Drift-Modified Lexus LFA on Display at Tokyo Auto Salon

The Tokyo Auto Salon wrapped up yesterday, and one of the Lexus vehicles on display was a drifting-build LFA — here are photos from Auto Culture Japan: Details are far and few between, but judging from the booth display, the D1-spec LFA was built by Lexus dealership group Osaka Toyopet in partnership with Falken Tires. …

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Kevin · January 12th, 2015

Interview with Lexus GS F Chief Engineer Yukihiko Yaguchi

In advance of the Lexus GS F’s debut at the Detroit Auto Show this week, Automobile Magazine has an interview with chief engineer Yukihiko Yaguchi answering one of the bigger questions about the new super-sedan: Automobile: Was there any thought given to increasing power given that the Lexus GS F is bigger and heavier than …

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Kevin · January 11th, 2015

Road & Track Reviews the Lexus RC F

Road & Track have reviewed the Lexus RC F, praising the coupe for its uniqueness: Instead of trying to beat the Bavarians around a racetrack, Lexus has gone its own way with a playful alternate to the über-sports-coupe blueprint. Forget “clinical” and “precise.” This new flagship thumbs its nose at the BMW M4, then pokes …

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Kevin · January 9th, 2015

2016 Lexus RX Coming to the Detroit Auto Show?

Fresh off the spy photos of the next-generation Lexus RX comes the above rendering from photochopper Theophilus Chin and rumors that the new model may debut at the Detroit Auto Show next week. In a recent Detroit rumor rounded-up, Edmunds suggests the latest edition of the bestselling Lexus crossover will be unveiled in the Motor …

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Kevin · January 7th, 2015

Next-Generation Lexus RX Prototype Spotted!

Spy photographers for Autoweek have spotted a camouflaged prototype of the next-generation Lexus RX — let’s take a look, starting with the front: The camouflage may be elaborate around the grille, but there’s no denying the NX influence in the hood shape and headlight placement. It’s worth noting that grille itself appears quite small in …

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Kevin · January 7th, 2015

More Lexus GS F Photos from Road & Track

Road & Track had a sneak peek at the new Lexus GS F sedan: Say what you will about the gaping maw of the Lexus F cars. This GS has presence. The giant biting hourglass was first thing I saw when I walked into the studio, and the last thing I saw when I walked …

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Kevin · January 6th, 2015

Jeremy Clarkson Reviews the 2015 Lexus NX 300h

Jeremy Clarkson has reviewed the 2015 Lexus NX 300h for The Sunday Times: So, a crossover hybrid with an N in its name and low-rent underpinnings from a company that’s capable of turning out a howler from time to time. This is not looking good. But here’s the thing: it does…It’s one of those cars …

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Kevin · January 6th, 2015

Lexus USA Releases Two NX F SPORT Commercials

Lexus USA has released two commercials for the NX compact crossover: These first two ads will begin airing on network television today, and will be followed by two additional commercials shortly thereafter.
Kevin · January 5th, 2015

Lexus RC F Gets Five-Star Review from The Sunday Times

Giles Smith of The Sunday Times has given the Lexus RC F a full five-star review: The new Lexus RC F is expensive, cumbersome, blazingly immodest, fundamentally impractical, comes fitted with an unnecessarily large and uneconomical engine and is altogether, in a naggingly high number of ways, boilingly inappropriate. I can’t think of many cars …

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Kevin · January 4th, 2015

Festive Photo Gallery with the Lexus RC F SPORT

With the holiday season just about here, there’s no better time to feature this festive Lexus RC photo gallery from Kevin King Uy: The photos were taken at Granville Island in Vancouver, British Columbia, and really capture the spirit of the area. Great work, Kevin!
Kevin · December 23rd, 2014

More Fuel Cell Lexus LS Rumors

Lexus will introduce a fuel cell version of the LS flagship, according to a new Motoring Australia article from Peter Lyon: According to one source, the LS’s nose section will be redesigned with larger air intakes to ventilate the hydrogen powered electric system. The car will incorporate a fuel-cell unit under the front seat, a …

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Kevin · December 22nd, 2014

Lexus IS 200t Turbo Prototype Spotted in Colorado?

