Orange Lexus RC F Spotted in California

A Lexus RC F in Solar Flare (aka orange) is now at the Lexus USA headquarters in California — here are some photos, including two from Instagram user Integress: Lexus really went all out with this shade of orange, it’s much brighter than I was expecting. Too wild for me, what do you think? [Source: …

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Kevin · June 30th, 2014

2015 Lexus IS 250 & IS 350 Information

The US-spec 2015 Lexus IS has been announced, and there’s been some minor updates to the second-year sedan: LED fog lamps Siri Eyes Free technology from Apple; compatible with iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 models AWD models gets heated steering wheel Heated/ventilated front seats added to F SPORT Revised interior trim, including piano black on …

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Kevin · June 30th, 2014

Video: The Lexus RC F at Goodwood Festival of Speed

The Lexus RC F made its driving debut this weekend at the Goodwood Festival of Speed — here’s video from the initial test run: RC chief engineer Yukihiko Yaguchi was there for the real run up the hill, and filmed this quick video: Former World Rally Champion driver Didier Auriol was the one behind the …

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Kevin · June 29th, 2014

Photo Gallery: Lexus RC F & LFA Together Again

In advance of the Lexus runs at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Lexus UK has released some photos of the LFA & RC F together: Later today, the Lexus RC F will make its first-ever public driving appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the annual world-famous hill climb in England. [Source: Lexus UK Blog]
Kevin · June 27th, 2014

More Photos of the Supercharged Lexus LX 570 in the Middle East

Motoring Middle East has posted photos of the Supercharged Lexus LX 570 now available in the Middle East: The supercharger bumps up the standard LX 570 from 362 hp to 450 hp, increasing the torque to 520 lb. ft in the process. There’s also some minor exterior modifications, including a new set of wheels and …

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Kevin · June 26th, 2014

Video: Spotlight on the Lexus RC

There’s a new Lexus RC video from Lexus International, and it’s pretty heavy with style — definitely a must-watch:
Kevin · June 25th, 2014

New Lexus RC F Orange Exterior Named by Lexus UK Fans

Lexus UK challenged their Facebook fans to name the new orange exterior color debuting with the RC F. From the hundreds of submissions, Solar Flare was chosen: …Solar Flare was picked as the best by Richard Balshaw, Lexus Director. The name will now become an official colour for the RC F in the UK when …

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Kevin · June 25th, 2014

Photo Gallery: Slammed Lexus GS F SPORT in Japan

Speedhunters wraps up their coverage of Japanese tuner LEXON with a feature on this slammed Lexus GS F SPORT in Matador Red Mica: The major update to the GS is the Airrunner air suspension, which makes the slammed stance a little more practical. There’s also a full LEXON carbon fiber aero package, including front spoiler …

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Kevin · June 24th, 2014

Lexus RC F to Participate in Goodwood Festival of Speed

The Lexus RC F will make its first-ever public driving appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this week in England. The event will run from June 26-29, and the RC F is expected to make the climb on Thursday. The Goodwood Festival of Speed is an annual world-famous hill climb that features a rare …

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Kevin · June 24th, 2014

Lexus to Introduce Manual Transmission RC F & IS F?

Lexus may release a IS F and RC F with a manual transmission, according to recent Motoring Australia interview with Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG) business operations director Rob Leupen: One project Leupen revealed was the development of what he called a manual-shift gearbox (presumably a dual clutch) for the new generation RC F/IS F drivetrain. …

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Kevin · June 23rd, 2014

Photo Gallery: Lexus RC F in Liquid Platinum

A Lexus RC F in Liquid Platinum was on display at the Nürburgring this weekend — Lexus Europe posted some photos on their Facebook page: This is the first time we’ve seen the full carbon fiber RC F in a color other than Ultra White — looks good! [Source: Lexus Europe]
Kevin · June 23rd, 2014

Nürburgring 24h Race: Lexus LFA Updates

Toyota President Akio Toyoda will be one of the four drivers racing the Gazoo Racing #48Lexus LFA in the 41st annual Nürburgring 24 hour race this weekend in Germany, joining the team of Takayuki Kinoshita, Hiroaki Ishiura, & Kazuya Oshima. The LFA will be racing in the SP8 class. A second prototype #53 LFA Code …

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Kevin · June 21st, 2014

Two Lexus LFAs to Participate in This Weekend’s 24h of Nürburgring Race

This weekend, two Lexus LFA teams will be racing in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. This marks the eighth consecutive year that an LFA has participated in the race. The Teams The first team is the #48 LFA driving in the SP8 class, here’s some information about the drivers: Takayuki Kinoshita: Mr. Kinoshita started his …

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Kevin · June 20th, 2014

Video: Lexus IS F CCS-R Race Car Added to Gran Turismo 6

The Lexus IS F CCS-R has been added to Gran Turismo 6 as part of a major game update — here are some videos featuring the Lexus race car: (Also joining the IS F CCS-R is the Toyota TS030 Hybrid race car — looks like it’s time to dust off the Playstation 3.)
Kevin · June 19th, 2014

