Jay Leno Drives the Lexus LFA Spyder

Jay Leno has visited the LFA Works production facility in Japan and had a chance to drive the world’s only LFA Spyder (!!!).
Kevin · October 5th, 2012

Lexus Boosts RX Manufacturing in Canada

Lexus will invest more than $100 million and hire approximately 400 employees to increase Lexus RX production at its Cambridge, Ontario facility.
Kevin · July 24th, 2012

What Comes After the Lexus LFA?

Putting the rumor of a million dollar LFA II to rest, but opening the door to all types of possibilities as to what comes next.
Kevin · July 16th, 2012

Interview with Two Lexus ES Designers

The Lexus Global website has an in-depth interview with Yasuo Kajino & Shinno Kato, two of the people responsible for the design of the 2013 ES.
Kevin · July 11th, 2012

TTAC Tours Lexus LFA Works Factory

Bertel Schmitt from TTAC was given unprecedented access to the Lexus LFA Works factory in Japan, and will be running a five-part series this week documenting the production of the Lexus supercar.
Kevin · July 9th, 2012

Lexus LFA Almost Sold Out

Two years since its launch, the Lexus LFA is in the final months of its 500-unit production run, and remaining inventory "is down to single digits", according to Tim Morrison, Lexus USA vice president of sales.
Kevin · June 20th, 2012

Lexus GS Development Travel Stories

While on the topic of the Lexus GS development, I wanted to link to this collection of travel stories from GS Chief Engineer Yoshihiko Kanamori
Kevin · June 8th, 2012

Video: Naked Lexus LFA Bares All

The Tokyo Motor Show wasn’t the first appearance for the “naked” LFA that Lexus had on display — the stripped down supercar made its debut at a LFA owners event at the Nürburgring.
Kevin · December 8th, 2011

Lexus LFA Diorama Display at Tokyo Motor Show

Along with more images of the "naked" Lexus LFA at the Tokyo Motor Show, *Inside Line* has shared photos of an extraordinary diorama on display that illustrates the major stages in building the Lexus supercar.
Kevin · December 2nd, 2011

Lexus Coming to India in 2013

After a four-year evaluation period, Lexus will finally be coming to India, with the first dealerships expected to open in early 2013.
Kevin · November 29th, 2011

The History of the Lexus LFA

This video history of the Lexus LFA from Australian website The Motor Report is an excellent look back at the development of the Lexus supercar.
Kevin · October 17th, 2011

Lexus Manufacturing Status Update

Lexus USA general manager Mark Templin gave an update on the state of Lexus manufacturing at a recent media event in Chicago.
Kevin · July 12th, 2011

Lexus Magazine Photo Essay: Landfall

Lexus Magazine has published a photo essay detailing the intricate procedure each Lexus goes through once it lands in North America after being manufactured and shipped from Japan.
Kevin · July 4th, 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, …
Kevin · April 26th, 2011

Akio Toyoda Tours Japan Disaster Zone

Toyota President Akio Toyoda toured Japan’s earthquake disaster zone last week to survey the damage done to the company’s assembly plants, which have remained closed for the most part since the quake. I recommend this excellent recap of Toyoda-san’s visit at Autoweek, which talks in detail about the current challenges that Toyota is facing. (Toyota-san …
Kevin · March 30th, 2011

Two More Lexus LFAs Arrive in the USA

Two more Lexus LFAs have arrived in the USA, and Flipside909 from Club Lexus was there to witness their arrival at the docks. Of special interest is the blue #047, which belongs to Club Lexus member, gengar, who has been one of the most active LFA owners in the Lexus community. Congratulations to both of …
Kevin · March 23rd, 2011

Lexus USA’s Latest LFA Shipment

Like The Octane Report, Autoblog also witnessed the lastest shipment of Lexus LFAs arriving in the USA, and has put together an exceptionally detailed step-by-step of the process, along with this video: As you can tell from the first photo, three LFAs have arrived: the Pearl Blue we saw yesterday, plus another Black and White …
Kevin · February 18th, 2011

Meet the Journalist Who Influences Lexus Development

Lexus Magazine is running a new article written by Jean-Jacques Cornaert, an automotive journalist who just so happens to get access to unreleased and in-development Lexus vehicles — here’s an excerpt: The [Lexus IS-F] is a masterpiece, the result of several years of thought about what a Lexus can be. It’s also a car that, …
Kevin · February 4th, 2011

1992 Lexus LS 400 Commercial: Steel Plate Drum

Let’s switch gears from all-LFA-all-the-time and take a look at this Lexus LS 400 commercial from 1992: I had never seen this commercial before — and it’s a perfect illustration of how The Hard Way is something Lexus has always subscribed to.
Kevin · January 27th, 2011

