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2008 Lexus SC 430 Special Editon to Debut at Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

In what has now become an annual tradition, Lexus will be debuting a special 2008 SC 430 Pebble Beach Edition at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. With a limited run of only 360, the Pebble Beach SC 430 will have the exclusive color combination of a Smokey Granite Mica exterior and a two-tone Camel and …

Kevin · August 16th, 2007

Classic 1992 Lexus LS Commercial: Money in the Bank

As an LS 400 owner, I always get a kick out of seeing the old commercials pop up on Youtube: It’s interesting that Lexus has maintained a very distinctive look to their advertising over the years. Save for the grainy VHS look and the car featured, this commercial could easily appear on TV today. Now …

Kevin · August 15th, 2007

Federal Government Continues Lexus ES 350 Investigation

The U.S. federal government is continuing its investigation into the Lexus ES 350, which has been linked to 40 separate complaints of unintended acceleration, causing eight crashes and twelve injuries. What’s the cause? All-weather floor mats: Toyota Motor Corp. told NHTSA [National Highway Traffic Safety Association] it sent a mailing to ES 350 owners in …

Kevin · August 15th, 2007

Insider Reveals 2009 Lexus RX Details (Including the RX-F?!)

James Fabin, Senior Product Manager for MyRide.com, has dropped some major news regarding the 2009 RX on his blog. Here’s the specifics: The 2009 RX will be offered in two versions, a five-passenger model similar to the current model, and a new seven-passenger long wheelbase model. A six-speed transmission will be standard. The RX 350’s …

Kevin · August 14th, 2007

Lexus Tops American Customer Satisfaction Survey

Lexus has rated first with U.S. car buyers in the University of Michigan’s annual American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), scoring 87 out of a possible 100 points. Rounding out the top five were BMW, Buick, Mercury and Cadillac, all with a score of 86. The telephone survey, which asks car buyers to rate their satisfaction …

Kevin · August 14th, 2007

The Lexus Police Force

Being in Canada, where the police drive Chevy Impalas and Dodge Chargers, I can’t imagine being pulled over by a GS 450h, it just doesn’t compute. But that’s not the case in Britain, where Lexus has been steadily making inroads into the Police Fleet market, and will be attending its sixth consecutive National Police Fleet …

Kevin · August 14th, 2007

The Lexus Body Kit Series: GS 300/350/430/450h

I’ve just posted the third part of my Lexus Body Kit Series, the GS 300/350/430/450h. With eighteen different body kits, it was the largest collection so far. Most are in the VIP style, evidenced by the tilted rear wheels. The additional styling brought by the kits change the GS appearance significantly, and bring a much …

Kevin · August 13th, 2007

Lexus Model Timeline

By setting out to post my Lexus Body Kit Series in reverse chronology, it was necessary for me to put together a timeline to keep track of the when & whats. After compiling the list (with ample help from Wikipedia), it made for an interesting document, so I decided to add it to the site. …

Kevin · August 13th, 2007

Another Wild (but Formal) Japanese Commercial for the Lexus RX 300/Harrier

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

Kevin · August 11th, 2007

Are We Looking at the New Lexus JX?

Edmund’s Straightline Blog has some interesting analysis of the recent 2009 RX spy shots, suggesting that it’s not a RX at all, but an all-new model, the Lexus JX: What’s a JX 460? It’s yet another luxury sport ute, but unlike the softly sprung RX, the JX will be a performance-oriented crossover along the lines …

Kevin · August 10th, 2007

The Lexus Body Kit Series: RX 330/350/400h

The second part of my Lexus Body Kit Series has been posted, this time with the

Kevin · August 9th, 2007

Big News of the Day: Buick Ties with Lexus in J.D. Power’s Dependability Study

I couldn’t take a step online today without seeing that Buick & Lexus have tied in J.D. Power’s annual Vehicle Dependability Study. The study, which takes three-year old vehicles and looks at the number of problems over its last twelve months, has been thoroughly dominated by Lexus since 1993. This year marks the first time …

Kevin · August 9th, 2007

More Information on the 2009 Lexus RX

Today is full of next-gen RX news, this time from Auto Express. There’s the rather swell artist rendering (shown above), along with some speculation on the spy shots released last week: At first glance, it looks like any other RX, but close inspection reveals that the rear lights no longer sit flush with the bodywork. …

