Lexus IS F CCS Concept @ Tokyo Auto Salon

Marking the end of a two year rumor, Lexus has debuted the IS F Circuit Club Sports (CCS) concept at the Tokyo Auto Salon—a lightweight IS F with loads of carbon fiber, including the roof, hood, trunk, ground effects—just look at this wild rear wing: Along with the carbon fiber weight savings and a new …
Kevin · January 17th, 2010

2010 Detroit Auto Show: Lexus LF-Ch Photos

The Lexus LF-Ch was a cornerstone of Lexus’ Detroit Auto Show exhibit, its yellow exterior a beacon among the silver of the other Lexus cars on display. The aggressiveness of the front end is cartoonish with its muscular styling and the cute car-face, but that’s nothing a new bumper wouldn’t fix. The exaggerated design boosts …
Kevin · January 15th, 2010

Detroit Auto Show: 2010 Lexus LS 600hL & LS 460 Photos

The 2010 editions of both the Lexus LS 600hL & LS 460 were at the Detroit Auto Show—the LS 460 was optioned with the Appearance package option that adds the LS Sport grille and ground effects: Really liked the Sport grille, it looks 100x better up close than in photos. The body kit didn’t look …
Kevin · January 14th, 2010

Lexus NAIAS Detroit Exhibit Photos

I’m now settled back at home after two days at NAIAS in Detroit, faced with the task of going through the 700 photos stored on my camera’s memory card. In a very real way, the auto show was overwhelming—I don’t know that I was prepared for the scope of it. Of course, getting to see …
Kevin · January 13th, 2010

NAIAS Live Coverage

This morning, the North American International Auto Show has opened its doors to the worldwide automotive press, including myself, and I will be bringing you a Lexus perspective to America’s autoshow. I will be updating throughout the day as I go over every square inch of the Lexus exhibit, including the LFA supercar & the …
Kevin · January 11th, 2010

Lexus @ NAIAS Detroit Auto Show

The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit opens its doors on Monday, and while Lexus won’t be debuting any new vehicles or concepts this year, they will be trying something new with their exhibit—from the press release: Gone is the previous two-story structure with sweeping staircase. This year, the exhibit has a “landscape” …
Kevin · January 8th, 2010

Flickr Find: Photos of the Gold Lexus LX 570

It was announced last week that a 24k gold-leaf Lexus LX 570 would be displayed at the Dubai Auto Show—and now the first images have arrived by way of Flickr user AlBargan: Be sure to check out AlBargan’s photo gallery for larger images of the LX and plenty more from the Dubai Auto Show. Surprised …
Kevin · December 20th, 2009

Gold Lexus LX 570 at Dubai Auto Show

Al-Futtaim Motors, the company that distributes Lexus in the United Arab Emirates, has announced that they will be applying 40,000 gold leaves to a Lexus LX 570 as part of their display at the Dubai International Motor Show this week: At the end of the process, the vehicle will be finished off with varnish before …
Kevin · December 14th, 2009

More Lexus GX 460 LA Auto Show Video

Here’s some more footage of the Lexus GX 460 from the LA Auto Show—this time, someone filmed a crowd demonstration of the newest Lexus SUV: Biggest part of the spokesman’s speech is that Taste of Lexus may have been reactivated after its hiatus. This US event, put on hold for much of 2008-2009, is a …
Kevin · December 7th, 2009

2010 Lexus GX 460 at the LA Auto Show

It’s only a quick look, but Kicking Tires has some footage of the Lexus GX 460 on display at the LA Auto Show: With the presenter in the video, it’s easier to get a better idea of the vehicle’s size—don’t know that I would compare it to Subaru Outback, though. [Source: Kicking Tires] *** Road …
Kevin · December 6th, 2009

Three Ridiculous Lexus LFA Videos

All in the span of a 15 minute period, I watched these three absolutely ridiculous Lexus LFA videos—first up, a car blogger apparently snuck into the storage area where the matte black LFA was being prepped for the LA Auto Show and drove it around the garage: Now that’s just plain crazy. Next up, someone …
Kevin · December 1st, 2009

