New Lexus RX 450h Commercials

With the 2010 Lexus RX 450h now available in US dealerships, it’s time for new commercials: This testimonial style commercial may be overdone, but it’s a safe and dependable choice—not unlike the RX hybrid. (Lexus looks to be staying the course with this model, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the hybrid RX outsold the …
Kevin · July 7th, 2009

Popular Mechanics Compares the Lexus RX 350 vs. Cadillac SRX

After Motor Trend’s misguided comparison of the Lexus RX 350 and the new Cadillac SRX, I was looking forward to a more honest take on the battling crossovers—and that’s what Popular Mechanics has delivered: As much as Cadillac may have had its crosshairs set on Lexus, it built a much different car. The design character …
Kevin · July 6th, 2009

Lexus LFA to be offered in 30 colors?

Motor Trend is now in the business of translating and republishing Japanese auto magazines, and that includes a Best Car feature on the upcoming Lexus LFA: Their translation: In addition to showing a rendered final form, insiders quoted by Best Car say Toyota officials are looking to rename the car to ‘SS550’. The ‘SS’ standing …
Kevin · July 6th, 2009

2010 Lexus GX Photochop

One of the things throwing me off with the leaked 2010 Lexus GX photos was that, well, they weren’t Lexus GX photos at all, but the Toyota equivalent, the Land Cruiser Prado. To better picture the GX, I spent some time photoshopping a Lexus grille on the front end: It’s probably the fact that the …
Kevin · July 3rd, 2009

More 2010 Lexus GX 460 Photos

Looks like today’s the day for next-gen Lexus GX photos—the Toyota4Arab forums has a closer look at the front & rear of the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, which is how the GX is sold in Europe: The rear lights are much more chunky than the current model, but the bigger story is the revised rear …
Kevin · July 2nd, 2009

2010 Lexus GX 460 Revealed!

The first photo of the next generation Toyota Prado has been leaked, a vehicle better known in North America as the Lexus GX 460! Even with the poor image quality, it’s easy to get a sense of what the 2010 model will look like—for comparison’s sake, here’s a side-by-side with the current GX: With this …
Kevin · July 2nd, 2009

Win a Lexus HS 250h for a Year!

To promote the release of the HS 250h, Lexus USA is having a contest to give away two full-year test drives of the new luxury hybrid, along with 100 week-long test drives—here’s Lexus Vice-President of Marketing, David Nordstrom, with the full details: Entering is simple, just visit drivehs.com, sign up for a profile and then …
Kevin · July 2nd, 2009

Lexus ES 240 to be Sold in China

In order to boost slowing sales in China, Lexus will be introducing a 2.4L four-cylinder ES model: From January to April, the sales of imported passenger cars in China increased 16% from a year earlier, with Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi and Lexus rising 1.5% together. But of the four luxury brands, Lexus saw its sales drop …
Kevin · July 2nd, 2009

Lexus RX 450h to be Built in Canada?

Even more manufacturing news—Automotive News is reporting that Lexus RX 450h production may move from Japan to the Toyota Cambridge plant. Motor Authority has more details: During a press event, a Lexus executive Paul Williamsen said the first hybrid built outside of Japan will go into production this summer in Ontario, Canada, reports Automotive News. …
Kevin · June 30th, 2009

Lexus GS Passionate Black Interior Photos, Round 2

It’s been too long since I mentioned the special edition Lexus GS Passionate Black interior, so here’s a photo gallery from GS PB owner Harinder: {embed=“site/gallery” gallery_id=“1227”} With the intense red carpeting and stitching, the additional seat perforations might be taking the color scheme too far, but I have a feeling it would be slightly …
Kevin · June 30th, 2009

Ward’s Looks at Lexus Manufacturing

One of the defining characteristics of Lexus has always been the care taken in assembling their vehicles, and the Toyota Tahara Plant is the very definition of that attention to detail—Ward’s Auto takes a closer look at some of the manufacturing processes that go into building a Lexus: Toyota Motor Corp.’s Tahara plant, now in …
Kevin · June 30th, 2009