A camouflaged Lexus IS prototype with emissions testing equipment and manufacturer plates was spotted in the Colorado Rocky Mountains by The Fast Lane Car: As suggested by TFLCar, a plausible possibility for this IS prototype is the testing of the 2.0L turbo engine first introduced with the NX 200t. Lexus has already trademarked IS 200t …

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Kevin · December 19th, 2014

Photoshop: Experimenting with the Lexus Teaser Image

One of the funnest things about automotive teasers is trying to pull something unexpected from the image, and that’s what reader Michael Pannone did with the Lexus photo from yesterday (click for a larger image): Flipping the original image and photoshopping a mesh grille from the RC F to fill in the gaps, Michael was …

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Kevin · December 18th, 2014

The Lexus NX: Focus on the Details

Some interesting details on the Lexus NX development have been shared by Australian website GoAuto: Items such as body shake induced by windscreen wiper movement and changes in vehicle geometry due to differences in tyre tread were studied and addressed for the utmost refinement under a system dubbed microscopic force control. The engineers said almost …

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Kevin · December 15th, 2014

Photo Gallery: Lexus RC F & LFA Together

Last weekend, I travelled to Erin Park Lexus in Mississauga to visit my friend Norman and his Ultra White RC F. While at the dealership, I had a chance to photograph the RC F and LFA #34 in the showroom: Side by side, you can see just how much of the RC F’s design was …

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Kevin · December 14th, 2014

Rallycrossing in a 1993 Lexus ES 300

Here’s something you don’t see every day — Raphael Orlove from Jalopnik took his 1993 Lexus ES 300 out rallycrossing: I had said many times that I didn’t need class wins or fast times. Mechanical survival would be my victory. All I had to do was get the car home. The problem was that the …

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Kevin · December 12th, 2014

New Lexus RC F Commercial from Japan

Lexus Japan have released a new commercial for the RC F that draws on their recent success in the Super GT racing series: Not to be outdone, there’s also this RC commercial featuring a female minotaur (?!?):
Kevin · December 11th, 2014

Car Advice Comparison: The Lexus RC 350 F SPORT vs. BMW 435i

CarAdvice in Australia have compared the Lexus RC 350 F SPORT & BMW 435i in a realistic review: Lexus has thrown the gauntlet down to the opposition, pricing the RC350 F Sport at $74,000 – just $1000 over the IS350 sedan with which it shares its interior and rear suspension. The 435i coupe, meanwhile, costs …

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Kevin · December 11th, 2014

Lexus NX 200t AWD: By the Numbers

Car & Driver has put the Lexus NX 200t AWD to the test and reports the results: The numbers we got at the track won’t exactly light your hair on fire, the NX accelerating from zero to 60 mph in 6.9 seconds and hitting the quarter-mile in 15.3 seconds at 92 mph. That 60-mph time …

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Kevin · December 10th, 2014

Next Generation Lexus LS to be a Fuel Cell Vehicle?

According to Japanese magazine Best Car, the next-generation Lexus LS will be a Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV) powered at least in part by hydrogen. Not being able to read Japanese, I can only go by the pictures on the page — here’s the key illustration: Let’s compare it to the Toyota Fuel Cell System found …

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Kevin · December 10th, 2014

Lexus Considering V8 Supercars Racing Series in Australia

Lexus Australia recently confirmed its interest in taking part in the country’s V8 Supercars touring car championship series — from Car Advice: “We’ve had very high-level discussions with V8 Supercars,” Hanley told CarAdvice at the local launch of the Lexus RC350 in Melbourne today. “V8 Supercars never approached me, any interest we have shown has …

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test · December 9th, 2014

Lexus IS Named Best Executive Car in Scottish Car of the Year Awards

The Lexus IS has been named Executive Car of the Year in the Scottish Car of the Year Awards: Alasdair Suttie, [Association of Scottish Motoring Writers] President, said: “In a marketplace dominated by German offerings, the Lexus IS delivers a unique take on the compact luxury theme. It feels fresh and different to the more …

