More Photos of the Lexus LFA Code X Racecar

The Lexus LFA Code X was introduced at the Tokyo Auto Salon by Toyota president Akio Toyoda last week, here are some photos from Response.jp: The news of the LFA Code X was buried somewhat with the introduction of the new RC F, but it’s a significant new development in Lexus racing — the bigger …

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Kevin · January 21st, 2014

Imagining a Lexus RC F Convertible

One week after its release, two photochoppers have cut the roof off the Lexus RC F and imagined it as a convertible — first off is this design from X-Tomi: There’s also this photochop by Garrett Bradford: A convertible RC model is likely to be a safe bet, but will Lexus make an RC F …

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Kevin · January 21st, 2014

Videos: The Lexus RC F at the Detroit Auto Show

It’s been a week since the Lexus RC F revealed at the Detroit Auto Show, and that makes it a great time to revisit the coupe’s debut — let’s start with Kelly Blue Book, who have some nice footage from the show floor: Here are three short, high-quality videos of the new coupe: This last …

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Kevin · January 20th, 2014

More Information on the Lexus RC F Carbon Fiber Package

Outside of North America, the Lexus RC F carbon fiber package will also include the lightweight hood — here are some photos showing off the package with an Ultrawhite RC F: By utilizing the knowledge gained in creating the LFA, Lexus is able to augment their high-performance models with straight-from-the-factory carbon fiber — this is …

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Kevin · January 19th, 2014

Three New Lexus CT 200h Videos from Japan

Along with their new CT 200h commercial, Lexus Japan has also released three additional videos with the updated hatchback: Lexus Japan has pulled out all the stops for the updated CT 200h — each video is super high quality, and any one of them could have been a commercial on its own.
Kevin · January 17th, 2014

New Lexus CT 200h Commercial from Japan

Lexus Japan has released a new commercial for the CT 200h, and it’s brilliant: It’s important to point out that commercial wasn’t made digitally, all the trick photography was real — here’s how it was made: (Really loving the commercials coming out of Japan — right now is a great time to revisit the black …

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Kevin · January 16th, 2014

TRD Japan Announces Lexus CT 200h F SPORT Accessories

TRD Japan has announced their F SPORT package for the updated Lexus CT 200h — here’s photos of every option: The full kit includes a front spoiler, side skirts, a quarter-panel spoiler that sits above the taillights, plus a sports muffler and rear diffuser — these aero enhancements help control airflow and improve downforce: The …

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Kevin · January 16th, 2014

Videos: Lexus RC F Virtual Driving Experience

Right beside the Lexus RC F display at the Detroit Auto Show was a demo of the high-performance coupe in action on the track — here’s my attempt to film the experience: There’s also this video from Kaizen Factor that focuses strictly on the gauges: The sound coming from the demo sounded real to me, …

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Kevin · January 15th, 2014

Video: Introducing the New Lexus RC F

Here’s the video shown right before the Lexus RC F’s live reveal at yesterday’s press conference: It’s not as wild as the videos from the IS & RC launches, but listen closely and you can hear the snarl and roar of that V8 engine — that’s the best way to introduce “The Next F”.
Kevin · January 15th, 2014

Lexus RC F Press Photo Gallery

A massive new collection of official Lexus RC F photos were released today — let’s start with the North American edition of the high-performance coupe: (I believe the single difference between the North American & non-North American versions is the hood — at this point, the RC F will not be available with a carbon …

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Kevin · January 14th, 2014

Latest Information on the Lexus RC F

The Lexus RC F was revealed today at the Detroit Auto Show, and there’s plenty of new information out there — let’s start at the beginning with the full press release and a selection of new photos. Want power, precision and passion? Lexus revealed its most powerful V8 engine in the all-new 2015 RC F …

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Kevin · January 14th, 2014

Live Video: The Debut of the Lexus RC F

Lexus will broadcasting the debut of the RC F coupe from the Detroit auto show, here’s the full live stream: (Don’t forget to follow the Lexus Enthusiast liveblog both before and after the RC F’s debut.)
Kevin · January 14th, 2014

Live Coverage: Lexus at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show

The 2014 North American International Auto Show starts today, and I’m here at the Cobo Center in Detroit to bring you live Lexus coverage from the show floor both today and tomorrow. The big news from Lexus is the debut of the RC F high-performance coupe, which will be revealed at 8:45am EST tomorrow. I’m …

