Lexus RX Commercial: Photocopier

The Lexus RX goes on the offensive in this new commercial: Bringing competitors into the mix is something that we saw last month in the IS & ES commercials, and it signals a new, more aggressive direction in Lexus advertising. Cool concept, too.
Kevin · November 8th, 2010

Car & Driver Comparison: Lexus LFA vs. Ferrari 599 HGTE

As proof that anything can happen once, Car & Driver has declared a Lexus the winner in a comparison — even more shocking, it was the LFA against the Ferrari 599 HGTE: The Ferrari is beautifully made and trimmed, but it isn’t quite as special inside as the LFA. The Lexus feels more athletic than …

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Kevin · November 5th, 2010

Lexus Performs Well in Consumer Reports 2010 Auto Survey

Consumer Reports has released the findings of its 2010 Annual Auto Survey, where Lexus performed very well in light of recent safety recalls. First off, the Lexus LX 570 was named the most reliable luxury SUV overall, and only the AWD GS & IS 250C scored below average. All other Lexus models were named average …

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Kevin · October 26th, 2010

Car & Driver Video: Lexus LFA & Ferrari 599 HGTE

Car & Driver has posted a video featuring the Lexus LFA & a Ferrari 599 HGTE driving through Wales: The video’s all well and good, but what’s with this quote?: [The LFA] has got a fantastic chassis, great steering that’s Ferrari-like, chassis is really well balanced, tons of grip, tons of downforce, fantastic carbon-ceramic brakes, …

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Kevin · October 21st, 2010

Lexus LFA vs. Audi R8 on Battle of the Supercars

Last night, the Lexus LFA faced off against the Audi R8 on SpeedTV’s Battle of the Supercars: With Paul Tracy driving the R8 and Tanner Foust with the LFA, the supercars are put through a series of four tests — our own 05RollaXRS watched the show live and reports the numbers here: Standing mile: LFA: …

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Kevin · October 15th, 2010

New Lexus IS & ES Commercials

Two new Lexus commercials have debuted online — one for the IS, the other for the ES — with both commercials focusing on the differences between Lexus models and their competitors. First up is the ES 350, which is once again being taken apart for the cameras: Next up is this commercial for the IS …

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Kevin · October 12th, 2010

Lexus USA Rebates Coming?

Earlier this week, Lexus USA held its National Dealership meeting in Las Vegas, and now some details have been made public by way of The Wall Street Journal: Toyota Motor Corp. plans to offer rebates of up to $3,000 as well as subsidized financing on certain models in its Lexus brand as part of a …

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Kevin · October 8th, 2010

Top Gear’s Supercar Showdown

At long last, some kind soul at Toyota Nation has scanned the Top Gear magazine article that pitted the Lexus LFA against the Mercedes SLS AMG, Ferrari 458 Italia, Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera & Porsche 911 GT3 RS. As it turns out, the LFA doesn’t really get a fair shake — for reasons confusing at best, …

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Kevin · September 20th, 2010

Top Gear Magazine Supercar Showdown

Last month, a video showed up on Youtube showing a Lexus LFA, Mercedes SLS, Porsche GT3 RS, Lamborghini LP 570-4 Superleggera, and Ferrari 458 all parked on the side of a UK road — turns out this was the work of Top Gear Magazine, who pulled the “five greatest supercars of the year” together for …

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Kevin · August 17th, 2010

Automobile Magazine: Lexus LFA vs. Mercedes SLS AMG

Georg Kacher first wrote a comparison of the Lexus LFA & Mercedes SLS AMG for CAR Magazine, and now he’s expanded on his initial review for Automobile Magazine this month: The Lexus LFA and the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG are about as different in approach and ability as a muscular sprinter is from a sinewy long-distance …

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Kevin · July 29th, 2010

Supercar Party with the Lexus LFA

Looks like we can expect a new Lexus LFA comparison in an automotive magazine some time in the near future: Just for the record, there’s a Mercedes SLS, Porsche GT3 RS, Lamborghini LP 570-4 Superleggera, and Ferrari 458 Italia along with the LFA — imagine passing that combo on the side of the road. (Thanks …

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Kevin · July 16th, 2010

Car Magazine: Lexus LFA vs. Mercedes SLS

Car Magazine has a supercar comparison we’ve all been waiting for as they pit the Lexus LFA against the Mercedes SLS — some choice quotes: The LFA in particular is infamous for its insane intonations of raw power. Redlined at 9000rpm where the rev counter changes colour from snow white to devil´s red, the V10 …

