Automobile Magazine’s Four Seasons Review of the Lexus IS-F

Automobile Magazine has just published the results of their four-seasons road test of the 2009 Lexus IS-F, where it was well-received: Particularly in our test car’s livery of ultrasonic blue mica, the IS-F is far from the typical, shy, retiring Lexus. It’s an intense and, in places, highly successful attempt to vault into the demanding …
Kevin · August 10th, 2009

Lexus to Triple HS 250h Production

In order to keep up with the Japanese demand for the HS 250h, Lexus will be tripling production of the new hybrid. As reported by the Nikkei (by way of The Green Car Congress), even after producing 2,000 units in July, there are still 8,600 pre-orders for the hybrid sedan. This is seventeen times the …
Kevin · August 8th, 2009

2009 Lexus IS-F Review

As the story goes: the Lexus IS-F began as a secret project by Lexus chief designer Yukihiko Yaguchi, who wanted to build a Lexus that could rival Europe’s top sports sedans. Yaguchi, who also worked on the last Toyota Supra and the first generation LS 400, saw a unique opportunity to extend the Lexus brand …
Kevin · August 5th, 2009

2010 Lexus HS 250h Now on Lexus USA Website

The Lexus HS 250h is now on the Lexus USA website, which means plenty of information along with full option & package pricing. There are standard and premium variants, starting at $34,200 and $36,970 respectively. From there, it gets a little confusing: There is a $1,600 Touring package, with 18” wheels and a sport tuned …
Kevin · August 5th, 2009

Conan O’Brien Giving Away a Lexus HS 250h

Last night, Conan O’Brien announced a contest on The Tonight Show to give away a Lexus HS 250h, here he is to explain it: The contest runs until August 21st, 2009, and is only available to US residents. Visit the Tonight Show website for full details. (Thanks Stan!)
Kevin · August 4th, 2009

Edmunds Reviews the Lexus IS 350C F-Sport Accessories

Edmunds took a Lexus IS 350C and outfitted it with every F-Sport accessory available, all to determine which of the upgrades are really worth the money—here’s their verdict: If you’re looking to spend good money on a modified IS convertible, look no further than the $2,346 wheel/tire upgrade and add it to the $1,588 for …
Kevin · August 4th, 2009

Lexus Hatchback Rendering by Auto Express

Using the Lexus HS & RX as inspiration, Auto Express has put together a rendering of what the upcoming Lexus CT compact hatchback may look like: I’m really impressed by the side-panel creasing, the Z jog in the sheet metal is quite stylish. Both the front and rear look too small for the body, but …
Kevin · August 3rd, 2009

Lexus USA July 2009 Sales Report

July is over, and Lexus USA has reported their sales figures for the month: June Year to Date 2009 2008 % CHG 2009 2008 % CHG IS 4,029 4,750 -15.2 19,710 31,010 -36.1 ES 4,393 5,563 -21.0 24,756 38,719 -35.7 GS 551 1,297 -57.5 4,107 10,356 -60.1 SC 57 143 -60.1 542 1,373 -60.3 LS …
Kevin · August 3rd, 2009

Lexus IS-F Photo Gallery: In Paris (Ontario)

During my time with the Lexus IS-F, I would jump at the chance to drive pretty much anywhere, so my wife took advantage and had us on the road to Paris, Ontario so that she could buy yarn at some craft store. I took the long way though some nice rural roads, and after a …
Kevin · August 2nd, 2009

1997 Top Gear Feature on the Lexus LS 400 & GS 300

From 1997, here’s a Top Gear feature on the freshly updated Lexus LS 400 and the brand new GS 300: It’s no surprise that presenter Quentin Wilson is extremely positive about Lexus in this feature, the refreshed second-generation LS and the just released second-generation GS were quite a formidable pairing. However, I was surprised by …
Kevin · July 31st, 2009

Lexus Enform Available on Select 2010 Lexus Models

Starting August 1st, the Lexus Enform telematics service will be available in the USA on a selection of 2010 Lexus models: Already announced to launch on the HS 250h, Lexus Enform with Safety Connect will soon become available on additional MY10 Lexus models. As of the telematics’ systems official “go-live” date, which is August 1, …
Kevin · July 29th, 2009

