December 2007 – Lexus Enthusiast | Lexus Enthusiast

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Lexus in 2007: A Brief Recap

Right from the very start, 2007 was a year of controversy for Lexus. In January, the Detroit Auto Show saw the introduction of the IS-F and the F-Sport line. The F-Division is meant to be Lexus’ answer to Mercedes’ AMG and BMW’s M-Division, and it was a move that was criticized from all angles over …

Kevin · December 31st, 2007

TPP’s Ten Most Popular Lexus Stories of 2007

2007 is almost over, and having given myself up to a period of reflection, I thought a recap of the year’s ten most popular stories would be in order. Without further ado: 10. Additional Footage of the Lexus LF-A at Nürburgring This Youtube footage of the Lexus LF-A zooming around Nürburgring was one of my …

Kevin · December 30th, 2007

AutoWeek’s Preview of the 2008 Lexus LX 570

There’s a bit of a sarcastic bent to AutoWeek’s preview of the 2008 Lexus LX 570, but it still manages to fill in some blanks, including the differences between the LX 570 and the Toyota Land Cruiser: Hey, wait a second, you say, is this just a Land Cruiser with a Lexus badge on it, …

Kevin · December 28th, 2007

Lexus Expands Its Certified Pre-Owned Program

With demand for dealer-certified used Lexus vehicles rising eight percent in 2007, Lexus has adjusted the requirements for its Certified Pre-Owned program. Eligible vehicles can now have up to 70,000 miles, where the previous mileage could only be 60,000. On top of that, the maximum age has been bumped up a year, to seven years …

Kevin · December 28th, 2007

The Story Behind the Red Bows

With all this talk of Lexus gift-giving for Christmas, I found myself more interested in the logistics behind it: What if they don’t like the model? Or the color? According to the Houston Chronicle, who looked into the car-giving phenomenon, vehicles can be exchanged if necessary, though there was no mention of people returning the …

Kevin · December 27th, 2007

Lexus Red Bow Christmas Videos

Some people actually do get a Lexus for Christmas — and not only that, but with Youtube, we can watch along: To be honest, I couldn’t even watch the videos all the way through, they’re rather awkward with the yelling and tears. Update: Added another video.

Kevin · December 27th, 2007

Happy Holidays from The Passionate Pursuit

No matter how unsubtle my hints were, I have some real doubts that I’ll be getting an Lexus LS 600hL for Christmas, December to Remember or no. Hopefully, some of you out there have better luck! (Posting will resume on Boxing Day December 27th. Santa left me the flu for Christmas.)

Kevin · December 24th, 2007

Lexus Luxury Lifestyle Training

I stumbled on this image while looking for something appropriate for a previous post, and it was simply too good not to post. As for the story behind the photo, it comes from a 2005 Customer Service program run out of Lexus UK: Lexus aftersales consultants are being given a taste of the luxury living …

Kevin · December 23rd, 2007

Popular Mechanics Test Drives the 2008 Lexus LX 570

Next up with a LX 570 test drive article is Popular Mechanics, who shower the new SUV with praise, and include some detailed information how exactly Crawl Control works: One of the technologies introduced on the LX570 is Crawl Control, which takes hill descent control several steps further. With the rollover sensing system turned off …

Kevin · December 21st, 2007

Lexus LS 430 Commercial: The Rear-View Camera

Here we have a commercial for the revised Lexus LS 430 that debuted in 2004, demonstrating the then-new backup camera option: That crazy spin at the end is icing on the cake.

Kevin · December 20th, 2007

Motor Trend First Drive: The 2008 Lexus LX 570

As the Lexus LX 570 gets closer and closer to the dealerships, the test drives are starting to come in. First one to the press is Motor Trend, and it’s heavy in praise: This largest Lexus has no more business vamoosing through chicanes than it does scaling 45-degree slopes, fording two-foot-deep streams, or straddling nine-inch-tall …

Kevin · December 20th, 2007

Lexus LF-A News from Australia

Austalian website Drive has posted an interesting article about the Lexus LF-A, including some further verification that the car’s being delayed until the engineers can reach a top speed of 220mph: As for when the Lexus LF-A will appear in dealerships, the company hasn’t set an exact date yet. But Lexus insiders suggest the car’s …

Kevin · December 19th, 2007

Flickr Find: Lexus SC, Oakland Style

If these first-gen Lexus SC’s are any indication, Oakland rolls with a style all of its own: Both of these photos were captured by Oakland resident Kitty Holmes, who was lucky enough to glimpse these wonders in real life.

