2012 Lexus GS F Sport Revealed?

Here's something interesting: Australian website *The Motor Report* was sent images that are reportedly from a [Lexus Australia](http://www.lexus.com.au/) customer survey meant to gauge interest in the next-generation GS -- the images look like screen captures, and show both the standard and *F Sport* GS in multiple colors.
Kevin · July 13th, 2011

Another Look at the 2012 Lexus GS Spy Shots

After taking another look at the recent spy shots, I'm now convinced it must be the 2012 Lexus GS under all that camouflage -- here's a better comparison shot with the LF-Gh concept (plus a little photoshopped perspective in the spy shot).
Kevin · June 27th, 2011

What should be the next Lexus F Model?

We already have the IS-F, and it's a pretty safe bet that we'll see a GS-F, but which Lexus model should come next? The LS-F? The CT-F? The ES-F? Vote for your choice.
Kevin · June 9th, 2011

Is the Lexus LFA Really a Sales Failure?

Every once and a while, I'll read a review or article about Lexus and notice an inaccuracy -- usually a minor technical point or some obscure historical fact. Mistakes happen, no problem. What's unusual is to see an article built on nothing but mistakes, where even elementary facts are ignored -- but that's what I found with Nelson Ireson's Motor Authority editorial on how the Lexus LFA is a failure.
Kevin · June 2nd, 2011

Lexus GS-F in 2012?

Motor Trend is reporting that a Lexus GS-F version of the next-generation GS will be introduced some time in 2012, and will be using 5.0L V8 engine currently found in the IS-F.
Kevin · May 12th, 2011

Lexus Future Plans to Include CT 300h & Smaller SUV?

Lexus Australia’s Chief Executive, Tony Cramb, has let loose with plenty of inside insight of what’s coming next for Lexus — starting with a possible CT engine variant: Lexus is already talking of a higher-performance version of its hybrid-only CT200h, which went on sale this week. Likely to be called the CT300h, the petrol-electric hatch …

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Kevin · April 29th, 2011

Imagining the Next-Generation Lexus GS

Master photochopper Theophilus Chin has put together his best estimate of what the next-generation Lexus GS could look like, and I think he’s right on the money: By blending the LF-Gh with the other recent design cues we’ve seen with the refreshed 2011 IS and CT 200h, I think Chin has been able to hit …

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Kevin · April 25th, 2011

NY Auto Show: Lexus LF-Gh Concept Photo Gallery

With so many Lexus LF-Gh photos already floating around, I thought it might be a good idea to focus on the smaller details of the latest Lexus concept, especially when they’re so visually interesting: The side profile was my favorite angle — by increasing rear headroom & available trunkspace, Lexus has moved to give the …

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Kevin · April 22nd, 2011

Lexus LF-Gh Official Reveal Video

While we may have seen photos of the Lexus LF-Gh last week, the concept car was officially revealed tonight at a gallery in New York City — here’s a video of the event along with reaction from some leading design minds: I was lucky enough to attend the reveal, and there’s no question that the …

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Kevin · April 19th, 2011

Lexus NY Auto Show Coverage Starts Tomorrow

With the NY Auto Show and the introduction of the brand new LF-Gh concept, it’s going to be a busy week in New York City for Lexus, and I’m going to be here in the city to cover all the events. The fun starts tomorrow morning with a special caravan that’s going to be touring …

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Kevin · April 18th, 2011

Lexus LF-Gh Equipped with Night Vision?

TLE reader Vogel spotted something interesting in one of the Lexus LF-Gh interior photos — it looks like the concept might just be equipped with Night Vision. Here’s the button in question, highlighted in red: Not much to look at, but here it is zoomed up: Compare it with this Night Vision button from a …

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Kevin · April 15th, 2011

Lexus LF-Gh Video

Also released yesterday was this seven minute B-roll video of the Lexus LF-Gh, which is just moving footage of the photos released today and meant for TV: One specific segment that starts at 3:47 shows the full front light display, including the vertical foglights — makes for a crazy nighttime impression: Looks straight out of …

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Kevin · April 13th, 2011

Lexus LF-Gh Desktop Wallpapers

Although I promised a Lexus LFA desktop wallpaper today, I didn’t exactly expect to wake up to full photos of the LF-Gh — so instead of a supercar today, here’s three shots of Lexus’ newest concept car cropped for your consumption: Select Resolution: 1920×1080 | 1680×1050 | 1440×900 | 1280×1024 | 1280×800 | 1024×768 Select …

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Kevin · April 12th, 2011

Lexus LF-Gh Revealed!