Twin-Turbo Lexus IS-F Video

It’s one thing to mod out your Lexus IS-F with carbon-fiber spoilers and a blacked-out roof, but it’s something else entirely to have a twin-turbo installed and then post a Youtube video driving it around in your pajamas (video also contains some swearing): Actual quote from the video: “This thing just sounds super-killer.”
Kevin · July 29th, 2009

Flickr Find: Foggy Red Lexus IS-F

Sean Klingelhoefer, a photographer with Super Street, had a couple days with the Lexus IS-F and decided to take some photos for his portfolio: Absolutely gorgeous. There’s more photos to the set as well, you can check them out on Sean’s Flickr page, and you can see the full story on his blog.
Kevin · July 28th, 2009

2010 Lexus LX 570 Changes

Details on the 2010 Lexus LX 570 have been announced by way of a Lexus Canada press release, and as expected, changes are minimal. Four new features have been added: The latest generation of the Lexus Voice-Activated, Hard Disc-based Navigation System A USB audio input connection The Lexus customizable settings system Privacy glass for the …
Kevin · July 28th, 2009

More on Lexus USA’s Future Strategy

In an interview with BusinessWeek, Toyota’s new North American chief Yoshimi Inaba shared his view that Lexus needs to be “redefined and rethought for the future”: When it comes to Lexus, the issue is pretty clear: The luxury brand is far too dependent on just two of its nine models. The ES330/350 sedan and RX350 …
Kevin · July 28th, 2009

Lexus IS-F Photo Gallery: Niagara-on-the-Lake

Niagara-on-the-Lake is a small town in Southern Ontario, full of historical significance and now home to some of the finest wine country in Canada. Over the last few years, a new collection of exceptionally modern looking wineries have been cropping up, and I thought it the perfect backdrop to some IS-F photos: {embed=“site/gallery” gallery_id=“1271”} (Really …
Kevin · July 27th, 2009

Lexus IS-F Week

Earlier this month, I picked up a 2009 Lexus IS-F from Lexus Canada, and over the course of a week, had the most fun I’ve ever had in a car. Everything happens very fast with the IS-F—I only had to drive Lexus’ super sedan five seconds before I knew it was something special, and a …
Kevin · July 27th, 2009

The Lexus IS-F Police Car

The police department in the UK city of Humberside is replacing their aging Subaru chase cars with Lexus IS-Fs: Sergeant Mike Peck of the Humberside Police Roads Crime Section said: “The purchase of the vehicle was far from an easy decision and involved research and advice from the force fleet manager, financial managers and a …
Kevin · July 27th, 2009

Minor Site Changes

As part of ongoing improvements, The Lexus Enthusiast has received a slight design refresh. The changes are subtle, but are meant to bring some added polish to the website. To fix any problems you may be seeing, hold down the Shift key and click Refresh in your browser. If you continue to have any issues …
Kevin · July 25th, 2009

Lexus to Debut Compact Hatchback in September

Autocar is reporting that Lexus will be debuting a five-door compact hatchback concept at this year’s Frankfurt Auto Show: Company insiders suggest that the car was signed off late last year, largely at the behest of European execs who insisted that the Europe’s premium C-segment was an area of the market “too lucrative not to …
Kevin · July 24th, 2009

Lexus IS Hybrid for Europe?

According to Autocar, the Lexus HS 250h will not be available in Europe because of an upcoming IS hybrid: Lexus has ruled out bringing the HS 250h to the UK because it will clash with an upcoming IS hybrid model. …a company source said the model will not come to Europe because both the Avensis …
Kevin · July 22nd, 2009

Flickr Find: Duct Taped Lexus LFA

There’s no question that the Lexus LFA driven at Goodwood was a little worse for wear after its time on Nürburgring, and nothing illustrates that more clearly than Simon Greig’s photo of the beat-up front bumper (click for the full image): Just goes to show, duct-tape really can fix just about anything. [Source: Simon Greig’s …
Kevin · July 21st, 2009

Edmunds Drives the Lexus LFA

As it turns out, Edmunds also had the chance to drive the Lexus LFA at Goodwood, where the supercar prototype continued to impress: The Lexus LF-A is the sort of car in which you could spend hours whittling away at your lap times while confident it would never misbehave. You would emerge fresh from your …
Kevin · July 21st, 2009

