End of an Era: Final Lexus IS F Rolls Off the Assembly Line

The very last Lexus IS F rolled off the assembly line last week at the Tahara plant in Japan, ending a seven-year production run. While the IS F never sold in large numbers — recent quotes suggest the worldwide sales were 12,000 units in total over its lifecycle — it was the very first Lexus …

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Kevin · July 31st, 2014

New Lexus NX F SPORT Video from Japan

The Lexus Japan website has been updated to include the NX crossover, and this F SPORT driving video is part of the new marketing:
Kevin · July 31st, 2014

2015 Lexus NX F SPORT Body Kit by Modellista Japan

Official Lexus tuner Modellista has released images of their new NX body kit The body kit consists of a front under spoiler, side skirts, and a rear diffuser with a design that changes depending on the NX 200t or NX 300h. A rear spoiler add-on and 19-inch aluminum wheels are also available. Modellista has also …

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Kevin · July 30th, 2014

Lexus GS 450h F SPORT Coming to America

Starting with the 2015 model year, Lexus USA will begin offering the GS 450h with the F SPORT package. Lexus USA has traditionally stayed away from offering the F SPORT package on hybrid models, with the hybrid-only CT 200h being the one exception. Hybrid F SPORT models have been available in other parts of the …

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Kevin · July 30th, 2014

Lexus Future Model Timeline?

Mark Rechtin at Automotive News has attempted to piece together the timeline for future Lexus vehicles, along with the changes that could accompany these new models. Here’s a summary — be prepared, it’s a heavy mix of dates and unverified information: CT: It may be spring 2017 before a new CT, as the model shares …

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Kevin · July 29th, 2014

Lexus NX F SPORT Body Kit by TRD Japan

Official Lexus tuner TRD Japan has released images of the world’s first NX aero parts: The kit is made up of a front under spoiler, rear diffuser, and a quad-exhaust muffler setup: There’s also aluminum forged 19-inch wheels: As with all things TRD, these aero parts are not cheap — the front spoiler is reasonable …

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Kevin · July 29th, 2014

Comparing the Lexus NX & Toyota RAV4

How similar is the Lexus NX to the Toyota RAV4? As Chief Engineer Takeaki Kato explains to Automotive News, 90% of the parts used are different: From the center to the rear is basically new, with no commonized parts. The front bumpers and crash box are totally different. But while the inside rocker panel is …

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Kevin · July 28th, 2014

Imagining the 600 Horsepower Twin-Turbo Lexus RC FS Coupe

Automotive artist Wild-Speed has created a rendering of the rumored 600 horsepower twin-turbo Lexus RC FS coupe by merging the “standard” RC F with elements of the LFA Nürburgring Edition. The rumor of this ultra-performance coupe comes from Motor Trend, who suggest the RC FS will arrive in 2017 with a price tag of $120,000 …

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Kevin · July 24th, 2014

Video: Lexus RC F SPORT Driving Dynamics

Lexus International has released a new video interview with RC chief engineer Eiichi Kusama, focusing on the driving dynamics of the RC F SPORT:
Kevin · July 23rd, 2014

Next-Generation Lexus LS in 2016?

Jonny Lieberman of Motor Trend is keeping the rumor train running with new speculation on the next-generation Lexus LS: While the LS has traditionally been something of a rival to the Mercedes S-Class, people I spoke with at Lexus have been hinting that the new big Lexus will in fact target the sportier end of …

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Kevin · July 22nd, 2014

Lexus is the Fastest Growing Luxury Automotive Brand in Europe

Lexus Europe have released their sales report for the first half of 2014, and the results are encouraging — 24,586 vehicles have been sold across Europe so far this year, an increase of 25.4 percent compared to the same period last year. Leading the pack is the new IS, with sales up nine-fold at 6,923 …

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Kevin · July 22nd, 2014

600 Horsepower Lexus RC FS Coming in 2017?

More rumors from Motor Trend, this time regarding a special edition ultra-performance Lexus RC F: In 2017 you can expect to see a super version of the RC F packing the 600-hp twin-turbo V-8. Think of it as an Infiniti Eau Rogue-fighter with a price tag to match — about $120,000. However, since Johan de …

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Kevin · July 21st, 2014

Zent Cerumo Lexus RC F Wins Super GT Round 4

The ZENT CERUMO racing team of Yuji Tachikawa & Hirate have won the 2014 Super GT Round 4 GT500 class in the #1 Lexus RC F. The KeePer TOM’S RC F team of Daisuke Ito & Andrea Caldarelli finished second. Here are highlights from the race courtesy of the Super GT Youtube channel: The next …

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Kevin · July 21st, 2014

Lexus to Build a Twin-Turbo 600-Horsepower LF-LC Coupe?

Motor Trend has the scoop on possible engines powering the new Lexus coupe based on the LF-LC concept: Word on the Tokyo street is that there’s a Lexus LF-LC Coupe mule running around Japan packing a 600-hp twin-turbo version of the upcoming RC F’s 5.0-liter V-8. That power rating may be on the conservative side. …

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Kevin · July 20th, 2014

Lexus Considering a Compact Crossover Below the NX?

