A Visit to Lexus Downtown in Toronto

Three months ago, I attended the grand opening of the Lexus Downtown dealership in Toronto and was very impressed by the facilities, so I decided to set up a visit.
Kevin · July 3rd, 2012

1SICKLEX Lexus Owners Meet This Weekend

My friend 1SICKLEX is hosting a Lexus owner meet this Saturday, April 21st, at Hennessy Lexus of Gwinnett just outside of Atlanta, with over 70 owners confirmed so far.
Kevin · April 18th, 2012

Lexus Meet in Toronto Tomorrow

Just a quick note: I’ll be attending the local Lexus meet at the Lexus of Richmond Hill dealership in Toronto tomorrow.
Kevin · April 14th, 2012

Lexus LFA in Starlight Black

After sharing the Sunset Orange Lexus LFA with us last week, Flipside909 from Club Lexus shares the very first look at the LFA in Starlight Black.
Kevin · March 23rd, 2012

Photo: Red Hot Lexus LFA in Colorado

This photo of the #92 red Lexus LFA in front of the fireplace at Stevinson Lexus of Lakewood in Colorado is just the thing to warm me up on this cold winter night.
Kevin · January 2nd, 2012

Lexus Coming to India in 2013

After a four-year evaluation period, Lexus will finally be coming to India, with the first dealerships expected to open in early 2013.
Kevin · November 29th, 2011

Lexus Mechanic Saves Hawk From GX Grille After Highway Collision

Usually when car & birds meet on the highway, the results aren’t pretty, but that wasn’t the case in Grapevine, Texas, where Park Place Lexus mechanic Matt Whitehead was able to save a red-tailed hawk that had been struck by a GX 460.
Kevin · October 18th, 2011

More Photos of Pearl Brown Lexus LFA #095

You may remember Lexus LFA #095 as the star of a now-aborted eBay auction, but before it’s internet stardom, it made an appearance at a Cars & Coffee event, and that’s where Flickr photographer Stefan Dume took these photos.
Kevin · July 15th, 2011

Photos of the Lexus Escondido Dealership

After reading a [North County Times article](http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/escondido/article_7c971daa-a21f-5a8c-b148-b4eda6b1fd4c.html) about San Diego area dealer [Lexus Escondido](http://www.lexusescondido.com/) opening a restaurant in their giant 300,000 square ft. *Lexus Centre* complex, I had to do some searching around for photos of the mega-dealership.
Kevin · July 13th, 2011

Lexus Manufacturing Status Update

Lexus USA general manager Mark Templin gave an update on the state of Lexus manufacturing at a recent media event in Chicago.
Kevin · July 12th, 2011

Custom Lexus LS 460L by JM Lexus

Mega dealership JM Lexus in Florida has just started JM Custom Creations, a Lexus-certified mod-shop capable of some heavy duty upgrades, and they sent over some photos of their first project: a 2011 LS 460L with the full TOM's LS46 body kit, alligator skin trim and a 2000 watt Rockford speaker upgrade.
Kevin · June 14th, 2011

Creating the Music for the Lexus International Gallery Aoyama in Tokyo

Here’s a 2008 video of Japanese composer Masato Hatanaka and his efforts to create the ambient music playing at the Lexus International Gallery Aoyama in Tokyo: Admittedly, the video and the concept are a little out of the ordinary — but it also displays the uniqueness that I would expect at a Japanese Lexus dealership. …

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Kevin · May 1st, 2011

Lexus USA Tops J.D. Power’s 2011 Customer Service Survey

Lexus placed first for customer satisfaction among U.S. automotive luxury brands in J.D. Power’s annual Customer Service Index — first, here’s an explanation of what the survey covers: The study examines satisfaction among vehicle owners who visit a service department for maintenance or repair work. The CSI rankings are based on dealer performance during the …

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Kevin · March 17th, 2011

Black Lexus LFA Delivered in Chicago

The #026 Black Lexus LFA was delivered to its owner in the south suburbs of Chicago, and we get to meet the lucky guy in this video from local TV station WGN: It’s great to finally meet one of the LFA owners, I hope it’s something we see more of. I bet there’s a lot …

