Lexus Concept Car Coming to Gran Turismo 6?

As part of the Vision Gran Turismo festival celebrating the 15th anniversary of the Gran Turismo video game, Lexus designers will be creating a two-door grand-touring concept car — here’s an advanced preview (click for a larger version): With the exception of the LFA-style hood vents, this image is identical to the LF-LC concept — …
Kevin · December 23rd, 2013

Video: Lexus GX 460 Tows a MIG-31 Fighter Jet

It might not be the space shuttle, but here’s a Lexus GX 460 towing a 24-ton MIG-31 fighter jet (be sure to turn down the sound): Have a great pre-Holiday weekend, everyone!
Kevin · December 20th, 2013

Lexus Releases Second Teaser Image of F Performance Model

Lexus has released another teaser image of the F performance model set to debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January — here the photo in high-resolution (click for the larger image): Believed to be a high-performance version of the RC that was unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in November, this photo shows a …
Kevin · December 19th, 2013

Lexus ES 300h Named Best Luxury Value by Consumer Reports

The Lexus ES 300h has been named the top luxury car value in the Consumer Reports annual Best & Worst New Cars. Consumer Reports judges vehicles on a combination of reliability, resale value, fuel economy and driving performance — the ES 350, RX 450h, & RX 350 also ranked high in the list. Read more …
Kevin · December 19th, 2013

Introducing LEXUS: THE LINE Magazine

If you’ve been a reader of Lexus Enthusiast for a while, you may recall I spent the first few months of 2013 at Team One, Lexus USA’s advertising agency, working as a consultant on a secret project. Seven months later, here are full details — I helped to identify the stories used in The Line, …
Kevin · December 18th, 2013

Lexus Places First in J.D. Power Asia Pacific 2013 China Initial Quality Study

Lexus has tied Mercedes Benz in the J.D. Power Asia Pacific 2013 China Initial Quality Study, with each brand recording only 52 problems per 100 vehicles sold. The industry in China averages 119 problems per 100 vehicles. The study looks at problems experienced by new vehicle owners in the six months of ownership, dividing those …
Kevin · December 17th, 2013

Lexus IS in Atomic Silver Wins Japanese Color Award

The Atomic Silver/Sonic Titanium exterior color & Topaz Brown interior color offered on the Lexus IS has won the 2014 Auto Color award from the Japan Fashion Color Association, which may be the strangest award the sedan will win this year. (In all seriousness, the Atomic Silver/Sonic Titanium exterior color is a great addition to …
Kevin · December 17th, 2013

Photo Gallery: Lexus IS F in Matte Gray

The folks at Spinelli Lexus in Quebec sent in some photos of a matte gray IS F — they must know I’m a sucker for this color: The signature IS F elements (like the giant fender vents and massive hood) have aged well over the years — going to be interesting to see how the …
Kevin · December 16th, 2013

The Telegraph Reviews the Lexus GS 300h

Andrew English of The Telegraph has reviewed the Lexus GS 300h, and believes the 2.5L hybrid sedan compares favorably with its competition: This latest GS might not be as sporty or exciting as Lexus suggests, but it’s not bad and is at least on a par with its occasionally quite raucous 2.0-litre diesel German rivals. …
Kevin · December 15th, 2013

Lexus RC F, Illustrated

Building off the teaser photo released this week, Leftlane News has created an illustration of what the new Lexus RC F might look like — here it is in higher resolution: It’s certainly a valiant attempt, though I have to think the RC F will retain the standard RC’s 3-L headlights and separated daytime running …
Kevin · December 13th, 2013

Photo Gallery: Lexus RC in Detail

The Lexus International Facebook page posted a nice photo gallery showing the details of the RC coupe: This is nicely put together — there’s so many great individual elements to the RC design, and this gallery showcases them all. [Source: Lexus International FB Page]
Kevin · December 13th, 2013