Lexus LFA Interior Walkthrough Video

This Urban Racer video of the Lexus LFA at SEMA features some nice detail footage of the interior, including a nice walkthrough of the instrument panel options: That LFA instrument panel is spectacular—can not wait to see something similar in other Lexus models down the road. [Source: Urban Racer]
Kevin · November 24th, 2009

Introducing the 2010 Lexus GX 460

The newly redesigned 2010 Lexus GX 460 has been announced today, which means plenty of information to cover—let’s start with some key points, followed by the official photo gallery and press release. Highlights of the second generation GX include: An all-new 4.6-liter V8 producing 301 horsepower and 329 lb.-ft. of peak torque, paired with a …
Kevin · November 23rd, 2009

2010 Lexus GX 460 to Debut in China Next Week

The next-generation Lexus GX will be unveiled in China next Monday at Auto Guangzhou 2009: The Lexus “GX460”, a midsize SUV, will make its world premiere at a press briefing scheduled for November 23. Also on display for Lexus will be the “ES240” and other models. Also being displayed is the 4-cylinder ES 240, which …
Kevin · November 15th, 2009

Automobile Interview with Lexus’ Brian Bolain

As part of Automobile Magazine’s SEMA coverage, Editor-in-Chief Jean Jennings sat down and interviewed Lexus National Marketing Manager Brian Bolain on the LFA: I like how the LFA is described in terms of how it fits into the lineup—not just the plan to use the supercar to build out F-Sport, but how it builds on …
Kevin · November 11th, 2009

The Lexus LF-Ch Design Story

Also out today is a video from Toyota’s Calty Design Research on the design of the Lexus LF-Ch: Nice to see the people behind the designs, even if the video plays like an automotive design school advertisement. (A funny thought: even though the LF-Ch has taken a back seat to the LFA in recent days, …
Kevin · November 10th, 2009

TRD-Tuned Lexus IS & GS from SEMA

We saw the official photos of the cars in Lexus’ SEMA showcase, and now Autoblog has posted a few photos of the TRD F-Sport GS & IS: I’m more impressed with these two cars by the day—- especially when I see new details like the matte tailights, which works well contrasting with the vibrant orange …
Kevin · November 8th, 2009

2009 Lexus SEMA Showcase Video

Along with the usual press photos, Lexus has also put together a video showing their stable of customized SEMA cars: It’s a nice lineup of cars this year, though I would have preferred to see more done with the GS. Also, I hope the wheels on the TRD (orange) IS-C make it into the F-Sport …
Kevin · November 4th, 2009

SEMA 2009 Lexus Car Guide

SEMA, the annual automotive specialty products tradeshow, starts tomorrow, and will feature seven Lexus automobiles, including the North American debut of the LFA and the winner of the SEMA Showcase contest—here’s a full breakdown of the participating vehicles: IS 300 by DAVID HUANG {embed=“site/gallery” gallery_id=“1421”} Description David Huang invested over $100,000 in his IS 300 …
Kevin · November 2nd, 2009

Lexus LFA Carbon Weave Closeup

Car website Speedhunters managed to get a number of great Lexus LFA photos at the Tokyo Motor Show, including images of the car with an unpainted roof and spoiler, which shows the carbon weave base: Also included in the photo set is some closeups of the engine and the underside of the hood—be sure to …
Kevin · October 27th, 2009

Lexus LFA to make North American Debut Next Month

The Lexus LFA will be making its North American debut at November’s SEMA trade show in Las Vegas as it starts a serious cross country tour: The highly anticipated LFA supercar, which just made its global debut at the Tokyo Motor Show, will be on display for the first time in North America at two …
Kevin · October 22nd, 2009

Official Lexus LFA Introduction Video

This official Lexus LFA video, which was shown right before the supercar’s introduction at the Tokyo Motor Show, is hands-down the best thing you will see today, I promise: The production value of both this video and the official press photos is absolutely fantastic—they really show the LFA in the best possible light. As a …
Kevin · October 21st, 2009