More North American Lexus LFAs

Last week, we had a look at the first three Lexus LFAs to arrive in North America, and now we can see the rest of the first shipment delivered to California — six LFAs in all — courtesy of Club Lexus editor flipside909. The remaining LFAs are all in colors we’ve seen before: #004 Whitest …
Kevin · January 26th, 2011

Pearl Red Lexus LFA Gets Final Inspection

Lexus Magazine has just posted their Photo of the Week, and it’s an outtake from their recent article featuring Shigeru Yamanaka, the master craftsman in charge of LFA manufacturing: That Pearl Red exterior is really something special. [Source: Lexus Magazine]
Kevin · January 25th, 2011

Lexus IS Manufacturing Video

The combination of seeing the Lexus LFA manufacturing process and the recent Hard Way commercials reminded me of this 2005 video about the IS assembly line at the Kyushu plant: The level of precision shown in every Lexus never ceases to amaze me — this is the Pursuit of Perfection at work.
Kevin · January 23rd, 2011

Lexus LFA Buyer Tours the LFA Manufacturing Facility

While on the topic of the Lexus LFA production facility, Club Lexus member gengar recently visited the Motomachi plant to see his LFA being built, and recounts the experience in vivid detail — here are some quotes: The tour was led by LFA production manager Shigeru Yamanaka. Accompanying him was LFA chief engineer Haruhiko Tanahashi …
Kevin · January 20th, 2011

The Man Behind the Lexus LFA Manufacturing

Lexus Magazine has a new feature on the man responsible for leading the LFA Works manufacturing team, Shigeru Yamanaka: Shigeru Yamanaka, manufacturing manager at the LFA Works, sums it up with characteristic precision: “We are actually a Takumi team.” Within Lexus, a Takumi—literally, “artisan”—is one of the 10 to 12 top guns of manufacturing. To …
Kevin · January 19th, 2011

The First Production Lexus LFA

The Lexus LFA website has been updated to include a very important milestone — the manufacturing of the very first production LFA: December 15th, 2010. The production of the Lexus LFA begins at the Motomachi Factory LFA Plant. The LFA will be produced by a total of 170 people including the CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced …
Kevin · January 17th, 2011

Lexus LS 460 Commercial: Chain “The Hard Way”

As part of their The Hard Way marketing campaign, Lexus has released a commercial that reinforces the strength of the LS 460 chassis: Keep in mind, this actually happened — here’s a behind-the-scenes look at the commercial’s creation: I can’t believe Scott Pruett parks a LFA underneath five cars suspended by a crane. Crazy. Update: …
Kevin · January 14th, 2011

Lexus CT 200h Manufacturing Video

Here’s a new video that gives a glimpse into the CT 200h’s manufacturing process at the Kyushu plant in Japan: I’m a huge fan of manufacturing videos no matter what, but there’s also a strong message in this video — even though the CT 200h will be the entry-level Lexus, it still benefits from the …
Kevin · December 8th, 2010

Lexus LS L-Select Custom Color Combinations

L-Select, the Lexus LS customization program available in Japan, has a brand new website with some (very small) photos of potential color combinations: Iris Topaz Beige Scarlet Rose Olive Umber Snow White Blue Gray Dark Brown Both the Blue Gray & Dark Brown may very well be Alcantara, which is a very nice touch and …
Kevin · December 7th, 2010

How to Make a Lexus Wood-Carved Steering Wheel

Lexus Magazine has a new photo feature up that details the steps necessary to build one of a Lexus wood-carved steering wheel — here’s a couple of the slides that show the workmanship: Anyone who’s worked with fine woods knows that polishing raw wood is a high art form. Hardness, density, and color will vary, …
Kevin · October 10th, 2010

Lexus Manufacturing Master of Paint

Lexus Magazine has published a fascinating article on Kimihiro Sakakibara, one of the 10 Lexus Takumi Masters that oversee factory production: For anyone still unfamiliar with the term, Lexus Takumi are the automotive equivalent of a 10th Dan black belt. Each of the ten Takumi specializes in a key area of the vehicle—and each commands …
Kevin · August 4th, 2010

More on the Lexus Engine Recall

Lexus USA will be formally submitting their recall of approximately 138,000 Lexus vehicles next week with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The recall will apply to certain 2006, 2007 & 2008 GS, IS, and LS models equipped with 4.6 and 5.0L V8 and 3.5L V6 engines. Here’s the full breakdown: GS 350: 2007-2008 GS …
Kevin · July 2nd, 2010