Interview with Lexus International President Kiyotaka Ise

While at the Tokyo Motor Show last month, I had a chance to interview Kiyotaka Ise, the president of Lexus International. The following is a transcript of our conversation, by way of a Japanese translator. Lexus Enthusiast: It must have been daunting to transform the Lexus brand over such a short period of time, how …
Kevin · December 12th, 2013

Imagining a Lexus RC Convertible, Part Two

We’ve already seen one attempt at rendering the possible Lexus RC convertible, and now photochopper X-Tomi has given it a shot with the above image. (Will the next Lexus convertible be a hard or soft top? Have to think it would be a hard top — the IS-C roof was expertly done, and I believe …
Kevin · December 12th, 2013

Video: Lexus GS F SPORT vs. the Queen’s Guard

To demonstrate the capabilities of the GS 350 F SPORT, Lexus Puerto Rico imported two Queen’s Guards from England and put them into the sedan with a race car driver: While very similar to the fantastic video from Lexus Italia last year, it’s still a very effective (and hilarious) campaign.
Kevin · December 11th, 2013

Video: Justin Bell Drives the Lexus LFA

In the latest episode of The One, Motor Trend presenter Justin Bell hits the track in a Lexus LFA borrowed from the Toyota Museum in Torrance, California: Haven’t been a fan of this show in the past, but I love seeing that red LFA out on the track — worth it for the visuals.
Kevin · December 11th, 2013

Lexus: No Plans to Release Sub-$30k Models

Lexus will not be heading downmarket to compete with its German competitors, says Lexus USA general manager Jeff Bracken in an interview with Automotive News: “We will not head down below $30,000,” said Bracken in an interview here. “We have Toyota and Scion to handle that price level for us.” Bracken acknowledges the CLA and …
Kevin · December 10th, 2013

Camouflaged Lexus NX Prototype Spotted in Japan

A Lexus NX prototype has been spotted by Japanese magazine Mag-X in some pretty wild camouflage — here are the two photos: The vehicle has been expertly disguised, with only the front spindle grille giving away that fact the model is a Lexus at all — makes me wonder, wouldn’t this amount of camouflage affect …
Kevin · December 10th, 2013

Autocar Reviews the 2014 Lexus GS 300h

The European press have started driving the all-new Lexus GS 300h, and finding it a compelling alternative to its German competitors — here’s the first review from Autocar: Until now, Lexus’s E-segment saloon had been without a [Benefit in Kind]-friendly car capable of competing with the ultra efficient diesel-engined offerings of the Big Three at …
Kevin · December 10th, 2013

Interview with Lexus RC Chief Engineer Junichi Furuyama

While at the Tokyo Motor Show last month, I had a chance to interview Junichi Furuyama, the chief engineer of the new Lexus RC coupe. The following is a transcript of our conversation, by way of a Japanese translator. Kevin: First question — were the Lexus IS & RC in development at the same time? …
Kevin · December 9th, 2013

Lexus Announces RC F to Debut at Detroit Auto Show

Lexus today confirmed that the F performance model will be making its debut at the Detroit Autoshow in January — here’s the full high-resolution teaser image: Not much can been seen in the photo other than the Michelin Pilot Super Sports and the large fender side vent, but this is clearly a F version of …
Kevin · December 9th, 2013

Lexus IS F Racing Team Finishes Fourth Overall in 25 Hours of Thunderhill

Earlier today, the Lexus IS F CCS-R team of Jeff Westphal, Tom Dyer & Ken Dobson finished 4th overall in the 25 Hours of Thunderhill endurance race. Only a late-night axle replacement kept them off the podium — the team completed 659 laps, finishing just 3 laps behind the third place GMG Motorsports Audi R8. …
Kevin · December 8th, 2013

Live: Lexus IS F CCS-R Racing in 25 Hours of Thunderhill

The Lexus IS F CCS-R will be racing in the 25 Hours of Thunderhill this weekend in California — drivers Jeff Westphal, Ken Dobson & Tom Dyer are competing in the ES class of the longest endurance race in North America, which runs Saturday morning to Sunday morning. With the help of my friend Paul …
Kevin · December 7th, 2013