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Kevin · December 9th, 2014

More Details on the Production Lexus LF-C2 Convertible

Automotive News has more details on the Lexus LF-C2 and its chances of reaching production: Bracken says the LF-C2 was “purely a concept” and not slated for production. But according to a person familiar with Lexus’ planning, the brand is considering whether to produce a version of it to sell as the convertible RC — …

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Kevin · December 9th, 2014

Lexus CT Owner Blog: The CT 200h F SPORT in Winter

Winter has arrived, and I’m getting my first exposure to driving the CT 200h in the snow & ice. The cold weather has given me real appreciation for the product planners at Lexus Canada, who have outfitted the CT F SPORT package with heated front seats and side mirrors. I’ve driven Lexus press cars in …

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Kevin · December 8th, 2014

Motor Trend Comparison: Lexus RC F vs BMW M4

Motor Trend has published a comparison between the Lexus RC F & BMW M4, and it’s a total mess of conflicting information: We preferred the Lexus around town, as it’s a more interesting car to sit in thanks to its wealth of technical and visual details. The styling may be a large miss, but we …

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Kevin · December 8th, 2014

Video Comparison: Lexus RC F vs. BMW M4 & Audi RS 5

AMCI Testing, one of the most respected independent automotive testing companies in the world, has conducted a comparison between the Lexus RC F, BMW M4, and Audi RS 5: Considering the video is being hosted on the Lexus USA Youtube page, it would be easy enough to write off the results — however, this quote …

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Kevin · December 8th, 2014

2015 Lexus RC F Configurator Now on USA Website

For those US readers interested in purchasing an RCF, the Lexus USA website has been updated with an online configurator to help you build the exact car you want. As detailed earlier, pricing for the RC F will start at $63,325 — unfortunately, it appears the carbon fibre Performance Package has been delayed, as it’s …

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Kevin · December 7th, 2014

Lexus Trademarks LC 500 & LC 500h in Canada, USA, and Australia

Lexus has just trademarked LC 500 & LC 500h in the USA, Canada, & Australia, giving us the first clear indication of what to expect from the upcoming production LF-LC coupe. This is huge news on multiple levels — there had been talk that the production LF-LC could resurrect the SC nameplate, but it appears …

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Kevin · December 4th, 2014

Lexus NX Receives Five Star Safety Rating in Europe

The Lexus NX has received a Euro NCAP five-star rating with scores well above the necessary minimum, making the new compact crossover one of the safest vehicles in its segment. Testing focuses on four areas: Adult Occupant, Child Occupant, Pedestrian Protection and Safety Assist technologies — here are two NX crash-test videos: Here are the …

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Kevin · December 4th, 2014

Photo Gallery: Lexus RC F SPORT, NX F SPORT, and IS F SPORT All Together

Ace photographer Ste Ho pulled together the Lexus RC F SPORT, NX F SPORT, and IS F SPORT for a tidy little photoshoot: There’s a great shot with all three models together: (Before seeing all these models side-by-side, I would have said the spindle grille was different on every vehicle — surprised by how similar …

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Kevin · December 3rd, 2014

The Lexus RC F: By The Numbers

Car & Driver have gone technical with the Lexus RC F, measuring its performance and sharing how it performs against its competitors: In a three-way drag race, the Bimmer walks away, with the [RC] F and RS5 keeping pace through the quarter-mile. By 130 mph, the RC F has eked out a nearly two-second lead …

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Kevin · December 2nd, 2014

Lexus Japan Offers RC F with Orange & Black Leather Interior

Lexus Japan is offering a unique orange & black leather interior colorway with the RC F — here’s some photos from Japanese website Response.jp: There’s also some official photos on the Lexus Japan website: For the moment it appears only Japan will be getting this interior color option, which is a real shame — pairing …

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Kevin · December 2nd, 2014

Auto Express Comparison: Lexus IS 300h vs. Mercedes C300 BlueTEC Hybrid

Auto Express prefers the Lexus IS 300h over the new Mercedes C300 BlueTEC Hybrid: In the battle of the hybrid saloons, the IS 300h takes a narrow win. Its hybrid powertrain feels better resolved than the Mercedes’, as it relies on the electric motor more frequently to save fuel, is more refined and switches between …

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Kevin · November 30th, 2014

Next-Generation Lexus RX to Debut at Detroit Auto Show?

