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NY Times Reviews the Lexus RX 450h

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

Kevin · June 10th, 2009

Lexus HS 250h Press Presentation Videos

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

Kevin · June 9th, 2009

Lexus Hybrid Family Portrait

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

Kevin · June 4th, 2009

Lexus Belgium Hybrid Live Concert Contest

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

Kevin · June 3rd, 2009

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

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

Kevin · June 1st, 2009

Car & Driver Reviews the Lexus HS 250h

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

Kevin · May 27th, 2009

Edmunds Reviews the Lexus HS 250h

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

Kevin · May 27th, 2009

Autoblog Reviews the 2010 Lexus HS 250h

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

Kevin · May 26th, 2009

Next Autos Reviews the 2010 Lexus HS 250h

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

Kevin · May 26th, 2009

Details on Lexus’ 1-Series Competitor

Details are emerging about Lexus’ compact car—according to Top Gear’s Foreman blog, the 1-series competitor will be a hatchback based on the Prius platform and only available as a hybrid: A Prius is designed to get small-car economy from a bigger car. But Lexus hybrids all have higher performance than their standard counterparts. Lexus has …

Kevin · May 6th, 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 …

Kevin · April 27th, 2009

Lexus GS 450h Commercial from Japan

Let’s start off the week with this GS 450h commercial from Lexus Japan, brimming with the positive message “ON and GO!”: One thing I noticed is the alternative markings for the kW energy gauge: Japanese Energy Gauge North American Energy Gauge While the North American version is much more exact, the Japanese gauge gives more …

Kevin · April 27th, 2009

New Lexus HS 250h Videos

Lexus has published some new HS 250h videos: These videos give a better insight into just how important the ecological aspect was in the design and production of the HS—I’d say it’s the very definition of the vehicle, right down to how it looks. Speaking of which, take a look at this new photo of …

Kevin · April 21st, 2009

Lexus RX 450h Commercial from Canada

Last up is a Lexus RX 450h commercial from Canada, which also manages to feature a canine (however brief): Strange that it’s taken me so long to post this, considering that I’ve seen this commercial repeatedly over the last month or so. Filmed in Vancouver, the song is Clair de Lune by Debussy. I’m always …

Kevin · April 7th, 2009

Lexus RX 450h Video Promo

Three Lexus RX videos to post today, let’s start with the longest: This really is an almost pitch-perfect marketing promo, and goes a long way to infusing the RXh with some real personality. Also, I’m assuming that Welcome to Forward Living will be RXh’s tagline, and this video certainly captures the sentiment. [Via: iMotor] Update: …

Kevin · April 7th, 2009

Edmunds Lexus RX 450h Video Review

Here’s the companion video to Edmunds’ review of the Lexus RX 450h: As with the written review, Edmunds wasn’t all that impressed with the hybrid RX, though most of the complaints seem to be against hybrids in general. I’m interested to compare the new hybrid technology against the system in the RX400h, surely there has …

Kevin · April 6th, 2009

Lexus Enform Service to arrive with the Lexus HS 250h

Arriving late this summer, the Lexus HS 250h will be the first vehicle offered with the new Lexus Enform + Safety Connect telematics system. Safety Connect, a service that will be offered on both Toyota and Lexus vehicles, provides a support network in the event of an emergency—offering automatic collision detection, locating a stolen vehicle, …

Kevin · March 25th, 2009

Toyota and Lexus Hybrids Top One Million Sales in the U.S.

Toyota announced today that the company has now sold 1,000,000 hybrids in the USA since the Prius’ introduction in 2000. An extrodinary number to say the least, it’s certainly a clear indicator that hybrid technology is a strong selling point. From the press release: The sales milestone was achieved with an industry-leading six Toyota and …

Kevin · March 11th, 2009

Lexus Power of H Commercial: Solar Tree

Power of H, Lexus’ hybrid marketing campaign, has put out three non-product infommercials featuring example of green engineering. First, we watched homes being built from shipping containers, then a bridge that uses the passing cars to generate electricity, and now the final installment about a Solar “Tree” built in Italy: These videos may have been …

Kevin · March 10th, 2009

Lexus HS 250h Display @ TED

TED, the annual conference where “the world’s most fascinating thinkers and doers…are challenged to give the talk of their lives” is happening this week in Long Beach, California, and Lexus has put up a display featuring an HS 250h — here’s a photo taken by Jon Wiley (It’s hard to see the image clearly here, …