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Kevin · February 8th, 2011

Photo: Lexus LFA Launch Control Activated

The yellow Lexus LFA prototype paid a visit to Sewell Lexus in Dallas yesterday, and sales associate Jeff Hazelwood was nice enough to send over this photo of the digital dash with Launch Control activated: Just seconds after seeing this, I had to load up my favorite LFA speedometer video: We know that the LFA’s …

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Kevin · February 3rd, 2011

The #014 Lexus LFA Arrives in Costa Rica

The following is an email I received from Purdy Motor employee Mauricio Barquero. Purdy Motor is the Lexus distributor in Costa Rica and is run by Lexus race driver Javier Quirós, who has just taken delivery of his red #014 LFA. *** Javier Quirós´ LFA arrived to Costa Rica today. Mr. Quirós is the president …

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Kevin · February 1st, 2011

Lexus Welcomes New LFA Owners

Lexus has released the videos that are shown to new LFA buyers before receiving the keys to their newly acquired supercar — first, here’s a video welcome from Lexus USA General Manager Mark Templin: Next is this short breakdown of the LFA’s white-glove journey from Japan to California: And following it all up is a …

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Kevin · February 1st, 2011

Lexus LFAs Arriving at USA Dealerships

After seeing the first batch of production Lexus LFAs arriving in California a couple weeks back, it was only a matter of time until they started arriving at their new owner’s local dealership — here’s a video of the #006 LFA being unloaded at Eskridge Lexus in Oklahoma City: Also seen on Youtube is the …

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Kevin · January 31st, 2011

Production Lexus LFA Delivery

Just last week, the Lexus LFA started production at the special Motomachi factory in Japan, and here we see one of the first production LFAs being delivered to a Japanese dealership: I can only assume that’s a protective white plastic and not a two-tone paint job: Pretty exciting! Update: After the original video went missing …

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Kevin · December 21st, 2010

Lexus Dealership Tips

Lexus Magazine has some tips on getting the most out of your local dealership — here’s just a couple of the suggestions: Tip 3: Many dealers make sales calls. Here’s a surprise. The previous tip about not having to come into the dealership also applies to sales. When looking for your next Lexus, you can …

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Kevin · December 8th, 2010

A Visit to Lexus of Henderson

During last month’s visit to Las Vegas, I took the opportunity to get a good look at the newly opened Lexus of Henderson. The dealership is a massive facility and the largest one I’ve ever been to, but it’s not just the size that’s impressive, the design is pure classic — check out the showroom:
Kevin · December 5th, 2010

World’s Largest Lexus Showroom Opens in Kuwait

This past weekend, the world’s largest Lexus showroom opened in Kuwait — The Arab Times reports from the grand opening ceremony: The new Lexus showroom is built on a 3,000 square meters (32,291 square feet), and offers 7-star service to Lexus customers. In the words of the chairman, “It is a true milestone in the …

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Kevin · December 2nd, 2010

Lexus Kuwait Planning World’s Largest Lexus Showroom

Lexus Kuwait is planning to build the world’s largest Lexus showroom — here’s a virtual look at the proposed building: The effort put into these new mega-dealerships is amazing — it’s hard to even imagine the scale of that showroom. Construction should be begin soon, can’t wait to see some real life photos. [Source: Lexus …

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Kevin · October 25th, 2010

Graffiti Lexus IS

Let’s switch up the CT reviews with this Lexus IS done up in a schizophrenic graffiti paint job: From one extreme to the next — here’s what the finished IS looked like: For more photos, including some detail shots, be sure to check out the Drive Culture website. [Source: Drive Culture] Update: Johnson Jeng, owner …

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Kevin · October 13th, 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

Pearl Grey Lexus LFA Photos

Here’s some photos of the Pearl Grey Lexus LFA from its time at the Lexus of Glendale dealership: These photos give us a much better idea of the Pearl Grey paint, check out these detail shots: Special thanks to Club Lexus member Joe Z. and his friend for allowing me to share these photos. [Source: …

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Kevin · October 7th, 2010

More on the Lexus Engine Recall

Lexus USA will be formally submitting their recall of approximately 138,000 Lexus vehicles next week with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The recall will apply to certain 2006, 2007 & 2008 GS, IS, and LS models equipped with 4.6 and 5.0L V8 and 3.5L V6 engines. Here’s the full breakdown: GS 350: 2007-2008 GS …