Lexus Confirms Engine Recall

Toyota has announced that there will be a recall on 270,000 Lexus (and one model Toyota) worldwide — from The New York Times: Toyota will recall a total of 90,000 Lexus and Crown sedans in Japan, and is “making preparations to take similar, appropriate actions” for 180,000 more cars that carry the same engine worldwide, …
Kevin · July 1st, 2010

Potential Lexus Engine Recall

Toyota has announced today that they may be recalling 270,000 Lexus cars after discovering a problem with the 4.6L V8 and 3.5L V6 engines used throughout the lineup — from the Wall Street Journal: The auto maker has found a problem with the valve spring of 4.6 liter V8 engines and 3.5 liter V6 engines …
Kevin · July 1st, 2010

Lexus LFA Configuration Kit

Flickr user itzjere (aka Jeremy) had the enviable task of configuring a Lexus LFA for his boss, and posted some pictures of the process (click for larger images): This LFA configuration kit shows an amazing attention to detail, and looks to be an excellent way to choose a car color combo. I asked Jeremy a …
Kevin · June 29th, 2010

Lexus LFA Carbon Fiber Leads to Future Possibilities

Ward’s Auto has published an article summarizing Lexus LFA project manager and vehicle materials expert Nobuya Kawamura’s recent presentation at the JEC Composite exposition in Paris, France. Kawamura talked about the “never-ending process” of the supercar’s carbon fiber development, which ultimately led to Lexus engineers learning multiple techniques for producing several types of the material, …
Kevin · April 23rd, 2010

Lexus: The Pursuit Continues…

A new Lexus commercial today—this one with a focus on quality and a return to the classic “Pursuit of Perfection” tagline: This commercial leads to a new section on the Lexus USA website devoted to quality control & safety, and includes videos of the RX 350 manufacturing process at the Cambridge Ontario plant and how …
Kevin · March 10th, 2010

Lexus HS 250h Voluntary Recall Announced

A voluntary recall of the 2010 Lexus HS 250h has been announced by Toyota USA—from the press release: The ABS, in normal operation, engages and disengages rapidly (many times per second) as the control system senses and reacts to tire slippage. Some 2010 model year Prius and 2010 HS 250h owners have reported experiencing inconsistent …
Kevin · February 8th, 2010

Lexus SC 430 to End Production, Japanese Special Edition Revealed

Lexus has announced that the SC 430 will cease production in July, ending the nine-year run of the second generation sports coupe. To mark the occasion, Lexus Japan will be offering a special, limited edition dubbed The Eternal Jewel, which will bring an extreme level of customization to both the interior & exterior color choices, …
Kevin · January 20th, 2010

Lexus LFAs Limited to 150 Units in USA, 10 in Canada

There’s news today on the USA’s allotment of Lexus LFAs—initially thought to be “undetermined” and dependant on worldwide demand, it has now been announced that the USA will receive 150 of the total run of 500 units: A Lexus spokesman told Inside Line only 150 cars will be coming to the U.S. Previously, Lexus said …
Kevin · November 24th, 2009

2010 Lexus GX 460 US Pricing

Arriving in US dealerships in late December, the 2010 Lexus GX 460 will be offered in two grades: The base model starts at $51,970, with standard features like power fold-flat third row seats, heated/ventilated front seats, rear backup camera, ten airbags,integrated XM, Bluetooth & iPod control, a 4.2” multi-information display, nine speaker audio system and …
Kevin · November 23rd, 2009

Lexus LF-Ch Launch in 2012?

Paul Eisenstein of The Detroit Bureau had an opportunity to talk with Lexus USA General Manager Mark Templin on the future of the LF-Ch hatchback concept: “There is a group of buyers growing up now who won’t buy cars by the pound,” noted Templin, adding that, “We have already seen a structural shift” to the …
Kevin · November 20th, 2009

More on the Lexus LFA Buying Process

Automobile Magazine has more on the Lexus LFA buying process: What I want to talk about is how a person might go about purchasing an LFA. Buying an exotic car, especially one in high demand, like most Ferraris, can be a very taxing experience even for the most battle-hardened business person. How do I get …
Kevin · November 17th, 2009

The Lexus LF-Ch Design Story

Also out today is a video from Toyota’s Calty Design Research on the design of the Lexus LF-Ch: Nice to see the people behind the designs, even if the video plays like an automotive design school advertisement. (A funny thought: even though the LF-Ch has taken a back seat to the LFA in recent days, …
Kevin · November 10th, 2009