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GT Spirit Reviews the Lexus LFA

GTSpirit had a chance to drive the Lexus LFA in Monaco, and they created this fantastic video: Along with the video, there’s an exhaustive review on the GT Spirit website: The Monaco area gave the opportunity to experience the twisting roads in the hills surrounding the small country, but also the Formula 1 race track, …

Kevin · May 20th, 2010

Driving the Lexus LFA

Picture the most intense, heart-pounding roller-coaster ride of your life, only instead of rails and a cart, you’re strapped into a prototype supercar driven by a race car driver. That was the scene two weeks ago at the New Jersey Motorsports Park, where I found myself in the passenger seat of Lexus USA’s (formerly matte …

Kevin · May 17th, 2010

Nürburgring 24h Race Ready Lexus LFAs

Lexus has released photos of the fully liveried LFAs that will be taking part in this weekend’s 24h Nürburgring race: This image is just pure awesome, I had to crop it up for a wallpaper: Select Resolution: 1680×1050 | 1440×900 | 1280×1024 | 1280×800 | 1024×768 There doesn’t look to be a live feed of …

Kevin · May 12th, 2010

Lexus USA F-Sport Promotion in June

Lexus USA has announced there will be a special F-Sport promotion during the month of June — three new option levels have been made available on the IS, IS-C, & GS 350(RWD only): The F-Sport suspension kit will be offered for $1,450, a savings of $549, and will include lowering springs and rear chassis member …

Kevin · May 10th, 2010

Motor Trend Comparison: Lexus LFA vs. Nissan GT-R

Motor Trend has unleashed an absolutely epic comparison test pitting the Lexus LFA against the Nissan GT-R — some choice quotes: Subsequent testing proves the LFA to be dynamically superior to the GT-R in nearly every category. Any doubts that the Lexus is anything but a legitimate supercar are absolutely gutted on the test tarmac. …

Kevin · May 10th, 2010

James Martin Reviews the Lexus LFA

Celebrity chef/auto reviewer James Martin recently spent some time with the Lexus LFA: I drove this Lexus LFA up London’s Regent Street and had a procession of kids following me all along the pavement as I slowly made my way. By the time I reached Oxford Circus there were about 40 of them, all glassy-eyed …

Kevin · May 10th, 2010

Lexus LFA Desktop by Christian Thomas

I’m putting the final polish on the writeup of my Lexus LFA driving experience last week, but in the meantime I wanted to share one of the photos from Christian Thomas, who was the resident photographer at the event — check out this beautiful LFA photo: Select Resolution: 1680×1050 | 1440×900 | 1280×1024 | 1280×800 …

Kevin · May 7th, 2010

Lexus IS F CCS Concept Video

At the Tokyo Auto Salon earlier this year, Lexus showcased the IS F Club Circuit Club Sports Concept (or CCS Concept for short), an IS F done up in all sorts of carbon fiber, including some very nice detail work on the rear wing: As mentioned last month, Lexus has hinted that the carbon fiber …

Kevin · May 3rd, 2010

Updated Lexus GX 460 Resumes Sales and Production

Today Lexus announced that the Vehicle Stability Control update for the 2010 GX 460 is now available at all U.S. and Canadian dealerships. Dealers have begun contacting owners to set up service appointments for the software fix, and most should receive messages within the next week. Concurrently, sales of the GX 460 are resuming, as …

Kevin · April 29th, 2010

Lexus LFA Monaco Drive Video

GTSpirit has published a teaser video of an LFA ride through the streets of Monaco (please be warned, this video is rather jerky and may induce vertigo): This video was likely made around the same time that spyshots of the LFA in Monaco were taken. For most of its duration, the LFA is being led …

Kevin · April 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

Blue Lexus LFA Spotted

A blue Lexus LFA has been filmed in Japan: This second video has some closeups, along with footage of the interior: Truth be told, I’m generally not a fan of blue, but on the LFA it looks super-fine—here’s the money shot: So we’ve seen white, black, matte-black, red & blue—what color’s next? (My guess: silver.) …

