Fifth Gear Reviews the Lexus CT 200h

UK TV show Fifth Gear included a short review of the Lexus CT 200h in their latest episode -- too bad the review is dominated by a thoroughly cranky Tiff Needel.
Kevin · May 23rd, 2011

Looking Back at the Lexus LF-Xh Concept

Thought it would be interesting to go back and take a look at the Lexus LF-Xh, the concept crossover that led to the current RX -- here's a great video of it (though I recommend turning down the sound, it's a bit blown out).
Kevin · May 16th, 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 Places Tenth in Global Automotive Brand Study

The 2011 edition of the Brandz annual ranking of the world’s most valuable brands has been released, and Lexus has once again cracked the top ten in the Automotive category after missing from the list in 2010. The global study relies on data collected by more than 1 million consumer interviews, and has pegged Lexus’ …

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Kevin · May 10th, 2011

Car Advice Reviews the Lexus CT 200h F-Sport

Car Advice is the second Australian website to turn in a review of the Lexus CT 200h F-Sport, and it’s a much more in-depth article than the first. The review points to the exterior design, big trunk space and fuel economy as the top positives, though they were decidedly less enthused about the navigation display …

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Kevin · May 10th, 2011

Lexus Video Tribute to LX 570 Racer Joe Bacal

Lexus released a wonderful tribute to off-road racer Joe Bacal, who endured through Hodgkin’s Lymphoma on his way to winning the SCORE Off-Road Championship and the Baja 1000 in the Stock Full class behind the wheel of an Lexus LX 570: A truly amazing story, and an inspiration to us all — you can follow …

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Kevin · May 10th, 2011

Lexus IS Sportcross & Lexus CT 200h Together

Here’s the unique sight of a Lexus CT 200h together with a first-generation IS Sportcross, as taken by automotive author Basem Wasef: Even though the IS Sportcross was released before Lexus’ L-Finesse design language, you can still see a ton of similarities between the models, particularly in the rear. Great photo! [Source: Basem Wasef]
Kevin · May 10th, 2011

A Look at the Technology Used to Create Lexus CT 3D Display in Hollywood

Two weeks back, Lexus created a stunning CT 200h promotion using 3D projection technology and the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel as the backdrop, and now thanks to Media Life magazine, we can find out exactly how difficult this event was to pull off: It took several months to get the stunt ready. Pearl [Media, the company …

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Kevin · May 9th, 2011

Upcoming: Lexus Hybrid Art Exhibition in Moscow

Later this month, Lexus Europe will be holding their second annual Hybrid Art Exhibition in Moscow to “showcase the work of artists who create Lexus’ vision of tomorrow”. Featuring the works of artists like Scott Pagano, Studio WOW & Masato Tsutsui, the event takes place at the Red October Chocolate Factory from May 19-22. Get …

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Kevin · May 8th, 2011

Scott Pruett Shifts Gears to Winemaking

Although we primarily know him as a successful race car driver and the go-to pilot of the Lexus LFA, Scott Pruett (with the help of his wife, Judy) has also branched out to winemaking with his Pruett Vineyard label. Circling this back to our favorite car brand, Scott was one of the featured winemakers at …

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Kevin · May 8th, 2011

Lexus IS F to Race in Superstars Series This Weekend

When the second round of the Superstars Series Touring Car Championship kicks off this weekend with a race at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia, Spain, Lexus fans will have a new team to cheer for — Diego Romanini & MN Motorsport have entered the race with a IS F, where it will be the …

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Kevin · May 6th, 2011

Helicopter Chase Scene with Lexus IS F

What do you get when you combine “a gorgeous girl, an arrogant rich boyfriend, a helicopter chase, and a Wald Lexus IS-F with custom forged 3-piece wheels and custom exhaust”? This short film by In Sixth Gear: Laughed out loud at the little hand flip there at the end — brilliantly done. (Thanks Franklin!)
Kevin · May 5th, 2011

TTAC Reviews the 2011 Lexus IS 350 AWD

The Truth About Cars reviewed the Lexus IS 350 AWD a couple months back, and found a lot to like about the new all-wheel drive system, which they found suited the the drivetrain and chassis quite well. On the negative side, the usual complaints surface: super-small back seats, average fuel economy, and the fact that …

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Kevin · May 5th, 2011

Lexus Europe First Quarter 2011 Sales Report

Lexus Europe have reported their 2011 first quarter sales — here it is, broken down (mostly) by model: Model Sales CT 2,199 IS 1,514 GS (including GS Hybrid) 257 GS Hybrid 143 LS (including LS Hybrid) 135 LS Hybrid 69 RX (including RX Hybrid) 3,758 RX Hybrid 2,451 Other models 1,695 Total 1st Quarter Sales …