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Kevin · January 13th, 2014

Car & Driver Preview of the Lexus RC F

Information on the Lexus RC F just keeps on coming, with some interesting new details in Car & Driver’s coverage of the new high-performance coupe: [Chief Engineer Yukihiko] Yaguchi tells us that rather than Lexus developing the standard model first and then modifying it to meet performance targets, that the RC and the RC F …

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Kevin · January 13th, 2014

More Photos of the Lexus RC F GT500 Race Car

Carview Japan has more photos of the Lexus RC F GT500 racecar on display this weekend at the Tokyo Auto Salon — here’s a selection: (There’s even more photos over at Autoguide & Response.) There’s also a video of the Lexus Racing booth, starring the two-tone Umbrella girl: (Booming music, tuxedo race suits & top …

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Kevin · January 12th, 2014

Lexus to Enter Modified LFA CODE X in Nürburgring 24 Hour Race

Lexus & Gazoo Racing have announced that an “enhanced sports car research vehicle” called the LFA Code X will be racing in this year’s Nürburgring 24 hour race: Compared to the LFA’s base 4.8-liter V10 engine, the research vehicle’s engine displacement has been increased to 5.3 liters and system output and torque has been fine-tuned …

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Kevin · January 10th, 2014

First Lexus Assembly Line in USA Now Under Construction

Let’s take a break from the RC F news for another important story — Lexus announced today that construction has started on the ES 350 assembly line in Georgetown, Kentucky. Announced in April of last year, the ES 350 will be the first Lexus to be produced in the USA. Production is set to begin …

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Kevin · January 9th, 2014

Motor Trend Feature on the Lexus RC F

Motor Trend has more details on the Lexus RC F, starting with additional information on 5.0L V8 engine: This engine shares only its basic cylinder block with that of the outgoing IS F sedan. The cylinder heads and all moving parts are completely new. Friction reductions allow the engine to rev 500 rpm faster than …

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Kevin · January 9th, 2014

Video: Autoguide Tour of the Lexus RC F

Autoguide also had an advance look at the Lexus RC F, and have released a video with some nice footage: (While expected, I’m very impressed with how Lexus has used the IS F as a template for the RC F — the design elements like the giant hood, the side vents, and quad exhausts come …

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Kevin · January 9th, 2014

Video: Lexus RC F in Detail

Along with the official photos, Lexus also released some footage of the new RC F — the video is a completely silent affair, and shows the coupe in great detail: There’s a few choice moments in the video, including the speed-sensitive active rear spoiler in action at the 2:14 mark of the video — here’s …

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Kevin · January 8th, 2014

More Details on the Lexus RC F

Exciting information ahead — Automobile Magazine has published an in-depth feature on the Lexus RC F, with a gallery of exclusive photos — let’s start off with a selection of images: Automobile Magazine confirms that the RC F will have the same 5.0L V8 engine as the IS F, though it’s been deeply revised and …

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Kevin · January 8th, 2014

Lexus RC F High-Performance Coupe Revealed

After months of camouflaged prototypes and plenty of guesswork, Lexus has released the first official photos of the new Lexus RC F high-performance coupe — let’s start off with the full press release. Giving new meaning to “back to the grind,” the daily commute is now transformed into a day at the track with the …

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Kevin · January 8th, 2014

Camouflaged Lexus RC F Prototype Shown in Official Video

One week before the debut of the RC F coupe at the Detroit Auto Show, Lexus International has released two videos with Yukihiko Yaguchi, chief engineer of the IS F and likely a key figure in the development of the new high-performance coupe: In the second video, a camouflaged RC F can been seen on …

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Kevin · January 7th, 2014

Video: Quick Tour of the Lexus LFA Works Factory

The Lexus LFA supercar factory may be a well-covered topic, but this short video from Motor Trend videographer Jim Gleason is definitely worth a watch: (Most of the video looks like outtakes from the Motor Trend feature on the LFA Works, an amazing in-depth look at the now-closed Lexus factory.)
Kevin · January 6th, 2014

Photos: Lexus RC Super GT500 Race Car in Matte Black

The Japanese Super GT ZENT CERUMO team have begun testing their new GT500 Lexus RC, which has been all decked out in a matte black paint job: According to Autosport Web, the ZENT RC hit 280km/h and lapped the Fuji Speedway in 1:30.906 — as a point of reference, the pole position lap during last …

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Kevin · January 2nd, 2014

Video: The 2014 Lexus CT 200h Inside & Out

Here’s Ming-Jou Chen from Lexus USA with an in-depth overview of the 2014 CT 200h refresh: This is the best look we’ve had of the updated CT 200h so far, with an excellent explanation of the changes and how the model has been improved. Very well done. (The front-end looks very complex, with lots of …

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Kevin · January 2nd, 2014

Lexus RC F to be Powered by 460 Horsepower V8?