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Kevin · July 2nd, 2010

Lexus LFA Display at Flagship Tokyo Dealership

Japanese blog レクサスとの道[LEXUS] made a recent trip to the flagship Lexus Takanawa dealership in Tokyo and snapped this photo of their new LFA display: Not only is there an actual LFA on display, there are color samples made from minature LFA models and examples of all the interior leather options—and check out the giant, fully …

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Kevin · April 23rd, 2010

Ad: TOM’s Lexus LS 460GT Body Kit

If you’re a Lexus LS 460 owner looking to go big on customizing your ride, Carson Lexus has just the thing: a rare full TOM’s LS 460GT body kit with custom fenders and a full exhaust: Separately, the body kit, fenders and exhaust retail for $12,189 USD, but by using the coupon code “LEXENT”, you …

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Kevin · April 8th, 2010

Lexus Malaysia Opens Penang Dealership

Building on the successful 2007 launch of their first facility in Kuala Lumpur, Lexus Malaysia held the grand opening of its second facility, Lexus Penang, on March 18, 2010.  The new RM1.5 million center gives Lexus customers in N. Malaysia a more locally situated facility, complete with showroom, luxury lounge, and cafe.  Further details: “Having …

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Kevin · March 19th, 2010

Lexus RX 450h Service Appointment

Last week, right before my long-term Lexus RX 450h loaner was set to be returned to Lexus Canada, I had the opportunity to bring it to my local Lexus dealership, Performance Lexus in St. Catharines, Ontario, for its 8,000km oil change.
Kevin · March 17th, 2010

Lexus Ranks #1 in JD Power’s Customer Service Index

J.D. Power and Associates has released the results of its annual Customer Service Index Study (CSI), and Lexus was again the top-ranked luxury brand, plus the #1 brand overall in customer service. According to J.D. Power: The study examines satisfaction among vehicle owners who visit a service department for maintenance or repair work. The CSI …

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Kevin · February 24th, 2010

Lexus Mega Meet in Miami This Weekend

Looks like this is the week for Lexus enthusiasts in the Miami area—first there was the F-Sport event at the Homestead-Miami Speedway on Wednesday, and now this Sunday, the JM Lexus dealership will be hosting the Lexus/Supra Mega Meet, a massive Lexus gathering with hundreds of cars on display. View the Event Flyer or Visit …

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Kevin · January 29th, 2010

Lexus LFA Spending Christmas in London

The only Lexus LFA in Europe has been parked at the Park Lane dealership in London, where prospective buyers can take a closer look and talk with Devshi Varsani, the man responsible for selling the supercar in Europe. From Autocar: “At the moment, we’re in the process of taking orders and deposits for the car …

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Kevin · November 27th, 2009

2010 Lexus GX 460 US Pricing

Arriving in US dealerships in late December, the 2010 Lexus GX 460 will be offered in two grades: The base model starts at $51,970, with standard features like power fold-flat third row seats, heated/ventilated front seats, rear backup camera, ten airbags,integrated XM, Bluetooth & iPod control, a 4.2” multi-information display, nine speaker audio system and …

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Kevin · November 23rd, 2009

1992 Lexus SC 400 Dealership Video

After look at the present & future of the Lexus SC, I thought it might be interesting to look back at the model’s history—the following video is a dealership introduction for the first-generation SC 400, and is an important look back at what Lexus was trying to achieve with their first sports coupe: Amazing when …

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Kevin · August 20th, 2009

The New Lexus of North Miami Dealership

No question about it, Lexus of North Miami has taken the idea of the mega-dealership and brought it to a whole other level: The nearly one million square feet dealership is equipped to provide customers with a full spa experience, including haircuts, massages, manicures, workout sessions—there’s even a “Zen Room” equipped with a waterfall and …

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Kevin · July 17th, 2009

Lexus #1 in Online Customer Service

Lexus dealerships are the most responsive car brand on the Internet, according to the 2008 Automotive eShopper Experience Study, a survey that looks at the online customer service of car dealerships in the USA. In fact, Lexus scored a full 10 points higher (59.5) than 2nd place Chevrolet (49.4): When asking dealers for information on …

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Kevin · February 23rd, 2009

Lexus Expands F-Sport to Include the GS & All IS Models

Lexus announced at the Chicago Auto Show today that the full range of F-Sport accessories will now be available for the GS, IS 250 AWD, and the IS-C 250/350. These first-party mods, which were only available for the IS 250/350 RWD previously, add a much sportier edge and include options like front/rear brake upgrades, lowering …

