January 2014 | Lexus Enthusiast

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Video: Rainy Donuts with the Lexus LFA

It’s been a pretty long week and I’m sick as a dog, so let’s watch this red Lexus LFA do some donuts on wet pavement: Have a good weekend everyone!

Kevin · January 31st, 2014

Sponsored Post: Lexus Canada Facebook Contest

Lexus Canada is currently running a Facebook contest for a getaway to the Wickaninnish Inn, Canada’s premier five-star resort, including business class air travel to scenic Tofino, British Columbia. Entering is easy — visit the Lexus Canada Facebook page for more details.

Kevin · January 31st, 2014

Lexus 2014 SuperGT Teams Announced

At a press conference in Japan, Lexus announced the six SuperGT teams that will be racing the new RC F GT500 — here they are, along with the drivers: #1 Team ZENT CERUMO (Drivers Yuji Tachikawa & Hirate) #6 Team LEMANS ENEOS (Drivers Kazuya Oshima & Yuji Kunimoto) #19 Team WEDSPORTS BANDOH (Drivers to be …

Kevin · January 30th, 2014

Lexus Design Award 2014 Winners Announced

Lexus has announced the twelve winners of the 2014 Lexus Design Awards, the brand’s second annual international design competition. The designers of two winning entries will create prototypes of their designs in close collaboration with an assigned mentor — the first winner is Sebastian Scherer of Germany, who created Iris, a “handblown glass lamp with …

Kevin · January 30th, 2014

Photo Gallery: Black & White Lexus GS 300h in London

Lexus UK has published a nice black & white Facebook photo gallery with the GS 300h in London: I really wish Lexus would reconsider bringing the GS 300h to North America — I just did a rough calculation using GS 450h prices as a baseline, and a GS 300h could cost as little as $41,000 …

Kevin · January 29th, 2014

Explaining the Lexus Spindle Grille

In an interview with Autocar, Lexus chief designer Yasuo Kajino explained the reasoning behind the spindle grille design that’s now seen on every Lexus: “We have a challenge,” he explained. “Lexus is a young brand and our line-up is still very small compared to those of our rivals. We need to get noticed, and the …

Kevin · January 29th, 2014

Production Lexus NX Compact Crossover Leaked?

An unusual slide was shown during Toyota CEO Jim Lentz’s speech to the Society of Automotive Analysts prior to the Detroit Auto Show — while talking about Lexus in 2014, an image of what looks like a production LF-NX compact crossover was shown: There’s little reason to doubt the authenticity of this image, which is …

Kevin · January 28th, 2014

Lexus USA Dealerships Excited about 2014

Automotive News recently spoke with John Iacono, owner of three Lexus dealerships in New York and chairman of the Lexus USA National Dealer Advisory Council — much of the interview is geared towards industry insiders, but there are some interesting moments: Mercedes and BMW are dropping below the $30,000 sticker price. Should Lexus follow? The …

Kevin · January 28th, 2014

Imagining the Lexus ES Shooting Brake

Here’s a funny mashup — photochopper Theophilus Chin took the Lexus ES and merged it with the Mercedes CLS Shooting Brake, creating the ES Sportcross wagon. (Considering the ES is not offered in Europe and the CLS Shooting Brake is unavailable in North America, it’s a strange combination — I have a hard time imagining …

Kevin · January 27th, 2014

Lexus Manufacturing Plant in Japan Displays Custom CT 200h at Local Auto Show

The Lexus manufacturing plant in Fukuoka, Japan, has built a custom Lexus CT200h for display at the 2014 Fukuoka Motor Show in last week. Inspired by traditional handicrafts, the interior of this special edition CT 200h incorporates local fabrics, ceramics, tortoiseshell and mat rush — here’s the only photo I’ve been able to find: This …

Kevin · January 27th, 2014

Lexus IS 300h Finishes First in Real-World Gas Mileage Test

UK magazine What Car? has compared the real-world gas mileage of five luxury sports sedans and found the Lexus IS 300h to deliver the best results. The IS 300h, which is officially rated at 64.2 mpg in Britain, returned 59.6 mpg in the What Car? test. The Mercedes C220 CDI, despite having an official rating …

Kevin · January 27th, 2014

Photo Gallery: 2014 Lexus CT 200h in Hong Kong

For the Hong Kong launch of the 2014 Lexus CT 200h, Lexus worked with photographer Chester Ng — here are the results: [Source: Chester Ng Via: Lexus Europe]

Kevin · January 24th, 2014

Next-Generation Lexus IS F Planned?