Full Lexus LFA Press Release

The Lexus LFA was launched late last night, and the deluge of information today is expectedly overwhelming. There’s plenty to get through, so let’s start off today with the full press release from Lexus GB. KEY POINTS Lexus’s 21st century supercar delivers extreme, race-bred performance, with advanced technologies and absolute exclusivity Powered by mid-front mounted …
Kevin · October 21st, 2009

Lexus LFA Press Launch Video

The Lexus LFA press conference at the Tokyo Motorshow just ended minutes ago, and already a video of the launch has been posted online: I’m looking forward to a translation of Akio Toyoda’s speech—I’ve been told that an official video will be published online at 6pm JDT (3am PST/6am EST)—which should have some subtitles. Look …
Kevin · October 20th, 2009

Official Lexus LFA Photos (& Specs) Leaked!

It’s a full-on torrent of Lexus LFA information—first there was the leaked press video and photos from the streets of Miami—now it’s the official press photos leaked early by Italian website Omni Auto: Along with the photos was a breakdown of all the important performance specifications: 4.8L 72-degree V10 pushing out 560hp at 8,700 RPM …
Kevin · October 20th, 2009

Lexus LFA Uncovered!

Only hours before its official launch at the Tokyo Motor Show, a video has been posted showing the uncovered Lexus LFA in all its glory: Not only that, two Lexus LFAs has been spotted in Miami by NAGTROC member Adrey, presumably for a press launch tomorrow: {embed=“site/gallery” gallery_id=“1391”}
Kevin · October 20th, 2009

Lexus LFA World Premiere

After five long years of development, Lexus will be announcing the production model LFA at the Tokyo Motor Show on October 21st, 11:10am Japan Standard Time—which translated to North American time, means October 20th, 7:10 PST/10:10 EST. Less than 24 hours away! Hopefully, a live stream of the event will be somewhere online—if not, a …
Kevin · October 19th, 2009

Extraordinary Lexus Meetup in Japan

There isn’t much in the way of details, but I had to post these photos taken at a Lexus owners meetup in Japan: {embed=“site/gallery” gallery_id=“1386”} Simply boggles my mind—it looks like the world’s largest Lexus dealer lot until you start noticing all the various mods and body kits. Absolutely amazing. These photos are from this …
Kevin · October 19th, 2009

Lexus LFA Supercar Drift!

As part of this weekend’s Motor Sport 2009 in Odaiba, Japan, Lexus brought out one of their LFA racing prototypes this weekend for some supercar drifting, and was videotaped by numerous members of the crowd: And the best one of the bunch: Bringing out a supercar concept to do donuts for an enthusiast crowd in …
Kevin · October 12th, 2009

Lexus Supercar Confirmed for Tokyo Motor Show

Lexus has announced that “a revolutionary two-seat supercar” will be unveiled later this month at the Tokyo Motor Show—the full brief: Two-seat supercar (world premier) This concept vehicle epitomizes the purest form of driving exhilaration and performance.  (Details to be announced at the Lexus press briefing on October 21.) This “two-seat supercar” is, of course, …
Kevin · October 7th, 2009

Lexus wants YOUR car for SEMA 2009

If you own a modded Lexus, Lexus USA could be looking to feature your car as part of their display at SEMA this year! The company is holding a contest to find the best and brightest—to enter you have to submit three photos, a list of modifications, and your contact details to (JavaScript must be …
Kevin · October 1st, 2009

Fox Marketing Prepares Lexus IS 350c for SEMA

We first saw a rendering of the Fox Marketing Lexus IS 350c back in May—and it looks like that computer image was in very close proximity to the real thing: There’s also a buildlog photo set on Flickr, and for good measure, a video closeup: The IS-F front bumper and side vents look nicely done—I …
Kevin · September 28th, 2009

Lexus USA Looking for LF-Ch Feedback

Although it was designed primarily with Europe in mind, the LF-Ch concept has generated plenty of buzz on the North American shores—and Lexus USA is looking to gauge just how interested American customers are in the hatchback concept. To that end, a short survey has been added to the concepts page on the Lexus USA …
Kevin · September 28th, 2009