Kevin · February 4th, 2009

Lexus HS 250h Cross-Section

After yesterday’s blocky video screencap of the Lexus HS 250h cut-away that’s being displayed at the Detroit Auto Show, TPP commenter TimeToy posted links to these three images from Autoblog (click for larger versions): From the looks of things, the battery pack seems to be tiered, with part behind the back seat and part under …

Kevin · January 14th, 2009

Lexus HS 250h Youtube Video

So far, the only video I’ve seen of the Lexus HS 250h was the Mark Templin Introduction speech, so I was looking forward to this Youtube footage: At least we know two full-grown men can fit in the trunk! On a serious note, the last 15 seconds show a cross-section version of the HS’ Hybrid …

Kevin · January 13th, 2009

No Lexus HS 250h in Europe, but IS Diesel Update Coming

In a follow-up to yesterday’s post, Lexus confirmed to the Automotive News that the HS 250h will not be sold in Europe. No reason was given, but an insider told me that the CO2 emissions weren’t low enough to justify the expense of introducing the model. However, on the plus side, I was also told …

Kevin · January 13th, 2009

Lexus HS 250h Not Available in Europe?

Looks like I was wrong, both Car Magazine and Auto Express are reporting that the Lexus HS 250h won’t be offered in Europe. If true, this is a real head scratcher. Here’s a 2007 quote from Lexus UK Chief Steve Settle talking about the HS in no uncertain terms: “We’ll add a specific hybrid model …

Kevin · January 12th, 2009

Live Lexus HS 250h Photos

There were plenty of live photos of the Lexus HS 250h posted online, some better than others. As always, Autoblog has plenty of photos to go through, including this photo of the HS trunk: Looks spacious, benefiting from the batteries being located under the car. Jalopnik posted a similar selection of on-stage shots, but give …

Kevin · January 12th, 2009

Lexus HS 250h Introduction Video

It was only a matter of time — an (edited) video of the Lexus HS 250h’s introduction at the Detroit Auto Show has been posted online: Some very interesting points that don’t really have a spot in an official press release. Lexus GM Mark Templin states that the HS will have better city MPG than …

Kevin · January 11th, 2009

Lexus HS 250h Official Photos

Lexus didn’t hold back with the HS 250h photos, there’s images from every conceivable angle: {embed=“site/gallery” gallery_id=“1098”} Early reaction focuses on the HS’ resemblance to the Toyota Corolla, though I see a lot of the IS & ES in the design. Really though, with the vehicle’s focus on gas mileage, much of the design is …

Kevin · January 11th, 2009

Lexus HS 250h Unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show

The wait is over, Lexus unveiled the much anticipated HS 250h today at the Detroit Auto Show. There’s plenty to go over, but let’s start by breaking down the most noteworthy points about this new hybrid: The HS 250h sports Lexus’ first four-cylinder gas engine, a 2.4L Atkinson-cycle powerplant that generates 187HP. No exact fuel …

Kevin · January 11th, 2009

Lexus HS 250h Spy Shots!

Leftlane News has published possible spy shots of the upcoming Lexus HS 250h hybrid sedan (click for larger versions): I can certainly see some Lexus cues with the hybrid door badging and the LS rear lights, but obviously this is an extremely well-camouflaged vehicle. Update: TPP commenter Eddie also brings up the obviously Lexus side …

Kevin · December 29th, 2008

Lexus Launches HS 250h Teaser Site

In preparation of the debut of the new HS 250h hybrid sedan at the Detroit Auto Show, Lexus has updated their website to include a small microsite. While it’s basically just an email form and the above badge image, there is one other interesting detail. According to the microsite, the HS 250h will not be …

Kevin · December 24th, 2008

The Power of H

Turns out, the Lexus shipping crate video that I posted earlier this week is the first part of a series of green movement infomercials. Here’s a small intro to The Power of H: More details on the next two parts showed up in Brandweek: “Landfill,” which is currently online at NBC.com, details Wilkinson and De …

Kevin · December 17th, 2008

New Lexus Power of H Commercial: Landfill

Not really a Lexus commercial in the traditional sense, this video illustrates the growing movement towards sustainable reusable manufacturing: It’s a good direction, and I understand the idea here is to associate Lexus with the sustainable manufacturing process, but if Lexus plants have earned Zero Landfill status, why not explain that further? I’d certainly like …

Kevin · December 15th, 2008

Lexus Sub-Compact in 2012?