Lexus is considering a crossover even smaller than the NX, according to an Autocar interview with Lexus Europe vice president Alain Uyttenhoven: Uyttenhoven said the launch of a small SUV was “not impossible” for Lexus and such a model “made sense” for the brand, but he stopped short of confirming it for production. Lexus is …

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Kevin · July 18th, 2014

New Lexus Model Every Year Until 2020?

New information today about the Lexus coupe based on the LF-LC concept — from Autocar: The dramatic LF-LC was first seen at the Detroit motor show in 2012, and [Lexus Europe’s vice-president Alain] Uyttenhoven said that company boss Akio Toyoda “doesn’t want the production car to look any different from the concept”. Uyttenhoven said that …

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Kevin · July 17th, 2014

My New Car: The 2014 Lexus CT 200h F SPORT

Time for a major announcement — after seven years of driving a 1994 Lexus LS 400, I took delivery of a 2014 CT 200h F SPORT last week at OpenRoad Lexus Richmond in British Columbia. While I have plenty of experience driving Lexus vehicles, this will be my first time being a new owner. The …

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Kevin · July 17th, 2014

Kelley Blue Book Drives the 2015 Lexus NX

Jack Nerad from Kelley Blue Book has a positive review of the 2015 Lexus NX: Designed to look like it was poured from a single batch of molten metal, the all-new NX isn’t just the right size, but it is also so filled with technical innovation and engineering sleight of hand that it is hard …

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Kevin · July 16th, 2014

A Closer Look at the Lexus RC F Instrument Panel

Let’s take a closer look at the RC F instrument panel in this new video from Lexus International: The video goes by in a blur, so here’s a static video showing the RC F instrument panel:
Kevin · July 16th, 2014

Lexus Unconcerned with LS Sedan Sales Decline

WardsAuto has an interesting interview with Brian Smith, the Lexus USA vice-president of sales, regarding the current LS sedan and its sales struggle against new competitors: “We don’t feel it’s a problem with the car,” Brian Smith, vice president-marketing for Lexus in the U.S., tells WardsAuto here during a Lexus NX media event. “Many of …

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Kevin · July 15th, 2014

Video: Car Advice Drives the 2015 Lexus NX

Car Advice Australia have published their video preview of the Lexus NX: There’s also a text review for a more in-depth assessment of the new compact crossover: The German brands have worried about rival Lexus models since the LS made a noise in 1989 with its hushed refinement. The Lexus NX isn’t going to upset …

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Kevin · July 15th, 2014

Lexus IS Aero Kit Released by Japanese Tuner TOM’S

Japanese tuner TOM’S has released their first aero kit for the third-generation Lexus IS: The full kit includes a front spoiler, side skirts, rear under spoiler and a trunk spoiler — a quad exhaust system is also being offered. Here’s a video with the car in motion: The TOM’S aero package will retail in Japan …

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Kevin · July 15th, 2014

Lexus CT Owner Blog: The New Car

Time for a major announcement — after seven years of driving a 1994 Lexus LS 400, I took delivery of a 2014 CT 200h F SPORT last week at OpenRoad Lexus Richmond in British Columbia. While I have plenty of experience driving Lexus vehicles, this will be my first time being a new owner. The …

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Kevin · July 14th, 2014

Special Edition Lexus RX Debuts in Japan

Lexus Japan have announced the [RX Radiant Aero Style special edition] package (http://lexus.jp/models/rx/ras/index.html) with some exterior modifications and a unique interior color scheme: The special edition includes a blacked out front bumper to match the spindle grille, LED fog lamps, 19-inch aluminum wheels, and a very nice black & red leather interior. The Radiant Aero …

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Kevin · July 14th, 2014

Video: Lexus RC F Racing at Goodwood

Lexus UK has released a final wrap-up video of the RC F at the Goodwood Festival of Speed: One thing that went unmentioned in the video was a spinout by Didier Auriol during the race days — here’s a photo from GT Spirit: The spinout had no lasting effect — the RC F prototype was …

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Kevin · July 12th, 2014

Photo Gallery: Up Close with the Lexus NX

Lexus Europe released a rather artistic set of NX photos on their Facebook page: Included in the photos is the best shot yet of the NX panoramic roof: Disappointing that this option won’t be coming to North America, it looks great on the NX. [Source: Lexus Europe Facebook]
Kevin · July 10th, 2014

Driving the 2015 Lexus NX

Two weeks ago, Lexus invited me to Whistler, British Columbia, where I was able to test drive the all-new NX compact crossover in all its various forms. I posted a technical overview of the new model on Monday, and now it’s time for some personal impressions. Lexus describes the new NX compact crossover as Premium …

