Photo: Toyota
Redesigned for the 2022 model year, the Lexus NX introduced a new engine in the guise of a 2.4-liter turbo. Codenamed T24A-FTS, the Dynamic Force motor will be made at Toyota’s Georgetown production facility thanks to a $461 million investment that will create 1,400 jobs.
Gifted with fuel injectors for both direct and port injection, the four-pot lump under the hood of the NX 350 is officially rated at 275 horsepower and 317 pound-feet (430 Nm) of torque delivered from 1,700 through 3,600 revolutions per minute. It’s mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, and it needs 6.8 seconds to hit 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour).
“The 2.4-liter turbo engine line will give us more flexibility to offer a full portfolio of products, meeting current and future customer demand,” says David Rosier, head of the powertrain department at Toyota Kentucky. As if that wasn’t good enough for the Georgetown-based plant, 1,400 variable team workers currently employed through Kelly Services will be converted to direct positions. The Japanese automaker’s largest global manufacturing facility is currently boasting a workforce of just around 9,000 employees.
“I am confident in our highly skilled team members who drive us forward every day as we prepare for the future of advanced manufacturing, whatever the products might be,” adds Susan Elkington, president of Toyota Kentucky. The $461 million investment will further support factory enhancements and operational upgrades that will increase the speed and flexibility of the plant as Toyota prepares to roll out next-generation electrified vehicles.
While on the subject of electrification, Toyota has revealed the bZ4X crossover today on the e-TNGA vehicle architecture co-developed with Subaru. bZ stands for beyond Zero, referencing zero emissions.
Scheduled to enter production in 2022, the weirdly-named utility vehicle is offered with front- and all-wheel drive. The only lithium-ion battery confirmed so far is a 71.4-kWh pack, which is expected to deliver up to 311 miles (500 kilometers) of range for the front-wheel-drive base specification.
“The 2.4-liter turbo engine line will give us more flexibility to offer a full portfolio of products, meeting current and future customer demand,” says David Rosier, head of the powertrain department at Toyota Kentucky. As if that wasn’t good enough for the Georgetown-based plant, 1,400 variable team workers currently employed through Kelly Services will be converted to direct positions. The Japanese automaker’s largest global manufacturing facility is currently boasting a workforce of just around 9,000 employees.
“I am confident in our highly skilled team members who drive us forward every day as we prepare for the future of advanced manufacturing, whatever the products might be,” adds Susan Elkington, president of Toyota Kentucky. The $461 million investment will further support factory enhancements and operational upgrades that will increase the speed and flexibility of the plant as Toyota prepares to roll out next-generation electrified vehicles.
While on the subject of electrification, Toyota has revealed the bZ4X crossover today on the e-TNGA vehicle architecture co-developed with Subaru. bZ stands for beyond Zero, referencing zero emissions.
Scheduled to enter production in 2022, the weirdly-named utility vehicle is offered with front- and all-wheel drive. The only lithium-ion battery confirmed so far is a 71.4-kWh pack, which is expected to deliver up to 311 miles (500 kilometers) of range for the front-wheel-drive base specification.
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