Wards Auto is speculating that the next-generation RX could be one of two vehicles that Lexus debuts at the Detroit Auto Show in January: Meanwhile, [Lexus USA general manager Jeff] Bracken says Lexus will have at least one, if not two, models debuting at January’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit. He doesn’t divulge …

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Kevin · November 27th, 2014

Guided Tour of the 2015 Lexus RC 350 & RC 350 F SPORT

Here’s Ming-Jou Chen from Lexus College with a guided tour of the RC 350 & RC 350 F SPORT: (Always enjoy these videos with Ming-Jou, they’re great for anyone interested in purchasing a new Lexus vehicle.)
Kevin · November 26th, 2014

Photo Gallery: Lexus GS F SPORT Crafted Line Edition

While in Las Vegas for SEMA, I stopped by Lexus of Henderson for a quick visit. On display in front of the dealership was a Crafted Line GS 350 F SPORT — this was my first time seeing the special edition in person: The interior has red contrast stitching and Shimamoku wood trim: There’s some …

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Kevin · November 25th, 2014

Photo Gallery: The Lexus RC F in Ultra White

With the Lexus RC & RC F now being delivered to owners, the floodgate of photos has opened — here’s the first North American RC F, as photographed by my friend Ste Ho:
Kevin · November 24th, 2014

Report: No Production Model for Lexus LF-C2 Convertible Concept?

According to Motor Trend, the LF-C2 convertible concept will not be made into a production vehicle: In fact, under the original plan, the RC Convertible was set to be the next all-new car in Lexus’ lineup. As convertibles make up 1 percent of the total U.S. Market, though, the decision to not do a 3-row …

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Kevin · November 23rd, 2014

A Closer Look at the Lexus LF-C2 Concept

It’s been two days since the Lexus LF-C2 concept was revealed at the Los Angeles Auto Show, so there’s no better time to take a closer look at the “open-air” coupe design. Using these photos from Darren Yasukochi Photography, let’s start with that massive monster front grille: The front end is an amalgamation of RC …

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Kevin · November 21st, 2014

Lexus RC F SPORT Parts Debut at LA Auto Show

Along with the LF-C2 concept, Lexus also debuted new F SPORT parts for the RC 350 — let’s start with some photos of the display: The parts are as follows: F SPORT Rear Bumper Exhaust Diffuser · F SPORT Performance Exhaust & Exhaust Tips · F SPORT 19-inch wheels · F SPORT Lowering Springs No …

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Kevin · November 20th, 2014

Live Photos of the Lexus LF-C2 Concept

It’s one thing to see a car in the highly polished official images, and another to see photos straight from the show floor — here’s a Lexus LF-C2 gallery from my friend Ryan at Kaizen Factor:
Kevin · November 19th, 2014

Video: Introducing the Lexus LF-C2 Concept

Here’s the video shown at the debut of the Lexus LF-C2 concept today at the LA Auto Show: It’s funny the video mentions the past — the Lexus logo between the LF-C2’s rear seats immediately reminded me of the first-gen SC 400:
Kevin · November 19th, 2014

The Lexus LF-C2 Concept: Full Details & Information

The Lexus LF-C2 concept has been revealed at the LA Auto Show, and there’s plenty of new photos and details to get through — let’s start first with the official press release. Beautiful sunshine, warm weather, and winding roads are the perfect complements to the Lexus LF-C2 concept that made its global debut at the …

