driver’s seat, without compromising pedestrian safety performance.

The new design includes a low hip point of the driver’s seat, which has been brought as close as possible to the car’s centre of gravity. This is complemented by a new sports steering wheel with a wide grip cross-section, set at a lower, 21-degree angle. The accelerator and brake pedal are also angled to take the lower hip point into account.

“The driver’s seat design – like that of the IS F – has extra lateral and lumbar support built-in to hold the driver firmly and comfortably in place as he or she makes the most of the car’s dynamic performance,” a company statement reads.

“With agile handling, responsive steering and a choice of driving modes, the driver, CT 200h demonstrates that Lexus’s full hybrid drive technology can deliver great driving pleasure as well as environmentally efficient performance.”

Lexus will debut the new CT 200h at the upcoming Paris Auto Show in September, with sales scheduled to begin in early 2011.