Two Lexus LFA Convertibles Spotted in Japan

At the Odaiba Motor Festival celebrating the Tokyo Motor Show last month, Toyota President Akio Toyoda brought out two Lexus LFA Spyders — here they are, briefly: (The white LFA Spyder I can only assume is the same one Jay Leno drove earlier this year, but the yellow Spyder is completely new to me.)
Kevin · December 6th, 2013

First Impressions of the Lexus LF-NX Turbo Concept

After staring at photos for months, I finally had a chance to see the Lexus LF-NX concept at the Tokyo Motor Show. Before seeing the LF-NX in person, I had no idea how Lexus was going to transform it into a production model — the concept appeared architectural, more structure than automobile, like a solid …
Kevin · December 5th, 2013

Photo Gallery: 2014 Lexus CT F SPORT with Redline Exterior

On display at the San Francisco Auto Show was this 2014 Lexus CT 200h F SPORT in the brand new Redline exterior color — here are some photos from Kaizen Factor: This new Redline color looks much brighter than Matador Red Mica, it almost looks like the same tone as the red offered on the …
Kevin · December 5th, 2013

Production Lexus NX Compact Crossover to Debut at the Geneva Motor Show?

Auto Express is reporting that the production version of the Lexus LF-NX concept will debut at the Geneva Motor Show next March: Previewed by the striking LF-NX concept, first shown at the Frankfurt show in September, the compact SUV will retain the concept’s stand-out styling, according to Lexus’ European director Paul Van der Burgh. “What …
Kevin · December 4th, 2013

Lexus November 2013 Sales Report

USA Lexus USA has reported 25,611 total sales for November 2013, a 8.4% improvement over last year — here’s the model-by-model breakdown: MONTH Year to Date (*DSR) 2013 2012 % CHG* 2013 2012 % CHG* CT 1,002 1,264 -23.8 13,284 16,075 -17.7 HS 0 3 -100.0 5 647 -99.2 IS 3,973 1,988 92.2 29,603 25,211 …
Kevin · December 3rd, 2013

Lexus NXB Mountain Bike Concept Displayed at Tokyo Motor Show

Debuting alongside the Lexus LF-NX Turbo concept at the Tokyo Motor Show was the Neo eXtreme Bike Concept, a mountain bike produced using the same carbon fiber loom that weaved the LFA — here are some photos: Beyond the frame, the NXB concept features XeNTiS Kappa2 CC carbon fiber aero wheels with a custom Spindle …
Kevin · December 3rd, 2013

Lexus Set to Break Global Sales Record This Year

Lexus is on track to sell over 520,000 vehicles worldwide this year, which will break their all-time global sales record set in 2007 — from Automotive News: Mark Templin, executive vice president of Lexus International, today said worldwide sales would “finish on the north side of 520,000,” edging Lexus’ all-time high of 518,300 units in …
Kevin · December 2nd, 2013

Lexus December to Remember 2013 Commercials

As we enter the holiday season, Lexus USA has launched their annual December to Remember Sales Event, along with the inevitable “Red Bow” commercials — here’s the full collection: All in all, it’s a fairly harmless round of commercials — the only thing I really noticed is how great the updated GX looks in white. …
Kevin · December 2nd, 2013

Lexus RC Convertible in the Works?

According to a Motoring Australia interview with Lexus RC chief engineer Junichi Furyama, the new coupe has a potential future as a convertible: However, while willing to reveal the rear-wheel drive two-door coupe boasted underbody bracing that would aid development of a replacement for the outdated IS 250C, Furyama was not prepared to confirm that …
Kevin · November 29th, 2013

Videos: Up Close with the Lexus RC & LF-NX

During the Tokyo Motor Show last week, Lexus asked their Twitter followers to submit ideas for videos from the show floor — 20 videos were created over the course of a single day, including my request for a detailed look at the RC’s headlights: The full collection of videos can be seen on the Lexus …
Kevin · November 28th, 2013