Once again, Lexus Australia’s chief executive John Roca has spilled the goods on the future of Lexus, this time in regards to the oft-rumored sub-compact: Devised to take on the premium European small cars exemplified by the BMW as well as the Audi A3, the forthcoming compact is understood to be in co-development with the …

Kevin · December 8th, 2008

Lexus Hybrid Primer

Since starting this website, I’ve been asked numerous times about the overall benefits of Lexus hybrid technology, so I thought it would be a good idea to put together a basic primer. First off, here’s a direct-from-Lexus video explanation on how a hybrid engine works: Now, everyone knows the primary advantage that (most) hybrids have …

Kevin · December 2nd, 2008

Lexus Planning Four New Models in 2009

In a short interview with the Wall Street Journal, Lexus Group Vice President Mark Templin revealed that the company will be releasing four new models next year: …he’s cutting back spending now so he can invest in the marketing campaigns of these four products one of which, the new RX, was revealed Wednesday. In six …

Kevin · November 28th, 2008

Full Lexus 2010 Introduction from the LA Auto Show

The Auto Channel has posted the full LA Auto Show 2010 RX introduction (listed at over eighteen minutes, but only plays for twelve): First of all, the heads-up display was shown briefly, here’s a screen capture: Hard to get an accurate idea of the new feature’s implementation, but new details are certain to emerge shortly. …

Kevin · November 28th, 2008

Official 2010 Lexus RX 450h Photos!

Today’s the big day, both the Lexus RX 350 & RX 450h have been unveiled at the LA Auto Show! So far, no live images of the new 2010 Lexus RX 450h have been posted, but luckily Lexus has pushed out a ton of official photos: {embed=“site/gallery” gallery_id=“1105”}

Kevin · November 19th, 2008

First Spy Photos of the Lexus HS 250h?

So not even twelve hours after seeing the Mag-X rendering of the upcoming Lexus HS 250h hybrid, TPP reader Dan posted a link to a series of photos by Mike Ingels, who very well may have captured the first spy shots of the new hybrid: Considering these photos were taken near the Chrysler proving grounds …

Kevin · November 11th, 2008

Is this the Lexus HS 250h?

Volkswagen website VWVortex isn’t the first place you’d expect to find information on the upcoming Lexus dedicated hybrid, but the Internet’s a strange place. Regardless, a member of their forum came across this page out of Japanese magazine Mag-X, featuring a rendition of the now-named Lexus HS 250h (click for a closeup): Other information gleaned …

Kevin · November 11th, 2008

Matte Black Lexus LF-Xh Promotional Photos (Plus a Video)

At the request of TPP commenter WorldofLuxury, here is the full set of matte black Lexus LF-Xh photos from the Paris promotional kit suitable for use as background images. Also for your viewing pleasure is this short commercial-like footage of the LF-Xh:

Kevin · October 23rd, 2008

Lexus Confirms Compact Model

In an interview with German newspaper WirtschaftsWoche, Lexus Europe Managing Director Tadashi Arashima confirmed that Lexus will indeed be launching a compact entry-level model. From Motor Authority: “We will offer a Lexus in the compact class,” he told reporters, explaining that the company needs “smaller and more efficient vehicles” to meet Europe’s CO2 emissions regulations. …

Kevin · October 20th, 2008

Lexus to Move to Hybrid-Only?

When I read Toyota Managing Officer Toshio Furutani’s comments in the Nikkei Business News last week that “in the medium to long term, Toyota was considering making the Lexus lineup hybrid-only”, it barely registered. Now, after seeing it reported over and over, I’ve come to release it might be an idea to post here — …

Kevin · October 15th, 2008

Lexus LS 600hL Commercial: Kite

What begins as a headscratcher ends up being a very effective commercial for some exclusive Lexus technology: My first time watching the commercial, I immediately though of one particularly weird commercial from a while back, but in actuality it was a very convincing application of the driver monitoring system. [Via: Steadywinds]

Kevin · October 13th, 2008

Lexus confirms Prius-based Hybrid (Plus a Second Hybrid Bonus!)