The Lexus RC F will be powered by a V8 with 460 horsepower, according to a Detroit Auto Show VIP event invitation leaked by Autoblog — here’s the invite in full (click for a larger version): Judging by the website, this event looks to be hosted by local dealerships (RSVP page asks to select one …

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Kevin · December 30th, 2013

Is this the Lexus RC F?

A convincing rendering of the Lexus RC F has been published in an unnamed Japanese magazine — here’s the full page: While there’s been some talk that this might be the real thing, comparing the rendering with the second teaser image shows the truth — the deep lines in the hood reaching to the front …

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Kevin · December 30th, 2013

Details on the Lexus RC’s New Red Exterior Paint

The Lexus RC 350 will make its North American debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January, and today Lexus released information on the new paint process used to create the coupe’s red exterior color: The luminous red paint is achieved through a meticulous paint process using four base coats of paint which are then …

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Kevin · December 24th, 2013

Lexus Concept Car Coming to Gran Turismo 6?

As part of the Vision Gran Turismo festival celebrating the 15th anniversary of the Gran Turismo video game, Lexus designers will be creating a two-door grand-touring concept car — here’s an advanced preview (click for a larger version): With the exception of the LFA-style hood vents, this image is identical to the LF-LC concept — …

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Kevin · December 23rd, 2013

Video: Lexus GX 460 Tows a MIG-31 Fighter Jet

It might not be the space shuttle, but here’s a Lexus GX 460 towing a 24-ton MIG-31 fighter jet (be sure to turn down the sound): Have a great pre-Holiday weekend, everyone!
Kevin · December 20th, 2013

Lexus Releases Second Teaser Image of F Performance Model

Lexus has released another teaser image of the F performance model set to debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January — here the photo in high-resolution (click for the larger image): Believed to be a high-performance version of the RC that was unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in November, this photo shows a …

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Kevin · December 19th, 2013

Lexus ES 300h Named Best Luxury Value by Consumer Reports

The Lexus ES 300h has been named the top luxury car value in the Consumer Reports annual Best & Worst New Cars. Consumer Reports judges vehicles on a combination of reliability, resale value, fuel economy and driving performance — the ES 350, RX 450h, & RX 350 also ranked high in the list. Read more …

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Kevin · December 19th, 2013

Lexus IS in Atomic Silver Wins Japanese Color Award

The Atomic Silver/Sonic Titanium exterior color & Topaz Brown interior color offered on the Lexus IS has won the 2014 Auto Color award from the Japan Fashion Color Association, which may be the strangest award the sedan will win this year. (In all seriousness, the Atomic Silver/Sonic Titanium exterior color is a great addition to …

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Kevin · December 17th, 2013

Photo Gallery: Lexus IS F in Matte Gray

The folks at Spinelli Lexus in Quebec sent in some photos of a matte gray IS F — they must know I’m a sucker for this color: The signature IS F elements (like the giant fender vents and massive hood) have aged well over the years — going to be interesting to see how the …

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Kevin · December 16th, 2013

Beyond Magazine Feature on the Lexus LS

There’s a feature on the Lexus LS in the latest issue of Beyond Magazine, and the story has just been published online: The LS finally launched in the United States in 1989, to almost universal media acclaim. Its bulletproof reliability, great value specification and whisper-quiet cabin, as well as Lexus’s superior customer service, allowed it …

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Kevin · December 16th, 2013

The Telegraph Reviews the Lexus GS 300h

Andrew English of The Telegraph has reviewed the Lexus GS 300h, and believes the 2.5L hybrid sedan compares favorably with its competition: This latest GS might not be as sporty or exciting as Lexus suggests, but it’s not bad and is at least on a par with its occasionally quite raucous 2.0-litre diesel German rivals. …

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Kevin · December 15th, 2013

Lexus RC F, Illustrated

Building off the teaser photo released this week, Leftlane News has created an illustration of what the new Lexus RC F might look like — here it is in higher resolution: It’s certainly a valiant attempt, though I have to think the RC F will retain the standard RC’s 3-L headlights and separated daytime running …

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Kevin · December 13th, 2013

Photo Gallery: Lexus RC in Detail

The Lexus International Facebook page posted a nice photo gallery showing the details of the RC coupe: This is nicely put together — there’s so many great individual elements to the RC design, and this gallery showcases them all. [Source: Lexus International FB Page]
Kevin · December 13th, 2013