Photo: Lexus LFA, Toyota 2000GT & Toyota Supra All Together

Here’s something you don’t see every day — the Lexus LFA, Toyota Supra & Toyota 2000GT all together all in red. These three Toyota performance icons belong to Javier Quirós, the president of Purdy Motor (the Toyota distributor in Costa Rica) and a previous Gazoo Racing LFA team driver — here’s the photo in desktop …
Kevin · November 27th, 2013

Video Collection: The Lexus RC at the Tokyo Motor Show

There are plenty of Lexus RC videos floating around on Youtube — let’s start with this 360° view of the new coupe: This Autoguide video of the RC is worth watching for the visuals, but the presenter’s over-the-top descriptors are a little much (he also makes a factual error, the RC is not a production …
Kevin · November 26th, 2013

Video: Introducing the Lexus RTI Touchpad Controller

The next-generation Lexus infotainment controller, the Remote Touch Interface touchpad, debuted last week in the RC coupe at the Tokyo Motor Show — while there’s little detail on how the system works, Lexus did release a quick video demonstration: Perhaps the most interesting thing about this new touchpad is the haptic feedback, which should make …
Kevin · November 26th, 2013

Lexus to Introduce Full Range of Turbocharged Engines?

Motoring Australia has some details on the future of turbo engines in the Lexus lineup: Little technical information was released in Tokyo and no outputs confirmed, however Lexus group manger engine product design Teru Ogawa told motoring.com.au that a family of engines was being developed. Asked what capacities would be offered, he said “both larger …
Kevin · November 25th, 2013

Lexus IS F CCS-R to Participate in 25 Hours of Thunderhill Endurance Race

Lexus USA has announced an official IS F CCS-R team will be participating in the 25 Hours of Thunderhill, an annual endurance race at the Thunderhill Raceway Park in Willows, California. Lexus released details on the three-driver team: Jeff Westphal: Leader of the Lexus team at Thunderhill.  Jeff is well-known for setting nearly a dozen …
Kevin · November 25th, 2013

Live Photos of the Updated 2014 Lexus CT 200h

Kicking Tires has a photo gallery of the updated 2014 Lexus CT 200h F SPORT from the LA Auto Show — here’s a selection: The update to the front grille brings the hatchback in line with the rest of model lineup, and seems to work well — that said, I do wonder if the F …
Kevin · November 24th, 2013

First Impressions of the Lexus RC

This week in Japan, Lexus debuted their new RC coupe — it was first revealed at a special event at Ryōgoku Kokugikan sumo stadium on Monday, and then it had its public debut at the Tokyo Motor Show. This is the brand’s first mass-production hardtop coupe since 2000, and marks the beginning of an exciting …
Kevin · November 22nd, 2013

Video: Introducing the 2014 Lexus CT 200h

Fresh from its debut in China, there’s a video with the newly updated 2014 Lexus CT 200h: (A quick note to anyone in the Los Angeles area — the 2014 CT will be on display at the LA Auto Show starting today.)
Kevin · November 21st, 2013

Lexus RC Official Photo Gallery

Along with the launch video, Lexus has released a new set of RC coupe photos — let’s divide it up into a couple different groups. Lexus RC in Silver Lexus RC in Red Lexus RC Interior Lexus RC Technical Images Looking through these photos, the car looks much better in person — more sculpted, much …
Kevin · November 20th, 2013

Video: Introducing the All-New Lexus RC Coupe

Lexus has released the launch video for the new RC coupe, and it’s a wild one: Related in style to the Lexus IS launch in January, this video is full of random, near-terrifying imagery — meteors crashing to earth, shrieking foxes, sparkling blood, there’s nothing off-limits. It’s so out of control that I found myself …
Kevin · November 20th, 2013

2014 Lexus RC Information

There’s going to be a lot of new information on the Lexus RC over the next few days — I’ll have a full live photo gallery and an interview with RC chief engineer Junichi Furuyama shortly — but let’s start with the press release and a collection of official photos.
Kevin · November 20th, 2013

