April 2014 – Lexus Enthusiast | Lexus Enthusiast

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More Photos of the White Lexus RC F with Carbon Fiber Package

The white Lexus RC F with full carbon fiber package has made a couple appearances in the last few weeks, starting with a visit to INTERSECT in Tokyo — here’s a full gallery from the Lexus International Facebook page: The RC F was also on display at the Beijing Motor Show — here’s a selection …

Kevin · April 30th, 2014

What Should Lexus Name the RC F’s Orange Exterior Color?

Lexus USA has put out a call for help in naming the new orange exterior color that will debut on the RC F coupe. Have a good idea? You can submit it on the Lexus USA Facebook page. (There’s some good submissions already — I like Fireburst & Supernova.) Submit your orange color name on …

Kevin · April 30th, 2014

More Information on the Lexus LX 570 Supercharger

The Lexus LX 570 Supercharger first seen last week has officially launched in Kuwait — here’s a photo gallery of the special edition in black: The supercharged 5.7L V8 engine pushes out 450 hp, up from the 383 hp of the standard LX model — along with the upgraded engine, there’s also an exclusive body …

Kevin · April 29th, 2014

Video: Q&A with Lexus International Vice President Mark Templin

Here’s an excellent video with Lexus International executive vice-president Mark Templin answering questions about China, the NX, and the future of the brand: Mark Templin’s answers are insightful and full of confidence — in particular, it’s interesting to learn that Lexus wants to grow at a controlled pace in order to preserve their customer experience. …

Kevin · April 29th, 2014

Lexus LFA Code X Finishes First Race at Nürburgring

The Lexus LFA Code X had its first race this past weekend in the VLN3 ADAC ACAS H&R-Cup at the Nürburgring in Germany. Driven by Akira Iida, Wakisaka Juichi, and Iguchi Takuto, the new race car finished third in the SPPRO class and 67th overall — photographer Arndt Carsten sent over some photos of the …

Kevin · April 28th, 2014

Lexus USA Headquarters Moving to Texas

The Lexus USA national headquarters will be moving from Torrance, California to Plano, Texas, as part of a greater relocation by Toyota Motor Sales — from the press release: The establishment of a new headquarters builds upon previous efforts by Toyota to enhance regional autonomy, self-reliance and responsibility. While the sales and marketing, manufacturing and …

Kevin · April 28th, 2014

Lexus to Add Three-Row Crossover in 2016?

Mark Rechtin of Automotive News recently spoke with Lexus USA general manager Jeff Bracken about adding a three-row seven-seat crossover to the Lexus lineup: “Third-row seating is the No. 1 issue we hear from dealers,” Lexus Division chief Jeff Bracken said at the auto show here. “We feel like we’re missing a 35,000-units-a-year opportunity. We’re …

Kevin · April 28th, 2014

Video: The Lexus Four-Cylinder Turbo Engine in Detail

Here’s a video overview of the new 2.0L turbo engine installed in the Lexus NX 200t: The NX 200t will be the first model to get the 8AR-FTS 2.0L engine, which is equipped with a twin-scroll turbo and generates 235 hp and 258 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4,000 rpm. The engine can flip between the …

Kevin · April 27th, 2014

Faked Spy Shot of the 2016 Lexus IS F

Is this a spy shot of the 2016 Lexus IS F? Jalopnik believes so, running the image yesterday after it was discovered on the Lexus Spain Facebook page. Unfortunately, the car in question is nothing but a Lexus IS with some duct tape and a TRD Japan body kit — here’s a photo for reference: …

Kevin · April 25th, 2014

Lexus President Discusses Manufacturing in China

In an interview with Reuters at the Beijing Motor Show, Lexus International president Tokuo Fukuichi discussed the brand’s manufacturing future in China: “The German Three have a brand image that they have cultivated over the past century in their long history, but Lexus is not in people’s minds like that yet,” said Fukuichi, who is …

Kevin · April 25th, 2014

Lexus NX Spotted in Another Parking Lot

A Lexus NX 300h F SPORT has popped up in another parking lot — this time, it’s the Toyota Burniston factory in the United Kingdom: The NX was spotted in a California parking lot last week, marking the first time the compact crossover had been seen outside of the studio — I imagine these two …