Kevin · August 8th, 2007

2009 Lexus RX in the Wild

The redesigned Lexus RX, scheduled for release in 2009, has been caught on camera for the first time, but not without a healthy amount of camouflage cladding that’s very successful at keeping most of the particulars a secret. There are a few details that can be discerned, the most obvious being the significant drop in …

Kevin · August 8th, 2007

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

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

Kevin · August 7th, 2007

Car Magazine Takes a First Look at the Lexus LS 600hL

Car Magazine has posted up their initial impressions of the LS 600hL, and while they were impressed by the car overall, their verdict was hardly glowing: The LS could quite possibly convert gas-guzzlers to battery power, so impressive and addictive is the power pack’s extra boost. On paper the performance and economy stats aren’t too …

Kevin · August 7th, 2007

The Lexus Body Kit Series: LS 460/460L/600hL

The first vehicle to be featured in my new Body Kit series is the Lexus LS 460/460L/600hL. If anything can be said about the majority of the available body kits for Lexus’ latest flagship model, it would be that they exhibit a very strong subtlety. None of the kits change the vehicle’s look substantially, and …

Kevin · August 6th, 2007

The Lexus Body Kit Series

With the site now more than two months old, I believe it’s time to introduce my first large-scale project: to document each and every body kit available to Lexus owners. My intention is work my way back in reverse chronology, beginning with the LS 460/460L/600hL and ending with Lexus’ first release, the LS 400. The …

Kevin · August 6th, 2007

Lexus IS-F: 415hp = Disappointment?

While attending the Orange County Taste of Lexus, a travelling showcase of Lexus autos, an Autospies member questioned a Lexus representative on the IS-F, who revealed the super-IS will be packing 415hp, a single horse more than the BMW M3. It’s quite possible that the representative was incorrect, though the number does fall inline with …

Kevin · August 6th, 2007

A Rendition of the Possible IS Coupe & Convertible

Since the comments made by John Roca, the Lexus Australia District Manager, that there’s a possible IS Coupe in the pipeline, there’s been a resurgence in interest in the idea, along with a potential convertible version. In light of that, egmcartech.com has dug up some renderings of the cars, created by Christian Shulte Design. In …

Kevin · August 4th, 2007

Site of the Week: Car Walls

To a compulsive computer wallpaper changer, finding the right desktop image is paramount, and for a fan of Lexus, no site has a greater collection than Car Walls. The collection of Lexus wallpapers here is strictly high quality, sourced from the official Lexus sites. As new models replace old, the desktop images would disappear from …

Kevin · August 4th, 2007

A Video Introduction to the Upcoming Lexus LX 570

The Lexus LX 570 is still about six months away from release, but it’s close enough to get revisit its new features over the outgoing LX 470. Luckily, Edmunds has published a video that does just that: This new edition of the LX has been redesigned from the ground up, and includes a host of …

Kevin · August 3rd, 2007

Mitsuoka Orochi, The Japanese Mutant Supercar

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

Kevin · August 3rd, 2007

The High Cost of Low Impact Collisions

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has released a report today to bring attention to the rather high cost of low-impact collisions in luxury automobiles. To illustrate their point, each of the test cars were subjected to four low-impact impacts: full front and rear collision, and front and rear side collisions. The damage was then …

Kevin · August 2nd, 2007

The LS 460 Symphony Orchestra Takes the Stage

Twelve LS 460’s will be filling in for a symphony orchestra this August for two very special performances in Britain: The twelve vehicles will be arranged onstage to emulate a typical orchestral layout of individual instruments, with strings, brass, woodwind, basses and percussion being performed by each section. In essence each LS 460 will be …

Kevin · August 2nd, 2007

Analyzing the Chemical Properties of the Lexus RX 400h Advert

The new Lexus RX 400h print ad may be a good looker, but according to the Chemist’s Laboratory Notebook blog, it’s just a pretty picture: Whenever I see chemical information or structures in real world situations, it makes me excited that non-chemists are getting a little exposure to what I work with every day. Usually …

Kevin · August 1st, 2007

Lexus USA July 2007 Sales Report

Toyota’s July sales may have dropped 3.5%, but Lexus managed to gain 4.9% in a month that was especially difficult for automakers. Here’s a by-model breakdown of the numbers: 2007 2006 % Change IS250/350 4,892 4,848 5.1 ES350 6,909 7,803 -7.8 GS350 1,798 1,776 5.5 GS430/450h 156 299 -45.7 LS460 2,696 971 189.2 Total Cars …