Five Lexus LF-Ch Videos

The Lexus LF-Ch has received plenty of video coverage, and rather than post them one by one, I thought it best to collect them into a single post. This first video, from WhatCar?, claims that the LF-Ch won’t see production until late 2011, and will cost £20,000: Next up is Which?: Then there’s the lone …
Kevin · September 23rd, 2009

Lexus LF-A in Matte Black

Autocar has published a bunch of new Lexus LF-A spy shots, this time painted in matte black: Judging by the Recaro front seats, this is likely the rumored track-ready version of the Lexus supercar—there’s a few more images in the Autocar gallery, be sure to check them out. Between this and the white LFA seen …
Kevin · September 22nd, 2009

Lexus LF-Ch Photo Gallery

Flickr user Lexusaddicted has taken some very nice shots of the Lexus LF-Ch concept car, including some detail photos like these: I find these up-close photos reveal the time and consideration that goes into creating a concept car, and how every element of the vehicle is envisioned from scratch. Case in point, it’s unlikely that …
Kevin · September 21st, 2009

2010 Lexus GS 450h Official Information

Also announced this week at the Frankfurt Auto Show was the revised 2010 Lexus GS 450h, which sports a new grille, among other small changes: The pre-crash collision system has been revised to include a pre-crash seatbelt and brake assist functions. The GSh navigation system has been upgraded to the Lexus 6th-gen system, which runs …
Kevin · September 20th, 2009

Photo of the 2010 Lexus LS 600hL Interior

Among Leftlane News’ photos of the 2010 Lexus LS 600hL at the Frankfurt Auto Show was this shot of the interior—note the full LCD instrument panel (click for a larger image): The steering wheel stitching also looks different, and there’s now a patch of darker leather on the doors. Just loving this color combination. [Source: …
Kevin · September 20th, 2009

2010 Lexus LS 600h & 600hL Official Information

After pouring over images of the 2010 Lexus LS 600h for a couple weeks, official information on the flagship hybrid has been released, and changes have turned out to be more extensive than just a new front grille. First some photos, then a breakdown of the new features: {embed=“site/gallery” gallery_id=“1345”} Performance The LS hybrid will …
Kevin · September 18th, 2009

Two Lexus LF-Ch Videos

Lexus has released a launch video for the LF-Ch: There’s some nice interior shots of the concept hatchback, but no driving footage. On the other hand, I did find some video from the Frankfurt auto show floor, showing what the LF-Ch would look like at a disco: (I wonder why concepts never get proper rear …
Kevin · September 17th, 2009

Lexus LF-Ch Photos from Frankfurt Auto Show

As per usual, Autoblog has delivered the goods—check out their gallery of Lexus LF-Ch photos from the Frankfurt Auto Show (click to go to full photos): My immediate reaction to the photos is that the wheels are just too flashy for the concept, but everything else seems entirely in line with the press photos from …
Kevin · September 16th, 2009

Live Lexus Frankfurt Auto Show Press Conference

Just a quick announcement: The Lexus LF-Ch will be debuting at the Frankfurt Auto Show today at 10am EST/7am PDT, and as luck would have it, the entire press conference will be streamed live on the Lexus Europe website. Plenty of photos of the hatchback concept are bound to surface soon after the press conference, …
Kevin · September 15th, 2009

Lexus LF-Ch US Debut at Los Angeles Auto Show

Some very positive news if you’re a North American interested in the new Lexus LF-Ch—the hatchback concept will be displayed at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show this December: Lexus has been leading the luxury hybrid market ever since we came out with the RX 400h in 2005,” said Mark Templin, Lexus division group vice …
Kevin · September 11th, 2009

Official Lexus LF-Ch Photo Gallery (Plus New Information)

Lexus has released full, high resolution images of the LF-Ch hatchback concept: Some things that jump out right away: The LF-Ch has a great stance, and has one of the better Lexus side profiles. Couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the integrated iPhone docks in the front seat-backs. This car is missing the large …
Kevin · September 10th, 2009

Leaked Lexus LF-Ch Photo Gallery

With just one day less than one week to go before the official launch of the Lexus LF-Ch, low resolution of the press images have leaked out: {embed=“site/gallery” gallery_id=“1330”} I’m trying to temper my excitement about this model, but it’s getting more and more difficult with every image. The concept has plenty of showcar flair, …
Kevin · September 9th, 2009