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Kevin · February 11th, 2009

Lexus Philippines Opens First Dealership

Lexus has opened their first dealership in the Philippines, and it’s a exceptionally beautiful facility built in Manila at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig: {embed=“site/gallery” gallery_id=“1054 “} It was designed a collaboration between Japanese firm Nomura Co. Filipino architectural firm Recio + Casas. I’m absolutely floored, it’s gorgeous. Lexus will be offering five models …

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Kevin · January 19th, 2009

Woodfield Lexus’ Service Veosk

I have no idea if it’s exclusive to Woodfield Lexus in Chicago, but the kiosk shown in this video would be a great addition to every dealership: There’s certainly a strong case for this to become company-wide. It wouldn’t just be informative to the customer, but it would definitely cut down on the misunderstandings and …

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Kevin · December 8th, 2008

Lexus December to Remember 2008 Commercials

You knew it was coming — Lexus kicks offer their annual December to Remember event in the US with their Red Bow commercials. Have no fear, this year’s crop is especially excellent: Very well done. Given the economic climate and overall auto market meltdown, it’s no surprise that a slightly different tact was taken. Getting …

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Kevin · November 30th, 2008

Flickr Find: Key to the Future

Lexus of Tulsa is in the process of building a new dealership building, and employee Austin Colbert decided to commemorate the event with this photo: Edited for clarity: It reminds me of my ‘94 LS valet key, but commenters have told me valet keys are now grey and this is now the standard key design. …

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Kevin · November 13th, 2008

JM Lexus Creates Mega IS 350 for Mega Meet

Every year, the JM Lexus dealership in South Florida sponsors the Lexus/Supra Mega Meet, a two day event set up for enthusiasts to both check out and show off some custom rides. To mark the occasion, JM Lexus put together a heavily modified IS 350, featuring not only every F-Sport accessory available but also a …

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Kevin · August 5th, 2008

Lexus to Launch in the Philippines in 2009

According to The Manila Standard, Lexus will begin sale in the Philippines starting in January 2009: Alfred Ty, son of the business tycoon George Ty, told reporters the company is set on October to break ground for the only Lexus showroom in country within the Metrobank’s property in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig. The Lexus showroom …

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Kevin · July 31st, 2008

Lexus Chile Likes My LS 400

Lexus Chile has honored me by featuring my LS 400 in their history timeline: My photo: I’m not entirely sure why my ‘94 LS is filed under 2001, but you won’t catch me complaining.
Kevin · July 28th, 2008

Toyota’s Audio Interview with Lexus USA GM Mark Templin

Toyota’s Open Road blog has posted a short audio interview of Lexus General Manager Mark Templin & Toyota President Jim Lentz discussing the company’s low sales in June and what it means for the car maker: Here’s an interesting excerpt from GM Templin on Lexus moving forward: The good news is that we retained our …

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Kevin · July 7th, 2008

Salvador Dali Exhibit at Newport Lexus

If you’re anywhere near Newport Lexus in Orange County, California, you might want to check out their Salvador Dali exhibit, which opened yesterday and runs until June 30th: Salvador Dali at Newport Lexus, Newport Beach, California Friday, June 20 8:30a to 9:00p Largest exhibit of Salvador Dali works ever shown in Newport Beach. More than …

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Kevin · June 21st, 2008

Lexus UK tops JD Power Customer Satisfaction study for 8th straight year

Count this among the news I missed last week when my head was buried in code, Lexus UK has topped the annual JD Power Customer Satisfication Index for the eighth year in a row: In the nameplate rankings, luxury Japanese brand Lexus ranks highest for an eighth consecutive year, receiving a customer satisfaction score of …

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Kevin · May 13th, 2008

Crazy Lexus IS-F Donut

At first, this video didn’t strike me as anything really, until it just kept going on and on: Sure, the road surface is slicked down, but it was still good for 45 seconds of amusement.
Kevin · May 5th, 2008

Lexus Australia Dealerships to grow 50%  by 2012

When John Roca, the chief executive of Lexus Australia, isn’t leaking the future plans of his employer, he’s busy planning the expansion of Australia’s dealer network by more than 50%: Lexus Australia has announced plans to grow its current 22-strong dealer network by more than 50% by 2012. Dealers will commit A$230m towards new and …

