Japan – Page 12 | Lexus Enthusiast

Japanese Video Review of the Lexus IS-F

Posted by krew on December 10th, 2007

This Lexus IS-F segment from Start your Engines, a Japanese auto news show, is a pleasant switch from the norm, as it’s all subtitled in English: “It’s been a long time since I’ve had so much fun driving a Toyota”, the host says after ten laps of the Fuji Speedway. “The shifting really is like …

Lexus IS-F vs. Nissan Skyline Coupe Type S

Posted by krew on December 4th, 2007

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, …

Japan Tech Videos

Video of the Toyota Driving Simulator

Posted by krew on November 28th, 2007

A video demonstration of the Toyota Driving Simulator has been posted on Youtube: Bit disappointed they didn’t show any virtual accidents. I know the simulator was built to examine potential safety features, but with that music in the background, they could probably test the driving characteristics of someone going insane. (Thanks Dan!)

Japan Photos Tech

Toyota Builds New Driving Simulator

Posted by krew on November 27th, 2007

Toyota has built a new driving simulator at their Higashifuji Technical Center in Japan, and it looks straight out of science fiction. Inside the 15-foot-high, 23-foot-wide sphere is a Lexus IS attached to an elaborate rail system and surrounded by a 360-degree video screen that displays a virtual driving environment: The internal surrounding sides of …

Awards Dealerships Japan

Lexus Places First in Japanese Customer Service

Posted by krew on November 15th, 2007

Lexus sure knows how to treat their customers, at least according to JD Power. On top of a first place finish in the JD Power Sales Satisfaction Index, Lexus dominated the Japanese Customer Service Index as well: Now in its sixth year, the study identifies five factors that measure customer satisfaction with service performed at …

Is this the 2009 Lexus IS?

Posted by krew on November 12th, 2007

An Autospies reader recently posted up this scanned-in Japanese auto mag page depicting the facelifted 2009 Lexus IS: “Top Secret” banner aside, this is likely a photochop, though subtle enough to be believable. The differences are slight, there’s some GS design incorporated into the front end, and the side panels look to be tucked in. …

Limited Toy Lexus GS 430 by Tomica

Posted by krew on November 9th, 2007

I don’t know what’s better, the fact that there’s a limited edition Lexus GS 430 die-cast car available from Tomica, or that I discovered it on a japanese miniature car weblog. I was huge into die-casts as a kid, and I swear, seeing this makes me want to dig out my collection.

Autoshows Concepts Japan Lexus LF-Xh Videos

Video from the Lexus LF-Xh Debut at the Tokyo Moto...

Posted by krew on October 31st, 2007

Courtesy of my favorite Japanese Lexus blog, The Lexus Times, comes video from the Tokyo Motor Show debut of the LF-Xh: I think all that remains is to remove the wheels and set this thing up with some sort of anti-gravity propulsion.

Autoshows Concepts Hybrids Japan Lexus LF-Xh Photos

Flickr Find: The Extraterrestrial Lexus LF-Xh

Posted by krew on October 30th, 2007

Doesn’t this photo from the Lexus LF-Xh debut in Tokyo, taken by Flickr user elmar.carabanes, make the concept look like a UFO? I’m really struck by how futuristic the frontend is, imagining it on a production model boggles my mind. I could almost picture it on a spaceship.

1st Generation Japan Lexus IS-F Reviews

Auto Express Drives the Lexus IS-F Around Fuji Spe...

Posted by krew on October 24th, 2007

Auto Express’ first drive of the IS-F is different than the other reviews today, in that they travelled to Japan to try the IS-F out on the Fuji Speedway, the track that inspired the F-Performance name. However, the end result was very similar to the Edmunds review, with a key difference — Auto Express was …

Tokyo Motor Show: Lexus LF-Xh Concept Debuts

Posted by krew on October 24th, 2007

The Lexus LF-Xh concept made its Tokyo Motor Show debut today, and while no additional information was released, both Autoblog and The Winding Road have posted up galleries from the unveiling. Also of interest is this video from Japanese car site Carview, which shows the extent of Toyota’s offerings, including an all-too-short clip of the …