Video: Interview with Lexus RC Designers

Here’s a new video interview with Lexus RC designer Yasuo Kajino and color designer Yoichiro Kitamura, the man responsible for the RC’s Infrared exterior color:
Kevin · June 19th, 2014

A Visit to Lexus of Royal Oak in Calgary, Alberta

On a recent trip through Western Canada, I stopped for a visit at Lexus of Royal Oak in Calgary, Alberta. One of the first dealerships in the world to be built to the new international design standards, the entire building is bright and airy — let’s take a tour. Lexus of Royal Oak is a …

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Kevin · June 18th, 2014

Lexus ES Wins Segment in 2014 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study

The Lexus ES was named the top Compact Premium Car in this year’s J.D. Power Initial Quality Study. The LS was the second place Large Premium Car, and the GS tied for third in the Midsize Premium Car category. The study, which looks at problems experienced in the first 90 days of vehicle ownership, was …

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Kevin · June 18th, 2014

Photo Gallery: The Lexus RC F GT3 Racing Concept

Lexus International has released a new photo gallery of the RC F GT3 concept: Developed over two years by Lexus International and subsidiary Techno Craft, the RC F GT3 concept is powered by a modified version of the RC F’s V8 engine that produces 540+ hp (397kw). The race car is wider and lower than …

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Kevin · June 17th, 2014

Video: Lexus LFA on 20″ Vossen VFS-2 Wheels

Vossen Wheels has released a new video featuring the customized Lexus LFA from Japanese tuner LEXON: The wheels here are the new Vossen VFS-2s, which are built using flow forming technology that allows for a greater range of widths. The LFA is running with 20×10.5 up front and a 20×12 rear for the maximum concave …

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Kevin · June 17th, 2014

Video: Developing the Lexus NX Turbo & Hybrid Engines

The Lexus NX will be offered with two powertrain options: a 2.5L hybrid system and a Lexus-first 2.0L turbo engine — here are project engineers Izumi Watanabe and Kenji Otsuka discussing the development of the two engines: Really enjoying this “Development Story” video series — be sure to check out the first two parts if …

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Kevin · June 16th, 2014

Lexus LX 450d Trademarked in Australia

Lexus has trademarked the LX 450d nameplate in Australia, opening the door to speculation that the brand is readying their very first diesel SUV. The 450d designation would suggest a 4.5L diesel engine, likely the same 1VD-FTV twin-turbo diesel engine currently offered on the Australian Toyota Land Cruiser. This engine produces 261 hp and 479 …

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Kevin · June 16th, 2014

Lexus NX Configurator Now on Lexus International Website

Lexus International has updated their website with a basic NX configurator, showing off four grades, ten colors, and five wheel options. Available Grades: NX 200t · NX 200t F SPORT · NX 300h · NX 300h F SPORT Colors: Sonic Quartz · Mercury Grey Metallic · Platinum Silver · Sonic Titanium · Black · Starlight …

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Kevin · June 13th, 2014

Updated Safety Recall Announced for 2002-2003 Lexus SC 430

Lexus USA has issued a voluntary safety recall for the 2002-2003 Lexus SC 430 due to an issue with the front passenger airbag — here’s a description of the problem: The involved vehicles are equipped with front passenger airbag inflators which could have been assembled with improperly manufactured propellant wafers.  Improperly manufactured propellant wafers could …

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Kevin · June 12th, 2014

Video: Black Lexus NX 200t F SPORT in Japan

Earlier this week, we saw some photos of a black Lexus NX 200t F SPORT at the Lexus International Gallery in Aoyama, Tokyo, and now we have some (very strangely filmed) video — be warned, turn the sound way down: An NX in Sonic Quartz was also on display, and the video also features the …

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Kevin · June 12th, 2014

Video: Drifting with the Lexus RC F

Lexus International has released a new video with the RC F drifting all over the place, and it’s a pure dose of awesome:
Kevin · June 12th, 2014

Video: Lexus NX Music Video in Madrid

Lexus Europe has released a new two-minute music video featuring the NX F SPORT: Likely the first cut of the NX commercial filmed in Madrid, this video is very well put together — elegant, stylish, and very modern. Lexus Europe have captured the NX perfectly.
Kevin · June 11th, 2014

Lexus SC to Return in 2017?

According to Peter Lyon of Japanese magazine Holiday Auto, the Lexus SC nameplate will return with the production model based on the LF-LC concept car: The new Lexus SC seems to have it all: Styling to take on Europe’s best, two powerful engine choices, the world’s first 10-speed automatic, and a price tag hovering around …

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Kevin · June 11th, 2014

Photo Gallery: Lexus RC F SPORT in Red

A red Lexus RC 350 F SPORT has been spotted in California — here are photos from the Endles Automotive Instagram feed: This new color is called Infrared, and it uses a special painting technique: For the red exterior, the factory starts with a base coat of silver and then applies a clear coat. Then, …

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Kevin · June 10th, 2014

More Rumors on the Lexus/BMW Sports Car Collaboration

Georg Kacher from CAR Magazine has some new details on rumored sports car being developed by Lexus & BMW: Developed under the codename Silk Road 2, the proposed BMW Z7 and Lexus ZC/ZR are cutting-edge sports cars which will cost around €90,000, or £73,000. Slap bang in Porsche Carrera territory, then. This will be the …