Kevin · April 21st, 2010

Lexus GX 460 Recall Remedy Demonstration

Lexus Japan has released a video demonstrating the stability control update: This video was accompanied by a press release which details the exact circumstances that caused the stability control issues discovered by Consumer Reports last week: The following conditions combine to cause the problem: In the GX 460 and Land Cruiser Prado, heavy components, such …

Kevin · April 20th, 2010

Smart Lexus IS F Commercial from Lexus South Africa

Lexus South Africa has a new commercial touting the relativistic properties of the IS F: Really enjoyed the unforgiving intelligence of this video—it’s a commercial that rewards repeated viewing with a better understanding of the science it describes. Best of all, it tied directly into the brand’s central message—very well done.

Kevin · April 20th, 2010

Lexus LFA Nürburgring Edition in Black & White

We’ve seen photos of the limited-edition Lexus LFA Nürburgring edition in orange, and now here’s the track-optimized supercar in two other color options, black & white: The LFA Nürburgring package is limited to just 50 units within the total LFA production run of 500, in effect creating rare version of an already extremely limited supercar. …

Kevin · April 16th, 2010

More on the Consumer Reports Lexus GX 460 Test

Various new details today in the continuing story of the Lexus GX 460 & Consumer Reports—here’s some articles of interest: ***** By way of TTAC, Japan’s Nikkei Daily is reporting that Lexus has a solution has been found to the oversteer exhibited by the GX 460 in the Consumer Reports test, and involves a reflash …

Kevin · April 15th, 2010

Lexus LFA Video from Car & Driver

You may remember last month when Car & Driver took the Lexus LFA out on the track to compile some real-world performance figures on the supercar—well, here’s the video to go along with the stats: (I think the C&D video editor might have spent too much time watching Top Gear’s LFA feature.)

Kevin · April 14th, 2010

Red Lexus LFA Spotted

At long last, the production Lexus LFA has been spotted in something other than black or white: Some screenshots, because I can’t resist:

Kevin · March 29th, 2010

Lexus LFA Real-World Performance Figures

Since the production Lexus LFA’s introduction last year, the only concrete performance figures we’ve had to go on were the official numbers from Lexus—but that’s all changed now that Car & Driver had a chance to perform some speed tests with the supercar at the Nissan Technical Center in Arizona: At the moment, there’s no …

Kevin · March 29th, 2010

Lexus LFA Takes SP8 Class in 57th ADAC Nürburgring Race

This weekend, the Gazoo Lexus LFA race car took part in the 57th ADAC Westfalenfahrt four-hour race at Nürburgring, where it took 28th place overall and first in the SP8 class. Some photos from the race: The racing team of Iida Akira, Wakisaka Juichi, & Ohshima Kazuya overcame a first lap pitstop and a resulting …

Kevin · March 29th, 2010

Official Lexus LFA Nürburgring Package Details

Lexus has official announced the Nürburgring package for the LFA, bringing an even deeper performance focus to the upcoming supercar. The package includes: A larger front spoiler, fin-type side spoilers and a fixed rear wing Maximum power is upgraded 9.8hp/10PS, which helps the LFA maintain its 3.7s 0-100km time and maximum speed of 325km/h even …

Kevin · March 26th, 2010

New 2010 Lexus IS F Photo Gallery

Lexus UK has released some new images of the 2010 IS F, including photos of the all-new white leather interior option: The 2010 IS F has received some minor upgrades for 2010, including a new limited slip differential that improves traction and stability in high-speed cornering. The European spec IS F has also received a …

Kevin · March 26th, 2010

Lexus LFA to Attend Marin Sonoma Concours d’Elegance

The second annual Marin Sonoma Concours d’Elegance will be held this May 16, 2010, and it has been reported that the production Lexus LFA will be making its appearance there. Event announcements state that the vehicle is the “only one in the U.S.”, with the event held that Sunday from 9AM to 4PM at the …