Live Coverage: Lexus at the Tokyo Motor Show

The Lexus RC coupe will debut at the Tokyo Motor Show today, and I will be in the Big Sight convention center with live coverage throughout the day. The press conference will also be broadcast live starting at 6:30pm EST/3:30pm PST — here’s the video player: You can follow along with my live coverage in …
Kevin · November 19th, 2013

Lexus Named Top Luxury Brand in Kelley Blue Book 2014 Residual Value Awards

For the third year in a row, Lexus was named the top luxury brand in Kelley Blue Book’s 2014 Best Resale Value Awards. Along with the overall brand award, six Lexus vehicles also won Best Resale Value in their respective categories: Entry-Level Luxury: 2014 Lexus ES 350 High-End Luxury Car: 2014 Lexus LS 460 Hybrid/Alternative …
Kevin · November 19th, 2013

Lexus RC 500 F Trademark Registered in Canada

According to My.IS moderator k3vo, Lexus has filed for the RC500 F trademark in Canada due to a possible name conflict over RC F: …there was a Canadian trademark application that was previously filed November 3, 2010, by Weir-Jones Engineering Consultants Ltd. of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, for the mark “RCF” which covers products like …
Kevin · November 18th, 2013

Joe Bacal & Lexus LX Win Stock Full Class in 2013 Baja 1000 Off-Road Race

Joe Bacal’s JTGrey racing team have won the Stock Full class of the SCORE International Baja 1000 with their Lexus LX racer. This marks the third time in five years that JTGrey have won the 1,000 mile off-road race through Mexico’s Baja peninsula — the team finished the race in 29 hours and 21 minutes …
Kevin · November 18th, 2013

Lexus RC Debuts at Special Event in Tokyo

In a surprise move, Lexus unveiled the RC sports coupe at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan sumo stadium in Tokyo tonight. Getting proper photos in the party people atmosphere was difficult, so I decided instead to focus on details and leave the more extensive photo galleries until tomorrow’s official debut at the Motor Show: With a limited …
Kevin · November 18th, 2013

Live from the Fuji Speedway: F SPORT Day

The first stop on the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show tour is the Fuji Speedway, where I’ll have a chance to drive the LFA Nürburgring Edition, IS F CCS-R, and most curiously, an IS 350 F SPORT with Lexus Dynamic Handling (LDH) with Dynamic Rear Steering. I’ll be writing about the experience in detail later, but …
Kevin · November 17th, 2013

2013 Tokyo Motor Show Trip: A Visit to Japan

The Lexus RC will debut at the Tokyo Motor Show this week, and I’m here in Japan to bring you live coverage of the new coupe’s reveal. Along with the Motor Show, the week in Japan will be full of activities — among the highlights is to the Fuji Speedway to drive some unusual F …
Kevin · November 17th, 2013

Interview with Lexus LX Baja 1000 Racer Joe Bacal

This weekend, Joe Bacal & the JT Gray team will once again be racing the Baja 1000 with their Lexus LX racer — earlier this month, Lexus Enthusiast contributor Tim Esterdahl spoke with Joe about the LX was built for off-road racing. Lexus is known for its quality and nobody probably knows that better than …
Kevin · November 15th, 2013

Lexus Designer: “LF-NX is a Lightweight Fighter”

The second issue of Lexus’ BEYOND Magazine will soon be published, and the Lexus International website has a preview of the feature LF-NX story: “To use boxing terminology, the LF-NX is a lightweight fighter,” says designer Nobuyuki Tomatsu when asked to describe the latest Lexus concept car, unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. …
Kevin · November 15th, 2013

Video: Cruising Estonia in the Lexus IS 300h F SPORT

Time to take a little break and cruise Estonia in the Lexus IS 300h F SPORT: This video was produced by the Lexus Tallinn dealership in Estonia, and it’s extremely well done — the quality reminds me of a less intense Vossen video. (Thanks Taavi!)
Kevin · November 14th, 2013

Will Lexus Ever Build a Diesel SUV?