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Kevin · June 10th, 2014

Lexus USA Launches New Website Design

This weekend, Lexus USA launched a fully redesigned website that reflects the brand’s new design direction — here’s an example vehicle page: The new site is modern, responsive to all screen sizes, and very easy to understand — excellent work by the development team, be sure to check it out. Visit the new Lexus USA …

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Kevin · June 9th, 2014

Lexus USA Gaining on Mercedes & BMW in 2014 Sales Volume

Lexus sales in the USA are heating up — the brand outsold Mercedes in March & May, putting them only 12,000 sales behind market leader BMW. BMW currently leads with 127,181 sales in 2014, Mercedes is close behind with 125,118 sales, and Lexus is third with 115,171 sales — there may not be enough time …

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Kevin · June 9th, 2014

Photos: Black Lexus NX F SPORT in Japan

A black NX 200t F SPORT is now on display at the Lexus Aoyama Gallery in Tokyo: (NX pre-orders have started in Japan, and different models & colors are being displayed around the country, including a NX F SPORT in Matador Red Mica.) [Source: Club Lexus] (Thanks AndyL & corradoMR2!)
Kevin · June 8th, 2014

Lexus Short Films 2014: The World Premiere in Tokyo

Last year, I attended the Lexus Short Films world premiere at the DGA Theater in Los Angeles. Produced by The Weinstein Company, it was a showcase of young and upcoming filmmakers asked to create a story around the theme “Life is Amazing”. Two of the five produced films were shown at the premiere, and while …

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Kevin · June 6th, 2014

Photo Gallery: Lexus RC F in South Korea

The Lexus RC F in Ultrasonic Blue made an appearance at the Busan Motor Show in South Korea: (Even after all the coverage of this car in this color, I can’t help but admire new photos. What a monster.) See more photos from the Busan Motor Show
Kevin · June 5th, 2014

Photo Gallery: Lexus NX F SPORT in Matador Red Mica

A Lexus NX 200t F SPORT in Matador Red Mica is currently on display at Midland Square in Nagoya, Japan — here are some photos from Japanese blogger Renoba: (Japanese consumers will be able to pre-order NX models starting this weekend, and different colors are being displayed all over the country — more photos shortly!) …

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Kevin · June 5th, 2014

New Lexus Police Vehicles in Australia

Lexus Australia has provided the New South Wales police department with a GS 450h & RX 450h for new road safety campaigns — here are some photos: From the press release: Launched as part of the kick-off to the official ski-season, Lexus GS and RX 450h models will patrol the state’s Southern Region, stretching from …

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Kevin · June 4th, 2014

BEYOND Story: The Lexus RC 350

The Lexus RC is the subject of the latest BEYOND story on the Lexus International website: The RC will fill a long-standing gap in the Lexus lineup. “When we looked at the freshly carved model of this car, we were immensely excited because we were doing what hadn’t been done before: making a coupe,” recalls …

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Kevin · June 4th, 2014

Lexus May 2014 Sales Report

USA Lexus USA has reported 26,921 total sales for May 2014, a 16.6% improvement over last year — here’s the model-by-model breakdown: MONTH Year to Date (*DSR) 2014 2013 % CHG* 2014 2013 % CHG* CT 1,762 1,623 4.5 6,816 6,039 12.0 IS 4,403 1,897 123.5 19,641 8,867 119.8 ES 6,523 5,890 6.6 27,662 27,813 …

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Kevin · June 3rd, 2014

Video: Listen to the Lexus RC F’s Revving Engine

A short video clip of the Lexus RC F revving its 5.0L V8 engine has been posted on Youtube: I can hear a similarity to the IS F, but there’s also some LFA to the sound — tighter, more focused. Makes sense, given that Yamaha helped tune the RC F exhaust note. Engineering amazing! [Via: …

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Kevin · June 3rd, 2014

Photo Gallery: Lexus RC F SPORT in Atomic Silver

A Lexus RC F SPORT in Atomic Silver is in Colorado this week as part of a Lexus dealership meeting — Lexus of Lehigh Valley shared the photo above on their Facebook page, and here’s a full gallery from Lexus of Austin: The RC F SPORT exterior design hits all the right notes for me …

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Kevin · June 2nd, 2014

Photos: Lexus LFA on Vossen VFS-2 Wheels

Dino Dalle Carbonare from Speedhunters has an excellent photo feature on the Lexus LFA owned by Japanese tuner LEXON — here are just a couple images: Aftermarket wheels on an LFA is something of a rarity, but the Vossen VFS-2 wheels really work on the Lexus supercar — be sure to check out the rest …

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Kevin · June 2nd, 2014

Lexus Racing Teams Stumble in Super GT Round 3

Super GT Round 3 at Autopolis in Kyushu was not a good race for Lexus teams — ranking highest was the KeePer TOM’s RC F team of Daisuke Ito & Andrea Caldarelli with a fourth place finish. The Petronas TOM’s team of James Rossiter & Ryo Hirakawa finished close behind in fifth. Here are the …

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Kevin · June 2nd, 2014