Kevin · April 24th, 2014

Ultrasonic Blue Lexus LS F SPORT Spotted in Japan

An Ultrasonic Blue Lexus LS F SPORT has been spotted in Japan, and it’s something special — it may lack usual subtlety of the LS, but there’s a unique appeal in seeing the flagship Lexus in the now-signature F SPORT color. (No further details at this point, but I have to think this is a …

Kevin · April 24th, 2014

Photo Gallery: Lexus NX at the Milan Design Week

The Lexus NX F SPORT made an appearance at the Milan Design Week, here are a mass of photos from the display: The NX in Ultra White is attractive enough, but it will be nice seeing high quality images of the crossover in different colors — I’m hoping for Starlight Black, what colors would you …

Kevin · April 23rd, 2014

New Information on the Supercharged Lexus LX 570

A source at Lexus emailed me with more information on the supercharged Lexus LX 570 that will be available in the Middle East: The Supercharged LX 570 being offered in the Gulf is a limited factory job with the approval of chief engineer Sadayoshi Koyari. This is based on the TRD USA blower kit for …

Kevin · April 23rd, 2014

Video: The Lexus NX in Detail

Lexus UK has posted three brief videos of the NX compact crossover: Other than the press conference and the stylized launch commercials, this is the first real video footage of the NX that I’ve seen — this vehicle keeps getting better and better.

Kevin · April 23rd, 2014

Lexus to Sell Supercharged LX 570 in the Middle East?

Lexus will apparently begin selling a supercharged LX 570 in the Gulf Arab States — here are the first photos, found on the Toyota4Arab forum: There’s also an image of the supercharged engine: According to Club Lexus poster UZJ100GXR, this is an limited edition factory package and not an aftermarket or dealer installed option. There …

Kevin · April 22nd, 2014

Video: The Lexus NX Development Story

There are two new videos detailing the development story of the Lexus NX compact crossover — first, NX chief engineer Takeaki Kato describes the overall concept, new turbo engine, and some of the vehicle’s unique features: In the second video, project managers Nobuyuki Tomatsu and Tetsuo Miki walk through the exterior & interior design from …

Kevin · April 22nd, 2014

The Lexus CT BG Concept from the Beijing Motor Show

Lexus China is displaying a customized CT 200h at the Beijing Motor Show, calling it the CT BG Concept — here are some photos from Japanese website Car Watch: According to Chinese website Sohu, the CT BG concept is based on the CT 200h F SPORT, but with a “more personalized design language”: The model …

Kevin · April 21st, 2014

Lexus NX Key Features: A Video Tour

Here’s a video overview of the key features found in the Lexus NX: The level of detail on the NX is impressive — the compact crossover makes a strong statement at the new Lexus design movement, but even more important is the focus on functionality. This is a vehicle that will fit very comfortably into …

Kevin · April 21st, 2014

Lexus USA Shares NX Sales Projections

Mark Rechtin of the Automotive News recently spoke with Lexus USA general manager Jeff Bracken about NX sales projections: …he expects Lexus to sell about 2,200 NX units a month in the United States. He added, however, that Lexus’ U.S. dealer council has informed him that such an estimate is too conservative. “From a sizing …

Kevin · April 21st, 2014

Live Photos of the Lexus NX 300h & NX 200t F SPORT

After its debut last night in China, the Lexus NX is now on display at both the Beijing Motor Show and the New York Auto Show — a few photo galleries of the NX 300h & NX 200t F SPORT have been popping up online, here’s what I’ve found so far. Marc Berger from the …

Kevin · April 20th, 2014

2015 Lexus NX Specifications (Including Horsepower)

There’s a significant amount of new information on the Lexus NX with the crossover’s debut at the Beijing Motor Show today — let’s start things off with the full international press release. Lexus’ first luxury compact crossover, the NX, made its world premiere here today at the 2014 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, which runs through …

Kevin · April 20th, 2014

Launch Video: Introducing the Lexus NX

Lexus has publicly debuted the all next NX compact crossover at the Beijing Motor Show, and here’s the official launch video: Balancing footage of the vehicle with a healthy dose of lifestyle imagery, there’s a heavy focus on physical activity — love the inclusion of parkour, it’s a perfect fit for this vehicle. More shortly!