Lexus Enform Subscription Pricing

Also covered in the HS 250h pricing announcement was the cost of the new Lexus Enform telematics subscription: Complimentary one-year trial subscriptions of Lexus Enform and Safety Connect are included with all new HS 250h purchases. One-year renewal subscriptions to Safety Connect alone will be available for $139.95 and to Lexus Enform with Safety Connect …
Kevin · July 20th, 2009

Lexus HS 250h US Pricing

US Pricing for the 2010 Lexus HS 250h has been announced, from the press release: The 2010 HS 250h, Lexus’ first dedicated hybrid and the fourth offering in its lineup, is available in standard and Premium models.  The standard version will have an MSRP of $34,200, while the Premium model will carry an MSRP of …
Kevin · July 20th, 2009

Fifth Gear Drives the Lexus LFA

The Lexus LFA test-drives at Goodwood continue to stream in, and next up is Fifth Gear‘s video feature, as driven by Vicki Butler-Henderson (skip to 6:40 to watch the video directly): These reviews are all bringing a very clear message, and in this video Vicki sums it up perfectly: “This is really a user-friendly racing …
Kevin · July 20th, 2009

The New Lexus of North Miami Dealership

No question about it, Lexus of North Miami has taken the idea of the mega-dealership and brought it to a whole other level: The nearly one million square feet dealership is equipped to provide customers with a full spa experience, including haircuts, massages, manicures, workout sessions—there’s even a “Zen Room” equipped with a waterfall and …
Kevin · July 17th, 2009

White Lexus IS 250 F-Sport Photos

Gabriel Forcier from the Spinelli Lexus Lachine in Quebec sent me this great photo of an IS 250 with all the F-Sport trimmings: I’m a huge fan of the Starfire Pearl, and it goes well with the F-Sport wheels. Gabriel also included some other photos of the IS, I’ve included them here: {embed=“site/gallery” gallery_id=“1256”}
Kevin · July 17th, 2009

Even More Leaked Toyota Prado/Lexus GX Photos

Turns out that I missed a set of next-generation Toyota Prado/Lexus GX spy shots: Ignoring the stunningly bad decal, the side profile is clean and well sculpted. The exaggerated wheel-well continues to impress me, especially in the front fenders, but the front and rear portions of the SUV will need significant reworking before being released …
Kevin · July 16th, 2009

Lexus LFA Goodwood Videos

Today saw not one, not two, but three new videos of the Lexus LFA at the Goodwood Festival of Speed—the first two are produced by Lexus Europe, and show the super-race-car-prototype bombing around the circuit from both the exterior and the interior (click on the images to go to the videos): The picture in these …
Kevin · July 15th, 2009

More on the Lexus LFA Engine

By way of 4WheelsNews, Japan magazine Best Car is reporting that the Lexus LF-A’s engine has been confirmed as a 4.8L V10 engine producing 550 hp, and will be designated as the 1LR-GEU. Also, we’re getting some indication of how the rumored 500 supercars will be divided up across world markets. Asssuming the numbers are …
Kevin · July 15th, 2009

A Look at Lexus USA’s Strategy

With BMW taking the #1 sales lead in the US and Mercedes not far behind, a new Automotive News story asks “What’s wrong with Lexus?”: For one thing, company executives admit that they depend too much on RX crossover sales at a time when luxury buyers are seeking smaller cars, including entry-level coupes and convertibles. …
Kevin · July 14th, 2009

Lexus HS 250h Launches in Japan with 1,500 Pre-Orders

The Lexus HS 250h has been launched in Japan, where it has racked up an astounding 1,500 pre-orders, three times the expected monthly sales. One interesting fact from the Lexus press release: Based on the brand’s core principle of “pursuing the essence of luxury”, Lexus aimed to develop a luxurious “harmonious sedan”, hence the “HS” …
Kevin · July 14th, 2009