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Kevin · May 5th, 2011

Two Kids Discussing the Lexus LFA

After seeing the little boy giggling about the Lexus LFA’s exhaust sound in the recently featured Goodwood video, it brought to mind this funny clip of two kids talking about the Lexus supercar at the Toronto Auto Show: Kid 1: “This is awesome, but it’s not turbo.” Kid 2: “This is awesome!” Kid 1: “It’s …

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Kevin · May 4th, 2011

The Motor Report Reviews the Lexus CT 200h F-Sport

Australian website The Motor Report has published what I believe is the first english-language review of the Lexus CT 200h F-Sport package. Outside of some exterior design tweaks, the CT F-Sport is equipped with a firmer suspension — too bad the review glosses over this fact, only mentioning that might be too stiff for Australian …

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Kevin · May 4th, 2011

Lexus LFA Hot Lap @ Grand Prix of Long Beach

Check out the wild point-of-view in this Lexus LFA lap at the Long Beach Grand Prix: I’m really digging that white lightning bolt wrap — it’s a perfect reminder of the LFA Nürburgring paint jobs. (Thanks Jim!)
Kevin · May 3rd, 2011

First British Lexus LFA Debuts at Goodwood

Lexus UK debuted the #016 LFA this weekend at the Goodwood Breakfast Club — here’s video from the event: Great reaction from the crowd — and what a beautiful color combination. Looking forward to seeing it more & more over the coming months (I’ve been told some track time is next on the list, and …

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Kevin · May 3rd, 2011

Lexus IS F-Sport Featured on Two Guys Garage

For those with The Speed Channel, Two Guys Garage will be installing a selection of F-Sport parts on a Lexus IS 250 tomorrow — should be interesting to anyone curious about the modifying their Lexus using OEM parts. Showtimes may vary, please check the Speed Channel website for further details. Check the Speed Channel Schedule
Kevin · May 3rd, 2011

Lexus April 2011 Sales Report

USA Lexus reported total sales of 17,576 units, a 7.8% drop from last April — here are the model-by-model stats: MONTH Year to Date (*DSR) 2011 2010 % CHG* 2011 2010 % CHG* ES 3,493 4,396 -23.5 12,038 13,528 -12.8 CT 875 0 N/A 3,074 0 N/A HS 279 1,076 -75.0 978 4,529 -78.8 LS …

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Kevin · May 3rd, 2011

Imagining a Next-Generation Lexus GS F

Straight from the comment thread of Theophilus Chin’s next-generation Lexus GS photochops, TLE reader sndesign shared his own mockup based on the LF-Gh concept: Considering the LF-Gh grille shares its mesh pattern with the IS F, I’ve always considered the concept a blend of both the “standard” production model and a potential GS F — …

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Kevin · May 3rd, 2011

The Lexus LF-Gh Launch Event, Revisited

Lexus has released a short video from the LF-Gh launch event in NYC, which includes a smart interview with Marketing National Manager Brian Bolain: One thing that’s been emphasized from all Lexus executives is how the LF-Gh is not just a preview of the next-gen GS, but an indicator of where the Lexus design will …

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Kevin · May 2nd, 2011

Brian Fox Talks about His Supercharged Lexus CT

Here’s a short Lexus Magazine video featuring Brian Fox (of Fox Marketing) talking about his custom Lexus CT 200h on display at the NY Auto Show: I was there when this video was put together, and at one point, the super-tall Mr. Fox was sitting in the CT with his head sticking out the sunroof …

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Kevin · May 2nd, 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 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

Automobile Magazine Comparison: Lexus LX 570 vs. Infiniti QX56

Automobile Magazine recently compared the Lexus LX 570 against the Infiniti QX56 and found the QX56 to be the superior Japanese SUV based on handling, price & a drag race (?!?) — my own priorities when buying a full-size SUV would be much different (comfort, interior quality, exterior design). (This entire comparison must have been …

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Kevin · April 28th, 2011

Autoblog Reviews the Lexus CT 200h

Autoblog has published a review of the 2011 Lexus CT 200h that’s a well-balanced read for anyone newly interested in purchasing the latest Lexus hybrid. As usual, a thorough photo gallery is also included that shows off the CT the best possible light (loving the Matador Red Mica). Read the Full Review
Kevin · April 28th, 2011

Wald International Lexus LX 570 Black Bison Edition

While on the topic of Wald International body kits, the Japanese tuner has released a Sports Line Black Bison package for the Lexus LX 570 — here’s the full gallery: Have to give Wald some credit for coming up with a style and sticking with it, but this gives the ASI Invader some competition as …

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Kevin · April 28th, 2011

Matte Black Lexus IS F From Russia

This video of a matte black Lexus IS-F from Russia is a must-watch, if only for the video quality (though I do recommend turning the sound off if you’re watching at work or easily offended): Although I’ve never been a huge fan of the Wald Black Bison kit, the look is toned down considerably by …

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Kevin · April 27th, 2011

Old Lexus ES 250 Commercial Starring…The Stig?