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Kevin · April 8th, 2008

Lexus to launch in India

It was rumored late last year, but according to the India’s Economic Times, Lexus is planning to bring their cars into the market by 2010, starting with the LS and LX models: [Toyota] has started the preliminary groundwork in terms of strategy and dedicated dealership network which will be different from the network that sells …

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Kevin · March 27th, 2008

Flagship Lexus Dealership opens in Oman

A new Lexus dealership has opened in Oman (the country just south of the United Arab Emirates), and it was quite an event, attended not only by Toyota executive vice-president Akio Toyoda but practically the entire Oman ruling class. Starting off with a performance by juggler Michael Moschen, the grand opening quickly escalated into a …

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Kevin · February 26th, 2008

Automotive News Interviews Lexus Dealer Advisory Council Chairman

Automotive News has a great interview with Stefan Smith, chairman of the Lexus National Dealer Advisory Council, which gives a very open view at how the dealerships feel about the recent increase in recalls and what kind of vehicles they’d like to see next: What challenges do Lexus dealers face in the next year? We …

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Kevin · February 11th, 2008

Longo Lexus gets larger

Longo Lexus, the largest Lexus dealership in the western US, will be growing even larger with the help of some substantial grants from El Monte, California (the dealership’s home) and the federal government.  Along with the adjoining Toyota dealership, this grant of $3,000,000 will be used to construct a 50,000-square-foot service facility, additional parking, a …

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Kevin · January 31st, 2008

Another Glimpse into the Future Direction of US Lexus Dealerships

Building off his presentation at the Automotive News World Congress, Lexus general manager Mark Templin outlined the future direction of Lexus dealerships in the US in an interview with Ward’s. There’s a lot of information hidden in the details, but the primary point made is that Lexus will start to take on some characteristics of …

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Kevin · January 25th, 2008

Mark Templin on Improving US Lexus Dealerships

In a presentation at the Automotive News World Congress, Lexus General Manager Mark Templin outlined the automaker’s plans to enhance their US dealerships even further: ” We’re trying to create a feeling in our car dealerships more of a luxury hotel than a car dealership,” Templin said after his presentation. The dealerships also want to …

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Kevin · January 22nd, 2008

2008 Lexus IS-F Pricing Announced

After months of speculation, Lexus has released pricing for the IS-F, and it’s hard to find any fault with the totals. The base IS-F will carry a $56,000 USD price tag, which undercuts competitors significantly. The following amenities will be standard: Heated, leather-trimmed 10-way power front sport seats Dual-zone automatic climate control, a pollen filter …

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Kevin · January 11th, 2008

Lexus December 2007 Sales Report

For the second month in a row, Lexus sales dropped when compared with the previous year. Here’s the details: 2007 2006 % Change IS250/350 5,651 5,538 2.0 ES350 8,005 8,736 -8.4 GS350 2,254 1,989 13.3 GS460/450h 325 299 8.7 SC430 348 486 -28.4 LS460/600h L 3,257 3,865 -15.7 Total Cars 19,840 20,913 -5.1 RX350/400h 11,835 …

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Kevin · January 3rd, 2008

Lexus’ IS-F Presentation Videos

The Auto Network has served up another Lexus presentation, this time a full blown dissertation about the IS-F. This presentation, along with the previously noted LX 570 breakdown, took place in Point Clear, Alabama, and provided the automotive press with an opportunity to learn about the vehicles to an extraordinary level of detail. The first …

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Kevin · January 2nd, 2008

Lexus’ LX 570 Presentation Videos

The Auto Network has posted up the full LX 570 presentation given by Lexus to the press in late 2007, and it’s a incredible collection of facts and information, detailing every aspect of the vehicle, from its technical specifications to its marketing plan. The first part is a general overview of the LX 570, presented …

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Kevin · January 1st, 2008

Lexus Expands Its Certified Pre-Owned Program

With demand for dealer-certified used Lexus vehicles rising eight percent in 2007, Lexus has adjusted the requirements for its Certified Pre-Owned program. Eligible vehicles can now have up to 70,000 miles, where the previous mileage could only be 60,000. On top of that, the maximum age has been bumped up a year, to seven years …

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Kevin · December 28th, 2007