Despite rumors of its cancelation, Japanese magazine Mag-X reports that Lexus plans to release a next-generation Lexus IS F after all. The first mention that the high-performance sports sedan would be discontinued came last year in an article from USA Today — the debut of the RC F coupe and spy shots of a GS …

Kevin · January 23rd, 2014

Lexus IS F CCS-R Used as Secret Development Car for RC F V8 Engine

It’s been widely reported that the Lexus IS F CCS-R racecar was essential to the development of the new RC F high performance coupe, and now we’ve found out just how far this influence runs. Lexus USA marketer Jim Lee announced on Instagram today that the IS F CCS-R that raced at Pikes Peak and …

Kevin · January 23rd, 2014

Lexus RC F in Black, Gray, Red & Yellow

How will the Lexus RC F look in colors other than Ultrasonic Blue? Lexus Enthusiast Facebook fan Alaa Tarawneh sent in these photoshopped samples: While I’m not sure yellow is necessary no matter what the competition is doing, the RC F in black is going to be hard to beat — just plain mean looking. (Thanks …

Kevin · January 23rd, 2014

Lexus Wins Three Polk Automotive Loyalty Awards

Owners of the Lexus RX, LS, & CT were recognized for customer loyalty at the annual Polk Automotive Loyalty Awards. The Polk Automotive Loyalty Awards measures loyalty as a household that owns a new vehicle choosing another new vehicle of the same model or make. This year’s awards are based on more than 7.4 million …

Kevin · January 22nd, 2014

2014 Lexus GX 460 in Short Supply at US Dealerships

The updated 2014 Lexus GX 460 has been a huge success, and dealerships are having a hard time keeping up with the demand — from Edmunds: Through the middle of this month, Lexus had only a nine-day supply of GX models in stock, up from four days at the end of December. Automakers and dealers …

Kevin · January 22nd, 2014

Photo Gallery: Lexus RC F GT500 Racecar in Detail

At this point, we’ve all seen the Lexus RC F GT500 display from the Tokyo Auto Salon, but Lexus International has just posted up some great photos of the racecar and its super-stylish mannequin pit crew: Can’t wait to see how the Lexus Super GT teams customize their RC Fs, it’s going to be quite …

Kevin · January 22nd, 2014

More Photos of the Lexus LFA Code X Racecar

The Lexus LFA Code X was introduced at the Tokyo Auto Salon by Toyota president Akio Toyoda last week, here are some photos from Response.jp: The news of the LFA Code X was buried somewhat with the introduction of the new RC F, but it’s a significant new development in Lexus racing — the bigger …

Kevin · January 21st, 2014

Imagining a Lexus RC F Convertible

One week after its release, two photochoppers have cut the roof off the Lexus RC F and imagined it as a convertible — first off is this design from X-Tomi: There’s also this photochop by Garrett Bradford: A convertible RC model is likely to be a safe bet, but will Lexus make an RC F …

Kevin · January 21st, 2014

Videos: The Lexus RC F at the Detroit Auto Show

It’s been a week since the Lexus RC F revealed at the Detroit Auto Show, and that makes it a great time to revisit the coupe’s debut — let’s start with Kelly Blue Book, who have some nice footage from the show floor: Here are three short, high-quality videos of the new coupe: This last …

Kevin · January 20th, 2014

Spied: Is Lexus Developing a Four-Door Coupe?

An unusual Lexus prototype has been spotted by Japanese magazine Mag-X, here it is from three angles: Despite wearing the front-end of what looks like a GS F SPORT, the long hood and short trunk suggest something else entirely — could Lexus be working a four door coupe to complete with the Mercedes CLS & …

Kevin · January 20th, 2014

More Information on the Lexus RC F Carbon Fiber Package

Outside of North America, the Lexus RC F carbon fiber package will also include the lightweight hood — here are some photos showing off the package with an Ultrawhite RC F: By utilizing the knowledge gained in creating the LFA, Lexus is able to augment their high-performance models with straight-from-the-factory carbon fiber — this is …

Kevin · January 19th, 2014

Three New Lexus CT 200h Videos from Japan

Along with their new CT 200h commercial, Lexus Japan has also released three additional videos with the updated hatchback: Lexus Japan has pulled out all the stops for the updated CT 200h — each video is super high quality, and any one of them could have been a commercial on its own.

Kevin · January 17th, 2014

New Lexus CT 200h Commercial from Japan

Lexus Japan has released a new commercial for the CT 200h, and it’s brilliant: It’s important to point out that commercial wasn’t made digitally, all the trick photography was real — here’s how it was made: (Really loving the commercials coming out of Japan — right now is a great time to revisit the black …

Kevin · January 16th, 2014

TRD Japan Announces Lexus CT 200h F SPORT Accessories

TRD Japan has announced their F SPORT package for the updated Lexus CT 200h — here’s photos of every option: The full kit includes a front spoiler, side skirts, a quarter-panel spoiler that sits above the taillights, plus a sports muffler and rear diffuser — these aero enhancements help control airflow and improve downforce: The …