Lexus LFA First Drive in The Sunday Times

Another of the journalists to drive the Lexus LFA at the Goodwood Festival of Speed was The Sunday Times’ Andrew Frankel: At the beginning of the hillclimb I hit the start button expecting a massive roar but . . . silence. Through my helmet and at idle the engine is Lexus-quiet. I put it in …
Kevin · July 13th, 2009

2009 Lexus LX 570 Review

The 2009 Lexus LX 570 is, at its very heart, a contradictory vehicle. After all, Lexus’ flagship SUV attempts to bridge together two contrary styles — ultimate luxury and ultimate utility. It seats eight, yet has a fixed rear axle and can tow up to 8,500 lbs(3,856 kg). It’s packed with every conceivable automotive luxury …
Kevin · July 10th, 2009

Lexus LX 570 Wallpapers: In the Wilderness

At the request of the TLE regulars, I’ll be posting a couple of Lexus LX 570 wallpaper collections, starting off with three all taken at the same location: 1680×1050 | 1440×900 | 1280×1024 | 1280×800 | 1024×768 1680×1050 | 1440×900 | 1280×1024 | 1280×800 | 1024×768 1680×1050 | 1440×900 | 1280×1024 | 1280×800 | 1024×768
Kevin · July 10th, 2009

Lexus LX 570 Photo Gallery: Macros

After a few busy weeks, I will finally be posting my Lexus LX 570 review today, but first, I wanted to share a somewhat unusual photo gallery, compiled from my 1,200 shots of Lexus’ flagship SUV: {embed=“site/gallery” gallery_id=“1246”} For whatever reason, I’m always taking up-close, in-tight photos of the smallest details—I attribute it to being …
Kevin · July 10th, 2009

Autocar Drives the Lexus LF-A

Autocar journalist Steve Sutcliffe was also had a chance to drive the Lexus LF-A at last weekend’s Goodwood Festival of Speed: There’s a clonk from the transaxle when first gear engages, and as I pull away the ride immediately feels firm but refined, not at all racing car hard. Another faint but disappointing clonk as …
Kevin · July 9th, 2009

Pistonheads Drives the Lexus LF-A

During the Goodwood Festival of Speed last weekend in Great Britain, a group of journalists were given the opportunity to drive the Lexus LFA racing prototypes that raced last month in the Nürburgring 24h. One of these journalists was Chris Rosamond, and he’s written a stellar account of the experience: The racing car accelerates flat …
Kevin · July 9th, 2009

Edmunds Reviews the Lexus HS 250h (Again)

Edmunds may have been lukewarm on the Lexus HS 250h at first, but it appears some additional time behind the wheel has changed that opinion—their full review is extremely positive: The creamy propulsion fits right in with a very solid structure and smoothly suppressed ride motions delivered by the sport suspension settings that accompanied our …
Kevin · July 8th, 2009

My.IS Reviews the Lexus HS 250h

With the release of the Lexus HS 250h coming closer and closer, there will be more and more reviews of the new hybrid sedan to pore over, but it’s unlikely any of them will touch the depth and detail shown by My.IS editor Joaquín Ruhi. Weighing in at over 5,000 words, his review has plenty …
Kevin · July 8th, 2009

Lexus IS-C Demand Outpacing Production

The Lexus IS-C is off to a booming start in the US, with dealerships selling the new convertible faster than Lexus’s Kyushu plant in Japan can make them. Wards has the story: The facility is ramping up to produce at least 225 IS-C models a month just for the Northeast region of the U.S., Scott …
Kevin · July 8th, 2009

Automobile Magazine Compares the Lexus LS 600hL vs. Mercedes S400 Hybrid

Automobile Magazine has an article up on the Lexus LS 600hL and the Mercedes S400 Hybrid and how their approach to hybrid technology compares: The biggest benefit of the Lexus hybrid system is its smoothness. The two electric motors and two planetary gearsets allow the big V-8 to loaf except during hard acceleration. Flat-out, the …
Kevin · July 7th, 2009

New Lexus RX 450h Commercials

With the 2010 Lexus RX 450h now available in US dealerships, it’s time for new commercials: This testimonial style commercial may be overdone, but it’s a safe and dependable choice—not unlike the RX hybrid. (Lexus looks to be staying the course with this model, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the hybrid RX outsold the …
Kevin · July 7th, 2009

Popular Mechanics Compares the Lexus RX 350 vs. Cadillac SRX

After Motor Trend’s misguided comparison of the Lexus RX 350 and the new Cadillac SRX, I was looking forward to a more honest take on the battling crossovers—and that’s what Popular Mechanics has delivered: As much as Cadillac may have had its crosshairs set on Lexus, it built a much different car. The design character …
Kevin · July 6th, 2009

Lexus LFA to be offered in 30 colors?