Motor Trend Compares the Lexus RX 350 vs Cadillac SRX

It’s always been obvious that Motor Trend has an anti-Lexus bias, but their latest RX 350 vs. Cadillac SRX comparison is a disservice to anyone looking to the magazine for realistic advice: No doubt we could option these two out with similar equipment for similar pricing. Point is, adding all the equipment to the Cadillac …
Kevin · June 29th, 2009

20% Off Lexus F-Sport Accessories

If you’re in the continental USA and been holding off on purchasing F-Sport accessories for your IS or GS, the waiting looks to have paid off. For the entire month of July, Lexus is offering a 20% off coupon for all F-Sport purchases—redeemable at any dealership in the 49 states. Click to get the full …
Kevin · June 29th, 2009

Details on the Fox Marketing Lexus IS-F Convertible

In May, I posted a computer render of Fox Marketing’s next Lexus SEMA project, which looked the part of an IS-F convertible. Beyond that, there wasn’t much in the way of details, until My.IS editor Joaquin went straight to the source to find out more: First off, in spite of the obvious IS F-style front …
Kevin · June 26th, 2009

CAR Magazine First Drive of the Lexus IS 250C

CAR Magazine’s first drive report on the Lexus IS 250C may be short, but it does have some information on European availability: Subjective looks aside, the Lexus IS 250C appeals on many levels. It’s a Lexus – so you can expect royal butler-levels of care and attentiveness from the dealer – and it is extremely …
Kevin · June 25th, 2009

Lexus HS 250h Video with Mark Templin

This latest video from Lexus USA features General Manager Mark Templin talking up the new HS 250h: A quote from the video: “I like being at Lexus because we get to try new things, we get to change the world, we get to do things the right way instead of the same old way they …
Kevin · June 25th, 2009

Jalopnik Reviews the Lexus IS Convertible

Jalopnik had a chance to drive the Lexus IS Convertible, and their biggest complaint was the lack of rigidity in the body: The ‘vert gets beefed up in nearly every way, with side sills 50% taller, cross-vehicle beams under the rear seats and behind the rear seatbacks, a heftier A-pillar and substantial cross bracing underneath…Despite …
Kevin · June 24th, 2009

Lexus LS Sport Rumors

Late last year, there was a rumor that Lexus was planning a performance-oriented variant of the LS 460, and today there’s more information to back it up. According to Japanese magazine Best Car (by way of 4wheelnews), there are plans to release the curiously named LS SZ, which will be an LS souped up with …
Kevin · June 23rd, 2009

Lexus IS Convertible Wallpapers: Up and Down

While I didn’t take too many photos at the Lexus event last week, I did manage to find a great location for a couple IS 350C shots, and thought it would be something to put up wallpapers with the both the top-down and top-up: 1680×1050 | 1440×900 | 1280×1024 | 1280×800 | 1024×768 1680×1050 | …
Kevin · June 23rd, 2009

Driving the Lexus RX 450h & Lexus IS 350C

This past Friday, I attended a Lexus Canada press event in Kingston, Ontario, where I had the opportunity to test out the 2010 RX 450h and the IS 350C convertible. After an a quick briefing, we all loaded up into our first vehicle of the day and set out on a route through the surrounding …
Kevin · June 23rd, 2009

Lexus RX Discovery Special Now on Lexus.com

Last night, the Discovery Channel show Factory Made had a short behind-the-scenes feature on the 2010 Lexus RX 350 manufacturing process, and today that video has been posted on the Lexus USA website. As the video shows, the RX 350 is built in Cambridge, Ontario, and is an incredibly detailed process—even painting the RX takes …
Kevin · June 20th, 2009

Lexus RX 350 Manufacturing Special on The Discovery Channel Tomorrow

Tomorrow night, Discovery Channel show Factory Made will be airing a behind-the-scenes look at the building of a Lexus RX 350—from the show description: Starting as 50-tons of steel and emerging as a precision driving machine, take the front seat to an amazing manufacturing process. Welcome to the Lexus plant where the new RX350 is …
Kevin · June 18th, 2009

Lexus LFA & Nissan GT-R Virtual Race on Nürburgring

What started as a video comparison between Nissan Falken Z33 and GT-R Nürburgring laps ends up giving a small taste of how the Lexus LFA stacks up against Nissan’s Godzilla. Quick explanation before watching the video—the screen is divided into top and bottom portions: the top is a front-view of the Falken Z33 and the …
Kevin · June 17th, 2009

2010 Lexus RX Named IIHS Top Safety Pick

The 2010 Lexus RX has been named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS), along with the 2009 Audi Q5, 2009 Toyota Venza, and 2009 Volkswagen CC. To be given this top safety mark, vehicles must rank as Good in front, side and rear impacts, as well as being equipped …
Kevin · June 17th, 2009

Lexus LFA Interior Spied!