Kevin · April 19th, 2014

Lexus NX to Debut Today at Beijing Motor Show

Later today, Lexus will officially unveil the new NX compact crossover at the Beijing Motor Show. The reveal will be broadcast live online on the Lexus International website, starting at 10:30 ET/7:30 PT, with more details on the NX to be released at that time. Update: The press conference is now over — here is …

Kevin · April 19th, 2014

Imagining a Lexus NX Crossover Coupe

Photochopper Theophilus Chin has removed two doors from the Lexus NX, creating a crossover coupe — here’s another rendering from the back: The obvious parallel would be the Range Rover Evoque Coupe, an eminently stylish but essentially impractical two-door version of their super-successful crossover. It may be a model that Lexus will never make, but …

Kevin · April 18th, 2014

New Lexus President Tokuo Fukuichi Shares Details on Future Plans

The Lexus UK blog has an interview with newly named Lexus International president Tokuo Fukuichi: Q: Will you push Lexus design even more strongly now you are the overall president too? A: Tokuo Fukuichi: From now on I don’t want to create nice designs, I want to create impressive designs, ones that remain in minds. …

Kevin · April 17th, 2014

Lexus NX Spotted in California Parking Lot

There are two Lexus NX models at the Lexus USA headquarters in Torrance, California, which means the first photos of the new compact crossover out in the wild: Seeing the crossover in a more natural setting makes it all the more appealing — very impressed with the grille on the standard NX, and loving the …

Kevin · April 17th, 2014

Lexus IS the Next Model to Get Turbocharged Engine?

AutoGuide reports that the IS will be the next Lexus model to get the turbo-charged 2.0L four-cylinder engine debuting the new NX crossover: Currently the base IS250 model makes use of an antiquated 2.5-liter V6 engine. Rated at 204 hp it’s not only down on power compared to turbocharged 4-cylinder rivals but it also offers …

Kevin · April 16th, 2014

2014 Lexus GS 350 Wins Edmunds Top Rated Award

The 2014 Lexus GS 350 has been named to the Edmunds Top Rated Vehicles of 2014 list. The list is determined by the Edmunds vehicle testing team — each vehicle is driven on a standardized road-test loop and visits a test track for additional instrument testing in controlled conditions. The findings are used to rate …

Kevin · April 16th, 2014

Details on the First Lexus LFA Owners Club Meet in Japan

Last weekend in Japan, 22 LFAs and 23 LFA owners participated in the inaugural meeting of the Lexus LFA Owners Club. The meet took place at the Lexus College campus inside of the Fuji Speedway. LFA Chief Engineer Tanahashi Haruhiko was in attendance, and the event was memorialized with a ceremonial planting of a Youkou-zakura …

Kevin · April 15th, 2014

Lexus LFA Code X Race Car Testing on Fuji Speedway

The Lexus LFA Code X race car had its final test at the Fuji Speedway in Japan before being shipped to Germany for the Nürburgring 24 Hour Race in June — Gazoo Racing posted some photos on Facebook: The LFA Code X is a significant new development in Lexus racing — the bigger 5.3L V10 …

Kevin · April 15th, 2014

Lexus LFA Wins Class in 4-Hour VLN2 Race at Nürburgring

The Lexus LFA team of Kinoshita Takayuki & Oshima Kazuya finished the second race of the 2014 Nürburgring VLN Series with a SP8 class win, placing 18th overall. The IS F team that won the first race of the season at the beginning April finished 3rd in the SP8 class and placed 40th overall. Gazoo …

Kevin · April 14th, 2014

Details on the Lexus NX 200t Turbo Engine

Auto Week has some finer detail on Lexus NX 200t and its Lexus-first turbocharged engine: The NX 200t will feature Lexus’ first turbo engine, a 2.0-liter four with VVT-iW. Yes, that W is new. It signifies advance and retard of the intake cam. At low loads and rpm it can operate as an Atkinson cycle …

Kevin · April 14th, 2014

Questions About the Lexus NX? Ask Chief Engineer Takeaki Kato

Have a question about the Lexus NX? Takeaki Kato, the chief engineer of the new compact crossover, will be answering questions about the NX direct from the Beijing Motor Show: You can ask questions online now via Facebook or Twitter by using the hashtag #LexusInBeijing — answers will be posted on the Lexus International Facebook …