Imagining a Lexus RC Convertible, Part Two

We’ve already seen one attempt at rendering the possible Lexus RC convertible, and now photochopper X-Tomi has given it a shot with the above image. (Will the next Lexus convertible be a hard or soft top? Have to think it would be a hard top — the IS-C roof was expertly done, and I believe …

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Kevin · December 12th, 2013

Video: Lexus GS F SPORT vs. the Queen’s Guard

To demonstrate the capabilities of the GS 350 F SPORT, Lexus Puerto Rico imported two Queen’s Guards from England and put them into the sedan with a race car driver: While very similar to the fantastic video from Lexus Italia last year, it’s still a very effective (and hilarious) campaign.
Kevin · December 11th, 2013

Video: Justin Bell Drives the Lexus LFA

In the latest episode of The One, Motor Trend presenter Justin Bell hits the track in a Lexus LFA borrowed from the Toyota Museum in Torrance, California: Haven’t been a fan of this show in the past, but I love seeing that red LFA out on the track — worth it for the visuals.
Kevin · December 11th, 2013

Camouflaged Lexus NX Prototype Spotted in Japan

A Lexus NX prototype has been spotted by Japanese magazine Mag-X in some pretty wild camouflage — here are the two photos: The vehicle has been expertly disguised, with only the front spindle grille giving away that fact the model is a Lexus at all — makes me wonder, wouldn’t this amount of camouflage affect …

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Kevin · December 10th, 2013

Autocar Reviews the 2014 Lexus GS 300h

The European press have started driving the all-new Lexus GS 300h, and finding it a compelling alternative to its German competitors — here’s the first review from Autocar: Until now, Lexus’s E-segment saloon had been without a [Benefit in Kind]-friendly car capable of competing with the ultra efficient diesel-engined offerings of the Big Three at …

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Kevin · December 10th, 2013

Interview with Lexus RC Chief Engineer Junichi Furuyama

While at the Tokyo Motor Show last month, I had a chance to interview Junichi Furuyama, the chief engineer of the new Lexus RC coupe. The following is a transcript of our conversation, by way of a Japanese translator. Kevin: First question — were the Lexus IS & RC in development at the same time? …

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Kevin · December 9th, 2013

Lexus Announces RC F to Debut at Detroit Auto Show

Lexus today confirmed that the F performance model will be making its debut at the Detroit Autoshow in January — here’s the full high-resolution teaser image: Not much can been seen in the photo other than the Michelin Pilot Super Sports and the large fender side vent, but this is clearly a F version of …

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Kevin · December 9th, 2013

Lexus IS F Racing Team Finishes Fourth Overall in 25 Hours of Thunderhill

Earlier today, the Lexus IS F CCS-R team of Jeff Westphal, Tom Dyer & Ken Dobson finished 4th overall in the 25 Hours of Thunderhill endurance race. Only a late-night axle replacement kept them off the podium — the team completed 659 laps, finishing just 3 laps behind the third place GMG Motorsports Audi R8. …

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Kevin · December 8th, 2013

Live: Lexus IS F CCS-R Racing in 25 Hours of Thunderhill

The Lexus IS F CCS-R will be racing in the 25 Hours of Thunderhill this weekend in California — drivers Jeff Westphal, Ken Dobson & Tom Dyer are competing in the ES class of the longest endurance race in North America, which runs Saturday morning to Sunday morning. With the help of my friend Paul …

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Kevin · December 7th, 2013

Two Lexus LFA Convertibles Spotted in Japan

At the Odaiba Motor Festival celebrating the Tokyo Motor Show last month, Toyota President Akio Toyoda brought out two Lexus LFA Spyders — here they are, briefly: (The white LFA Spyder I can only assume is the same one Jay Leno drove earlier this year, but the yellow Spyder is completely new to me.)
Kevin · December 6th, 2013

First Impressions of the Lexus LF-NX Turbo Concept

After staring at photos for months, I finally had a chance to see the Lexus LF-NX concept at the Tokyo Motor Show. Before seeing the LF-NX in person, I had no idea how Lexus was going to transform it into a production model — the concept appeared architectural, more structure than automobile, like a solid …

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Kevin · December 5th, 2013

Photo Gallery: 2014 Lexus CT F SPORT with Redline Exterior

On display at the San Francisco Auto Show was this 2014 Lexus CT 200h F SPORT in the brand new Redline exterior color — here are some photos from Kaizen Factor: This new Redline color looks much brighter than Matador Red Mica, it almost looks like the same tone as the red offered on the …

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Kevin · December 5th, 2013

Production Lexus NX Compact Crossover to Debut at the Geneva Motor Show?