Kevin · January 16th, 2014

Videos: Lexus RC F Virtual Driving Experience

Right beside the Lexus RC F display at the Detroit Auto Show was a demo of the high-performance coupe in action on the track — here’s my attempt to film the experience: There’s also this video from Kaizen Factor that focuses strictly on the gauges: The sound coming from the demo sounded real to me, …

Kevin · January 15th, 2014

Lexus Europe 2013 Sales Report

Lexus Europe has reported 43,281 sales for 2013 — here’s a model-by-model breakdown for all Western, Central and Eastern European countries, including Turkey and Russia: 2013 Sales Hybrid Percentage CT 9,406 100% IS 7,562 79.1% ES 2,673 6.3% GS 3,714 38.0% LS 952 47.8% RX 13,501 48.8% Other Models 5,473 N/A Total Sales 43,281 53.3% …

Kevin · January 15th, 2014

Video: Introducing the New Lexus RC F

Here’s the video shown right before the Lexus RC F’s live reveal at yesterday’s press conference: It’s not as wild as the videos from the IS & RC launches, but listen closely and you can hear the snarl and roar of that V8 engine — that’s the best way to introduce “The Next F”.

Kevin · January 15th, 2014

Lexus RC F Press Photo Gallery

A massive new collection of official Lexus RC F photos were released today — let’s start with the North American edition of the high-performance coupe: (I believe the single difference between the North American & non-North American versions is the hood — at this point, the RC F will not be available with a carbon …

Kevin · January 14th, 2014

Latest Information on the Lexus RC F

The Lexus RC F was revealed today at the Detroit Auto Show, and there’s plenty of new information out there — let’s start at the beginning with the full press release and a selection of new photos. Want power, precision and passion? Lexus revealed its most powerful V8 engine in the all-new 2015 RC F …

Kevin · January 14th, 2014

Live Video: The Debut of the Lexus RC F

Lexus will broadcasting the debut of the RC F coupe from the Detroit auto show, here’s the full live stream: (Don’t forget to follow the Lexus Enthusiast liveblog both before and after the RC F’s debut.)

Kevin · January 14th, 2014

Live Coverage: Lexus at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show

The 2014 North American International Auto Show starts today, and I’m here at the Cobo Center in Detroit to bring you live Lexus coverage from the show floor both today and tomorrow. The big news from Lexus is the debut of the RC F high-performance coupe, which will be revealed at 8:45am EST tomorrow. I’m …

Kevin · January 13th, 2014

Car & Driver Preview of the Lexus RC F

Information on the Lexus RC F just keeps on coming, with some interesting new details in Car & Driver’s coverage of the new high-performance coupe: [Chief Engineer Yukihiko] Yaguchi tells us that rather than Lexus developing the standard model first and then modifying it to meet performance targets, that the RC and the RC F …

Kevin · January 13th, 2014

More Photos of the Lexus RC F GT500 Race Car

Carview Japan has more photos of the Lexus RC F GT500 racecar on display this weekend at the Tokyo Auto Salon — here’s a selection: (There’s even more photos over at Autoguide & Response.) There’s also a video of the Lexus Racing booth, starring the two-tone Umbrella girl: (Booming music, tuxedo race suits & top …

Kevin · January 12th, 2014

Lexus to Enter Modified LFA CODE X in Nürburgring 24 Hour Race

Lexus & Gazoo Racing have announced that an “enhanced sports car research vehicle” called the LFA Code X will be racing in this year’s Nürburgring 24 hour race: Compared to the LFA’s base 4.8-liter V10 engine, the research vehicle’s engine displacement has been increased to 5.3 liters and system output and torque has been fine-tuned …

Kevin · January 10th, 2014

Lexus RC F GT500 Race Car Revealed at Tokyo Auto Salon

Lexus debuted the RC F GT500 at the Tokyo Auto Salon today, revealing the true identity of their Super GT racecar — Auto Sport Web has some photos: The RC F GT500 is set to participate in the GT500 class of this year’s Super GT, alongside the Honda NSX & Nissan GT-R — more details …

Kevin · January 10th, 2014

First Lexus Assembly Line in USA Now Under Construction

Let’s take a break from the RC F news for another important story — Lexus announced today that construction has started on the ES 350 assembly line in Georgetown, Kentucky. Announced in April of last year, the ES 350 will be the first Lexus to be produced in the USA. Production is set to begin …

Kevin · January 9th, 2014

Motor Trend Feature on the Lexus RC F

Motor Trend has more details on the Lexus RC F, starting with additional information on 5.0L V8 engine: This engine shares only its basic cylinder block with that of the outgoing IS F sedan. The cylinder heads and all moving parts are completely new. Friction reductions allow the engine to rev 500 rpm faster than …