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Kevin · July 9th, 2014

More Photos of the Lexus RC F in Solar Flare

Autoguide has some more photos of the Solar Flare orange Lexus RC F parked at the Lexus headquarters in California: The orange doesn’t seem as overwhelming compared to the previous photos, but it’s still way more color that I could ever handle. (And how about that carbon fiber detail? Looks great!) See more photos of …

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Kevin · July 9th, 2014

New Lexus RC F Video: Designed to Inspire

Lexus International has released a new cut of their excellent RC F video, and it’s just about perfect for people excited about the new super-coupe:
Kevin · July 9th, 2014

Road & Track Drives the 2015 Lexus NX

Ben Stewart of Road & Track has published his first impressions of the 2015 Lexus NX: It may not be as aggressive as other F Sport models, but the NX 200t F Sport is still the one you want. It gets beefy strut tower braces that aren’t like any you’ve ever seen before. Instead of …

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Kevin · July 8th, 2014

Lexus Australia Wants Diesel-Powered LX

Two weeks after trademarking the LX 450d nameplate, Lexus Australia has confirmed that they are actively campaigning for a diesel version of the flagship SUV — from Drive Australia: “We’re certainly trying hard to bring that to our market,” said [Lexus Australia CEO Sean] Hanley. “In that large SUV there’s a certain market demand for …

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Kevin · July 8th, 2014

Autoweek Drives the 2015 Lexus NX

Blake Z. Rong of Autoweek has driven the 2015 Lexus NX, and preferred the hybrid to the new turbo: Despite all the fanfare of the 2.0-liter, direct-injection, 235-hp, 258-lb-ft torque, 17-psi of boost, 0-60 in seven seconds dead (in AWD form: 7.2 with the FWD drivetrain), twin-scroll-turbocharged engine in the NX200t…we’d go for the hybrid …

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Kevin · July 8th, 2014

Extensive Video Review of the 2015 Lexus NX

Just finished watching the extensive 23-minute Lexus NX video review from Alex on Autos and really enjoyed it — if you’re interested in the new Lexus compact crossover, I recommend you sit back, relax, and prepare yourself for a whole heap of detail:
Kevin · July 7th, 2014

Motor Trend Drives the 2015 Lexus NX

Jonny Lieberman of Motor Trend was one of the auto journalists that drove the 2015 Lexus NX last month: Color me a convert. The NX’s ride is first-class, a strong engineering feat for a vehicle with such a small wheelbase. This is particularly true of the non-F Sport model. The steering is properly weighted and …

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Kevin · July 7th, 2014

2015 Lexus NX & NX F SPORT Preview

Two weeks ago, Lexus invited me to Whistler, British Columbia, where I was able to test drive the all-new NX compact crossover in all its various forms. The following is a technical overview of the new model — my personal impressions will posted on Wednesday. As the vehicle that established the luxury crossover market, the …

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Kevin · July 7th, 2014

Massive Photo Gallery of the Lexus NX & NX F SPORT

Before the first reviews of the Lexus NX compact crossover start showing up on the Internet tomorrow, here are a new set of official photos presented without comment. (Big shoutout to David Dewhurst Photography for an amazing job with these images!) NX 200t Exterior NX 200t Interior NX 300h Exterior NX 300h Interior NX F …

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Kevin · July 6th, 2014

Photo Gallery: Ultra White Lexus RC F in California

An Ultra White Lexus RC F has been delivered to Lexus HQ in California, and my friend Ryan from Kaizen Factor managed to get a nice collection of exterior and interior photos: The interior looks great in Roja Red, the exterior looks great in Ultra White — I actually like the RC F more without …

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Kevin · July 4th, 2014

STROBE: The New Commercial from Lexus International

Lexus International has released the third film in their ongoing Amazing in Motion global branding project — the new video is called STROBE, and it’s quite something: The major themes of the first two films (see STEPS & SWARM) are carried into this third installment — all the action takes place in real life, with …

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Kevin · July 2nd, 2014

Video: Focus on the Lexus RC F Design

Designer Yasuo Kajino is the subject in the latest installment of the Lexus RC F Key Person Interview video series: (The RC F has really benefited from being developed hand-in-hand with the standard RC coupe — the trademark F cues like the side fender vents and the quad stacked exhausts are well integrated into the …

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Kevin · July 2nd, 2014

Lexus June 2014 Sales Report

USA Lexus USA has reported 23,518 total sales for June 2014, a 19.3% improvement over last year — here’s the model-by-model breakdown: MONTH Year to Date (*DSR) 2014 2013 % CHG* 2014 2013 % CHG* CT 1,521 1,513 8.9 8,337 7,552 11.1 HS 0 1 ‐100.0 0 3 ‐100.0 IS 3,932 1,919 122.0 23,573 10,786 …

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Kevin · July 1st, 2014

Have Questions About the Lexus NX?

Last week, I travelled to Whistler, British Columbia, and drove the new 2015 Lexus NX in all its North American varieties: the NX 200t, NX 200t F SPORT, & NX 300h. I can’t share much detail about my experience until next week, but thought some of you may have some questions about the NX. Ask …

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Kevin · July 1st, 2014