The Lexus LFA is continuing on its path to production—the latest test vehicle running Nürburgring is not only riding on a new set of wheels, but also looks to be sporting a close-to-production interior—check out this photo (click for a larger version): Hard to get a true feel, considering the angle, but it looks like …
Kevin · June 17th, 2009

Jalopnik Reviews the Lexus HS 250h

Considering the site’s general tone, Jalopnik’s review of the Lexus HS 250h is surprisingly light on insults and quite heavy with praise: If you ignore the proclivities of the CVT, the car is actually not a total dud, accelerating to 60 MPH in about 8.7 seconds, handling corners in a way we didn’t think a …
Kevin · June 16th, 2009

Lorinser Prepares Lexus LS 460 Body Kit

Long-time Mercedes tuner Lorinser has taken its first step into the Lexus body kit market by releasing an aero-kit for the LS 460. Here are the photos: {embed=“site/gallery” gallery_id=“1206”} Breaking down the kit, it starts off with a new front bumper with squared-off edges and round foglights, then adds side-skirts, a rear trunk spoiler, a …
Kevin · June 16th, 2009

Will there be a Lexus IS Coupe or IS-F Convertible?

With the Lexus IS convertible arriving in dealerships, two questions have started to come up—Will there be an IS coupe? And what about an IS-F version of the convertible? The first question was posed to Lexus USA General Manager Mark Templin by Jalopnik, here was his reply: “Since all the hard work of getting a …
Kevin · June 15th, 2009

Latest on the Lexus LFA

Edmunds’ Inside Line has some new information on the upcoming Lexus LFA, including this new rendering (click for a larger version): (The front-end continues to be one of the remaining question marks about the LFA, this rendering has a lot of Ferrari in it.) Also reported is that the LFA engine will be controlled by …
Kevin · June 12th, 2009

Lexus LX570 Photo Gallery: At Night

Keeping with the “photos at night” theme, here’s a set of Lexus LX 570 pics that I took last week to show how the giant SUV looked in the dark: {embed=“site/gallery” gallery_id=“1201”} The halogen projector front headlamps were one of the few disappointments of the LX 570. No matter how valid the safety argument may …
Kevin · June 12th, 2009

Flickr Find: Lexus LX 470 in the Alvord Desert

Photographer John Eklund took his LX 470 out into the Alvord Desert in Oregon and captured this great shot with rain on the horizon: Alternate angle from John’s friend Stephen (check the lightning): Of course, after 10 minutes, the rain came and turned the ground into a swamp, resulting in a very stuck LX.
Kevin · June 12th, 2009

More on the Baja 500 Lexus 570

Earlier this week, I posted about Joe Bacal, who raced in the 41st annual Tecate SCORE Baja 500 in a modified Lexus LX 570 and ended up winning the class. Now we have some more information on the race, courtesy of a Lexus press release: Assisted by first-time navigator Williamsen and a new but well-organized …
Kevin · June 11th, 2009

NY Times Reviews the Lexus RX 450h

If NY Times Automotive reviewer Lawrence Ulrich has been unimpressed with Lexus hybrids in the past, his review of the 2010 RX 450h practically reads like a love letter—here are a couple of passages: This is the first Lexus hybrid that lives up to the hype and puts up big numbers: an impressive 35 miles …
Kevin · June 10th, 2009

Dimpled Lexus LS 460L to Debut at U.S. Open

Lexus will have a one-off LS 460L to show at the U.S. Open in Farmingdale NY next week, having commissioned a full-body cover designed to look like the surface of a golf ball. Lima Ohio reports on the story behind the vehicle: It all started with mailboxes. Brad Smith began making and selling mailboxes that …
Kevin · June 10th, 2009