Kevin · January 9th, 2014

Video: Autoguide Tour of the Lexus RC F

Autoguide also had an advance look at the Lexus RC F, and have released a video with some nice footage: (While expected, I’m very impressed with how Lexus has used the IS F as a template for the RC F — the design elements like the giant hood, the side vents, and quad exhausts come …

Kevin · January 9th, 2014

Video: Lexus RC F in Detail

Along with the official photos, Lexus also released some footage of the new RC F — the video is a completely silent affair, and shows the coupe in great detail: There’s a few choice moments in the video, including the speed-sensitive active rear spoiler in action at the 2:14 mark of the video — here’s …

Kevin · January 8th, 2014

More Details on the Lexus RC F

Exciting information ahead — Automobile Magazine has published an in-depth feature on the Lexus RC F, with a gallery of exclusive photos — let’s start off with a selection of images: Automobile Magazine confirms that the RC F will have the same 5.0L V8 engine as the IS F, though it’s been deeply revised and …

Kevin · January 8th, 2014

Lexus RC F High-Performance Coupe Revealed

After months of camouflaged prototypes and plenty of guesswork, Lexus has released the first official photos of the new Lexus RC F high-performance coupe — let’s start off with the full press release. Giving new meaning to “back to the grind,” the daily commute is now transformed into a day at the track with the …

Kevin · January 8th, 2014

Camouflaged Lexus RC F Prototype Shown in Official Video

One week before the debut of the RC F coupe at the Detroit Auto Show, Lexus International has released two videos with Yukihiko Yaguchi, chief engineer of the IS F and likely a key figure in the development of the new high-performance coupe: In the second video, a camouflaged RC F can been seen on …

Kevin · January 7th, 2014

Video: Lexus Europe Releases 2014 CT 200h Commercial

Lexus Europe has released a new commercial with the freshly updated CT 200h: (Red might be my favorite interior color for the CT — really works well with the white exterior.)

Kevin · January 7th, 2014

Toyota & BMW Finalize Agreement to Develop Sportscar Platform

BMW & Toyota have finalized an agreement to develop a joint platform for sportscars, according to Reuters: “We have agreed on a joint architecture for a sports car. What is important is that there will be two different vehicles that are authentic to the two brands,” Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung today quoted [BMW’s development chief Herbert] …

Kevin · January 6th, 2014

Video: Quick Tour of the Lexus LFA Works Factory

The Lexus LFA supercar factory may be a well-covered topic, but this short video from Motor Trend videographer Jim Gleason is definitely worth a watch: (Most of the video looks like outtakes from the Motor Trend feature on the LFA Works, an amazing in-depth look at the now-closed Lexus factory.)

Kevin · January 6th, 2014

Lexus Racing Announcement at Tokyo Auto Salon This Week?

Lexus has released a rendering of their Lexus Racing display for the Tokyo Auto Salon, a massive aftermarket event held in Japan — here’s the image in full (click for a larger version): While the press release mentions the Super GT racing series, the image shows a vehicle that looks more like an LFA than …

Kevin · January 6th, 2014

Lexus December 2013 Sales Report (Including Year-End Sales Totals)

USA Lexus USA has reported 34,757 sales in December, a 18.1% improvement over last year and its best monthly sales total since December 2006– here’s the final model-by-model breakdown of 2013: MONTH Year to Date (*DSR) 2013 2012 % CHG* 2013 2012 % CHG* CT 1,787 1,598 16.3 15,071 17,673 -14.7 HS 0 2 -100.0 …

Kevin · January 5th, 2014

Lexus Launches in Vietnam

Lexus officially launched in Vietnam on December 26th, opening their first dealership in Ho Chi Minh City. The Lexus Central Saigon dealership is massive, with a similar design to Lexus Japan’s Takanawa showroom: The Lexus lineup in Vietnam consists of the ES, GS, LS, RX & LX — no hybrid or F SPORT models are …

Kevin · January 3rd, 2014

Photos: Lexus RC Super GT500 Race Car in Matte Black

The Japanese Super GT ZENT CERUMO team have begun testing their new GT500 Lexus RC, which has been all decked out in a matte black paint job: According to Autosport Web, the ZENT RC hit 280km/h and lapped the Fuji Speedway in 1:30.906 — as a point of reference, the pole position lap during last …

Kevin · January 2nd, 2014

Video: The 2014 Lexus CT 200h Inside & Out

Here’s Ming-Jou Chen from Lexus USA with an in-depth overview of the 2014 CT 200h refresh: This is the best look we’ve had of the updated CT 200h so far, with an excellent explanation of the changes and how the model has been improved. Very well done. (The front-end looks very complex, with lots of …

Kevin · January 2nd, 2014

Happy New Year!

A fresh new year is here, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank my readers for all their support in 2013. 2014 is going to be a year of big changes — there’s plans already in place to bring a new level of community to Lexus enthusiasts worldwide, and I can’t wait …

Kevin · January 1st, 2014

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