Kevin · December 19th, 2007

Drive Jack Bauer’s Lexus GS 430 (sorta)

Having only seen bits and pieces of the TV show 24, I didn’t know Jack Bauer drove a Lexus GS 430, but that doesn’t stop me from wanting this RC version of his car: After posting about the die-cast GS 430 last month, I’ve toyed with buying some 1:18 replicas, but better sense has prevailed. …

Kevin · December 18th, 2007

The Rise of the Lavish Lexus Dealerships

The Wall Street Journal has an article up about the increasingly lavish Lexus dealerships that are popping up all over the United States. It’s an in-depth and enjoyable article, detailing not only the amenities but explaining the logistics behind such large investments: The Lexus of Palm Beach dealership moved from a much smaller, older facility …

Kevin · December 18th, 2007

Lexus Customer Service Examples

Nancy Fein, Lexus’ Vice-President of Customer Services, recently gave a talk at the Source Media Customer Engagement Symposium, where she discussed how Lexus reacts when things go wrong. Bill Taylor, co-founder of Fast Company and business author, was at the event and recapped the presentation: …what happens when big dreams get mugged by reality? That’s …

Kevin · December 17th, 2007

Lexus Takes Potential IS-F Customers to the Track

Rather than the mass-media marketing campaign expected with the release of a new vehicle, the Lexus IS-F will be promoted in a different fashion — letting potential customers test drive the car on race tracks across the United States: Lexus will try and lure in buyers at the track, said Brian Bolain, Lexus’ national manager …

Kevin · December 17th, 2007

Lexus LS 460 Lane Keep Assist Video Demonstration

The Lane Keep Assist feature, which effectively locks you into a highway lane, may only available on the European & Asian Lexus LS, but it’s incredibly effective, at least in the context of this video: I’m of two minds with this feature. You can never discount added safety, but the movement towards automated driving makes …

Kevin · December 16th, 2007

2008 Lexus LX 570 Prices Announced

The newly-redesigned 2008 Lexus LX 570 will start at $73,800, according to a dealer announcement that made it’s way to Autospies. It’s a $6,405 jump up from the outgoing LX 470, but there’s some significant new features (Crawl Control and front/side cameras, for example) that no doubt added to the production cost. Also included in …

Kevin · December 16th, 2007

Did the Lexus LF-A Set a Nürburgring Record?

If Japanese magazine Holiday Auto is to be believed, the Lexus LF-A has put in a dominant performance on Nürburgring, lapping the track in 7:24. If true, it would make the LF-A the fastest production car to run the ring. This comes on the heels of Pagani Zonda F setting the record in October of …

Kevin · December 14th, 2007

Japanese Lexus IS-F Promotional Video

A IS-F promotional DVD has been available from Lexus Japan for some time, but it’s only just made its way onto the Internet: I’m not sure if this is the full extent of the video sent out, but I do know one thing: It wouldn’t be possible to find a more ill-suited soundtrack.

Kevin · December 14th, 2007

Lexus Announces Assorted 2008 Prices (Plus the 2009 RX 350 Price)

Lexus has set the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Prices (MSRP) for an assortment of models, including the 2009 RX 350, which will skip up $100, bringing the front-wheel-drive version to $37,500 and the all-wheel-drive version to $38,900. The 2009 RX 350 is expected in dealerships by early February 2008. Other models see a price bump as …

Kevin · December 14th, 2007

Lexus IS-F/R Planned?

From the Japanese mag BestCar to Winding Road to you comes a rumor of the Lexus IS-F/R, a lighter and slightly boosted version of the super sedan. The specs, as reported, will see the IS-F’s weight cut down by 220lbs, and a performance boost of 12hp and 6 pound-feet torque increase, bringing the totals to …

Kevin · December 12th, 2007

Lexus ES Shopping

It’s been a long time coming, but tomorrow begins my search for a suitable car for my girlfriend, Karissa. Having driven a 1993 Toyota 4runner for the last five years, she’s looking for an upgrade in comfort, gas mileage and safety. Of course, it’s going to be a Lexus. Now, there was talk of buying …

Kevin · December 12th, 2007

Indonesia’s Lexus Gallery

After years of selling through independent importers, Lexus is now setting up dealerships in Indonesia, which look like an eccentric millionaire’s home on the outside and an art gallery inside. The exterior, I think, may be too wild, though it’s hard to get a full impression from the pasted together image at the top of …

Kevin · December 11th, 2007

Jalopnik Reviews the Lexus LS 600hL

The minute I saw that Jalopnik Jonny Lieberman had gotten his mitts on an LS 600hL for a week, I knew we were in for a treat, and I was not disappointed in the least: Why am I laughing like such an idiot? Seriously, my cheeks hurt from grinning. Well, the reason why is that …

Kevin · December 10th, 2007

Japanese Video Review of the Lexus IS-F

This Lexus IS-F segment from Start your Engines, a Japanese auto news show, is a pleasant switch from the norm, as it’s all subtitled in English: “It’s been a long time since I’ve had so much fun driving a Toyota”, the host says after ten laps of the Fuji Speedway. “The shifting really is like …