Motor Trend is now in the business of translating and republishing Japanese auto magazines, and that includes a Best Car feature on the upcoming Lexus LFA: Their translation: In addition to showing a rendered final form, insiders quoted by Best Car say Toyota officials are looking to rename the car to ‘SS550’. The ‘SS’ standing …
Kevin · July 6th, 2009

2010 Lexus GX Photochop

One of the things throwing me off with the leaked 2010 Lexus GX photos was that, well, they weren’t Lexus GX photos at all, but the Toyota equivalent, the Land Cruiser Prado. To better picture the GX, I spent some time photoshopping a Lexus grille on the front end: It’s probably the fact that the …
Kevin · July 3rd, 2009

New FamilyLinQ from VAIS Technology

VAIS Technology, makers of the premier Lexus iPod integration kits, are working on a new product called the FamilyLinQ—a small camera that you can connect to your navigation screen, making it easy to get see inside or outside the vehicle: After driving the LX 570 with its camera mounted under the passenger mirror, I can …
Kevin · July 3rd, 2009

More 2010 Lexus GX 460 Photos

Looks like today’s the day for next-gen Lexus GX photos—the Toyota4Arab forums has a closer look at the front & rear of the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, which is how the GX is sold in Europe: The rear lights are much more chunky than the current model, but the bigger story is the revised rear …
Kevin · July 2nd, 2009

2010 Lexus GX 460 Revealed!

The first photo of the next generation Toyota Prado has been leaked, a vehicle better known in North America as the Lexus GX 460! Even with the poor image quality, it’s easy to get a sense of what the 2010 model will look like—for comparison’s sake, here’s a side-by-side with the current GX: With this …
Kevin · July 2nd, 2009

Win a Lexus HS 250h for a Year!

To promote the release of the HS 250h, Lexus USA is having a contest to give away two full-year test drives of the new luxury hybrid, along with 100 week-long test drives—here’s Lexus Vice-President of Marketing, David Nordstrom, with the full details: Entering is simple, just visit drivehs.com, sign up for a profile and then …
Kevin · July 2nd, 2009

Lexus ES 240 to be Sold in China

In order to boost slowing sales in China, Lexus will be introducing a 2.4L four-cylinder ES model: From January to April, the sales of imported passenger cars in China increased 16% from a year earlier, with Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi and Lexus rising 1.5% together. But of the four luxury brands, Lexus saw its sales drop …
Kevin · July 2nd, 2009

Lexus USA June 2009 Sales Report

With June at an end, Lexus has published their monthly sales figures—and there’s finally something positive to report: June Year to Date 2009 2008 % CHG 2009 2008 % CHG IS 3,465 4,324 -23.1 15,681 26,260 -42.7 ES 3,918 5,726 -34.3 20,363 33,156 -38.2 GS 454 1,213 -64.1 3,556 9,059 -60.5 SC 82 154 -48.9 …
Kevin · July 1st, 2009

Lexus RX 450h to be Built in Canada?

Even more manufacturing news—Automotive News is reporting that Lexus RX 450h production may move from Japan to the Toyota Cambridge plant. Motor Authority has more details: During a press event, a Lexus executive Paul Williamsen said the first hybrid built outside of Japan will go into production this summer in Ontario, Canada, reports Automotive News. …
Kevin · June 30th, 2009

Lexus GS Passionate Black Interior Photos, Round 2

It’s been too long since I mentioned the special edition Lexus GS Passionate Black interior, so here’s a photo gallery from GS PB owner Harinder: {embed=“site/gallery” gallery_id=“1227”} With the intense red carpeting and stitching, the additional seat perforations might be taking the color scheme too far, but I have a feeling it would be slightly …
Kevin · June 30th, 2009