Kevin · April 13th, 2014

2015 Lexus NX F SPORT Photo Gallery

Lexus has released a massive new photo collection of the new NX F SPORT compact crossover — here’s the full gallery, posted without comment (that’s coming later):

Kevin · April 11th, 2014

First Live Photos of the Lexus NX F SPORT

Autoguide has posted the first live photos of the new Lexus NX F SPORT — here’s a selection of exterior shots: There’s also an extensive interior gallery — here’s a small taste: Definitely head over to the Autoguide website and look through the photos — I’ve been going through the galleries for the last 20 …

Kevin · April 10th, 2014

2015 Lexus NX & NX F SPORT Information

Lexus has released the first real details on the new NX, including 11 new photos of the compact crossover in both standard and F SPORT models: The Full Lexus NX Press Release Lexus will unveil its new luxury compact crossover, the Lexus NX, at the 2014 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition to be held in Beijing, …

Kevin · April 10th, 2014

Lexus NX Compact Crossover Revealed Early by French Magazine

Scans of an article from French magazine L’Automobile have revealed the Lexus NX compact crossover before its official debut: The scans, which were posted earlier today on Club Lexus & World Car Fans, show a production NX that sticks close to the LF-NX concept — much of the exterior body work mirrors the concept, right …

Kevin · April 10th, 2014

Lexus Finishes Third in 2014 J.D. Power Customer Service Index Study

After five years at the top, Lexus fell to third place in J.D. Power 2014 U.S. Customer Service Index (CSI) Study. Cadillac & Audi finished ahead of Lexus. The study, which examines owner satisfaction when visiting a dealership service department for maintenance or repair work, uses five measures in its scoring: service quality, service initiation, …

Kevin · April 10th, 2014

Lexus Named Most Trusted Luxury Brand in 2014 Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Awards

For the second year in a row, Lexus has been named Most Trusted Luxury Brand in the Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Awards. The ES , IS, RX, and LX were singled out as vehicles that inspire consumer confidence. The 2014 Brand Image Awards are based on a study of the 12,000+ new vehicle shoppers …

Kevin · April 9th, 2014

Autos Canada Comparison: Lexus GS 350 AWD vs. Cadillac CTS 3.6 AWD

Autos Canada conducted a comparison between the Lexus GS 350 AWD and Cadillac CTS 3.6 AWD: It’s easy to assume the Lexus – especially in this “Luxury Package” trim and not fitted with the F-Sport’s variable suspension – would be the soft, roly-poly competitor in this test. And while the Lexus’ ride is notably better …

Kevin · April 9th, 2014

Lexus Australia CEO Discusses the Lexus Luxury Position

In an interview with Cars Guide, Lexus Australia CEO Sean Hanley gives an impassioned perspective into the brand’s stance on luxury, and what it means for consumers: “There’s no-one better credentialed in Australia to run a retail volume campaign with Lexus if we wanted to, given our parent company (Toyota). If volume was all we …

Kevin · April 8th, 2014

Lexus DESIGN AMAZING Exhibit Opens at 2014 Milan Design Week

The Lexus Design Amazing exhibit opened today at Milan Design Week 2014 in Italy: Included in the exhibit are new works by three world renowned designers, who were tasked with creating an experience based on the Lexus “Amazing in Motion” theme.

Kevin · April 8th, 2014

New Lexus GS Commercial Takes a Swing at its Competitors

Lexus USA also released a new GS commercial that takes its competitors to task — the video starts with a behind-the-scenes look at how the commercial was filmed: Great to see the GS getting this type of marketing exposure two years after its initial release — considering the sedan’s recent sales success, it’s well deserved. …

Kevin · April 8th, 2014

New Lexus F Performance Commercial Featuring the RC F

Lexus has released its first commercial featuring the new RC F coupe — here’s the full 60 second video: The commercial is part of an initiative to familiarize consumers with the F performance brand — there’s also this new print ad (click for a larger image): (It may be confusing for enthusiasts to see true …