Stumbled on this old first-generation Lexus ES 250 commercial, or as announcer James Sloyan describes it, “the luxury sedan of sports sedans”: For all his rumored talents, I never would have expected The Stig to be driving ES 250s for Lexus before appearing on Top Gear.
Kevin · April 27th, 2011

Lexus Unlikely to Remain #1 in U.S. Luxury Sales

Mark Templin, general manager of Lexus USA, has told the Automotive News that due to earthquake-related vehicle shortages, he does not expect Lexus to retain its position as the #1 luxury car manufacturer in the USA for an eleventh year: Lexus dealers will begin to feel shortages of cars this week, and definitely in May, …

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Kevin · April 26th, 2011

Lexus CT 3D Projection Video (Plus a Chance to Win a CT 200h!)

Last Friday, Lexus staged a 3D projection display on the side of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel — here’s how it looked (in full HD): Jimmy Kimmel Live! was also on location, and the 3D CT made an appearance on the show. Update: The JKL video has been removed. These 3D projections are so amazing, and …

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Kevin · April 26th, 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

Lexus Global Design Manager Discusses the Lexus LF-Gh

Automobile Magazine has some great quotes about the LF-Gh from Simon Humphries, General Manager of Lexus (& Toyota) Global Design — here’s a sampling: On the general design theme: “The LF-Gh was designed in [our Lexus studio in Japan]. The current state of the auto market is that everything is becoming complex and overstyled. With …

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Kevin · April 25th, 2011

Lexus LF-Gh Desktop Wallpaper: Set to Attack

Out of the few hundred photos I took of the Lexus LF-Gh last week, this photo closeup of the grille & headlight was one of my favorites — so I made it into a desktop to share: Select Resolution: 1920×1080 | 1680×1050 | 1440×900 | 1280×1024 | 1280×800 | 1024×768 Pretty mean looking — it …

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Kevin · April 24th, 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 CT 3D Projection in Hollywood Tonight

As a way to celebrate Earth Day & promote the CT 200h at the same time, Lexus will be holding a special 3D projection mapping display tonight (Friday April 22) at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood. 3D projection mapping is created using multiple projectors that are able to display a three-dimensional video without needing special …

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Kevin · April 22nd, 2011

NY Autoshow: Supercharged Lexus CT by Fox Marketing

From the candy-apple-gold-green color and the wild fender flares right down to the personality behind the build, the supercharged Lexus CT 200h by Fox Marketing featured at the New York Auto Show was packed with character — check out these photos: Brian Fox, the man behind Fox Marketing, is a straight-up wildman, and you can …

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Kevin · April 21st, 2011

Lexus Photos from the New York Autoshow

The NY Auto Show started early this morning, and center stage at the Lexus display was the LF-Gh & Brian Fox’s CT design project — here’s a few photos from today: More to follow!
Kevin · April 20th, 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 LF-Gh Caravan Photos

As part of the build up to the official reveal of the LF-Gh concept tonight, Lexus brought out four wrapped vehicles that illustrate the process behind creating a new vehicle — here they are: This is a really cool idea — it goes from the pencil sketch of the initial designer to a more stylized …

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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 CT Race Challenge Videos

A couple weeks ago during the Australian Grand Prix festivities, there was a celebrity race using only Lexus CT 200hs — and now today we can watch the two fifteen minute races in full: Even with everyone driving the exact same car, I found the whole thing surprisingly entertaining — though I have to admit, …

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Kevin · April 17th, 2011

Lexus LFA Official Pace Car of the Grand Prix Long Beach

The Lexus LFA will be the official pace car this weekend at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, and it’s been done up in a white & black wrap that looks straight from the Gazoo Racing Nürburgring LFAs. Scott Pruett will be the man behind the wheel — it’s bound to be a fun …

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Kevin · April 15th, 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 LFA Driver Development Program Video

Have to admit, it feels a little surreal linking to this Lexus-produced video of me attending the LFA Driver Development program — feels like I’ve broken the fourth wall: What a day this was — the first comment on the Youtube video page pretty much sums up how I feel. Have to thank everyone that …

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Kevin · April 14th, 2011

A Lexus LFA Joy Ride with Inside Line

I was trying to wait until Inside Line concluded their Lexus LFA coverage this week before posting about their adventures, but there’s just been so many it’s been hard to keep track! The first thing I’ll link to is this video of their run up the Glendora Mountain Road in California — what a fantastic …

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Kevin · April 14th, 2011

Lexus CT Remix Music Project (Plus USB Stick Giveaway!)

I thought this was pretty cool — Lexus has announced the CT Remix Project, which takes the songs from the four CT 200h launch commercials (link 1, link 2, link 3, link 4) and has them remixed by top DJs and producers. Here’s the artists involved (taken from the press release): At the foundation of …

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Kevin · April 13th, 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