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Kevin · June 8th, 2010

Motor Trend Comparison: Lexus LFA vs. Nissan GT-R

Motor Trend has unleashed an absolutely epic comparison test pitting the Lexus LFA against the Nissan GT-R — some choice quotes: Subsequent testing proves the LFA to be dynamically superior to the GT-R in nearly every category. Any doubts that the Lexus is anything but a legitimate supercar are absolutely gutted on the test tarmac. …

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Kevin · May 10th, 2010

AutoGuide Comparo: Lexus ES 350 vs. Buick LaCrosse

AutoGuide cut through some of the marketing hype and took the Lexus ES 350 and its advertised Buick rival for a multi-day test, with the review team rating both cars on 19 categories from driver comfort to price. They had praise and criticisms for both vehicles, and the final score tally was close—here’s the ES …

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Kevin · April 15th, 2010

Lexus Not Planning to Compete with BMW 5-Series GT

Thankfully, Lexus will not be “answering the question that nobody asked”—according to Edmunds’ Auto Observer, the company has no plans to compete with the BMW 5-series GT: Despite readying the launch of the CT 200h, an all-new compact hybrid that also happens to be a hatchback, the brand that has most directly challenged the traditional …

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Kevin · April 14th, 2010

Lexus Ranks First in Quarterly U.S. Luxury Sales

With the inclusion of March’s sales numbers, Lexus has finished first in the U.S. luxury automotive sales race for the first quarter of 2010.  It’s been a tight race from January through March, with Mercedes-Benz taking the lead in January. As noted by Bloomberg, Lexus’ 42% sales increase in March to 20,219 vehicles sold for …

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Kevin · April 8th, 2010

Lexus IS 250C Consumer Reports Convertible Test

Consumer Reports has published a comparison test of five convertibles: the Audi A5, Infiniti G37c, Lexus IS 250C, Mazda MX-5 Miata, and Mini Cooper S. The Lexus IS and Infiniti G convertibles tied for first place, with an overall score of 77, followed by the A5 at 74—previous tests of the BMW 328i and Volkswagen …

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Kevin · April 6th, 2010

Lexus Wins KBB Brand Awards for Interior Design and Comfort

Kelley Blue Book has announced the results of its third annual Brand Image Awards, which are based on consumer perception data from 12,000+ KBB survey participants, and Lexus came away with twin victories for Best Comfort Brand and Best Interior Design Brand. Here’s how KBB described these awards: Best Comfort Brand: Lexus Known from the …

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Kevin · March 29th, 2010

Lexus J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Results

J.D. Power and Associates has released the results of its annual Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) for 2010.  In the study, Lexus took third position in a tie with Buick, earning an average score of 115 problems per 100 vehicles.  Just ahead was Lincoln (114), moving up from seventh last year, and taking the lead was …

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Kevin · March 18th, 2010

Edmunds Track-Test: Lexus LS 460 Sport vs. BMW 750i Sport

Edmund’s Inside Line has pitted the new Lexus LS Sport package against the BMW 750i Sport in a performance track test, and in the process, somehow managed to add a full second to the LS 460’s official 0-60 time. According to the Edmunds numbers, the LS 460 Sport hits 0-60 mph in 6.4 seconds compared …

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Kevin · December 9th, 2009

Auto Express Comparison: Lexus RX 450h vs. BMW X5 30d

Auto Express compared the 2010 Lexus RX 450h to the BMW X5 30d SE to see which SUV is the better buy: …which car more successfully mixes eco-friendly credentials with rugged versatility and luxury? There’s no denying the X5 still rules the roost for image and driving dynamics. Plus, the big boot and seven-seat potential …

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Kevin · November 5th, 2009

Popular Mechanics Compares the 2010 Lexus HS 250h vs. BMW 335d

Popular Mechanics has posted a rather awkward fuel economy comparison between the hybrid Lexus HS 250h and diesel BMW 335d—what starts off as a fuel economy showdown ends up being a driving contest that’s over before it even begins: Our drive took up through the Santa Monica Mountains high above Malibu to test the handling …

