Toyota Announces 2012 Financial Results

Toyota had its 2012 financial results news conference yesterday, and despite the Japanese tsunami, the company still turned a $5.4 billion USD profit.
Kevin · May 10th, 2012

Lexus Kuwait Planning World’s Largest Lexus Showroom

Lexus Kuwait is planning to build the world’s largest Lexus showroom — here’s a virtual look at the proposed building: The effort put into these new mega-dealerships is amazing — it’s hard to even imagine the scale of that showroom. Construction should be begin soon, can’t wait to see some real life photos. [Source: Lexus …
Kevin · October 25th, 2010

Looking at Lexus Design

There’s an interesting column by Eddie Alterman at Car & Driver—I recommend reading the whole thing, but here’s some choice quotes: …try to figure out what an IS F could possibly be doing next to an HS250h hybrid. Or why the LFA, a bona fide super-premium super-GT, looks like somebody’s old Supra that crashed into …
Kevin · February 7th, 2010

A Note on the Recent Toyota Recall

In order to head off the emails I’ve been receiving over the last couple days regarding Toyota’s recent accelerator pedal recall—it is important to note that this is strictly a Toyota issue and does not affect any Lexus car or SUV. There was a Lexus ES 350 & IS 250/350 recall announced in December regarding …
Kevin · February 3rd, 2010

2010 Lexus GX to Debut in Shanghai Next Month

For those waiting for the next generation of Lexus GX, the wait may soon be over. According to Edmunds, Lexus will be debuting the 2010 GX in Shanghai next month, with full details coming in November. The GX will then reach dealerships some time in December. (Considering the Shanghai Auto Show is held in February, …
Kevin · September 3rd, 2009

More on the Lexus LFA Engine

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

Lexus IS-C Sales Expectations

Lexus has shared some of the sales expectations of the new IS convertible—according to Automotive News, the company is hoping for worldwide monthly sales of 1,600 units. Whether or not such numbers are possible will depend entirely on North America, where 70% of production will be sent. “This is meant to appeal as an entry-level …
Kevin · May 8th, 2009

Lexus Numbers Roundup

Three stories out today about Lexus sales, and rather than post them all separately, I thought to just combine them. First up, Toyota president Katsuaki Watanabe still expects to see a slight increase in 2008 sales over 2007, despite the recent downturn in sales. This makes for a large uphill battle, though, as Lexus sales …
Kevin · March 6th, 2008

Lexus to increase production capacity by 35%

In order to stay on top of demand in Russia, China, and other emerging markets, Lexus will be ramping up their production capacity by a staggering 35%, from 600,000 to 850,000. The Nikkei Business Daily reports: Toyota now makes Lexuses at its Tahara plant, in Aichi Prefecture, and at Toyota Motor Kyushu Inc.‘s Miyata facility, …
Kevin · February 27th, 2008

Lexus LS 600h Sales Exceed Expectations by 300%

One thing that I failed to notice when posting up the Lexus LS 600h’s sales figures is just how far the total was over the projected sales. By selling 6,093 units by October, the LS 600h has exceeded Lexus’ yearly sales estimate of 2,000 by over 300%. These numbers are nothing short of exceptional, especially …
Kevin · December 5th, 2007

Lexus LS 600h Sales Start Strong

Lexus LS 600h sales are off to an exceptionally strong start, selling 6,093 units worldwide as of October 2007. Japan is especially enamored, scooping up 4,533 of the total, though this is likely due to its earlier release. Both North American and European sales are decent, with 818 and 569 sales respectively. These numbers have …
Kevin · December 2nd, 2007

The Small Lexus Moves Forward

There’s been rumblings for some time that Lexus could release a super-small sedan to compete with the likes of BMW’s 1-series and Audi’s A3, and a recent article from GoAuto suggests it’s much further in development than previously thought: To be manufactured in sedan and/or hatch guises beyond 2010, the new entry-level model plan was …
Kevin · November 10th, 2007

The Lexus Global Strategy

Lexus, which has focused primarily on the American market since its inception in 1989, has been attempting to grow into the global brand, yet the results have been mixed. The Detroit News has a very interesting article on this topic: In some of the most promising, fast-growing markets such as Russia and China, Lexus is …
Kevin · September 10th, 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

Toyota Sells One Million Hybrids

Toyota announced that they have now sold 1 million hybrid vehicles worldwide, ten years after the introduction of the Prius. Here’s a breakdown of the individual vehicle sales: As expected, the Prius was the biggest seller, making up 75% of the total. The entire Lexus lineup, which includes GS 450h, the RX 400h and the …
Kevin · June 7th, 2007