Details are sparse, but there’s news today regarding the upcoming Lexus hybrids. Yes, that’s correct, there’s two hybrids in the works! Of course, this has been rumored for some time, but now we have something more in the way of facts: Fact #1: The first Lexus dedicated hybrid will be based on the new Toyota …

Kevin · October 3rd, 2008

Lexus Hybrid Advertisement Banned in UK

In a replay of last year, a Lexus RX 450h 400h advertisement has been banned by the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority: (Click for a larger version) The press ad, for the Lexus RX 400h, made the claim: “perfect for today’s climate. (And tomorrow’s) … Driving the world’s first luxury hybrid SUV makes environmental, and economic, …

Kevin · September 24th, 2008

Lexus GS 450h Finishes 6th in Targa Newfoundland

The Targa Newfoundland race concluded on Saturday, with Lexus GS 450h making a late push to finish 6th place. Here’s the summary written by Team Lexus’ driver, Mark Lachapelle: Team Targa Lexus chose to make a very different entrance and arrival. Co-driver Alan Ockwell and I simply drove up in total silence, running on electric …

Kevin · September 21st, 2008

Lexus GS 450h Targa Update

It’s been an up and down couple days for the Targa GS 450h — after completing Day 1 with zero errors, Team Lexus fell back to 15th place on Day 2. And now, yesterday, they surged forward and ended the stage in 8th position. This is quite a feat, though driver Marc Lachapelle stays humble …

Kevin · September 18th, 2008

Lexus LF-Xh Press Release Photo

Having debuted last year, the announcement that the Lexus LF-Xh concept would be at the Paris Auto Show didn’t really elicit a reaction from me — that is, until I saw this stunning photo released by Lexus Europe to mark the occasion: (Be sure to click on the image to get the full version, it’s …

Kevin · September 17th, 2008

Lexus GS 450h Targa Racer Video (Plus an Update)

Today, we have some seriously short video clips of the Lexus GS 450h currently racing around the Targa Newfoundland course. There’s quite a few on Youtube, but these two here are the best indication of the speed and conditions: As far as the race itself, Team Lexus had a great showing yesterday: Results for Day …

Kevin · September 16th, 2008

Lexus GS 450h Competes in Targa Newfoundland Race

The race-modified Lexus GS 450h has returned to the Targa Newfoundland race after competing last year. Running from September 13-20, the team behind the hybrid racer is keeping a great blog over at Autonet. Here’s an excerpt from yesterday’s post, after completion of the Prologue stage: And for our first pass through the much tighter …

Kevin · September 15th, 2008

Lexus Prius Sketch from Motor Trend

There isn’t much in the way of new information in Motor Trend’s article about the upcoming Lexus hybrid, but it did include this beauty of a mockup sketch: There were a few new points covered, though they seem entirely speculative: The difference between the Lexus variant and the Prius itself — as is generally the …

Kevin · August 20th, 2008

Lexus RX 400h Sales Growing in United Kingdom

Although no exact numbers are mentioned, The Auto Channel is reporting that Lexus RX 400h sales have increased in the UK by 28% over last July, which is especially impressive given the current SUV climate in the country: That [28%] growth stands in stark contrast to the fortunes of rival luxury brands, which suffered an …

Kevin · August 12th, 2008

Lexus Prius? The Ongoing Saga

UK Magazine AutoCar claims to have the inside scoop on the oft-mentioned Lexus hybrid debuting at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show: The new model is known internally as SAI but will be renamed before it goes on sale and will be based on the next generation Prius, also being shown for the first time in …

Kevin · August 4th, 2008

Lexus SC 430, GX 470, & LX 570 to Remain Unchanged for 2009

The 2009 versions of the Lexus SC 430, GX 470 and LX 570 will remain unchanged save for some minor changes (all prices USD): The 2009 model year SC 430 luxury hardtop convertible receives new side mirrors with incorporated turn signals and will have a base MSRP $66,805, an increase of 0.7 percent or $450. …

Kevin · July 25th, 2008

Fairmont Hotels & Lexus Extend Partnership

As it turns out, the Hybrid Living Suites were just a prelude to a more extended partnership between Lexus and Fairmont Hotels: Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and Lexus, two global brands synonymous with luxury and style, today announced a formal partnership that will provide Fairmont President’s Club members with an even greater level of personalized …