Front View of the Lexus LF-Ch Concept

After Lexus teased us with a cropped rear view of their upcoming hatchback concept, a new image has leaked revealing a full front view (click for a larger version): There’s so much to like about this concept—particularly the grille and headlights, which manage to fit in line with the new Lexus hybrid style but still …
Kevin · September 8th, 2009

New 2010 Lexus IS F-Sport Package

The Frankfurt auto show will also mark the debut of this new F-Sport package for the Lexus IS—here’s a photo (click for a larger version): No mention of which F-Sport accessories will be making it into the package, but from the image alone, it looks like a new grille, lowering kit, and new wheels are …
Kevin · September 2nd, 2009

Official 2010 Lexus LS Hybrid Photo

In addition to the LF-Ch concept, Lexus will also be debuting its refreshed 2010 LS hybrid at the Frankfurt Auto Show later this month. As a teaser, an official image has been released (click for a larger image): Needless to say, the much maligned grille looks much better than it did in those blurry brochure …
Kevin · September 2nd, 2009

Lexus LF-Ch Hatchback Concept Teaser

A new image of the Lexus premium compact hatchback has been released (click for a larger image): In keeping with Lexus’ concept naming convention, the compact hatchback has been named the LF-Ch. It sports the usual concept car conceits like massive chromed wheels and tiny video-camera rearview mirrors, along with a elaborately sculptured rear bumper …
Kevin · September 1st, 2009

Lexus Confirms Premium Compact Hatchback, Releases Sketch

Lexus has officially confirmed that a premium compact hatchback concept will be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA), and have released this design sketch (click for a larger image): A compact hatchback with an IS-F front-end design and a panoramic glass roof?!? Holy ****. The full press release: Lexus has unveiled the first official …
Kevin · August 16th, 2009

Akio Toyoda Confirms Production Lexus LF-A

While it’s been long-rumored that the Lexus LF-A supercar would be put into production, new Toyota President Akio Toyoda confirmed it last week during his speech at the Center For Automotive Research (CAR) Conference. From the transcript: You see…in a race…you have limited time and resources to work through countless challenges and problems that come …
Kevin · August 10th, 2009

Lexus to Debut Compact Hatchback in September

Autocar is reporting that Lexus will be debuting a five-door compact hatchback concept at this year’s Frankfurt Auto Show: Company insiders suggest that the car was signed off late last year, largely at the behest of European execs who insisted that the Europe’s premium C-segment was an area of the market “too lucrative not to …
Kevin · July 24th, 2009

Edmunds Drives the Lexus LFA

As it turns out, Edmunds also had the chance to drive the Lexus LFA at Goodwood, where the supercar prototype continued to impress: The Lexus LF-A is the sort of car in which you could spend hours whittling away at your lap times while confident it would never misbehave. You would emerge fresh from your …
Kevin · July 21st, 2009

Fifth Gear Drives the Lexus LFA

The Lexus LFA test-drives at Goodwood continue to stream in, and next up is Fifth Gear‘s video feature, as driven by Vicki Butler-Henderson (skip to 6:40 to watch the video directly): These reviews are all bringing a very clear message, and in this video Vicki sums it up perfectly: “This is really a user-friendly racing …
Kevin · July 20th, 2009

Lexus LFA Goodwood Videos

Today saw not one, not two, but three new videos of the Lexus LFA at the Goodwood Festival of Speed—the first two are produced by Lexus Europe, and show the super-race-car-prototype bombing around the circuit from both the exterior and the interior (click on the images to go to the videos): The picture in these …
Kevin · July 15th, 2009

Production Lexus LFA to debut at Tokyo Auto Show?