Kevin · March 24th, 2010

Lexus LFA at UK Supercar Breakfast Meet

The Lexus LFA made an appearance at the second annual Mulberry Inn supercar meet, an informal UK gathering of exotic cars organized by P1 Supercars and Mulberry Inn pub owner and BBC radio personality Chris Evans. The LFA was photographed in rarefied company along with numerous Ferrari Enzos, 599s, Lamborghini Diablos, and a Porsche Carrera …

Kevin · March 22nd, 2010

Akio Toyoda Not Participating in Nürburgring 24h Race

In a break from the recent past, Toyota president Akio Toyoda will not be one of the Lexus LFA drivers during this year’s Nürburgring 24 Hours race in May. Making the announcement himself on his personal blog, President Toyoda says that although he test-drove one of the race-prepped LFAs, “unfortunately, [I] won’t participate in this …

Kevin · March 16th, 2010

Lexus LFAs to Race in Nürburgring 24h Race

The production Lexus LFA will be entering its first professional race when it takes part in the Nürburgring 24 Hours race this May. Gazoo Racing will be preparing and fielding two LFAs in the race, where the supercars will be receiving some minor aero-effects: This will mark the third time the LFA has participated in …

Kevin · March 15th, 2010

Lexus LFA to be offered in Nürburgring Track Edition

Japanese weblog レクサスとの道[LEXUS] is reporting that the Lexus LFA will be available in a track edition optimized for circuit driving: If Google’s translation serves, this Nürburgring edition looks to include a fixed rear wing, larger front spoiler, sports tuned suspension, high grip tires and a boost of 10 horsepower—and will only be available in four …

Kevin · March 14th, 2010

Lexus LFA Spotted in Monaco

A white Lexus LFA was spotted in the wealthy playground & supercar mecca, the principality of Monaco: No details—perhaps the LFA is making a personal visit to Lexus Monaco’s showroom? Taking some publicity shots? Or being demonstrated for LS 600h L owner Prince Albert II? [Source: GTSpirit.com and Flickr]

Kevin · March 12th, 2010

Inside Line Tests the Lexus GX 460

Edmunds Inside Line recently put the Lexus GX 460 to a full test, seeking to determine whether the mid-size luxury utility vehicle successfully combines off-roading prowess and multi-purpose convenience—first off, here’s their video feature: Much of the test is devoted to the GX 460’s technological and performance features, including: The GX 460’s optional Crawl Control …

Kevin · March 9th, 2010

Lexus LFAs Sold for SGD$1.25M in Singapore

According to the Business Times, Singapore’s allocation of 2 Lexus LFA supercars has been “sold at speed of light” – being spoken for even before the price was announced. Lexus Borneo Singapore received deposits of SGD$80,000 shortly after the Chinese Lunar New Year holidays from two undisclosed customers. The LFA’s price in Singapore has since …

Kevin · March 9th, 2010

Lexus IS 350C F-Sport Special Edition Heading to USA

A Lexus IS 350C F-Sport special edition is on its way to the USA later this month, and will feature the following upgrades over the standard IS 350C: Newly designed 19-inch forged alloy wheels with a wheel lock set and Michelin Pilot Sport 225/35ZR19 tires in the front and 255/35ZR19 tires in the rear Front …

Kevin · March 8th, 2010

Road & Track Reviews the 2010 Lexus LS 460 Sport

Road & Track has posted their driving impressions of the LS 460 Sport, which features a sport-tuned air suspension, Brembo brakes, and the Sport Direct Shift (SPDS) transmission from the IS-F, all intended to give the Lexus flagship a more performance-oriented demeanor: Seemingly small changes add up to big differences out on the road—especially if …

Kevin · March 1st, 2010

Lexus GS-F in 2013?