Kevin · July 24th, 2008

New Toyota Hybrid is Expected

Japanese newspaper Nikkei business daily is reporting that a new Toyota hybrid will be introduced next year: Toyota Motor Corp plans to produce 100,000 units a year of a new hybrid-only model slated for release in 2009 at a subsidiary in southern Japan, the Nikkei business daily reported on Saturday. The new car, which will …

Kevin · July 20th, 2008

The Fonz & The Lexus Hybrid

The Fonz is trading in his motorcycle for a Lexus RX 400h, as Henry Winkler is making his way across Britain on a children’s book tour to support the government’s 2008 National Year of Reading: Winkler, world famous for his role as “The Fonz” in the hit television show Happy Days., is now the author …

Kevin · July 3rd, 2008

Paul McCartney’s Lexus LS 600h Spotted

Considering the furor it created, I had fully expected the LS 600hL gift that Lexus airfreighted to Paul McCartney would never see the light of day. However, Sir Paul was recently spotted being chauffeured around London in the dark maple red hybrid. Also of note: Such is vegetarian Sir Paul’s passion for issues surrounding animal …

Kevin · July 3rd, 2008

Lexus Canada June 2008 Sales Report

In contrast to the current US sales situation, Lexus Canada had their best June ever, posting a 22.4% increase over last year. At 1,557 total units sold, the number pales in comparison to the US sales volume, but the rate of growth is very impressive, particularly in regard to the SUV market. Lexus Canada sold …

Kevin · July 2nd, 2008

Toyota: Two Hybrids in Detroit Auto Show, not three

Toyota’s Open Road blog has posted a clarification concerning last week’s report that three hybrids would be introduced at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show: A report in Monday’s news indicating that Toyota might be showing a new third hybrid car at the Detroit show was the result of an apparent misunderstanding. We’d like to clarify …

Kevin · June 20th, 2008

Automobile Magazine reviews the Lexus LS 600hL

When the Lexus LS 600hL was released, the automotive press was quick to point out its “flaws”, especially when it came to gas mileage. Being a hybrid, the flagship sedan was expected to have exceptional fuel economy, and at first glance, that didn’t seem to be the case at all. It’s taken a few months …

Kevin · June 18th, 2008

New Information on the Lexus Dedicated Hybrid

Although Toyota President Katsuaki Watanabe announced that a new Lexus dedicated hybrid would be introduced way back in January, Toyota made it official-official in an Automotive News article released today: Toyota Motor Corp. on Wednesday fired a fresh volley in the green car wars, promising two new hybrid vehicles and the start of lithium-ion battery …

Kevin · June 11th, 2008

Lexus RX 400h Commercial: Hybrid Drive

I’ve featured a variation of this Lexus UK commercial before, but I like the concept enough to show it again: It might be missing the rain footage of the first version, but any invisible automobile video is good by me.

Kevin · June 9th, 2008

Lexus planning two dedicated hybrids?

Edmund’s Inside Line blog has definitely living up to its name over the last couple days, first breaking the possibility of a $200,000 Lexus LF-A, and now revealing details that Lexus could be planning to bring out not one, but two hybrid-only vehicles in the near future: Toyota’s upscale Lexus brand is considering the addition …

Kevin · May 22nd, 2008

Motor Trend visits the Lexus Hybrid Living Suite

Motor Trend spent some time in the Lexus Hybrid Living Suite, a suite created at the San Francisco Fairmont hotel to showcase Lexus’ commitment to environmental responsibility: The San Francisco Fairmont is located on top of the Nob Hill area, the highest point in the entire city. As one might imagine, such a location makes …

Kevin · May 21st, 2008

The Lexus LS 600h/Paul McCartney Fiasco

So, the big news of the day concerns an LS 600h that was sent by Lexus to Paul McCartney as a gift for his work promoting the company’s hybrids. Pretty uneventful so far, right? Well, turns out the car was sent by plane rather than by boat, creating a carbon footprint almost 100 times larger: …

Kevin · May 14th, 2008

Video of the mystery Lexus IS surfaces

The mysterious Lexus IS spotted yesterday has made a video appearance, albeit rather brief and shaky: The engine note is hard to read, though I would say it’s a V6. The hood bulge would indicate there’s something unusual going on, but whether it’s a hybrid system or even a supercharger is anyone’s guess. [Via: Jalopnik] …

Kevin · May 8th, 2008

Photos of the Lexus Hybrid Living Suites

Design blog Cool Hunting

Kevin · April 18th, 2008

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