Gold Chrome-Foiled Lexus LX 570

While browsing the Club Lexus LX 570 forum, I came across this gold chrome-foiled LX: Apparently, this is a service by a company called foilacar, which basically wraps the vehicle’s exterior in foil. Pretty amazing technology—though I’m mixed about the results. As a concept, I’m all over unique finishes, but I have no idea what …
Kevin · June 10th, 2009

Lexus LX570 Photo Gallery: Industrial Waterway

Next up in my 2009 Lexus LX 570 photo galleries is a collection of three different locations—Lake Ontario (looking more like a windy Hawaii), an abandoned steel mill, and along the Welland Canal: {embed=“site/gallery” gallery_id=“1192”} One of my favorite things about taking LX photos was trying to make it look as tiny as possible. Image …
Kevin · June 9th, 2009

Lexus HS 250h Press Presentation Videos

This Lexus HS 250h video press presentation posted by The Auto Network is quite dry, but it’s hard to beat in terms of information if you’re interested in the upcoming hybrid sedan. Of special note is the second video, which is a technical overview of the vehicle’s mechanical and electrical systems—too bad there’s an audio …
Kevin · June 9th, 2009

Autoblog Reviews the 2009 Lexus IS-F

Autoblog recently reviewed the 2009 Lexus IS-F and along the way displayed an evenhanded & thorough approach that the US auto magazines could learn from: The Lexus IS F is not the fastest, not the most nimble, and certainly not the most comfortable of the clan. It may be the least expensive for now, but …
Kevin · June 9th, 2009

2009 Lexus LX570 Photo Gallery: Out in the Wilderness

There are some tight & twisty roads in my area, and this first set of Lexus LX 570 photos are taken at the only stop on one of my favorites: {embed=“site/gallery” gallery_id=“1188”} The LX 570 engine roared climbing some of the massive hills, like driving the world’s smoothest, best handling tank.
Kevin · June 8th, 2009

Lexus LX 570 Competes in SCORE Baja 500 Race

This past weekend, the first ever Lexus 570 racing truck took part in the Tecate SCORE Baja 500, where it took first in its (admittedly small) class. The LX 570 was piloted by Joe Bacal of JTGrey Performance Driving, who was confident about his chances: “It may seem unusual to race a large luxury SUV …
Kevin · June 8th, 2009

Lexus LX Week

Yesterday, I returned the 2009 Lexus LX 570 to Lexus Canada, much to the chagrin of my entire extended family. Being able to seat eight turned every drive into an event, and everyone was sad to see the giant SUV go. Over the course of ten days, I drove 1386 km (862 miles) and averaged …
Kevin · June 8th, 2009

Lexus Wins J.D. Power UK Satisfaction Survey

For the ninth consecutive year, Lexus has topped the J.D. Power & What Car? UK Vehicle Ownership Satisfaction Study: In the manufacturer rankings, Lexus ranks highest for a ninth consecutive year, receiving a customer satisfaction score of 833. Lexus performs particularly well in two of four key measures: service satisfaction and vehicle appeal. Rounding out …
Kevin · June 8th, 2009

My.IS Reviews the Lexus IS Convertible

It’s unlikely that we’ll see a more thorough review of the Lexus IS-C than the one by Joaquin from My.IS, who dives into every conceivable feature of the new convertible: We left the top down, intrigued to see if Lexus’ efforts to ensure that top-down motoring was a quiet, relaxing and unruffled experience were successful. …
Kevin · June 5th, 2009

Lexus LFA Concept in Next Need for Speed Video Game

Video game fans will be getting a chance to test-drive the Lexus LFA in the new Need for Speed SHIFT—here are some screenshots: Based on the 2007 LFA II Concept, this virtual supercar will be one of 65 vehicles in the next NFS when it’s released in September. (Also, Gran Turismo 5, the long awaited …
Kevin · June 4th, 2009

Lexus Hybrid Family Portrait

One of the photos taken for the HS 250h press launch was this family portrait of all the Lexus hybrids together (click for larger image): 1680×1050 | 1440×900 | 1280×800 Whether it’s the angle or the arrangement, the HS 250h looks like a much better fit in the Lexus lineup. At the very least, it’s …
Kevin · June 4th, 2009