Ward’s Looks at Lexus Manufacturing

One of the defining characteristics of Lexus has always been the care taken in assembling their vehicles, and the Toyota Tahara Plant is the very definition of that attention to detail—Ward’s Auto takes a closer look at some of the manufacturing processes that go into building a Lexus: Toyota Motor Corp.’s Tahara plant, now in …
Kevin · June 30th, 2009

Motor Trend Compares the Lexus RX 350 vs Cadillac SRX

It’s always been obvious that Motor Trend has an anti-Lexus bias, but their latest RX 350 vs. Cadillac SRX comparison is a disservice to anyone looking to the magazine for realistic advice: No doubt we could option these two out with similar equipment for similar pricing. Point is, adding all the equipment to the Cadillac …
Kevin · June 29th, 2009

20% Off Lexus F-Sport Accessories

If you’re in the continental USA and been holding off on purchasing F-Sport accessories for your IS or GS, the waiting looks to have paid off. For the entire month of July, Lexus is offering a 20% off coupon for all F-Sport purchases—redeemable at any dealership in the 49 states. Click to get the full …
Kevin · June 29th, 2009

Details on the Fox Marketing Lexus IS-F Convertible

In May, I posted a computer render of Fox Marketing’s next Lexus SEMA project, which looked the part of an IS-F convertible. Beyond that, there wasn’t much in the way of details, until My.IS editor Joaquin went straight to the source to find out more: First off, in spite of the obvious IS F-style front …
Kevin · June 26th, 2009

CAR Magazine First Drive of the Lexus IS 250C

CAR Magazine’s first drive report on the Lexus IS 250C may be short, but it does have some information on European availability: Subjective looks aside, the Lexus IS 250C appeals on many levels. It’s a Lexus – so you can expect royal butler-levels of care and attentiveness from the dealer – and it is extremely …
Kevin · June 25th, 2009

Lexus HS 250h Video with Mark Templin

This latest video from Lexus USA features General Manager Mark Templin talking up the new HS 250h: A quote from the video: “I like being at Lexus because we get to try new things, we get to change the world, we get to do things the right way instead of the same old way they …
Kevin · June 25th, 2009

Jalopnik Reviews the Lexus IS Convertible

Jalopnik had a chance to drive the Lexus IS Convertible, and their biggest complaint was the lack of rigidity in the body: The ‘vert gets beefed up in nearly every way, with side sills 50% taller, cross-vehicle beams under the rear seats and behind the rear seatbacks, a heftier A-pillar and substantial cross bracing underneath…Despite …
Kevin · June 24th, 2009

Correction

By some fluke, the software that runs this website ate the final revision of my IS 350c & RX 450h story and published an earlier draft. I have rewritten the missing parts and the post has been updated. Sorry for any confusion this may have caused.
Kevin · June 23rd, 2009

Lexus LS Sport Rumors

Late last year, there was a rumor that Lexus was planning a performance-oriented variant of the LS 460, and today there’s more information to back it up. According to Japanese magazine Best Car (by way of 4wheelnews), there are plans to release the curiously named LS SZ, which will be an LS souped up with …
Kevin · June 23rd, 2009

Lexus IS Convertible Wallpapers: Up and Down

While I didn’t take too many photos at the Lexus event last week, I did manage to find a great location for a couple IS 350C shots, and thought it would be something to put up wallpapers with the both the top-down and top-up: 1680×1050 | 1440×900 | 1280×1024 | 1280×800 | 1024×768 1680×1050 | …
Kevin · June 23rd, 2009

Driving the Lexus RX 450h & Lexus IS 350C

This past Friday, I attended a Lexus Canada press event in Kingston, Ontario, where I had the opportunity to test out the 2010 RX 450h and the IS 350C convertible. After an a quick briefing, we all loaded up into our first vehicle of the day and set out on a route through the surrounding …
Kevin · June 23rd, 2009

Lexus Regains Top Spot in J.D. Power Initial Quality Study

After placing behind Porsche last year, Lexus has regained the the top spot of the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study. Even more impressive are the model results, with LX 570 finished first overall with only 52 problems per 100 (PP100)—the best ever result since the study was revamped. The LS 460 wasn’t far behind, placing …
Kevin · June 22nd, 2009