Kevin · April 7th, 2014

More Details on the Lexus NX Compact Crossover

An automotive site in Slovakia had an advance look at the upcoming Lexus NX compact crossover last month, and have published the above photo along with a text teaser (please excuse the paraphrased Google-assisted translation): Despite the fact that the public has not yet officially seen the new Lexus NX, we had the pleasure to …

Kevin · April 7th, 2014

KeePer TOM’s Lexus RC F Team Wins Super GT Round 1

The KeePer TOM’s racing team of Daisuke Ito & Andrea Caldarelli have won the 2014 Super GT Round 1 GT500 class in the #37 Lexus RC F. The ENEOS SUSTINA RC F team of Kazuya Oshima & Yuji Kunimoto finished second. Here are highlights from the race, from the Super GT Youtube channel: The next …

Kevin · April 6th, 2014

Lexus RC F GT500 Racing This Weekend in Super GT Round One

This weekend, the first race of the 2014 Super GT season takes place at the Okayama International Circuit in Mimasaka, Japan. This will mark the official debut of the RC F GT500 race car, which will be used by six teams — here are the six race cars in their final livery: The six teams …

Kevin · April 4th, 2014

Lexus Releases First Image of NX Compact Crossover

Lexus has released the very first teaser image of the NX compact crossover, which is set to debut at the Beijing Motor Show on April 20th — here’s the image in high resolution: The RC-style tri-LED headlights are visible, as are some of the defining sharp angles of the LF-NX concept. One of the biggest …

Kevin · April 3rd, 2014

A Tour of the Lexus LS L-Select Program in Japan

While in Tokyo last year for the opening of INTERSECT, I also took the opportunity to visit two of the city’s Lexus showrooms, the Lexus Gallery Takanawa and the Lexus International Gallery Aoyama. Both showrooms are amazing in their attention to detail and level of attentiveness, and both have displays dedicated to the Lexus L-Select …

Kevin · April 3rd, 2014

Interview with Lexus CT 200h Chief Engineer Chika Kako

The Lexus Spain weblog has an extensive interview with Lexus CT 200h chief engineer Chika Kako, the first-ever woman chief engineer for a Lexus (or Toyota) vehicle — here are some translated quotes, by way of Kaizen Factor: Former CT chief engineer Osamu Sadakata engineer set the bar high with the first version of the …

Kevin · April 3rd, 2014

Photo Gallery: Closer Look at the 2014 Lexus CT 200h

Lexus International posted a nice photo collection of the updated CT 200h on their Facebook page: (The new Redline exterior color is a knockout — really suits the CT’s updated look.) [Source: Lexus International Facebook page]

Kevin · April 2nd, 2014

Lexus IS F CCS-R Wins Class in First Nürburgring Endurance Race of 2014 Season

The Lexus IS F CCS-R team of Uwe Kleen, Klaus Völker, and Jordan Tresson finished the first race of the Nürburgring VLN season with a SP8 class win. The team finished the four-hour 60 ADAC Westfalenfahrt race 32nd overall. [Source: VLN Racing Via: Lexus Europe]

Kevin · April 2nd, 2014

New Orange Lexus RC F Spotted in Japan

A New Orange Lexus RC F prototype has been spotted in Japan by Club Lexus member Mattspiral. As rumored, the orange exterior looks a few shades lighter than the IS F CCS-R — what do you think? [Source: Club Lexus via Joe-Z Performance]

Kevin · April 1st, 2014

Lexus March 2014 Sales Report

USA Lexus USA has reported 28,593 total sales for March 2014, a 28.0% improvement over last year — here’s the model-by-model breakdown: MONTH Year to Date (*DSR) 2014 2013 % CHG* 2014 2013 % CHG* CT 1,480 1,062 44.7 4,000 3,245 24.9 HS 0 1 ‐100.0 0 2 ‐100.0 IS 4,893 2,255 125.3 11,458 5,173 …

Kevin · April 1st, 2014

German Magazine Disassembles Lexus CT 200h After 100,000km Road Test

At the completion of their 100,000km extended road test of the Lexus CT 200h, German magazine Auto Bild disassembled the hybrid hatchback to look for signs of wear & tear: Looking through the accompanying photo gallery, there were some minor faults, but nothing major — in fact, the only two maintenance issues during the 100,000km …

Kevin · April 1st, 2014

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