With its official reveal now exactly a week away, Lexus has pulled the covers off their LF-Gh in advance of its New York Auto Show debut! There’s so much to go through right now, including a full photo gallery and all the various details, but let’s start with the full Lexus press release: LF-Gh concept …

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Kevin · April 12th, 2011

2013 Lexus LS Photochop by Mag-X

Using elements of our sneak peek at next-generation GS LF-Gh Concept, Japanese magazine Mag-X has put together this rendering of the 2013 Lexus LS (click for a larger image): Not much to look at for the most part, but this rendering does a good job at turning the LF-Gh’s massive pinched grille into something that …

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Kevin · April 11th, 2011

Lexus Releases Two LF-Gh Teaser Photos!

In advance of its full reveal at the New York Auto Show, Lexus has released a couple teaser images of the their next-gen GS concept, the LF-Gh — let’s tackle the front photo first: There are some LF-Ch design cues with the chrome accents on the front grille and the light housing design, but there …

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Kevin · April 5th, 2011

2012 Lexus GS Spy Shot?

Don’t know if it really classifies as a spy shot, but today on Twitter, Lexus Europe posted a photo of two cars under tarps, and mentioned that vehicle and dynamic development engineers would be driving around the UK — wonder if we could be looking at examples of the next-generation GS: From the profile of …

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Kevin · March 24th, 2011

Next-Gen Lexus GS to Debut at New York Auto Show?

Autoblog is reporting that the next-generation Lexus GS will be coming to the New York Auto Show: Although it’s unclear whether the GS we’ll see in NYC is a concept or a production model, we do know that it will be underpinned by an all-new platform that will also be used on the next-generation IS, …

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Kevin · March 10th, 2011

Lexus Global Vision

Early this morning, Toyota President Akio Toyoda unveiled the company’s new “Global Vision”, a strategic plan that sets the ground rules for the next five years. As expected, most of announcement centered around Toyota, but there was some Lexus-specific information, which I’ll quote in full: Lexus Strategy Position Lexus as a truly global premium brand. …

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Kevin · March 9th, 2011

Next-Generation Lexus IS F?

Along with their photochop of the next-generation Lexus IS, Best Car also tried their hand at the future IS F (click for a larger image): From the Japanese blurb, it looks like Best Car is suggesting the engine output will remain unchanged in the next-gen IS F, which is something I doubt very much. It …

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Kevin · February 23rd, 2011

Next-Gen Lexus IS Hybrid?

Japanese magazine Best Car is reporting the next-generation Lexus IS will be coming this September, and will be available as a V6 hybrid capable of 58 MPG (4l/100kms) — here’s their photochop attempt at the third generation IS (click for a larger version): Considering the huge marketing push for the 2011 IS update, I have …

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Kevin · February 22nd, 2011

Interview with Troy Sumitomo from Five Axis

Lexus Magazine has published an interview I did with Five Axis president Troy Sumitomo about the Project CT, the Lexus show car that debuted at last week’s Chicago Auto Show — here’s a clip: KEVIN WATTS: I know that with the Project IS F, you were inspired by fighter jets—what did you use for inspiration …

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Kevin · February 18th, 2011

Lexus LFA Nürburgring Package to Debut at Geneva Auto Show

The Lexus LFA Nürburgring Package will make its official debut next month as part of Lexus’ display at the Geneva Motor Show. This amped-up $445,000 USD edition of the Lexus supercar will only be available on 50 of the 500 LFAs that are being built, and this exclusivity brings additional aerodynamic features and technical revisions …

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Kevin · February 10th, 2011

Meet the Journalist Who Influences Lexus Development

Lexus Magazine is running a new article written by Jean-Jacques Cornaert, an automotive journalist who just so happens to get access to unreleased and in-development Lexus vehicles — here’s an excerpt: The [Lexus IS-F] is a masterpiece, the result of several years of thought about what a Lexus can be. It’s also a car that, …

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Kevin · February 4th, 2011

Old Lexus LS Sketch

I stumbled across this old 2004 sketch of what Motor Trend believed the current-generation LS & IS would look like: Not crazy about the yellow IS coupe, but I am impressed by how the pink-ish car resembles the current generation ES 350. Of course, the artist would have had the LF-S and LF-C concepts to …

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Kevin · February 2nd, 2011

Lexus’ Global Strategy

Automotive News has published a very interesting article with Karl Schlicht, the general manager in charge of global Lexus marketing and product planning, where he reveals fresh new details about what the future holds for the brand: Toyota is pushing a new global theme of “progressive luxury” for its Lexus brand, including a greater focus …

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Kevin · December 20th, 2010

Lexus ES 300h Hybrid Trademark Registered

Once again, the North American Trademark offices have given us a glimpse into the future, as both Lexus USA & Lexus Canada have filed for the ES 300h trademark (Canadian Trade-Mark 1507011 & U.S. Trademark No. 85193249, both registered on December 8, 2010.) Although it’s hardly a full confirmation, this certainly points to a hybrid …