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Kevin · November 19th, 2014

The Lexus LF-C2 Convertible Concept: What We’ve Seen So Far

Over the last three days, Lexus International has been slowly revealing the Lexus LF-C2 convertible concept — here’s a recap of the images we’ve seen so far: From these three images, it’s a good guess that the LF-C2 will be a convertible based on the RC — there’s too much of the coupe’s shape to …

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Kevin · November 18th, 2014

Photo Gallery: The Instabuilt Lexus RC F in Motion

Vossen Wheels have released a new video detailing their involvement with the #Instabuilt Lexus RC F that was displayed at SEMA: There’s also this fantastic photo gallery of the #Instabuilt RC F in Red Rock, Nevada: The #Instabuilt Lexus RC F was built by VIP Auto Salon based on voting from Lexus USA’s Instagram followers. …

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Kevin · November 18th, 2014

Lexus RC F Teams Finish Second & Third Overall in Super GT Season

The KeePer TOMS’s racing team of Ito Daisuke & Andrea Caldarelli have won the Super GT Round 8 GT500 class in the #37 Lexus RC F. The race took place at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan. This was the final race of the season. Here are highlights from the race courtesy of the Super GT …

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Kevin · November 18th, 2014

2015 Lexus RC 350 Configurator Now on USA Website

For those US readers interested in purchasing an RC, the Lexus USA website has been updated with an online configurator to help you build the exact car you want. As detailed earlier, pricing for the rear-drive RC 350 will start at $42,790, with the all-wheel-drive RC 350 beginning at $45,025. Build your Lexus RC 350 …

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Kevin · November 17th, 2014

Lexus LF-C2 Convertible Concept Revealed Slowly Hour-by-Hour

It’s been 18 hours since Lexus International slowly started revealing the LF-C2 convertible concept — here’s an animated GIF of the progression so far: Let’s take a closer look at that final frame with a little light added: Now let’s overlay the RC F SPORT on top with another animated GIF: The LF-C2 concept will …

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Kevin · November 17th, 2014

Details on the Upcoming Lexus LF-LC Production Model

In a recent interview with Auto Express, Lexus Europe vice-president Alain Uyttenhoven recently discussed the production LF-LC and how it will compare to the LFA: “It will not be a full carbon car costing £350,000. It will be – in terms of construction – a more normal car, a car than can be manufactured in …

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Kevin · November 16th, 2014

Lexus RC F Scores High in Motor Trend’s Car of the Year Award

The Lexus RC F was a finalist in the Motor Trend Car of the Year award rankings — here’s a quote from Jonny Lieberman’s write-up: “The overall proportion and package are not at fault but are let down by a collection of details,” said [Guest judge Tom] Gale. [Executive editor Ron] Kiino was more blunt: …

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Kevin · November 13th, 2014

Photo Gallery: Lexus NX 200t F SPORT in Richmond, British Columbia

Not content to wait until the first NX SUVs reach North America, OpenRoad Lexus in Richmond, British Columbia have imported a NX 200t F SPORT from Japan to build on interest shown by prospective customers. To further promote the new model, the dealership also commissioned photographer Matt Kwok for a massive gallery. Exterior Interior Details …

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Kevin · November 12th, 2014

Lexus LF-C2 Convertible Concept to Debut at Los Angeles Auto Show

Just announced, Lexus will debuting the new LF-C2 convertible concept at the Los Angeles auto show next week — the above teaser image has been released, and here are all the details so far: On November 19, at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show, the Lexus LF-C2 Concept will make its global debut. This exciting …

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Kevin · November 11th, 2014

Next-Generation Lexus LS to Have “More Emotional” Design

Lexus Europe vice president Alain Uyttenhoven recently discussed the next-generation LS flagship with Autocar: Speaking to Autocar, Uyttenhoven said: “The LS will remain the pinnacle of the range and have the highest price point.” He also denied rumours that the luxury saloon was going to adopt a Porsche Panamera-style liftback: “You have to understand how our customers use …