This year’s Toyko Motor Show could be the location for a major moment in Lexus history—according to an Edmunds insider, the production version of the Lexus LFA will debut at the October autoshow. Of course, at this point it’s still a rumor, but when you consider that Toyota’s new president, Akio Toyoda, has been the …
Kevin · March 25th, 2009

Flickr Find: More Lexus GS F-Sport Photos

I’ve been scouring Flickr for the last couple days, waiting for images of the F-Sport models at the Chicago Auto Show to appear — and my patience was rewarded today when I spotted this close-up of the GS taken by pcriso2: Great shot for sure — so I contact pcriso2 to see if he had …
Kevin · February 17th, 2009

Lexus GS F-Sport Photos

Here are some photos of the F-Sport equipped Lexus GS at the Chicago Auto Show, courtesy of Inside Line (again): This GS is also sporting a body kit along with a new grille (reportedly created by FiveAxis). No word if these accessories will also be offered in the F-Sport lineup. I would have liked to …
Kevin · February 17th, 2009

TAS 2009: The Lexus IS 350C in Silver

Now a few days removed from the Toronto Auto Show, I’ve been going through the virtual stack of photos that I took, and have compiled my first gallery — here’s the IS 350C in silver: {embed=“site/gallery” gallery_id=“1044”} As I mentioned previously, convertibles just don’t do it for me (likely due to dealing with bitterly cold …
Kevin · February 16th, 2009

Trying the Lexus Remote Touch System @ The Toronto Auto Show

After reporting stories and videos about the new Lexus Remote Touch system, I had the chance yesterday to try the technology for myself — and managed to record it despite my (noticeable) excitement: Being an interface technology, there’s really no way to describe the haptic feedback feeling, save to say that it’s intuitive and incredibly …
Kevin · February 13th, 2009

Toronto Auto Show Interview with John-Paul Farag

As I mentioned, I had an opportunity to talk with John-Paul Farag, Lexus Canada’s Advanced Technology & Powertrain Consultant, who answered some questions that have come up over the last few months. TPP: Where is the battery located on the HS, is it underneath the vehicle? John-Paul: It’s similar to the Camry, where it’s partially …
Kevin · February 12th, 2009

Car & Driver Continues Lexus Bashing

The minute I heard the voiceover of this Car & Driver video preview of the Lexus HS 250h, I knew we were in for a treat: Jens Meiner, who put in one of the most derisive 2010 RX preview videos last year, clearly outdid himself with this preview of the HS — my favorite quote: …
Kevin · February 10th, 2009

TPP @ The Canadian International Auto Show

Just wanted to post a quick update on some things that will be happening this week, namely the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto. I’ll be attending the event during the Media Days, and will be able to spend some quality time with the new Lexus models. The HS 250h will be presented at Lexus’ …
Kevin · February 8th, 2009

Lexus Detroit Auto Show Booth Details

Unforeseen circumstances caused a slowdown in posting last week, which means I haven’t had a chance to publish these final things of note from the Detroit Auto Show — First off, here’s a couple great photos of the Lexus booth at the Auto Show, courtesy of mikeh5856 & sjb4photos respectively: And lastly, here’s an interesting …
Kevin · January 26th, 2009

Lexus IS-C Convertible Colors

Turns out that the Lexus IS-C will indeed be released in IS-F Ultrasonic Blue — Joaquín over at My.IS discovered all the IS-C colors while playing with one of Lexus’ Detroit Auto Show kiosks. Here are the color options: Exterior Starfire Pearl Tungsten Pearl Cerulean Blue Metallic Ultrasonic Blue Pearl Matador Red Mica Smoky Granite …
Kevin · January 20th, 2009

Lexus IS-F BRANEW Aero Kit

After seeing a side profile of the BRANEW aero kit for the Lexus IS-F, I had to find more photos. Now, I suspect it has more to do with the dropped suspension, but this kit almost settles the exterior design down: More than anything, the reworked side-steps minimize the visual impact of the fender vents, …
Kevin · January 16th, 2009

More Lexus Photos from the Tokyo Motor Salon

Website Speedhunters also posted some photos from the Tokyo Motor Salon, including this rather unique Mercedes/Lexus love child: Well, considering this is Japan, I should have said Soarer/Mercedes love child, but let’s move along. Take a look at this Artisan Spirits SC 430: I’m not usually a fan of such high contrast two-tones, but that …
Kevin · January 16th, 2009