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Kevin · December 17th, 2010

2012 Lexus GS-F?

Road & Track sure are rumor-happy this week — first there was their report that the next-generation Lexus IS will be built in 2013 on a modified FT-86 platform, and now today they’re back with news of the 2012 GS-F: Our sources tell us that [the GS-F] will come with a 5.0-liter V-8 that will …

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Kevin · December 1st, 2010

2014 Lexus IS?

Road & Track is reporting that the next-generation Lexus IS will debut in 2013 as a 2014 model: The reason, according to our sources, is that work has started on a new 4-door sedan based on the FT-86 platform. …this car will be built atop a stretched version of the FT-86 chassis. Toyota boss Akio …

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Kevin · November 29th, 2010

Five New or Updated Lexus Hybrids by 2012?

Earlier this year, it was announced that Toyota would be releasing 6 new hybrids by 2012 (four from Toyota and two from Lexus), and now Automotive News is reporting that a total of 11 new or redesigned models will be available in that same timeframe, along with a new focus on turbochargers: Toyota Motor Corp. …

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Kevin · November 23rd, 2010

Online Chat with Lexus USA’s Mark Templin (Live)

With the Facebook & Twitter online chat with Lexus USA General Manager Mark Templin scheduled to begin in just under a hour from now, I thought it would be a good idea to set up a place to follow along. I will be updating this post with direct quotes from the Q&A session, along with …

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Kevin · November 12th, 2010

Dinner with Lexus USA General Manager Mark Templin

Speaking of meals with Lexus General Manager Mark Templin, he recently made a visit to a customer’s home to discuss Lexus & its competitors, along with sharing a meal — here’s a short clip of the visit: Between this and tomorrow’s online chat, we’re certainly seeing an evolution in the conversation between Lexus & its …

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Kevin · November 11th, 2010

Lexus LC 600h to Replace SC?

According to Motor Trend, Lexus is planning to replace the dearly-departed SC 430 with a brand new coupe based on the next-generation LS. Called the LC 600h, this flagship coupe would be AWD and powered by an updated version of the same 5.0L V8 Lexus Hybrid Drive found in the current LS 600hL, and is …

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Kevin · October 11th, 2010

Lexus CT Body Styles & Engine Options

Autocar is reporting that the Lexus CT 200h will not offered in a coupe or estate/wagon version: The new hybrid, being shown as a production car for the first time, will not be sold in sufficient numbers to justify a coupé or estate version, according to Toyota Europe boss Didier Leroy. However, the article does …

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Kevin · October 6th, 2010

Lexus IS Coupe for 2012?

Speaking of the next-generation Lexus IS, Autoblog ran a rumor last week that suggests a IS coupe is in the works: …Lexus could finally add an IS coupe to its lineup. Lexus recognizes that it hasn’t had a credible player in that market for far too long, and with the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class coupe around …

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Kevin · October 6th, 2010

2012 Lexus IS Spy Shots

Not even 24 hours after spy shots of the next-generation Lexus GS emerged, we have some photos of a similarly taped up IS driving around Germany: There’s even fewer details revealed in these shots, other than that the rear bumper has been cut and stretched, likely to make the shell fit over the new platform …

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Kevin · October 6th, 2010

Next-Gen 2012 Lexus GS Mule Spotted!

At long last, the first spy-shots of the next-generation Lexus GS have been published after a prototype-mule was spotted in Germany: Admittedly, with the shell of the current GS covering much of the action, there’s not much to go on — one thing that’s clear from the taped-up fenders is that the next-gen GS will …

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Kevin · October 5th, 2010

Future Lexus Line-up?

Automotive News has taken a shot at predicting the next couple years of Lexus models, let’s summarize: GS: The next-generation GS will arrive in the spring of next year on a new shared platform and a longer wheelbase, while retaining the V6/V8/Hybrid powertrains. A GS-F has been prototype, but is not expected to make it …

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Kevin · September 27th, 2010

Two New Lexus Hybrids by 2012

There were two separate stories today regarding Lexus’ future hybrid plans that just so happen to tie together quite nicely. First off, the New York Times reports that Toyota will release 6 new hybrids by 2012: [Toyota] did not provide details about the coming hybrids, though it provided a chart indicating that four of the …

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Kevin · September 14th, 2010

Lexus 2054 Ads

3D designer Artur Szymczak took a model of the Lexus 2054 featured in the movie Minority Report and built some spectacularly beautiful concept ads: Amazing to think that Minority Report is now eight years old and the 2054 still looks like it’s forty-four years in the future. (Be sure to check out the rest of …

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Kevin · August 30th, 2010

2011 Lexus RX 270 Available in Japan

Lexus has launched the RX 270 in Japan this week, which will be powered by the 1AR-FE 2.7L engine and putting out 187hp with torque of 252Nm. The RX 270 was also announced for Russia, and it’s expected (for some time) that the low-displacement version of Lexus’ most popular vehicle will also be available in …

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Kevin · August 27th, 2010

What’s Next for Lexus Design

There’s a big interview with Lexus’ head of global design, Simon Humphries, at Lexus Magazine that brings some major insight into the direction of the brand — I definitely recommend reading the full thing, but I want to focus on three quotes: LEXUS: First of all, now that we know that the 2011 IS will …

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Kevin · August 11th, 2010

Lexus RX 240? Lexus LS 450h?