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Kevin · November 11th, 2014

10,000 Lexus NX Orders in First Month of European Sales

Right out the gate, the NX 300h has been a huge hit for Lexus in Europe — 10,000 orders have been placed across the continent in the very first month of sales. (For perspective, Lexus sold 43,281 vehicles across Europe in 2013. In a single month, the NX has sold nearly 25% of last year’s …

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Kevin · November 10th, 2014

The Truth About the Cancelled Lexus RC Press Event in Japan

Last week, Hans Greimel from Automotive News reported that a Lexus RC press event in Japan was cancelled due to lack of interest: Toyota notified journalists last week that a long-scheduled new-car test-drive event was scrubbed — for lack of interest. The drive, which was to be held Friday in Yokohama just south of Tokyo, …

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Kevin · November 10th, 2014

First Lexus RC F Delivered in North America

The very first North American Lexus RC F was delivered today at Erin Park Lexus in Mississauga, Canada — here are some photos: (The RC F was purchased by Norman Karkada, the corporate account manager at the dealership and a personal friend of mine — I’m going for a visit, so look for more photos …

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Kevin · November 6th, 2014

Motor Trend Long Term Test Report on the 2014 Lexus IS

Scott Evans from Motor Trend has just wrapped up a year behind the wheel of the Lexus IS model range: A year with the Lexus IS line, then, confirms expectations. They’re comfortable, reliable cars that are also sporty in a corner. They’re not the most fun or emotional cars in the class, but they won’t …

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Kevin · November 6th, 2014

Lexus Europe to Offer GS 300h Hybrid Taxi

Lexus has debuted a GS 300h taxi concept at the European Taxi Fair in Cologne, Germany — from Car Scoops: Lexus’ move to offer the GS 300h as a taxi in Europe mirrors that of parent company Toyota and its Prius that has been available as a cab for many years. Gross prices start from …

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Kevin · November 5th, 2014

New Lexus RC F SPORT Commercial from USA

Lexus USA has released their first commercial for the RC 350: There’s also this behind-the-scenes look at how the commercial was created, and that includes real fireworks: (The RC commercial was directed by music video director Sophie Muller and features music by British electronic act UNKLE.)
Kevin · November 5th, 2014

Photo Gallery: Lexus Vehicles at SEMA 2014

Lexus USA has released details on some of the tuned cars that will be shown at SEMA tomorrow in Las Vegas — here’s a breakdown of the information so far, along with a whole heap of images. Rocket Bunny Lexus RC F SPORT Custom Rocket Bunny wide body kit designed by TRA-Kyoto · Enkei custom …

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Kevin · November 4th, 2014

Behind-the-Scenes with the Instabuilt Lexus RC F

The Instabuilt crowdsourced Lexus RC F will be revealed at SEMA in Las Vegas this week, and the Lexus USA Instagram account has been posting photos of the build process all week: The Vossen wheels are from their Precision Series, and it’s an all-new forged design — here are some photos from their Flickr account: …

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Kevin · November 3rd, 2014

Remembering the First Generation Lexus LS 400

Ben Hsu over at Japanese Nostalgic Car has a thoughtful article on the origins of the first-generation Lexus LS 400: Toyota USA was established on October 31, 1957. Thirty-two years later, in October of 1989, it would change the face of the automotive world once again. The Lexus LS 400 is officially a Japanese nostalgic …

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Kevin · November 3rd, 2014

Lexus CT Owner Blog: The CT 200h vs. IS 250

Before purchasing the CT 200h, I went through the process of choosing between the hybrid hatchback and a base-model IS 250 sedan. Why these two models? Price was the controlling factor — I had a definite budget and the base-model IS 250 with all-wheel drive was at the very top end. Here are the key …

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Kevin · November 2nd, 2014

The New Car: Reasons for Choosing the Lexus CT 200h F SPORT

For the latest post in my CT 200h owner’s blog, I’ve outlined the reasons for choosing the hybrid hatchback over the IS 250 AWD sedan. (The top reason shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone.) Read about my CT 200h vs IS 250 Decision
Kevin · November 2nd, 2014