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Kevin · September 4th, 2009

NY Times Comparison: 2010 Lexus IS 350C vs. Infiniti G37 convertible

The New York Times has published a comparison between the Lexus IS 350C and the Infiniti G37 convertible: While the Infiniti manages to look reasonably pert from behind, the Lexus has a wicked case of Solara butt. But if the Lexus is no swan, dropping the roof does make it less of a waddling goose. …

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Kevin · August 24th, 2009

Lexus Tops 2009 American Customer Satisfaction Index

Lexus has placed first in the American Customer Satisfaction Index, tying with Cadillac. Rounding out the top five was Buick, Honda and Lincoln-Mercury. Lexus scored 89 out of a possible 100 points, a 2.3% increase over last year. This marks the fourth year in a row that Lexus has placed first in the University of …

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Kevin · August 19th, 2009

A Look at Lexus USA’s Strategy

With BMW taking the #1 sales lead in the US and Mercedes not far behind, a new Automotive News story asks “What’s wrong with Lexus?”: For one thing, company executives admit that they depend too much on RX crossover sales at a time when luxury buyers are seeking smaller cars, including entry-level coupes and convertibles. …

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Kevin · July 14th, 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 …

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Kevin · July 6th, 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 …

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Kevin · June 1st, 2009

Car Middle East: Lexus LS 600hL vs. Mercedes S400 Hybrid

Car Middle East has published a quasi-comparison of the Lexus LS 600hL and the upcoming Mercedes S400 Hybrid, though it reads more like a hybrid primer: Whereas Mercedes’ mantra has been to make the S-class hybrid as green as possible, Lexus has taken a different approach with the LS600h. Here, performance is the number one …

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Kevin · April 27th, 2009

China’s BYD Auto Releases Lexus RX Clone

While it’s true that all car companies have been guilty of design plagiarism at some point, Chinese automaker BYD has taken it too far with their shamelessly brazen copy of the second generation RX, the S6: These Chinese copycat designs are a rampant problem in automotive design, and what makes the situation worse is that …

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Kevin · March 27th, 2009

Lexus J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Results

J.D. Power has published the results of their latest Vehicle Dependability Study, and for the first time since its inclusion, Lexus did not place first, coming in third behind Buick and Jaguar. The study looks at the problems per vehicle for the 2006 model year and the problems encountered over the first three years of …

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Kevin · March 19th, 2009

D Motor Comparison: Lexus IS-F vs. Mercedes C63

German TV Show D Motor compared the Lexus IS-F and Mercedes C63 in their latest episode, and no matter how tired you might be of this duel, this english-subbed feature is tops: Just to be clear, host Tim Schrick did use the adjective “super cool” four times to describe the IS-F, you couldn’t fake that …

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Kevin · November 7th, 2008

Lexus IS-F Wins Big in AJAC Test Fest

When the Automotive Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) gathered together for their annual event to name the best vehicles for 2009, they brought in two Lexus’ to compete: The IS-F in the Best New Sports/Performance Car over $50k, and the LX 570 in the Best New SUV/CUV over $60k. The LX 570 ended up being …

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Kevin · October 27th, 2008

Lexus & The Global Brand Study 2008

Interbrand’s annual Best Global Brands study has been completed, and Lexus has ranked 90th overall, and 10th among automotive brands: When compared to last year’s study, Lexus is moving up the ladder, climbing two spots. The value of the brand, calculated from combination of analysts’ projections, company financial documents, and qualitative and quantitative analysis stands …

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Kevin · September 30th, 2008

National Post Comparison: Lexus IS-F vs. Nissan GT-R

David Booth, a columnist with Canada’s National Post, has posted up his latest column comparing the Lexus IS-F with the Nissan GT-R, and it’s just as expertly written and to the point as I’ve come to expect: With the IS-F, you have time to prepare for the acceleration as the big 5.0-litre V8 gathers itself …

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Kevin · September 26th, 2008

Fifth Gear Comparison: Lexus IS-F vs. BMW M3

In terms of sheer entertainment, this clip from Fifth Gear judging the Lexus IS-F and the BMW M3 by how high they get a woman’s heartrate is pure dead brilliant: A very enjoyable piece (and it’s duly noted that Tiff has to cheat at the end to get the M3 above the IS-F). Update: Didn’t …

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Kevin · September 10th, 2008