Kevin · August 1st, 2007

Lexus Class Action Lawsuit over ES 350 Airbags

According to the BusinessWire, a civil action lawsuit has been filed against Lexus/Toyota, with the claim that the ES 350’s front passenger seat fails to register occupants, meaning that in the event of a crash, the front passenger airbag would not deploy: At issue is the ES350’s airbag system, and specifically the systems’ airbag occupant …

Kevin · August 1st, 2007

The Driving Woman Reviews the 2008 RX 350

It’s no secret that Lexus’ RX SUV is a hit with women drivers, so the fact that The Driving Woman’s review of the 2008 RX 350 is so positive really doesn’t surprise me: The first time I drove a Lexus SUV, I was so excited that I decided to put on red lipstick at a …

Kevin · July 31st, 2007

Spy Shots of the Next Gen RX

WorldCarFans has scored some spy shots of next generation Lexus RX SUV, which give some hints of what to expect in the vehicle’s future. Judging by the ill-fitting body panels and the extensive taping, the vehicle will be expanding in width and length. The cut bumpers and rear doors would indicate a shift in the …

Kevin · July 31st, 2007

Lexus & The Best Global Brands Report

Interbrand annually publishes a non-industry specific report on the Best Global Brands, ranked by “brand valuation”. This year, Lexus rings in at 92, same as last year, and was 10th overall in car brands. Much ado was given to Hyundai’s ranking, placing at the 72 position, above Porsche and Lexus. It can hardly be considered …

Kevin · July 30th, 2007

News on the Upcoming Lexus IS-F & GS 460

A user at Autospies has posted up some information on the new IS-F and GS, taken from the latest issue of Motor Trend: Lexus IS/IS-F:”…The first offering in the new Lexus F-series of ultra-perfomance cars, expect the IS-f to have 400-425-hp version of the 5.0L V-8 from the LS 600h, eight-speed paddle-shifted automatic, Brembo ABS …

Kevin · July 30th, 2007

Lexus Wins Big in 2007 Motorist Choice Awards

The Motorist Choice Awards is an annual ranking of vehicles that deliver both the highest customer satisfication and lowest cost of ownership, held by Intellichoice and AutoPacific. For 2007, Lexus came first in a number of categories: Premium Luxury Car: Lexus LS Premium Sports Car: Lexus SC Aspirational Luxury Car: Lexus IS The LS 460 …

Kevin · July 29th, 2007

An Argument for Painted Brake Calipers

Painted brake calipers are a nice enough touch, but they take on new significance when you see a photo like this: Taken from a feature on the G2 website, makers of caliper paint, this indigo ink Lexus IS 300 belongs to Brian Torak. The wheels are 18″ Katana ZR5’s, you can get a better look …

Kevin · July 29th, 2007

Site of the Week: Autopia

If you’re anything of a car buff, and I’m going to assume you are, you’ve probably already come across this week’s site: Autopia. In a nutshell, it’s the place to go when you want to get your car in tip-top shape, inside and out. When I bought the Lexus last year, I spent days here, …

Kevin · July 28th, 2007

The Times Reviews the Lexus LS 600hL

I’ll admit, it was somewhat disappointing that the Lexus LS 600hL review in The Times wasn’t written by Jeremy Clarkson, but Stuart Birch gives it his best shot, including some interesting stats on the customers Lexus plans to reel in, along with a rather interesting question: Lexus says that about 10 per cent of buyers …

Kevin · July 27th, 2007

Lexus Releases 2008 Prices

Lexus has released the first part of their 2008 price list, with plenty of information to go with it. Let’s break it down by model, shall we? (All prices are in USD) 2008 RX 400h The base price of the RX 400h remains unchanged for both front-wheel-drive ($41,180)and all-wheel-drive ($42,580), and will be spruced up …

Kevin · July 27th, 2007

Comparison: Lexus LS 460 vs. Volkswagen Phaeton

A member of German Car Zone was nice enough to translate an article from German car magazine Auto Motor Und Sport pitting the Volkswagen Phaeton against the Lexus LS 460. (The full text appears on Autospies, if you don’t feel like signing up for GCZ account.) Now, whether it’s a case of German bias or …

Kevin · July 26th, 2007

Flickr Find: Rolling

I’ve featured a IS 350 photo from Flickr user J.Garrido before, but this image was simply too stunning to ignore: I’m a sucker for streaking blurs, night shots and glowing instrument panels, and this shot has to rank right up there with the best. Brilliant.