The Bangkok Post has some engine variation rumors regarding the RX & LS: Later this year, Japan’s top nameplate is set to offer a third engine variant of its RX sport-utility vehicle in the guise of RX270 with 2WD. For the first time, the new entry-level RX would be getting a four-cylinder petrol engine currently …

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Kevin · July 26th, 2010

Lexus Electric Supercar?

According to Motor Trend, Toyota President Akio Toyoda has signed off on the development of a Lexus electric supercar: The car is expected to produce more than 500 horsepower and would sprint from 0 to 60 mph in around 4 seconds. The car is expected to produce more than 500 horsepower and would sprint from …

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Kevin · July 15th, 2010

Live Lexus CT 200h Video!

And now for our first video look at the Lexus CT 200h in Brown Spice Mica (just a warning, you may want to turn down the volume): The CT looks great on the road, even if the color isn’t my favorite — and just how good is this car going to look with bigger wheels, …

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Kevin · July 8th, 2010

2011 Lexus IS Interior Option: Sunrise

Another detail about the 2011 Lexus IS has emerged — check out this brand new interior option, Sunrise, which is almost certainly limited to the Japanese market: This is pushing at the very outer limits of interior color combinations, but I have to admire the very idea of these special editions — especially something so …

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Kevin · June 25th, 2010

The 2011 Lexus IS

Earlier this month, we saw some leaked photos of the possible 2011 Lexus IS, and now Japanese weblog レクサスとの道 has published proof (click images for larger images): For the most part, the changes are minor — LED daytime running lights, revised bumpers, some small interior updates — however, let’s take a closer look at this …

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Kevin · June 21st, 2010

New Lexus CT 200h Photos

Here’s a bunch of new Lexus CT 200h photos showing the new hatchback in a more natural setting: The more I look at the CT, the more impressed I get. Sure, there was plenty of L-Finesse design cues that could be drawn from, and there’s certainly some elements of the RX & the IS, but …

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Kevin · June 14th, 2010

Lexus CT 200h in Brown Spice Mica

Lexus Europe has teased their Twitter fans with some quick photos of the latest addition to their fleet: a Brown Spice Mica CT 200h: Sure, the photo quality isn’t all that great, but it’s enough to give an idea of what the CT 200h will look like in darker colors. It’s certainly a tidy looking …

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Kevin · June 8th, 2010

Lexus CT 200h 3-Door Photochop

Shortly after the Lexus CT 200h was revealed in early March, rumors of a possible 3-door version sprung up, and now photochopper Theophilus Chin has put together a possible look for the hatchback coupe: The main tweaks in the photochop, besides the subtraction of two doors, is a deeper slope in the A-pillar, a shorter …

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Kevin · June 8th, 2010

Lexus LS Generations Desktop Wallpapers

This week’s Autocar review of a 1990 LS 400 reminded me of a desktop wallpaper I’ve had sitting on my computer for quite some time: Select Resolution: 1680×1050 | 1440×900 | 1280×1024 | 1280×800 | 1024×768 I had featured a very similar image some time back, which still stands as one of my favorite Lexus …

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Kevin · June 5th, 2010

2011 Lexus IS Update?

By way of Chinese website Sohu, here’s a sneak peek at what’s just may be the 2011 Lexus IS: There’s plenty of tweaks here: The LED daytime running lights first seen on the 2010 LS have been incorporated into the headlights. The steering wheel will be getting some new accents, and a chrome strip has …

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Kevin · June 4th, 2010

Facebook Fans Question Lexus CT 200h Chief Designer

Recently, Lexus Europe asked their Facebook fans to submit questions to Lexus Design Manager Takeshi Tanabe about the CT 200h — in the end, four questions were chosen and the answers have just been posted. (Funny fact: Three of the four questions use the word “sexy”.) Read the full Q & A
Kevin · June 1st, 2010

Akio Toyoda Profile

Admittedly, this is the third time in a row that I’ve linked to The Automotive News, but today’s profile on Toyota President Akio Toyoda is not to be missed — some choice quotes: […]Toyoda embarked on a quest to become one of the company’s top certified test drivers and its top car critic. That challenge …

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Kevin · May 31st, 2010