Lexus Salesman Blocked from Competing in Mercedes Golf Tournament

A funny story from Singapore has surfaced on Club Lexus — Lionel Lim won the opportunity to compete for the Mercedes Benz golf trophy only to be disqualified because he was a Lexus salesman: He works for Lexus, but this golfer won the Singapore Country Final of the Mercedes trophy. This has led to a …

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Kevin · August 25th, 2008

Visual Comparison of the New BMW 7 & Lexus LS

When the new BMW 7-series was introduced last week, there was certainly some criticism of the exterior, particularly in its likeness to the Lexus LS. When comparing the direct side profiles, I saw a passing resemblance, but couldn’t understand the big fuss. Then I saw this action montage: That’s just unfortunate. [Images assembled by chonnes04]
Kevin · July 9th, 2008

Lexus USA’s 2008 YTD Sales vs. BMW, Mercedes & Audi

With the year-to-year decrease in Lexus US auto sales becoming more and more pronounced, I thought it might be a good idea to do some number comparisons as a way to get some perspective. First thing, here’s the raw facts of Lexus’ first-half sales when compared to the competition: Manufacturer YTD 2008 YTD 2007 % …

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Kevin · July 5th, 2008

Motorweek: 1993 Luxury Car Comparison

The latest in Youtube user bajabusta‘s trip down the Motorweek memory lane is this comparison test between the Lexus LS 400, BMW 740i, Mercedes 400E, Infiniti Q45 & Cadillac STS, divided into two parts: The Mercedes 400E seemed out of place in the comparison until some research showed that a 1993 S-Class started at $69,900, …

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Kevin · June 17th, 2008

Motorweek 1990 Video Comparison of the Lexus ES 250 & Infiniti M30

This 1990 segment of Motorweek comparing the Lexus ES 250 and the Infiniti M30 just goes to show how far entry-level luxury cars have come over the last 18 years: It’s so rare to find anything about the ES 250, and this is the first video review I’ve seen. What’s more, comparing it the M30 …

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Kevin · May 31st, 2008

Lexus ranked #2 Luxury Auto Brand in the USA

The Luxury Institute has released their annual report on the top prestige auto brands in the USA, and Lexus ranked #2, just behind Porsche and in front of Mercedes. Here’s some details about the survey: The proprietary Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) survey is the only measure of the prestige of leading brands among wealthy …

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Kevin · May 13th, 2008

WebRidesTV Comparison: Lexus IS-F vs. Audi RS4

Eager to see how the Lexus IS-F did against their “beloved” favorite, the Audi RS4, WebRidesTV.com had accomplished race car driver Craig Stanton put them through the paces in this very enjoyable video: In my mind, the RS4 is probably the best “rival” for the IS-F, and between this video and Tom Ford’s RS4/IS-F/C63/M3 comparison, …

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Kevin · April 24th, 2008

Does the Nissan GTR have anything to do with the Lexus LF-A delay?

Looks like whatever the problem was yesterday has been solved, because the Lexus LF-A was seen moving on its own power today, no doubt prepping for its time on Nürburgring. With that in mind, Motor Trend seems to think the real reason the LF-A has been absent from the ‘ring for so long is that …

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Kevin · April 15th, 2008

Autoweek Comparison: Lexus IS-F vs. Nissan GTR

I’ve been waiting for a magazine to compare the Lexus IS-F and the Nissan GTR for a while now, and Autoweek has done just that, though it’s a much friendlier affair than the usual head-to-head: The GT-R is the faster car, but it is not necessarily better to drive. With the cars hot-shoed back-to-back, the …

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Kevin · April 15th, 2008

Car & Driver Comparison Test: Lexus IS-F vs. BMW M3

When I saw that Car & Driver was running a comparison test between the BMW M3 sedan and the Lexus IS-F, I knew it was a forgone conclusion, the BMW was going to come out on top. After all, the 3-series, which the M3 is based on, has been a fixture on C&D’s 10Best list …

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Kevin · April 3rd, 2008

Companion Video from Auto Express’ IS-F/M3/C63 Comparison Test

Here’s a video to go along with Auto Express’ comparison test of the Lexus IS-F, BMW M3, Mercedes C63 and Audi RS4, though the RS4 is omitted from the footage, due to the fact that it’s been discontinued: It’s nice to see all three cars as they cut a line across the same track, but …

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Kevin · April 2nd, 2008

Video: Lexus IS-F vs Last-Generation BMW M3 (among others)