Japan Manufacturing

The Statistics behind Lexus’ Pursuit of Perfection

Posted by krew on October 22nd, 2007

It’s an oft-stated fact that the detail that Lexus puts into the manufacturing of their cars is almost ridiculous, but there are a number of statistics from a recently published Just Auto article that bear repeating: Of the 19 hours it takes to build a Lexus, 11 of them are spent in the paint shop. …

New Wald Lexus IS Body Kit Photos

Posted by krew on October 19th, 2007

Wald International has updated its website with Lexus IS Body Kit photos, and they’re surely a sight for sore eyes. When it debuted in August, the only official photos featured the car wet, of all things, and were certainly not up to their usual quality. As well, they hightlighted a number of unflattering characteristics, particularly …

Lexus Japan’s IS-F Special Site

Posted by krew on October 10th, 2007

Watching the revving Flash loader of the Japanese IS-F “Special Site”, I thought I was about to see a varation of the US version, but that wasn’t the case at all. Instead, I was treated to something really special, in what could only be described as a bad soap opera, right down to the camera …

Tokyo Motor Show: The Lexus LF-Xh Concept

Posted by krew on October 10th, 2007

In preparation for the Tokyo Motor Show, Lexus has announced their latest concept, the LF-Xh, though I think it’s safe to call it by its real name, the 2009 RX. The exterior design is pure L-Finesse as applied to the RX. The front-end is a touch too stubby, and there’s a bunch of the standard …

The Lexus IS-F Price Guessing Game

Posted by krew on October 9th, 2007

Now that the performance figures of the IS-F have been released, there remains only one significant mystery surrounding the car: How much will it cost in the US? One way to figure it out is to take the Japanese price and go backwards, but a straight-up conversion of the ¥7.66 million retail in US dollars …

Japanese Lexus LS 600h/L Commercial: Blue Lines

Posted by krew on September 17th, 2007

In the same vein as the LS 600h/L advert posted earlier this month (and which turned out to be part of Lexus’ new UK hybrid marketing campaign), this Japanese commercial also features a practically invisible LS hybrid, though this time it’s a case of speed: Wonderfully done, I was very impressed by it.

1st Generation Advertising Commercials Hybrids Japan Lexus LS Hybrid Videos

Lexus LS 600h Commercial: Hybrid Drive

Posted by krew on September 3rd, 2007

The Lexus 600h is available only in Japan and Europe, which might explain why this commercial hasn’t made it to North American shores: It’s funny, because the invisible digital effect featured here reminds me of the car option I’m looking most forward to: the portable force field. Sure, there’s deeper, more important applications for the …

Wald International Releases Lexus IS 250/350/220d Body Kit

Posted by krew on August 23rd, 2007

Wald International has just released their IS 250/350/220d body kit, and it’s a marked improvement over the photoshop mockups: The sports fender ducts are still in development, and will hopefully stay that way. As it stands, the kit consists of a front spoiler, side step, a rear skirt and a trunk lid spoiler. The front …

Another Wild (but Formal) Japanese Commercial for the L...

Posted by krew on August 11th, 2007

It would be remiss of me not to post this second lion-man Lexus RX 300/Harrier commercial, considering how floored I was by the first one: This one is even better than the first, as we get to see lion-man lounging by the pool, reading a report, while his beauty swims in the pool. I’m so …

Wild (but Formal) Japanese Commercial for the RX 300/Ha...

Posted by krew on August 7th, 2007

I’m unsure exactly how this commercial would have been pitched, “You see, there’s this lion-man, ok, and he rescues this damsel in distress, all while driving a Harrier! Wild but Formal!”: Seriously, a lion-man? (Thought it was very cool to see a body kit advert at the end of the commercial, though.)

2nd Generation Concepts Japan Lexus RX

Mitsuoka Orochi, The Japanese Mutant Supercar

Posted by krew on August 3rd, 2007

At first glace, the Mitsuoka Orochi may seem like the Japanese answer to Ferrari, but there’s an unflattering surprise under the hood, the car is powered by a Lexus 3.3-litre V6 engine. With only 231bhp and 327Nm of torque, it’s a powerplant that has no business being in a car with such wild style. This …

Japan Lexus LFA Videos

Lexus LF-A Promo Video?

