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TTAC Reviews the 2014 Lexus IS 250 AWD

Winston Braithwaite of The Truth About Cars has written a glowing review of the 2014 Lexus IS 250 AWD: After spending a week with the 2014 Lexus IS250 AWD it took me another couple weeks to shut up about it. That rarely happens, and when it does, it means that the car is simply fantastic. …

Kevin · February 3rd, 2014

Jeremy Clarkson “Quite Likes” the Lexus RC F

The new season of Top Gear starts tonight, so it’s only fitting to share what presenter Jeremy Clarkson said about the Lexus RC F on Facebook: Hate to admit I quite like it. If Clarkson’s transformation from Lexus-basher to reluctant Lexus enthusiast shows anything, it’s that the brand’s new focus on performance & design can …

Kevin · February 2nd, 2014

Video: Rainy Donuts with the Lexus LFA

It’s been a pretty long week and I’m sick as a dog, so let’s watch this red Lexus LFA do some donuts on wet pavement: Have a good weekend everyone!

Kevin · January 31st, 2014

Photo Gallery: Black & White Lexus GS 300h in London

Lexus UK has published a nice black & white Facebook photo gallery with the GS 300h in London: I really wish Lexus would reconsider bringing the GS 300h to North America — I just did a rough calculation using GS 450h prices as a baseline, and a GS 300h could cost as little as $41,000 …

Kevin · January 29th, 2014

Production Lexus NX Compact Crossover Leaked?

An unusual slide was shown during Toyota CEO Jim Lentz’s speech to the Society of Automotive Analysts prior to the Detroit Auto Show — while talking about Lexus in 2014, an image of what looks like a production LF-NX compact crossover was shown: There’s little reason to doubt the authenticity of this image, which is …

Kevin · January 28th, 2014

Imagining the Lexus ES Shooting Brake

Here’s a funny mashup — photochopper Theophilus Chin took the Lexus ES and merged it with the Mercedes CLS Shooting Brake, creating the ES Sportcross wagon. (Considering the ES is not offered in Europe and the CLS Shooting Brake is unavailable in North America, it’s a strange combination — I have a hard time imagining …

Kevin · January 27th, 2014

Lexus Manufacturing Plant in Japan Displays Custom CT 200h at Local Auto Show

The Lexus manufacturing plant in Fukuoka, Japan, has built a custom Lexus CT200h for display at the 2014 Fukuoka Motor Show in last week. Inspired by traditional handicrafts, the interior of this special edition CT 200h incorporates local fabrics, ceramics, tortoiseshell and mat rush — here’s the only photo I’ve been able to find: This …

Kevin · January 27th, 2014

Lexus IS 300h Finishes First in Real-World Gas Mileage Test

UK magazine What Car? has compared the real-world gas mileage of five luxury sports sedans and found the Lexus IS 300h to deliver the best results. The IS 300h, which is officially rated at 64.2 mpg in Britain, returned 59.6 mpg in the What Car? test. The Mercedes C220 CDI, despite having an official rating …

Kevin · January 27th, 2014

Photo Gallery: 2014 Lexus CT 200h in Hong Kong

For the Hong Kong launch of the 2014 Lexus CT 200h, Lexus worked with photographer Chester Ng — here are the results: [Source: Chester Ng Via: Lexus Europe]

Kevin · January 24th, 2014

Next-Generation Lexus IS F Planned?

Despite rumors of its cancelation, Japanese magazine Mag-X reports that Lexus plans to release a next-generation Lexus IS F after all. The first mention that the high-performance sports sedan would be discontinued came last year in an article from USA Today — the debut of the RC F coupe and spy shots of a GS …

Kevin · January 23rd, 2014

Lexus IS F CCS-R Used as Secret Development Car for RC F V8 Engine

It’s been widely reported that the Lexus IS F CCS-R racecar was essential to the development of the new RC F high performance coupe, and now we’ve found out just how far this influence runs. Lexus USA marketer Jim Lee announced on Instagram today that the IS F CCS-R that raced at Pikes Peak and …

Kevin · January 23rd, 2014

Lexus RC F in Black, Gray, Red & Yellow

How will the Lexus RC F look in colors other than Ultrasonic Blue? Lexus Enthusiast Facebook fan Alaa Tarawneh sent in these photoshopped samples: While I’m not sure yellow is necessary no matter what the competition is doing, the RC F in black is going to be hard to beat — just plain mean looking. (Thanks …

Kevin · January 23rd, 2014

Lexus Wins Three Polk Automotive Loyalty Awards

Owners of the Lexus RX, LS, & CT were recognized for customer loyalty at the annual Polk Automotive Loyalty Awards. The Polk Automotive Loyalty Awards measures loyalty as a household that owns a new vehicle choosing another new vehicle of the same model or make. This year’s awards are based on more than 7.4 million …

Kevin · January 22nd, 2014

2014 Lexus GX 460 in Short Supply at US Dealerships

The updated 2014 Lexus GX 460 has been a huge success, and dealerships are having a hard time keeping up with the demand — from Edmunds: Through the middle of this month, Lexus had only a nine-day supply of GX models in stock, up from four days at the end of December. Automakers and dealers …

Kevin · January 22nd, 2014

Photo Gallery: Lexus RC F GT500 Racecar in Detail

At this point, we’ve all seen the Lexus RC F GT500 display from the Tokyo Auto Salon, but Lexus International has just posted up some great photos of the racecar and its super-stylish mannequin pit crew: Can’t wait to see how the Lexus Super GT teams customize their RC Fs, it’s going to be quite …

Kevin · January 22nd, 2014

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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, …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Kevin · January 7th, 2014

Video: Lexus Europe Releases 2014 CT 200h Commercial

Lexus Europe has released a new commercial with the freshly updated CT 200h: (Red might be my favorite interior color for the CT — really works well with the white exterior.)

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 — …

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 …

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 …

Kevin · December 19th, 2013

Lexus IS F SPORT Nominated in 2013 Most Beautiful Car of the Year Awards

The Lexus IS F SPORT has been nominated in the 2013 Most Beautiful Car of the Year awards, an annual contest held by Festival Automobile International & Euro Sport. Public voting will determine the winner, which means you can get involved — be sure to vote before December 26th to help the IS F SPORT …

Kevin · December 18th, 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 …

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 …

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 …

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. …

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 …

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 …

Kevin · December 12th, 2013

Photo Gallery: Lexus GS 350 F SPORT on New Vossen CVT Directional Wheels

Here’s a Lexus GS 350 F SPORT on the new Vossen CVT directional one-piece cast wheels: Owned by one of the guys at Mr. Wheels in Florida, this GS F SPORT is running an Accuair Airrunner suspension, Lexon front spoiler, side skirt and roof wing and Nitto tires — here’s a video of the car …

Kevin · December 11th, 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 …

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 …

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? …

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 …

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. …

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 …

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 …

Kevin · December 5th, 2013

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