Kevin · July 26th, 2007

Super Street Magazine Reviews the Lexus LS 460

It’s far and few between to find an genuinely amusing car review, but Super Street Magazine manages just that with their review of the Lexus LS 460. Here’s a few of the more salient passages: Enter the LS 460. Right off the bat, this car is pimp. Scratch that, capital P-I-M-P. Plush roomy leather interior …

Kevin · July 25th, 2007

Lexus U.S. Open Commercial: Road Trip

The final Lexus commercial from the US Open has just appeared on the Internet, courtesy of my favorite Youtuber, bbakshow: Surprising as it may be, people searching for this commercial have made up an significant percentage of my traffic since launch, and I’m very happy to have found it. Being my first time seeing it, …

Kevin · July 25th, 2007

Andy Rooney Tracks Down His Old Lexus

When I started this site, never did I think I would see the day where I’d be writing about Andy Rooney, but the world’s a funny place, and I go where the Lexus news takes me. I’m sure that most people, after selling or trading in a car, have wondered where it ended up, who …

Kevin · July 24th, 2007

Photo Tour of the New Lexus of Bellevue Dealership

The newly relocated Lexus of Bellevue is a sprawling, beautifully appointed 275,000-square-foot dealership that takes the concept of customer experience and hits it into the stratosphere. No kidding, here’s a list of some of the more over-the-top features: A set of artificial putting greens A deli (!!!) Gas station on site Standalone automated car wash …

Kevin · July 24th, 2007

Lexus IS 250 Commercial: Ball Bearing Precision

The IS 250 may lack the IS 350’s power, but it definitely has a trump card if you need traction, namely All-Wheel Drive: The IS series is a confusing one, the IS 250 has the option of a manual transmission and AWD, while the IS 350 gets the bigger engine (with an extra 100hp) but …

Kevin · July 23rd, 2007

Lexus to Release IS 250X in Australia

Having to make due without the IS 350, Australians will have now have another IS option, the IS 250X. Limited to a run of 260, the IS 250X boasts the following upgrades over a base IS 250: Sports Tuned Suspension 18″ Alloy Wheels Revised Front Spoiler Alloy Pedals X Badging Starting at $64,390 AUD with …

Kevin · July 23rd, 2007

The GS 350 Exploding Donut

Two GS Donut videos in one day? Seriously? This second video continues on the grand tradition of Russian Lexus Destruction, only this time there’s blood and exploding rubber: For the life of me, I don’t understand why the cameraman inside the car didn’t pull back when he started seeing sparks. Crazy Russians!

Kevin · July 22nd, 2007

Lexus GS 300 Super Criminal Donut

For sheer volume, there’s few things I come across more on Youtube than Lexus’ doing donuts. Practically an everyday event, I’ve never thought to feature a single one until now. Crazy speed, residential area, tight turning radius: To top it off, if the description is to be believed, the car’s stolen, meaning this whole video …

Kevin · July 22nd, 2007

Site of the Week: LexLS.com

For any old-school LS 400 owners handy with a torque wrench and a willingness to get their hands dirty, there is no site better than Lexls.com: This site is jampacked with a range of useful information, with everything from changing your oil to replacing your timing belt/water pump. Each tutorial is extremely well written and …

Kevin · July 21st, 2007

Hyundai’s Veracruz vs. RX 350 Commercial

Hyundai has taken Motor Trend’s rather irksome comparison of the new Veracruz and the Lexus RX350 and ran with it, producing this cute but flawed commercial: Now, Hyundai can’t be faulted for wanting to draw attention to the Motor Trend results, but is it really a smart idea to celebrate the copycat styling of the …

Kevin · July 21st, 2007

Lexus Exploiting Hybrid Hype?

The NY Times article panning the LS 600h L has created quite a negative stir, with numerous claims that Toyota’s “green movement” is nothing but a farce. This is perhaps addressed most vehemently by The Auto Extremist, one of my favorite automotive opinion sites: It’s clear that the mainstream media is finally – finally – …

Kevin · July 20th, 2007

Nonsensical Criticism of West Coast Lexus Dealerships

The Truth About Cars has posted up a delusional article today badmouthing the buildings of Lexus dealerships in Newport and Bellevue, then making this grand-sweeping statement about all Lexus dealerships: While Lexus’ “L-Finesse” design language is moving their cars away from cod-Mercedes shapes, the Japanese automaker’s dealership architecture remains heavily influenced by parking garages, government …