Auto Express is reporting that the production version of the Lexus LF-NX concept will debut at the Geneva Motor Show next March: Previewed by the striking LF-NX concept, first shown at the Frankfurt show in September, the compact SUV will retain the concept’s stand-out styling, according to Lexus’ European director Paul Van der Burgh. “What …

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Kevin · December 4th, 2013

Lexus NXB Mountain Bike Concept Displayed at Tokyo Motor Show

Debuting alongside the Lexus LF-NX Turbo concept at the Tokyo Motor Show was the Neo eXtreme Bike Concept, a mountain bike produced using the same carbon fiber loom that weaved the LFA — here are some photos: Beyond the frame, the NXB concept features XeNTiS Kappa2 CC carbon fiber aero wheels with a custom Spindle …

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Kevin · December 3rd, 2013

Lexus RC Convertible in the Works?

According to a Motoring Australia interview with Lexus RC chief engineer Junichi Furyama, the new coupe has a potential future as a convertible: However, while willing to reveal the rear-wheel drive two-door coupe boasted underbody bracing that would aid development of a replacement for the outdated IS 250C, Furyama was not prepared to confirm that …

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Kevin · November 29th, 2013

Videos: Up Close with the Lexus RC & LF-NX

During the Tokyo Motor Show last week, Lexus asked their Twitter followers to submit ideas for videos from the show floor — 20 videos were created over the course of a single day, including my request for a detailed look at the RC’s headlights: The full collection of videos can be seen on the Lexus …

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Kevin · November 28th, 2013

Photo: Lexus LFA, Toyota 2000GT & Toyota Supra All Together

Here’s something you don’t see every day — the Lexus LFA, Toyota Supra & Toyota 2000GT all together all in red. These three Toyota performance icons belong to Javier Quirós, the president of Purdy Motor (the Toyota distributor in Costa Rica) and a previous Gazoo Racing LFA team driver — here’s the photo in desktop …

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Kevin · November 27th, 2013

Video Collection: The Lexus RC at the Tokyo Motor Show

There are plenty of Lexus RC videos floating around on Youtube — let’s start with this 360° view of the new coupe: This Autoguide video of the RC is worth watching for the visuals, but the presenter’s over-the-top descriptors are a little much (he also makes a factual error, the RC is not a production …

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Kevin · November 26th, 2013

Lexus to Introduce Full Range of Turbocharged Engines?

Motoring Australia has some details on the future of turbo engines in the Lexus lineup: Little technical information was released in Tokyo and no outputs confirmed, however Lexus group manger engine product design Teru Ogawa told motoring.com.au that a family of engines was being developed. Asked what capacities would be offered, he said “both larger …

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Kevin · November 25th, 2013

Lexus IS F CCS-R to Participate in 25 Hours of Thunderhill Endurance Race

Lexus USA has announced an official IS F CCS-R team will be participating in the 25 Hours of Thunderhill, an annual endurance race at the Thunderhill Raceway Park in Willows, California. Lexus released details on the three-driver team: Jeff Westphal: Leader of the Lexus team at Thunderhill.  Jeff is well-known for setting nearly a dozen …

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Kevin · November 25th, 2013

Live Photos of the Updated 2014 Lexus CT 200h

Kicking Tires has a photo gallery of the updated 2014 Lexus CT 200h F SPORT from the LA Auto Show — here’s a selection: The update to the front grille brings the hatchback in line with the rest of model lineup, and seems to work well — that said, I do wonder if the F …

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Kevin · November 24th, 2013

First Impressions of the Lexus RC

This week in Japan, Lexus debuted their new RC coupe — it was first revealed at a special event at Ryōgoku Kokugikan sumo stadium on Monday, and then it had its public debut at the Tokyo Motor Show. This is the brand’s first mass-production hardtop coupe since 2000, and marks the beginning of an exciting …

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Kevin · November 22nd, 2013

Video: Introducing the 2014 Lexus CT 200h

Fresh from its debut in China, there’s a video with the newly updated 2014 Lexus CT 200h: (A quick note to anyone in the Los Angeles area — the 2014 CT will be on display at the LA Auto Show starting today.)
Kevin · November 21st, 2013

The Updated 2014 Lexus CT 200h & CT 200h F SPORT

The updated 2014 Lexus CT 200h & CT 200h F SPORT debuted at the Guangzhou Motor Show today — still waiting to see live photos from the show floor, but here’s the full press release and a new collection of photos.
Kevin · November 21st, 2013