If you remember the Lexus IS-F vs Audi RS4 video that was posted online last week, this new video is from the same people, and it’s similar in results and sketchiness: Watching the IS-F demolish a host of older cars doesn’t really do much for me, and I don’t think there was a single fair …

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Kevin · March 24th, 2008

Motor Trend Comparison: Lexus IS-F vs. BMW M3 vs. Mercedes C63

The Lexus IS-F comparison tests keep pouring in, this time from Motor Trend, who pits the new super-sedan against its primary competitors, the BMW M3 and the Mercedes C63. Here’s some selected highlights: Steering feedback and response are everything in a car like this…The C63’s turn-in is crisp, with plenty of honest feedback and a …

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Kevin · March 14th, 2008

More on Best Motoring’s Lexus IS-F/BMW M3 Comparison

Turns out there was more than one part to the Best Motoring comparison that I posted about a couple days ago. Get comfortable and and take a look at this 20 minute video (for quickness’ sake, the two main competitors as I see them, the BMW M3 and the IS-F, are at 1:25 and 13:36 …

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Kevin · March 13th, 2008

Lexus IS-F vs. Audi RS4 Race Video

I’m not sure about the validity of this racing video, in fact it seems downright sketchy, but pitting the Lexus IS-F against an Audi RS4 doesn’t seem like a fair fight at all: The reason for my doubt is in the second turn, it looks like the IS-F lets the Audi pass, only to absolutely …

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Kevin · March 9th, 2008

Lexus IS-F vs. Nissan Skyline Coupe Type S

The January 2008 editon of Best Motoring, one of Japan’s most popular automotive TV/DVD shows, has a Lexus IS-F vs. Nissan Skyline Coupe 370GT Type S (Infiniti G37 Sport in North America) showdown: While it can’t match the IS-F in a 0-60 race, the 333hp Skyline Coupe Type S holds its own on the track, …

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Kevin · December 4th, 2007

1989 Lexus LS 400 Featured in Old Top Gear Episode

It’s hard to discount the power of Youtube when you can watch a 1989 episode of Top Gear detailing the introduction of the then-newly released Lexus LS 400 (jump ahead to 1:26 to get there directly): Not a full-on review, which is a slight disappointment, but the praise is astounding, let me quote presenter Tiff …

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Kevin · November 30th, 2007

The Hyundai Genesis Crosses the Line

A slew of Hyundai Genesis spy shots have surfaced, and it’s guaranteed that Lexus and BMW are none too happy with the car’s appearance: No matter the argument that all cars are derivative of each other, this is going over the line. The front-end is clearly inspired by the Lexus LS, but what’s much, much …

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Kevin · November 19th, 2007

Lexus GS vs. Jaguar XF: A Visual Comparison

I read about the Jaguar XF’s passing resemblance to the Lexus GS 460 in Motor Trend, but I didn’t realize the extent of it until I saw this Le Blog Auto visual comparison: Mind you, this is only a side profile comparison, the front and rears are entirely different, but the similarity in the photos …

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Kevin · November 16th, 2007

Comparison: Lexus LS 600hL/Jaguar Super V8/Mercedes-Benz S550/Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT

Motor Trend assembled some super saloons in their latest ultra-luxury sedan comparison test, pitting the Lexus LS 600hL against the Jaguar Super V8, Mercedes S550 & Maserati Quattroporte Sport. The LS 600hL didn’t have a great showing, at least in the driving department: The all-wheel-drive Lexus exhibited pigheaded understeer in most corners, often attended by …

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Kevin · November 12th, 2007

Comparison: Lexus LS600h vs. Audi A8

Right out the gate, the Audi A8 had a very significant advantage over the Lexus LS 600h in Autoweek’s recent comparison test — After all, the A8 is £20,000 cheaper than the LS 600h, and £20,000 is a steep hill to climb: More crucially, while the low 219g/km emissions are very impressive, it’s hard to …

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Kevin · November 11th, 2007

Video Comparison of the Lexus IS-F, BMW M3 & Audi RS4

Coming from an automotive marketing company that counts Lexus as a client, this AMCI video comparing the IS-F with the BMW M3 and Audi RS4 does seem more than a little bias, but that doesn’t stop it from being a great watch: To be fair, test driver Dave Sherman doesn’t proclaim the IS-F the king, …

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Kevin · November 9th, 2007