Spending Time with the 2009 Lexus LX 570

Late last week, I picked up a review LX 570 from Lexus Canada with more than a little anxiety. After all, this is a two ton, sixteen-foot tank of a vehicle, immense in every sense of the word, and I had to jump straight into big-city traffic immediately after taking the keys. Intimidating. Of course, …
Kevin · June 3rd, 2009

Lexus Canada May 2009 Sales Report

Lexus Canada May 2009 sales slipped 13% under last year, with a total of 1,587 units sold—but there was also good news, as SUV sales hit their highest point ever with 913 units sold, besting the previous record by 14.1%. Of course, this was due entirely to the success of the new 2010 RX 350, …
Kevin · June 3rd, 2009

Lexus Belgium Hybrid Live Concert Contest

Lexus Belgium is holding a very unique contest—choose two Dutch musicians from a group of seven, try to get as many votes for your grouping as possible, and you could win a private concert from your two selections—a concert that is piped through the sound system of a Lexus RX 450h: Reminds me of the …
Kevin · June 3rd, 2009

Lexus Enform Video Demonstration

This video preview of the Lexus HS 250h by The First Lemming has something we haven’t seen before, an actual demonstration of the new Lexus Enform telematic system: The demonstration is obviously a simple case—the drivers could have entered the destination directly into the navigation—but it’s hard to discount the exceptional convenience that this voice …
Kevin · June 2nd, 2009

Lotus to use Lexus LFA V10 in Upcoming Supercar?

While catching up on last week’s news, one interesting story that popped up was from EVO—apparently, Lotus may use Lexus engines in their upcoming Esprit supercar: The new Lotus Esprit, due in 2012, could be powered by the high-revving, 500bhp V10 engine from the as yet unlaunched Lexus LF-A…This brings the prospect of a flagship, …
Kevin · June 2nd, 2009

Lexus HS 250h US Sales Expectations

Lexus USA has their sights set on selling 25,000 HS 250h a year, according to a new report from Bloomberg. 25,000 units, or approximately 2,083 per month, would put the HS 250h just below the IS lineup in current sales, and is down from the initial expectation of 30,000 units sold given at January’s Detroit …
Kevin · June 1st, 2009

Autobild Comparison: Lexus LS 600h vs. Mercedes S400 Hybrid

Usually, when a German magazine compares a Lexus to a Mercedes, BMW, or Audi, the results are laughable, but Autobild proves the exception with their comparison of the Lexus LS 600h against the new Mercedes S400 Hybrid (forgive the poor Google translation): The six-cylinder in the S 400 always feels rough and uncultured, it swallows …
Kevin · June 1st, 2009

Lexus LFA to hit 220mph

Information about the upcoming Lexus LFA keeps coming—Edmunds is reporting that the Japanese supercar, which will be powered by a 550+hp 4.8L V10, is capable of 220mph (354km/hour): Channeled through a six-speed Aisin AMT transmission bolted to a transaxle, that 220-mph top speed is 27 mph faster that the production Nissan GT-R and even the …
Kevin · May 28th, 2009

Car & Driver Reviews the Lexus HS 250h

With all the reviews of the Lexus HS250h coming out, there was bound to be one that took the negative view—and surprise of surprises, it’s Car & Driver: The good news is that the HS250h offers a lot more luxury fitments than we usually associate with hybrids. Problem is, so does the 2010 Prius. The …
Kevin · May 27th, 2009

Edmunds Reviews the Lexus HS 250h

The Lexus HS 250h reviews keep coming—next up is Edmunds, who have heavy praise for the interior of the new hybrid: When it comes to cutting-edge features, the 2010 Lexus HS 250h leads its class. And it doesn’t hit you over the head with its hybrid nature. There’s no freakish space-pod Prius-esque dashboard. The numerous …
Kevin · May 27th, 2009

Autoblog Reviews the 2010 Lexus HS 250h

Autoblog has published an absolutely fantastic review of the 2010 Lexus HS 250h, full of new information and details—and it also tells a different tale in terms of how the hybrid handles: The steering rack is not mounted on rubber bushings to keep the line of feedback undulled, and the electric power steering is speed …
Kevin · May 26th, 2009

New Rumors on the Production Lexus LFA

Japanese magazine Best Car has published the above computer rendering of a possible look for the Lexus LFA production model, and has also included some new information: The LFA will be receiving a new name, possibly the SS (for Super Sport) or GT (Gran Turismo/Tourer). The numeric designation could be 500 or 550, though it’s …
Kevin · May 26th, 2009

