News & Information

Autocar is reporting that the next-generation Lexus IS will be offered as a wagon—and will be hybrid-only:

...while the original model did offer an estate variant, called SportCross, the current car - introduced in 2005 - has never been available in a wagon.

Lexus insiders now admit that this policy has hurt sales of the car in Europe, where it must face the 3-series Touring and A4 Avant.

The next IS is also likely to only be available as a hybrid, fitting in with the firm’s current push towards this technology.

With its position well established in the US, Lexus is focusing more and more on the European market. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a wagon version of the GS some time in the future, as well.

As for the IS going hybrid-only, that’s likely just a marketing decision in Europe similar to only offering the RX 450h in the UK. I wouldn’t expect this to happen in the North American market.

Other tidbit in the article—the next-generation IS should appear in 2011. Not a big surprise, but nice to hear regardless.

[Source: Autocar]

A white Lexus LFA was spotted in the wealthy playground & supercar mecca, the principality of Monaco:

No details—perhaps the LFA is making a personal visit to Lexus Monaco’s showroom?  Taking some publicity shots?  Or being demonstrated for LS 600h L owner Prince Albert II?

[Source: GTSpirit.com and Flickr]

More information about the Lexus CT 200h has emerged from its Geneva debut—according to Car Dealer Magazine and Just Auto, Lexus surveyed customers across Europe, including drivers in Germany, France and Italy, and the Audi A3 emerged as the benchmark, with Europeans preferring it over the BMW 1-series. Considering this, the CT 200h was designed with the A3 firmly in its crosshairs, and “more emphasis on sportiness in the engineering process”. 

According to chief engineer Osamu Sadakata, “This car is our understanding of what Europe wants.”

The CT advance surveys hearkens back to the original LS development program, which also began with extensive customer research of luxury sedan buyers in the U.S., only this time it’s the opposite side of the autmotive market, with CT 200h expected to attract younger buyers to the Lexus brand.

[Source: Car Dealer and Just Auto]

In the latest round of crash safety tests conducted by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS), the Lexus HS 250h has received the agency’s highest rating of “Good” on its first evaluation, the frontal offset crash test.  In this test, vehicles are accelerated towards a barrier at 40 mph.

Approximately 40 percent of the vehicle’s front end comes in direct contact with the barrier, causing asymmetrical impact forces which increase the potential for cabin intrusion.  In its frontal offset test, the HS 250h came through with top ratings in each area, namely structure/safety cage, injury measures, and restraints/dummy kinematics.

Insurance Institute of Highway Safety 

A new Lexus commercial today—this one with a focus on quality and a return to the classic “Pursuit of Perfection” tagline:

This commercial leads to a new section on the Lexus USA website devoted to quality control & safety, and includes videos of the RX 350 manufacturing process at the Cambridge Ontario plant and how Lexus interior trim is created from a single piece of wood—just brilliant stuff, and one that helps define quality as one of Lexus’ most central characteristics.

Auto Express had their turn at the CT 200h Geneva display, and put together a video that shows plenty of interior footage:

The CT 200h’s door grip and handle design remind me a lot of the recently-released GX 460, which makes me wonder if this will be a shared design cue on new models.