Kevin · December 10th, 2007

Road & Track Reviews the Lexus IS-F

It’s a little late coming, but Road & Track’s review of the Lexus IS-F is quite informative. First off, their impressions: After spending half a day lapping around Laguna Seca, we were won over by the car’s accurate steering, minimal body roll and outright grip. Its 71.2-mph slalom speed is damn impressive for such a …

Kevin · December 8th, 2007

CNet Reviews Lexus LS 460 Technology

No doubt it’s a little old, but this video from CNet detailing the technology in the LS 460 is quite entertaining: Being such a fan of the LS 460, I didn’t even get bored during the inevitable parking assist demonstration.

Kevin · December 7th, 2007

Lexus Scores High with Customer Retention

Lexus has ranked second in JD Power’s 2007 Customer Retention Study, retaining 63% of its new car buyers. This was only topped by Toyota, Lexus’ parent company, with 64.6%. This doesn’t surprise me at all, reliability and customer service holds a lot of weight in the minds of most car buyers, and Lexus has excelled …

Kevin · December 7th, 2007

Lexus Considering India Launch

Lexus, along with Alfa Romeo and Hummer, are looking at India as a potential new market, according to The India Times: Japanese car maker, Toyota does not rule out the possibility of launching its high end Lexus brand. Although the volumes will be low, even at that price point we will require a dedicated dealer …

Kevin · December 6th, 2007

Lexus ≠ Porn Pt.2

For the second time this year, Lexus finds itself in a trademark battle with a porn star. Earlier this year, it was the Detroit-based Lexus Cash, and now it’s a Swiss gay porn actor that simply goes by Lexus. Seems like an open-and-closed case, except the actor is claiming his moniker comes from a Greek …

Kevin · December 6th, 2007

Lexus IS 250 & GS 450h Place First in Australia’s Best Car Awards

The winners of Australia’s 2007 Best Car Awards have been announced, and Lexus was well represented, taking first place in two categories. For the second year in a row, the IS 250 was named the Best Prestige Car. The GS 450h placed first in the Best Luxury Car category, also for the second time in …

Kevin · December 5th, 2007

Lexus LS 600h Sales Exceed Expectations by 300%

One thing that I failed to notice when posting up the Lexus LS 600h’s sales figures is just how far the total was over the projected sales. By selling 6,093 units by October, the LS 600h has exceeded Lexus’ yearly sales estimate of 2,000 by over 300%. These numbers are nothing short of exceptional, especially …

Kevin · December 5th, 2007

Lexus IS-F vs. Nissan Skyline Coupe Type S

The January 2008 editon of Best Motoring, one of Japan’s most popular automotive TV/DVD shows, has a Lexus IS-F vs. Nissan Skyline Coupe 370GT Type S (Infiniti G37 Sport in North America) showdown: While it can’t match the IS-F in a 0-60 race, the 333hp Skyline Coupe Type S holds its own on the track, …

Kevin · December 4th, 2007

Flickr Find: Custom Lexus SC 430 with Sevas Wheels

William Stern, the in-house photographer for Sevas, has posted up some shots of a custom Lexus SC 430 on Flickr: The custom work, including some subtle fender vents and not-so-subtle LED side-step lighting, was done by Cartel Customs in Miami. There’s quite a collection of photos in William’s Flickr stream, be sure to check them …

Kevin · December 3rd, 2007

Lexus November 2007 Sales Report

Lexus November sales dropped 7.0% over last year, marking the first monthly decrease since I started this site: 2007 2006 % Change IS250/350 3,849 3,599 6.9 ES350 5,902 6,678 -11.6 GS350 1,989 1,664 19.5 GS460/450h 216 196 10.2 SC430 268 406 -34.0 LS460/600h L 2,668 3,613 -26.2 Total Cars 14,892 16,156 -7.8 RX350/400h 8,038 8,052 …

Kevin · December 3rd, 2007

Lexus LS 600h Sales Start Strong

Lexus LS 600h sales are off to an exceptionally strong start, selling 6,093 units worldwide as of October 2007. Japan is especially enamored, scooping up 4,533 of the total, though this is likely due to its earlier release. Both North American and European sales are decent, with 818 and 569 sales respectively. These numbers have …

Kevin · December 2nd, 2007

G Living Reviews the Lexus GS 450h

G Living, a lifestyle magazine/net show dedicated to living green, has posted up a very complimentary video review of the Lexus GS 450h: It’s hardly an analytical review, with host Sarah Backhouse declaring she has a crush on the car, “If this car was a bloke, it would be a stock broker, or a talent …

Kevin · December 1st, 2007

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