Will Lexus ever make a diesel SUV? According to a Drive Australia interview with Lexus International executive vice president Mark Templin, there is a remote possibility: Templin also reaffirmed the brand’s aversion to diesel engines, despite soaring sales of diesels in other luxury marques. “At Lexus we don’t have plans for diesel at the current …
Kevin · November 14th, 2013

Personalized Live Lexus Video from Tokyo Motor Show

As part of the RC 350 coupe reveal next week at the Tokyo Motor Show, Lexus is running a social media initiative through Twitter & Vine: On the 21st, send your tweet to Lexus via Twitter – using the Twitter hashtag #LexusInTokyo – with your request for an up-close view of the design details of …
Kevin · November 13th, 2013

More Lexus F High-Performance Models in the Works?

Lexus International executive vice president Mark Templin shared his first public comments on the upcoming RC coupe with Motoring Australia: “The car is great because it is wider than IS, it’s got the track width of GS, it’s shorter than IS. It’s got bits from both of those cars and it’s going to be a …
Kevin · November 13th, 2013

2014 Lexus IS Wins Popular Mechanics Automotive Excellence Award

Popular Mechanics have awarded the 2014 Lexus IS their Automotive Excellence Award in the Luxury category: Every Lexus parked on the showroom floor is stuffed with the comfort, craftsmanship, and refinement that have made the brand famous. The new IS overflows with these hallmark qualities, but what’s new here is that Lexus has infused the …
Kevin · November 12th, 2013

Motor Trend Comparison: Lexus GS 350 F SPORT vs. Cadillac CTS V SPORT

In this latest Motor Trend video, host Jonny Lieberman puts the Lexus GS 350 F SPORT against the Cadillac CTS V SPORT: With all of its performance upgrades and 100+ horsepower advantage, the CTS V SPORT was almost guaranteed to win this track-focused comparison. However, this didn’t stop Lieberman from being extremely positive about the …
Kevin · November 12th, 2013

Updated 2014 Lexus CT 200h to Debut at Guangzhou Motor Show in China

Lexus has announced that the 2014 CT 200h will debut at the 2013 Guangzhou Motor Show in China on November 21st — from the press release: This compact luxury hybrid receives a new Lexus “spindle grille,” one of several dynamic and sophisticated exterior styling changes implemented for 2014 model year. Other exterior changes include newly …
Kevin · November 11th, 2013

A Tour of the Lexus Design Center in Japan

Lexus Magazine has a new feature on the Lexus Design Center in the Aichi Prefecture of Japan, where designers conceive and develop future concepts and production models: In central Japan, there’s a glass-fronted building that blends in with its surrounding office structures. As one approaches, though, security gates are a tip-off that something intriguing may …
Kevin · November 11th, 2013

2.0L Turbo Powered Lexus CT on the Way?

In an interview with Motoring Australia, Lexus International executive vice president Mark Templin makes the case for a higher powered CT hatchback sometime in the future: “I think the CT got a reputation for its handling steering and suspension system. If we had had a second powertrain in that car, I think sure we would …
Kevin · November 11th, 2013

ZENT CERUMO Lexus SC 430 Wins Super GT Championship

As the Super GT season comes to a close with last week’s Round 8 race, the third place finish by the #38 ZENT CERUMO SC430 team of Kazuki Nakajima & James Rossiter secured enough points to win the season championship. This marks the end of the SC 430 era in the Super GT GT500 class …
Kevin · November 11th, 2013

Imagining the Lexus RC Convertible

Master photochopper Theophilus Chin has created a Lexus RC convertible based on Motor Trend’s photos: Unlike the previous generation IS, the shape of the RC lends itself to a convertible — a hard top convertible variant of the RC feels inevitable, and if these renderings are anywhere close to the final production model, it’s going …
Kevin · November 10th, 2013

More Photos of the 2014 Lexus CT 200h

The updated 2014 Lexus CT 200h has been spotted once again — Car Advice has the photos: The pure white license plate matches the spy photos seen last month, as does the white exterior and blacked-out roof — Car Advice speculates on when the new CT will debut: The 2014 facelift is tipped to be …
Kevin · November 8th, 2013