Autocar is reporting that the Lexus GS-F is on deck for 2013 and will be powered by the LFA’s V10: Lexus engineers are working on reducing the engine’s capacity by around 200cc to 4.6 litres and power to 450bhp. The idea is to improve low-range torque, although even with the reduced power output the GS-F …

Kevin · February 24th, 2010

EVO Magazine Reviews the 2010 Lexus IS F

For 2010, the Lexus IS-F gained a Torsen Limited Slip Differential (LSD), and EVO magazine has put the revised model to a road test. The Torsen LSD helped shave 2 seconds off the IS-F’s track times at Fuji Speedway, and on UK roads, EVO seemed impressed with the results. Here’s how they described it: In …

Kevin · February 23rd, 2010

On the Road with the Lexus LFA

We saw the video portion of Chris Harris’ Lexus LFA review for EVO Magazine, and now we have the written instalment as shared by Edmunds: The only engine as free-revving and responsive as this that we’ve ever experienced has been the Porsche Carrera GT’s 612-hp 5.7-liter V10. The resemblance is uncanny, from the heavy, lash-free …

Kevin · February 18th, 2010

Lexus LFA & Toyota 2000GT Photoshoot

While looking for a article photo earlier today, I stumbled across this image from Japanese Nostalgic Car: I missed it the first time around, but the folks at Japanese Nostalgic Car managed to secure both the LFA and a 2000GT for a photoshoot after a chance meeting at last year’s SEMA: Like everyone else at …

Kevin · February 15th, 2010

VAISTech Releases Lexus VLine LED Lights

VAIS Technology, makers of the premier Lexus iPod integration kits, have announced that their VLine LED light kit is now for sale—here are some photos: LED daytime running lights are finding their way into all sorts of cars since Audi pioneered the look—the 2010 LS is even sporting a similar strip. Best part about these …

Kevin · February 9th, 2010

Four Seasons Lexus IS F Review from Car Magazine

Car Magazine has just wrapped up its Four Seasons review of the Lexus IS-F, and like most of these long-term test drives, it’s interesting to see what the year brings (although it does sound like the author and the IS F fit together like a square peg in a round hole). Read this review

Kevin · February 4th, 2010

Next-Generation Lexus SC Rendering

With the Lexus SC 430 in its final months of production, our attention turns to what happens next—and Top Speed is more than happy to oblige with this rendering of the next-generation SC put together by photochopper Avarvarii: This rendering hits a lot of the right notes—the next generation SC has a lot of potential …

Kevin · February 1st, 2010

Lexus Mega Meet in Miami This Weekend

Looks like this is the week for Lexus enthusiasts in the Miami area—first there was the F-Sport event at the Homestead-Miami Speedway on Wednesday, and now this Sunday, the JM Lexus dealership will be hosting the Lexus/Supra Mega Meet, a massive Lexus gathering with hundreds of cars on display. View the Event Flyer or Visit …

Kevin · January 29th, 2010

Lexus F-Sport Event @ Homestead-Miami Speedway

Wednesday’s Lexus F-Sport Event at the Homestead-Miami Speedway has come and gone, but some of those lucky enough to attend have published their photos & videos from the track, including some beautiful LFA shots from Eric Ho: Be sure to check out his full gallery on Flickr—some very nice 1SC & 2GS photos from the …

Kevin · January 29th, 2010

Looking at the 2010 Lexus LS 600hL Instrument Panel

I really love the look of the new TFT instrument panel in the 2010 Lexus LS 600hL: There was also these images from yesterday’s L-Select LS 600hL photo gallery from Japan: {embed=“site/gallery” gallery_id=“1543”} The IP’s central circle theme is a much cleaner approach than the traditional two dial display, and brings to mind the LFA’s …

Kevin · January 28th, 2010

Lexus LFA Roadster Rendering

Dutch website Autogespot has put together a photochop of a production Lexus LFA Roadster, merging elements of the final production car and the 2008 LFA roadster concept: How far of a stretch would it be to expect an LFA Roadster to follow the LFA coupe? It would certainly help to recoup the V10 engine development …

Kevin · January 28th, 2010

Lexus LF-Ch Survey Results

If you’re a regular TLE reader, you may remember the LF-Ch online survey that Lexus USA conducted last September—here are the final results: Very clearly, the front-end design is a hit with the 3,281 voters—more than half liked a combination of the front and front 3/4 angles. No surprises here—the LF-Ch is certainly sporty & …