Kevin · July 20th, 2007

Lexus Places Third in J.D. Power Customer Service Study

Lexus has ranked third in the 2007 J.D. Power Customer Service Study, coming up behind Jaguar and Buick and tying with Cadillac: The study “measures the customer satisfaction of vehicle owners who visit the dealer service department for maintenance or repair work during the first three years of ownership”, and in its 27th year, is …

Kevin · July 19th, 2007

Earthquake Halts Lexus Production

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

Kevin · July 18th, 2007

Lexus ES 350 Commercial: Goosebumps

The opening shot of this commercial is pure gold, though I have to admit a crash-test dummy getting goosebumps is a bit freaky: One of my favorite things about the new ES 350, which you can only catch of glimpse of in this commercial, is the optional Panorama Glass roof. It almost folds up like …

Kevin · July 18th, 2007

Gold Flecked Custom Painted ES 300

In running this site, I see a steady stream of beautiful cars, but once and a while , I come across an absolute gem: This ES 300 can not be beat, only $1,100! If you’re in Texas, it would be a crime not to give that number a call and see if it’s still available.

Kevin · July 17th, 2007

European LS 600h L Preview at Chauffeur Drive ‘07

European Chauffeurs will be getting a sneak peek of the Lexus LS 600h L at Chauffeur Drive ‘07, a new event “for Europe’s limousine and chauffeuring industry to see and drive the world’s most exclusive cars and limousines in one place”: Andy Simpson, Lexus’ Manager, National Corporate and Remarketing, commented: “We are pleased to be …

Kevin · July 17th, 2007

Lexus Hybrid Lineup to Expand

The Detroit News reports that Lexus plans to boost their hybrid lineup in hopes to increase their overall annual sales by 100,000: “Yes, there will be more hybrids in the Lexus lineup,” said James H. Colon, vice president for sales and dealer development at a meeting of auto reporters here. Lexus expects to sell just …

Kevin · July 17th, 2007

How Much Horsepower will the Lexus IS-F Have?

There’s a survey over at Autospies right now asking: How much horsepower with the new IS-F debut with? As of this writing, the leading guess is 440bhp to 450bhp with 23% of the votes, but what I found more interesting than the survey is the write up that accompanies it: A few months ago Car …

Kevin · July 16th, 2007

TOM’S LS460 Body Kit & Modifications

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

Kevin · July 16th, 2007

NY Times Unimpressed with the Lexus LS 600h L

NY Times writer Lawrence Ulrich took the LS 600h L to task in today’s paper, unable to understand what possible benefit it could have over Lexus’ own LS 460, nevermind the V12 competitors the car is aimed at: On the performance front, forget about the Lexus hanging with V-12 sedans like the Mercedes S600. Turns …

Kevin · July 15th, 2007

Redneckin’ in a Lexus IS 350

I can’t conceive of a single reason why someone would take their brand new IS 350 into a field to do doughnuts, but it certainly isn’t the first time I’ve been left speechless by a Lexus owner.

Kevin · July 14th, 2007

Lexus Face?

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

Kevin · July 14th, 2007

Site of the Week: Club Lexus

One of the best things about being a car owner in the Internet age is access to people who know far more about your car than you do, and are willing to share their knowledge and help you at any turn. There are plenty of Lexus enthusiast forums online, but one stands heads above the …

Kevin · July 13th, 2007

New Feature: Site of the Week

Today marks the beginning of a new feature: Site of the Week. There’s a multitude of valuable websites out there, and it’s going to be hard choosing just one a week. Admittedly, they won’t all be exclusively Lexus, but each one will relate back to our favourite car brand. If you have any suggestions,please contact …

Kevin · July 13th, 2007

Man Smashes Lexus With a Steel Pipe

If you’re adverse to automotive violence, best avert your eyes, as this guy has some serious pedestrian rage: As is the nature of this type of video, I’m left with more questions than answers: What was that all about? Where did he get the steel pipe? What is it with Russia and destroying Lexus’?

Kevin · July 13th, 2007

Motor Trend: Long-Term Lexus LS 460 Update

Motor Trend staff have been driving their LS 460 for three months now, which makes it time for a seasonal update: “The first time I tried it [parallel parking], it worked perfectly. Since then, however, I’ve tried it twice more, and it’s either scared me or just refused to work at all. Undoubtedly, I need …

Kevin · July 12th, 2007

SC400/Soarer Commercial from Japan

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

Kevin · July 12th, 2007

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