Posted by krew on July 19th, 2007

I’m unable to say for sure, but this three-minute video clip of the Lexus LF-A has a very authentic air to it: It’s similar in look to the video shown during the LF-A unveiling at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show, and could very well be direct from the source. Still, there’s enough of a rough …

In the News Japan Manufacturing

Earthquake Halts Lexus Production

Posted by krew on July 18th, 2007

Due to earthquake damage to a major parts supplier, Toyota has suspended all production for the remainder of the week. Riken Corp, a key supplier of Toyota transmission and engine parts, is located near the epicenter of Monday’s 6.8 magnitude quake, and as such sustained damage to their operations. The halt in production isn’t expected …

TOM’S LS460 Body Kit & Modifications

Posted by krew on July 16th, 2007

I spent some time today on TOM’S, Toyota’s authorized tuning shop, taking a look at their various Lexus body kits and modifications. Their new tuned LS 460 is a beauty, matching the exteriors of the Fabulous and Wald offerings in subtlety, but also adding an extensive range of very real performance modifications. Here’s a list …

Dealerships Japan

Lexus Face?

Posted by krew on July 14th, 2007

Barry Brownstein, professor of economics and leadership at the University of Baltimore, has served up some criticism of Lexus Japan’s new sales techniques: A “Lexus Face” [a peaceful Ogasawara-style closed mouth smile said to put customers at ease] put on the face of a Lexus employee will fool nobody if either the employee does not …

SC400/Soarer Commercial from Japan

Posted by krew on July 12th, 2007

All in all, this Japanese SC400/Soarer is so dull it almost doesn’t bear mentioning, save for a tagline that could stand as one of the greatest ever: Seriously, “Mind Cruising” is something that could only come from the Land of the Rising Sun.

Dealerships Japan

Samurai Warriors = Japanese Lexus Dealers?

Posted by krew on July 9th, 2007

From the very start, Lexus strived to elevate their buying experience and customer service above their competitors, it was a defining characteristic, and a very strong reason for their success in the North American market. However, introducing the Lexus brand in their home country has so far been a bitter disappointment. In order to wow …

Fabulous Body Kit for the Lexus LS 460

Posted by krew on July 7th, 2007

My favorite part about the body kits put out for the Lexus LS 460 is how absolutely subtle they are — first was the Wald International’s offering, and now we have the full gear from Fabulous: The changes are so minute, the only part of the kit that’s immediately obvious is the mini-wing on the …

Wald International Developing New IS 250/350 Body Kit

Posted by krew on June 8th, 2007

Wald International has been busy this week, releasing a new LS 460 body kit and now this, some behind-the scenes photos of the new IS 250/350 Sports Line body kit development: Interesting to see the process behind the making of one of these kits, I especially like all the tape protecting the IS paintjob. To …

Wald International Body Kit for the LS 460

Posted by krew on June 6th, 2007

Wald International, a Japanese tuning company, has been one of the premier body kit & modification developers for Lexus since the LS 400. The new LS 460 is their latest subject, which they treated with a very distinctive reverence: Save for the rims, the USF40 Executive Line body kit is nothing overly flashy, and is …

LS600h & LS600hL Hybrid Sedans Released in Japan

Posted by krew on May 31st, 2007

Lexus has released their ultra-mega hybrid LS600h & LS600hL sedans in Japan, and The Winding Road was good enough to share some photos and a host of exceptional numbers: The Japanese cost of the base model LS600h is ¥9.7 million, or $80,000USD, with the extended wheelbase LS600hL retailing for up to ¥15.1 million, or $125,000USD. …

Dreaming of an IS Coupe & Convertible

Posted by krew on May 30th, 2007

From Japan’s car magazine Car Top comes a digital rendition of a Lexus IS Coupe & Convertible: Keep in mind this is only a photochop and has no real basis in reality, though this car has been hinted at since 2005. Really, it’s more a question of when we’ll be seeing these cars, because the …

Japan – Page 12

Follow Lexus News