Kevin · January 27th, 2010

More Lexus GS-F Rumors

Pistonheads has published some very interesting quotes from Lexus representatives at the Detroit Auto Show about possible applications of the LFA’s V10 engine: “It’s not a straightforward job, because although the V10 is very compact its dry sump design means you have to find space under the bonnet for the oil tank,” said one insider. …

Kevin · January 21st, 2010

Lexus LFA @ The Detroit Auto Show

After a concentrated effort, I finally got through all of my Lexus LFA photos from the Detroit Auto Show—seeing the LFA for the first time was a funny experience. After all the hours writing about it, poring over photos, watching videos, there wasn’t much room for surprise—or so I thought. From a distance, the LFA …

Kevin · January 20th, 2010

Lexus IS F CCS Concept @ Tokyo Auto Salon

Marking the end of a two year rumor, Lexus has debuted the IS F Circuit Club Sports (CCS) concept at the Tokyo Auto Salon—a lightweight IS F with loads of carbon fiber, including the roof, hood, trunk, ground effects—just look at this wild rear wing: Along with the carbon fiber weight savings and a new …

Kevin · January 17th, 2010

Rumor: Lexus GS F to have LFA V10 Engine

Japanese magazine Best Car is reporting that Lexus is working on a GS F that would pair the current sedan with the LFA’s 4.8L V10 engine. It seems unlikely to be true, especially the idea that Lexus would be working on a variant of the oldest sedan in the lineup, and is probably wishful thinking …

Kevin · December 30th, 2009

Japanese Lexus LFA Commercial!

I wasn’t expecting this—Lexus Japan has released an actual commercial for the LFA: Also from Lexus Japan is this new cut of the LFA’s launch video, featuring new music and some 3D animation of the supercar’s engine and brakes: The Roar of an Angel—what a tagline. (Both of these videos were posted by O.N.O., who …

Kevin · December 17th, 2009

Autoblog Reviews the 2010 Lexus LS 460 Sport

Autoblog has posted their review of the 2010 Lexus LS 460 Sport, where they were pleasantly surprised by the sedan’s newfound sportiness: Approaching the first tight turn along this curvy hillside ribbon of asphalt, we instinctively wanted to tap into the upgraded Brembos to scrub off some momentum. Expecting a fair amount of body roll, …

Kevin · December 16th, 2009

Lexus LFA Review from The Sunday Times

Jason Barlow has reviewed the Lexus LFA for The Sunday Times: You can make up your own mind about the LFA’s looks, but it is aerodynamically efficient, authentically Japanese and more chunky Transformer than curvy Megan Fox. The sci-fi theme continues inside…after 10 minutes of fiddling I felt as befuddled as Bill Murray in Lost …

Kevin · December 13th, 2009

Lexus LFA Sound Gallery

The Lexus LFA mini-site has been updated to include a Sound “Gallery”, where you can listen to the LFA in its various aural states—and lucky for us, Youtube user supercargasm has posted up each soundclip for our listening pleasure: Engine Start Acceleration Full Flight Downshift Every time I almost get used to Lexus having a …

Kevin · December 10th, 2009

Lexus LFA to Appear on Top Gear

It was inevitable—Lexus UK has announced that Top Gear driver The Stig has taken the LFA around the track for an upcoming episode of the British car show. The Lexus UK Twitter account posted earlier today that a Stig lap at the Top Gear test track had taken place, but didn’t mention just how well …

Kevin · December 9th, 2009

Lexus LS 460 Sport Photos from Australia

Lexus Australia has just released what has to be considered the best LS 460 Sport photos since the vehicle’s introduction, including a good look at the new daytime running light design: {embed=“site/gallery” gallery_id=“1482”} My initial disappointment with the Sport grille design has subsided to a point where I may be going the other way. I …

Kevin · December 9th, 2009

Edmunds Track-Test: Lexus LS 460 Sport vs. BMW 750i Sport

Edmund’s Inside Line has pitted the new Lexus LS Sport package against the BMW 750i Sport in a performance track test, and in the process, somehow managed to add a full second to the LS 460’s official 0-60 time. According to the Edmunds numbers, the LS 460 Sport hits 0-60 mph in 6.4 seconds compared …

Kevin · December 9th, 2009

Lexus LFA European Buying Process

New information on the European Lexus LFA buying process has been released—London’s Park Lane dealership, the same dealership that’s hosting the only LFA in Europe, will be the center for all LFA sales, which will be handled by Personal Liaison Manager Devshi Varsani—from the press release: The man at the heart of the operation is …

Kevin · December 3rd, 2009

Lexus LFA Review from jruhi4

jruhi4 from My.IS, who you may remember was responsible for an epic Lexus IS convertible review, has taken it one step further with his latest—a Lexus LFA review so large and full of detail, it had to be split into two parts: The 1LR-GUE 4.8-liter V10 is such an all-new, clean-paper engine for Lexus that, …

Kevin · December 2nd, 2009

Three Ridiculous Lexus LFA Videos

All in the span of a 15 minute period, I watched these three absolutely ridiculous Lexus LFA videos—first up, a car blogger apparently snuck into the storage area where the matte black LFA was being prepped for the LA Auto Show and drove it around the garage: Now that’s just plain crazy. Next up, someone …

Kevin · December 1st, 2009

Automobile Magazine Reviews the 2010 Lexus LS 460 Sport

Automobile Magazine sure did fall for the 2010 Lexus LS 460 Sport: A previously geriatric sedan is finally alive with youthful vigor and enthusiasm for twisty roads. Lexus has revealed an inner self we never knew existed. The LS platform has the moxie to handle much more power, speed, and throttle pressure. This toe dipped …

Kevin · November 30th, 2009

Jay Leno’s Garage Features Lexus LFA

Just got around to watching the Lexus LFA coverage on Jay Leno’s Garage and it’s well worth the time (even without Leno driving): The side-long footage simulates what it might look like to pull beside the LFA, and also shows just how large the car really is (which is to say, not very). It’s also …

Kevin · November 29th, 2009

Lexus LFA Spending Christmas in London

The only Lexus LFA in Europe has been parked at the Park Lane dealership in London, where prospective buyers can take a closer look and talk with Devshi Varsani, the man responsible for selling the supercar in Europe. From Autocar: “At the moment, we’re in the process of taking orders and deposits for the car …

Kevin · November 27th, 2009

Lexus LFA Crystallised Wind Video

Loved this video of the transparent acrylic Lexus LFA created earlier this year for the Milan Design Week: An extraordinary model, and a beautifully filmed video. Must-see. (It was very hard to visualize the model by photos alone—I didn’t release there was an entire transparent engine sitting under the hood!) (Thanks WoL!)

Kevin · November 25th, 2009

Lexus LFA Interior Walkthrough Video

This Urban Racer video of the Lexus LFA at SEMA features some nice detail footage of the interior, including a nice walkthrough of the instrument panel options: That LFA instrument panel is spectacular—can not wait to see something similar in other Lexus models down the road. [Source: Urban Racer]

Kevin · November 24th, 2009

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

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

Lexus F-Sport Event at the Auto Club Speedway

If you may recall, there was an F-Sport event in Fontana, California last Thursday, and videos and photos of the event are making their way online—for a start, there’s this video put together by Unlimited Illuminations that features great footage of an IS F lap around the Auto Club Speedway: Too bad that poor guy …

Kevin · November 16th, 2009

Automobile Interview with Lexus’ Brian Bolain

As part of Automobile Magazine’s SEMA coverage, Editor-in-Chief Jean Jennings sat down and interviewed Lexus National Marketing Manager Brian Bolain on the LFA: I like how the LFA is described in terms of how it fits into the lineup—not just the plan to use the supercar to build out F-Sport, but how it builds on …

Kevin · November 11th, 2009

Motor Trend: 2008 Lexus IS F Long Term Test

Motor Trend has just turned in the results of their year-long Lexus IS F road test—doesn’t sound like the car was well-liked: Naturally, our discerning staff found plenty to criticize about the IS F, notably high-performance Brembos that all too often emitted high-pitched squeaks (dealers either could not replicate the noise or told us it …

Kevin · November 10th, 2009

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