Next Autos Reviews the 2010 Lexus HS 250h

Next Autos has published one of the first reviews of the 2010 Lexus HS 250h, and it’s a mostly positive affair. There’s the expected praise of the interior, but what I was most interested in was the driving performance: The suspension gives a super smooth ride, and aimed totally at comfort. It’s still firm, and …
Kevin · May 26th, 2009

Motor Trend Comparison: Lexus RX 350 vs Volvo XC60 vs Audi Q5 vs Mercedes GLK350

Motor Trend has performed a comparison of the new 2010 Lexus RX 350 against the Volvo XC60, Mercedes GLK350 and the Audi Q5—the verdict: With all so evenly matched, small blemishes become colossal warts. Numb steering and Spartan digs doom the comfortably competent GLK350 to fourth place while unwieldy styling and soulless performance relegate the …
Kevin · May 25th, 2009

Lexus LFAs Finish 87th, 101st in Nürburgring 24h Race

Various mechanical troubles kept the pair of Lexus LFAs racing in the Nürburgring 24h race from placing too high in the standings, with the #14 LFA finishing 87th and the #15 LFA finishing 101st. The race started off well enough, with #14 getting as high as 15th place, but ended up spending three hours getting …
Kevin · May 25th, 2009

Lexus LFAs Racing in Nürburgring 24h Race Today

Just a reminder, the Nürburgring 24h race has started, and the two Lexus LFAs are in the field. You can follow the race results for the Lexus LFAs on the Gazoo website with a very nice interface showing the remaining race times and positions. Good luck drivers!
Kevin · May 23rd, 2009

Lexus IS Convertible F-Sport Photo Gallery

To promote the fact that the existing F-Sport performance accessories for the Lexus IS are fully compatible with the IS Convertible, Lexus has released some images with an IS-C decked out to the nines: {embed=“site/gallery” gallery_id=“1157”} The convertible is still too junky in the trunky for my tastes, but the 19” forged alloy wheels suit …
Kevin · May 22nd, 2009

Behind-the-Scenes Video of the Racing Lexus LFAs

It’s been Lexus LFA week here at The Lexus Enthusiast, and it looks like we’ve saved the best for last—this behind-the-scenes video detailing the long road to the 24h Nürburgring race this weekend is nothing short of fantastic: It’s great not only to see the supercar, but the people behind it. You can see their …
Kevin · May 22nd, 2009

Live Lexus LFA Racing Photos

Take a look at these Lexus LFA photos from today’s qualifying sessions for the weekend’s Nürburgring 24h race: As for the results of today’s sessions—the twin LFAs finished 17th and 30th out of 194. Tomorrow is the final qualifying before the race this weekend. [Source: Lexus Europe]
Kevin · May 21st, 2009

Lexus LFA Racing Supercars Revealed

With the Team Gazoo Lexus LFA team readying for their 24-Hour Nürburgring Race this weekend, new photos of the supercar pair are in order (click for larger images): From the accompanying press release: Entered by Gazoo Racing, the team hopes to repeat its class winning form in the 4-hour race earlier in the year.  The …
Kevin · May 20th, 2009

New Lexus IS Convertible Mini-Site

As part of their IS convertible advertising campaign, Lexus USA has put together a mini-site that’s just as much fun as their new commercials: The website first demonstrates the new features of the IS-C, then asks how you would use each highlighted point—then rates your answer on the Live a Little scale. It’s easy to …
Kevin · May 20th, 2009

New Lexus LFA Spy Video

Stop everything and watch this video of the close-to-production Lexus LFA howling round Nürburgring: This car looks and sounds demonic, very exciting when you consider how close this will be to the real thing. Can not wait to see the production LFA. (Thanks Roberto!)
Kevin · May 19th, 2009

2010 Lexus GX 460?

According to Ward’s Auto, the next generation Lexus GX will be launched this fall, and will be powered by the 4.6L V8 engine that debuted in the 2010 Toyota Tundra. The 2010 GX 460 will see its exterior and interior redesigned, and should include Lexus’ Remote Touch system and a new rear door. When asked …
Kevin · May 19th, 2009