Photo Galleries

Only moments after I linked to Lexus Europe’s Facebook photo of the CT 200h, Autoblog posted up a massive photo gallery from the preview event—check this car out:

Also mentioned on Autoblog:

Interestingly, though Lexus has yet to confirm what markets the CT will enter, our men on the scene report back, “Lexus executives were adamant about a near-simultaneous global launch a year from now. In their own words, the United States and Japan will receive the CT 200h, even if it was developed as an euro-centric model. First deliveries should begin in Q1 2011.”

Be sure to check out the full gallery, plenty of photos to go through.

[Source: Autoblog] (Thanks World of Luxury!)

With little more than twelve hours before the Lexus CT 200h’s debut at the Geneva Auto Show, Lexus hosted a VIP sneak peek of the compact hatchback—here are some photos from the event:

These CT 200h photos at the Geneva Auto Show are just the first of a massive onslaught we can expect over the next few days—you can check out the full gallery on Lexus Europe’s Facebook page.

Two days after the Lexus CT 200h was leaked by way of a press brochure, official images of the new hatchback have been released:

I’m very impressed with how the designers were able to incorporate the LF-Ch’s grille into the final design, in fact, I like the entire front-end. The LED headlights are a highlight, especially now that we can see the LS-style LED running lights.

The CT 200h does have a rather ordinary side profile, but the the overall shape is well-proportioned. I’m not sure what’s going on with the sheetmetal shark-fin on the rear passenger doors, though it wouldn’t be so pronounced with a darker exterior color. The wheels are an inch too small, but I have to say I’m all over that alternating speed blur spoke pattern.

Glad to see it’s the rear wiper is hidden like the RX. In fact, there’s a lot of the RX in the rear design, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing. Nothing wrong with some design consistency. And how about those integrated exhaust pipes?

But more than anything, the interior is something special—clearly inspired by BMW, but with a friendlier, softer edge. The LFA-style steering wheel is a beauty, especially with the contrast stitching and the shift stalk looks like a piece of art.

I like how the driving mode change dial is front & center, allowing easy access to both the ECO & Sport mode. It also lights up red when Sport mode is select, as does the instrument panel and the center console spotlight. A clever sporty touch.

I need to look at these photos in detail for a while—more later.

The Lexus CT 200h brochure has been leaked by way of World Car Fans, let’s get straight to the images:

Some talking points:

• The CT is built on an all new platform with a double-wishbone rear and tuned McPherson strut front suspension
• The 1.8L VVT-i engine found in the Prius is confirmed as the engine component of the CT 200h’s powertrain. No mention is made of overall horsepower.
• There will be four distinct driving modes: EV, Eco, Normal & Sport. Switching to sport will change the instrument panel and center console spotlight to red. (Nice touch!)
• Overall dimensions:
  • Length: 4,320mm/170”
  • Width: 1,765mm/69.5”
  • Height: 1,430mm/56.3”
  • Wheelbase: 2,600mm/102.4”

I’m still pouring over these images, but I really like what I see so far. How the CT 200h translated the LF-Ch’s front-end was my major concern, and that was handled expertly, meshing elements of the IS with the Toyota Prius. And just look at this interior:

The Lexus CT 200h will officially debut on March 2nd at the Geneva Auto Show.

[Source: World Car Fans]

You may remember mention of the Lexus Mega Meet that happened last month in Florida—well, Eric Ho of PS Photos was there and ended up taking hundreds of photos and posting them to Flickr. Here’s just a small sample:

Love this photo with every Lexus GS generation:

From all accounts, the Mega Meet was a huge success. Special thanks to Eric for taking such great photos—be sure to check out the full photo gallery, there’s over 200 photos from the event!

At last week’s Toronto Auto Show, I had a chance to take some interior photos of the Lexus LF-Ch, and it was an amazing opportunity to get a close-up look at the handcrafted and one-of-a-kind concept car.

Before entering, I was asked not to touch anything—the interior is delicate and not built to be handled—even the door was opened for me. The steering and pedals are functional, but every other button and lever is purely speculative, meant to give off an impression. In fact, much of the labelling is done with rub-on lettering:

The driver’s seat had all the feeling of a wood box (which is likely what it’s made from), but every material is beautifully detailed, I loved the look of the fabric:

Sitting in the LF-Ch was a real fanboy moment for me, and my fifteen minutes inside went by in a flash. Here’s the full gallery: