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Lexus USA June 2008 Sales Report

Lexus USA’s June 2008 sales numbers are in, and the results don’t look too rosy. Overall, sales are down 21.1% compared to last year, model by model it breaks down like this: 2008 2007 % Change IS250/350/F 4,324 5,182 -6.1 ES350 5,726 7,232 -10.9 GS350/460/450h 1,213 2,021 -32.5 SC430 154 391 -55.7 LS460/600h L 1,525 …

Kevin · July 1st, 2008

Video from a Lexus Performance Academy Hot Lap

With only four Lexus Performance Academy events planned across the entire US, there’s a very strict limit to just how many people will get in on the action, which is especially disappointing considering that part of the fun is driving in a IS-F at full-steam around a closed race track. Luckily, in the age of …

Kevin · June 30th, 2008

The Secrets of Car Camouflage

It may not be Lexus-specific, but Car & Driver has a very interesting article on one of the companies responsible for creating the wild camouflage used to hide pre-production vehicles: Dan owns Autocanvas, one of only two independent U.S. companies that create camouflage to thwart the public—and rival automakers—from eyeing preproduction cars. When Dan reluctantly …

Kevin · June 29th, 2008

Esquire Reviews the Lexus LS 460

There’s a nice little editorial/review of the Lexus LS 460 in the latest issue of Esquire that revolves around writer David Raab’s son: We try the Lexus LS 460L because my son’s entire experience of cars is based on sitting in the backseat, and because one of his car guides rates the 460’s backseat a …

Kevin · June 27th, 2008

Australia gets a Lexus RX 350 Special Edition

In preparation of winter, Australia is getting a special edition of the Lexus RX 350 perfectly suited for the colder months. Here’s a breakdown of the particulars: Added extras include bespoke 18-inch shadow chrome alloy wheels, three unique exterior colours – including Arctic Blue, Burgundy and Onyx carbon – and an accessories pack featuring roof …

Kevin · June 26th, 2008

WSJ looks into Lexus LX 570 sales

When you consider the climbing cost of gas in the USA (and everywhere else!), the dramatic increase in Lexus LX 570 sales has raised some eyebrows, including the Wall Street Journal, who went so far as to interview a new owner: Karen Bean of Albany, N.Y., says she bought a Lexus LX 570 earlier this …

Kevin · June 25th, 2008

Flickr Find: Pink Lexus SC, San Fran Style

There must be something special about crazy Lexus SC’s in the Bay Area, because San Francisco resident Kristie Wells spotted another variation on what seems to be a local phenomenon: I don’t know what astonishes me more, that there would be three strikingly similar cars all within a 100 mile radius, or that a photo …

Kevin · June 25th, 2008

Lexus RX Prototype Photos, Round Two

In all the excitement of the just-seen Lexus RX prototype running the ‘Ring in Germany, I missed that Leftlane News have their own spy coverage of the next-gen crossover. I love the revised stance of the vehicle: The reduction of the rear bubble has done a lot to update the look of the RX, but …

Kevin · June 24th, 2008

Top Gear builds a Lexus LS 400 Police Car

Top Gear was in top form for the start of their eleventh season last night, turning a very entertaining episode that managed to squeeze a ‘93-‘94 Lexus LS 400 into their first challenge of the year. Each presenter had to choose a sub-£1000 used car that could replace the Vauxhall Astra as the British Police …

Kevin · June 23rd, 2008

2010 Lexus RX Prototype Spotted in Germany

A set of mildly-camoflagued Lexus RX prototypes have been spotted at Nürburgring in Germany, and the design is looking to be a successful merger of the current model and the LF-Xh concept shown at last year’s Tokyo Motor Show. The most obvious element taken from the LF-Xh is the smoother, more flowing shape, looking lower …

Kevin · June 23rd, 2008

Salvador Dali Exhibit at Newport Lexus

If you’re anywhere near Newport Lexus in Orange County, California, you might want to check out their Salvador Dali exhibit, which opened yesterday and runs until June 30th: Salvador Dali at Newport Lexus, Newport Beach, California Friday, June 20 8:30a to 9:00p Largest exhibit of Salvador Dali works ever shown in Newport Beach. More than …

Kevin · June 21st, 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

Ad Age explores the Alicia Keys/Lexus sponsorship

The Lexus-sponsored Alicia Keys tour wrapped up last night in New York, and Advertising Age has an article describing the company’s presence at the concerts: In exchange for the paid sponsorship, Lexus installed lounges at each concert, exclusive VIP areas heavy with appetizers and a bar, and randomly selected a section of the auditorium to …

Kevin · June 19th, 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

Motorweek: 1993 Luxury Car Comparison

The latest in Youtube user bajabusta‘s trip down the Motorweek memory lane is this comparison test between the Lexus LS 400, BMW 740i, Mercedes 400E, Infiniti Q45 & Cadillac STS, divided into two parts: The Mercedes 400E seemed out of place in the comparison until some research showed that a 1993 S-Class started at $69,900, …

Kevin · June 17th, 2008

Flickr Find: Lexus LF-A vs. Honda Civic

No matter how evenly matched they might be, I still had a chuckle over of this photo of the Lexus LF-A up against a Honda Civic: (This photo comes from Flickr user nordschleifenfan, my favorite Nürburgring photographer.)

Kevin · June 17th, 2008

Extended Video of the Lexus LF-A during Nürburgring 24h Race

Japanese racing website Start Your Engines has posted some extended footage of the Lexus LF-A in last month’s Nürburgring 24hour race, with plenty of mysterious Japanese commentary: The racing prototype certainly didn’t seem to struggle against its competitors on the track, which makes me wonder just how well the prototype would have finished without the …

Kevin · June 16th, 2008

Lexus at the US Open

While covering the US Open in Torrey Pines, golf blogger Geoff Shackelford spotted this Lexus LX 570 “Evacuation Vehicle”: Pretty strange designation, I’m still trying to figure it out. *** Lexus is also sponsoring an invitation-only event tonight on the roof of the Hard Rock Cafe in San Diego, where the US Open is taking …

Kevin · June 14th, 2008

Motor Trend attends the Lexus Performance Academy

A writer from Motor Trend secured a seat to the Lexus Performance Academy held two weekends ago at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana California. Here’s how the event broke down: For the most part, it turned out to be a fun way to spend a day. The four-hour-plus event is broken up into several …

Kevin · June 13th, 2008

The Lexus LF-Xh Concept in Matte Black

During his visit to Toyota’s Mega Web complex in Tokyo, Flickr user mujitra took some photos of a matte black Lexus LF-Xh concept (click for larger versions): The matte black paint, especially when combined with that great set of gunmetal wheels, makes this LF-Xh looks very menacing. It’s certainly an interesting way to display its …

Kevin · June 12th, 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

Video Review of the 1992 Lexus ES 300

Looks like someone’s breaking into their old VHS collection, as Youtube user bajabusta has been steadily posting old segments from Motorweek. First there was the Lexus ES 250 vs. Infiniti M30 footage, and now it’s a review of the newly introduced 1992 ES 300: I always get a kick of these back-in-the-day TV segments, they …

Kevin · June 11th, 2008

Lexus Video for the 2008 US Open

The 2008 US Open is being played this week, and Lexus is one of the event’s four sponsors. As expected, there’s some fairly extensive Lexus advertising being put together, including a funny short film featuring Annika Sorenstam, Charles Howell III, Raymond Floyd and Chi Chi Rodriguez in a car race to the Open (image below …

Kevin · June 10th, 2008

Wald Lexus IS-F Body Kit Teaser

For whatever reason, Wald International decided that the IS-F was in need of a body kit, and the above photo is a digital mockup of the potential design. Here it is from the rear: Hopefully this goes through the same process as the IS body released last year, which started off as an over-the-top photochop. …

Kevin · June 9th, 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

Tom’s New VP17 Lexus Rims

Checking out the latest offerings from Tom’s, the Japanese tuning company specializing in Lexus, I came across these fantastic VP17 wheels:

Kevin · June 9th, 2008

Lexus LF-A Wallpaper

Due to an email I sent out far too late, I wasn’t able to include Dougie Wand‘s great mirror image of the Lexus LF-A as part of my anniversary wallpaper collection, but all the better to offer it on a hot Friday afternoon. Here’s the various desktop sizes, enjoy! 1680×1050 | 1440×900 | 1280×1024 | …

Kevin · June 6th, 2008

Lieberman reviews the Lexus LS 600h L (Part Two)

I may have found it a week late, but the time allowed this Lexus LS 600hL review by Jonny Lieberman to fill up with some of the best comments I’ve read regarding the hybrid limo’s appeal. Here’s a quote from the article itself: I disagree with every review of the Lexus LS600hL ever written. Categorically. …

Kevin · June 5th, 2008

Lexus places third in JD Power Initial Quality Study

The 2008 JD Power Initial Quality Study has been released, and Lexus has placed third overall and just one point under Infiniti for second place. The lineup is well represented In the individual segments, with both the LS and RX placing first in their respective groups. Here’s a full breakdown: Large Premium Car: LS (1st …

Kevin · June 4th, 2008

Lexus IS-F Ringtone

The Lexus Canada website is just full of surprises — first we had the web game that led to a secret video, and now TPP reader Jarrett mentions that there’s also an IS-F ringtone available for download. Here’s a preview, though I recommend turning your speakers down: Granted, it’s pretty intense, and only spent about …

Kevin · June 4th, 2008

Lexus USA May 2008 Sales Report

Lexus sales in the US had another down month, dropping 19.6% since when compared to last May. Here’s the breakdown: 2008 2007 % Change IS250/350/F 5,420 5,722 -8.8 ES350 6,831 8,572 -23.3 GS350/460/450h 1,708 2,043 -19.5 SC430 216 410 -49.3 LS460/600h L 2,115 3,196 -36.3 Total Cars 16,290 19,943 -21.3 RX350/400h 8,082 9,798 -20.6 GX470 …

Kevin · June 3rd, 2008

Lexus Web Game Video

I may have linked to the Lexus Canada’s IS 350 paddleshift game last year, but it turns out I didn’t do well enough to see this secret super revving video: I’m a big fan of these types of sound visualizations, and near the end it almost looks like the inside of an engine, which in …

Kevin · June 2nd, 2008

Lexus LX 570 in short supply

The newly designed LX 570 is selling very well in the US. Since its introduction in January, it’s been selling an average of 680 units per month. In fact, Kicking Tires has reported that there’s currently only a four-day supply in inventory: …if you want to order one today, you may have to wait up …

Kevin · June 2nd, 2008

Comments Fixed

Due to a technical mix-up, comments have been disabled for the past week. The problem is now fixed, and commenting is once again possible. It was a poor time for the comment system to go down, so now with the problem resolved, I’m interested to hear your reactions to my hypothesis that the Lexus LF-A …

Kevin · June 1st, 2008

Motorweek 1990 Video Comparison of the Lexus ES 250 & Infiniti M30

This 1990 segment of Motorweek comparing the Lexus ES 250 and the Infiniti M30 just goes to show how far entry-level luxury cars have come over the last 18 years: It’s so rare to find anything about the ES 250, and this is the first video review I’ve seen. What’s more, comparing it the M30 …

Kevin · May 31st, 2008

TPP: One Year Anniversary

Today marks the first anniversary of The Passionate Pursuit! It’s funny the way time works, at times it feels like I’ve only just started, and in another way, it seems like something I’ve always done. I’ve learned a lot over the past year, running this site is a very rewarding experience. To mark the occasion, …

Kevin · May 30th, 2008

Feature: Is the Lexus LF-A really the new SC?

Last week, when Edmund’s Inside Line blog printed a rumor that the production version of the Lexus LF-A could cost upwards of $225,000 USD, the backlash was instant and ruthless. Auto enthusiasts everywhere bristled at the idea that Lexus would be pitting their new supercar against the likes of Ferrari and Lamborghini. To be quite …

Kevin · May 29th, 2008

Flickr Find: Zues driving a Lexus IS 300

I wouldn’t call this a Lexus video necessarily, but this sped up footage by Flickr user sullivan1985 featuring an IS 300 is still pretty cool: (Direct link to video) Reminds me of this scene from movie Ghost Dog: (As a sidenote, I’ve wanted to post that Ghost Dog clip since I started this site.)

Kevin · May 28th, 2008

Lexus LF-A Prototype Crash

Details have been revealed today that the Lexus LF-A Racing Prototype was involved in some kind of crash during the qualifying session prior to the actual race. Autoblog has some more photos of the smash, but the damage seem to be around the driver-side front and rear bumper. Here’s what it looked like from the …

Kevin · May 27th, 2008

Great Photos of the Lexus LF-A Racing Prototype

The french website Endurance Info has some very nice exclusive photos of the Lexus LF-A racing prototype, including the one above this shot of the interior and engine: Judging by the news date (May 21st) and the lack of emblems, it looks like this site might have had the first public engine shots.

Kevin · May 27th, 2008

Lexus LF-A Racing Prototype completes Nürburgring 24h Race

The Lexus LF-A racing prototype finished the Nürburgring 24H race in 121st place, mostly due to some extended pitstops. Over the 24 hours, the LF-A managed 100 laps, 48 back of the winning Porsche 911 GT3 RSR. Motor Trend has a nice recap of the race, including this bit on the Lexus prototype: Did you …

Kevin · May 26th, 2008

The Lexus LF-A in the Nürburgring 24H Race this weekend

The Nürburgring 24hour race is happening this weekend, which the Lexus LF-A is pretend-competing in, using the race environment to see how the supercar holds up over an intensive run. Well, as it turns out, it’s probably best Lexus didn’t throw its hat fully into the ring, because one hour after the race started, the …

Kevin · May 24th, 2008

Lexus IS 300 Garage Drift Video

Ignoring everything that could have went wrong, this video of a Lexus IS 300 drifting 180° into a garage is just the thing for a Friday afternoon: Really though, that’s a perfect setup, how could you not try that if you had a driveway like that?

Kevin · May 23rd, 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

Is the Lexus LF-A going to cost over $200,000?

Big LF-A news today, as Edmund’s Inside Line has sleuthed out a possible price on the Lexus supercar: With an estimated 500 horsepower coming from the LF-A’s 5.0-liter V10, we didn’t expect the Lexus to come cheap, but Inside Line has learned that the car will carry a price tag over $200,000. Ben Mitchell, corporate …

Kevin · May 21st, 2008

Motor Trend Comparsion: Lexus GS 460 vs. Jaguar XF vs. Mercedes E550 vs. BMW 550i

Mostly due to their similar exterior, I’ve been very curious to see how the new Jaguar XF would compare to the Lexus GS on the road, and Motor Trend has done just that, pitting the XF and GS up against the BMW 550i and the Mercedes E550. With the Jaguar being the only truly new …

Kevin · May 21st, 2008

Lexus wins UK Security Award, LS wins Best Luxury Car

Here’s story that slipped through as I was finishing up the new version of this site: Lexus won two awards in the 2008 Fleet World Honours, taking home the Security award and the Best Luxury Car award for the LS: The Security Award reflects Lexus’s high levels of protection against theft of or from its …

Kevin · May 19th, 2008

Lexus F-Sport Air Intake Video

After seeing the video of the Lexus F-Sport exhaust system, I did some research into the other performance accessories offered in the line. Lo and behold, I found a very extensive video of the F-Sport air intake being installed and tested (along with a Tanabe exhaust system): In terms of sound, it’s hard to determine …

Kevin · May 19th, 2008

Lexus F-Sport Exhaust Video

One of the accessories available through the new Lexus F-Sport Line of performance parts is a replacement exhaust system for the IS, and here it is fully installed and revving for action: The audio in the video is pretty bad, but it certainly delivers on Lexus’ promise of “powerful, sport-tuned exhaust sound”. (The exhaust system …

Kevin · May 16th, 2008

Lexus Pebble Beach Commercial Song

There’s been a lot of interest in just what song is playing in the recent Lexus Pebble Beach commercial, so I decided to look into it. First off, here’s the song in question: As for the answer, the company responsible for the music is Robot Repair, specifically composer Kael Alden, who is also a member …

Kevin · May 16th, 2008

Flickr Find: Lexus Nürburgring Duo

There’s been plenty of photos of the Lexus IS 250/LF-A duo currently racing in the ADAC Rundstrecken Trophy Endurance series, but I just wanted to feature these two images from Flickr user nordschleifenfan, a photographer seemingly stationed at Nürburgring: nordschleifenfan has put together quite a collection of Nürburgring racing images, be sure to check them …

Kevin · May 15th, 2008

Synchronized Lexus SC 430s

It’s with much amusement that I bring this video of a Lexus SC 430 fleet performing a synchronized convertible roof switch: Judging from the characters above the cars, I’d say this is from Japan, and it looks to be close to 20 SCs in the formation. Just remember, fanaticism has many faces. Update: Found another …

Kevin · May 15th, 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

Lexus UK launches IS 250 SR

Lexus UK is launching a special edition of the Lexus IS 250, dubbed the SR edition, and it features a full body kit, some very nice 10-spoke alloy rims and some sporty interior upgrades, including some aluminum pedals. The body kit’s very subtle, but it works, especially with the wheel combo. Once again, I was …

Kevin · May 14th, 2008

Lexus ranked #2 Luxury Auto Brand in the USA

The Luxury Institute has released their annual report on the top prestige auto brands in the USA, and Lexus ranked #2, just behind Porsche and in front of Mercedes. Here’s some details about the survey: The proprietary Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) survey is the only measure of the prestige of leading brands among wealthy …

Kevin · May 13th, 2008

The Lexus LF-A Racing Prototype in Action

The just-revealed IS 250 race car wasn’t the only Lexus to be part of the festivities this weekend, as the LF-A racing prototype also made its debut in the ADAC Rundstrecken Trophy Endurance series. Edmunds reports: The race was run on the Nürburgring Nordschleife, combined with a sprint portion of the famous Grand Prix circuit. …

Kevin · May 13th, 2008

Lexus UK tops JD Power Customer Satisfaction study for 8th straight year

Count this among the news I missed last week when my head was buried in code, Lexus UK has topped the annual JD Power Customer Satisfication Index for the eighth year in a row: In the nameplate rankings, luxury Japanese brand Lexus ranks highest for an eighth consecutive year, receiving a customer satisfaction score of …

Kevin · May 13th, 2008

Mystery Lexus IS Solved

The mystery Lexus IS making the rounds round Nürburgring last week turned out to be the most obvious: it was a race car, and it appeared in the ADAC Rundstrecken Trophy Endurance race in Germany this weekend: The TME/Team Gazoo IS competed in the first of seven four-hour endurance races. One six-hour and a 24-hour …

Kevin · May 12th, 2008

Welcome to The Passionate Pursuit 2.0

After extensive development, the new version of The Passionate Pursuit is ready. First thing’s first, if you’ve visited the site any time recently, please be sure to hit the refresh button, otherwise things might look pretty strange. The most significant addition to the site is the Lexus database, which contains every model built by Lexus. …

Kevin · May 11th, 2008

TPP 2.0 This Week

Update: The new site design will be launching Sunday evening, and things will be quiet around here until then. The site will more than likely be down for a few hours on Sunday as we prepare for launch. Thanks for your patience! If you’re a regular visitor to this blog, you may remember the mention …

Kevin · May 10th, 2008

Car Magazine Video: Lexus IS-F vs. BMW M3 vs. Mercedes C63

UK’s Car Magazine has put in their video vote in the Lexus IS-f/BMW M3/Mercedes C63 race, and it’s probably the least qualitative comparison yet: I’m all for a little character in car reviews, but not to this extent. The gimmicks and poor lap timing method detract from an otherwise enjoyable watch. Surely this isn’t how …

Kevin · May 9th, 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

Mystery Lexus IS Spotted at Nürburgring

Motor Authority’s at it again, this time spotting a camouflaged Lexus IS running the track at Nürburgring. The excessive tape & tarp are definitely hiding something, especially in the hood, where there’s a extra-large engine bulge: Judging by the awkward rear stance and the presence of a roll cage, I’m thinking this is a mule …

Kevin · May 7th, 2008

Lexus LF-A Prototype Interior Spy Shots

Motor Authority has scooped some new close-up photos of the LF-A prototypes currently zooming around Nürburgring, including the supercar’s carbon fiber roof (pictured above) and this interior pic (click on either for a larger image): Testing equipment aside, the interior looks very close to the one seen in the LF-A Roadster concept, with the multi-level …

Kevin · May 7th, 2008

Lexus US Price Increases

Lexus vehicles will see a bump in their prices by the end of this month, here’s a full table with the increases: Increase New Price IS 250 Manual $300 $30,855 IS 250 Auto $300 $32,025 IS 250 AWD $300 $34,485 IS 350 $300 $36,305 ES 350 $300 $34,120 SC 430 $900 $66,355 GS 350 $400 …

Kevin · May 5th, 2008

Crazy Lexus IS-F Donut

At first, this video didn’t strike me as anything really, until it just kept going on and on: Sure, the road surface is slicked down, but it was still good for 45 seconds of amusement.

Kevin · May 5th, 2008

More Video of the Lexus LF-A Racing Prototype

It’s a simple equation: The more time the Lexus LF-A racing prototype spends on Nürburgring racetrack, the more video footage pops up. The proof: The folks over at Motor Authority have a lengthy video of the supercar making its rounds around the ‘ring (click on this image to visit the video): My favorite part of …

Kevin · May 2nd, 2008

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