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Filed under: LA Auto Show , Convertibles , Sedans/Saloons , Crossovers/CUVs , Lexus Our friendly neighborhood Toyota/Lexus spokesman, Curt McAllister, dropped us a note with an official announcement of what's coming to the Lexus booth at next week's LA Auto Show , and as expected, the big reveal will be the reworked RX luxury crossover. Like the current crossovers, the RX will come in two prescription strengths: the conventional RX350 with a 3.5L V6 and the hybrid flavored RX450h. The bump in nomenclature from the current RX400h likely implies some enhancements to the powertrain including a bump from the current 3.3L V6 to the 3.5L engine used in the 350. It's assumed the RX400h will also boast enhancements to the hybrid drive system with tech pulled from the 2010 Toyota Prius . The photo above, taken of the Japanese brochure, appeared online showing an evolution of the current design rather than a revolutionary redesign. In addition to the RX, LA will host the North American...
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Filed under: Aftermarket , SEMA , Tuners , Sedans/Saloons , Lexus Click above for high-res gallery of the Five Axis Lexus GS 460 Lexus is really getting into this whole SEMA thing. Besides the IS F, plenty of which we'll be showing you shortly, there was this slick GS 460 done up by long-time Toyota collaborator Five Axis. The Project GS is Troy Sumitomo's follow-up to last year's sweet IS F . It features a Five Axis widebody conversion slathered in PPG custom formulated Satin Titanium Pearl paint with onyx and papaya accents, a custom fabricated exhaust with dual finishers by Five Axis, Five:AD ONYX 20-inch wheels wrapped in Yokohama Advan concept tires, sport shocks, performance lowering springs and a high-performance Big Brake Kit. While the front fascia is a bit too Mazda concept-ish, the overall look is slick and stealth. Matte finishes are probably just at the end of their useful lifespan, but these guys do it right. Hit the jump for official details from Lexus and check...
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Filed under: Aftermarket , SEMA , Tuners , Sedans/Saloons , SUVs , Lexus Click any image for a high-res gallery Lexus decided that its presence at SEMA should revolve around its most tuner-friendly models, specifically its range of IS sedans. So in addition to the Five Axis IS F that's been making the rounds since late last year, Lexus has tapped some notable names in tuning, along with a few magazines, to create a handful of bespoke vehicles to populate its booth. But the IS 350 and four tweaked IS Fs won't stand alone. They'll be joined by another Five Axis creation built around the GS 460 , along with an LX 570 SUV created by the crew at Icon 4x4 Design. Click here for our take on each model, along with official details on each IS F, the Lexus' F-sport-tuned IS 350 and the big 'ute. Gallery: Lexus at SEMA 2008 Continue reading SEMA Preview: Lexus reveals four tuned IS Fs, IS 350 and LX570 SEMA Preview: Lexus reveals four tuned IS Fs, IS 350 and LX570 originally appeared...
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Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Euro , Hatchbacks , Lexus Europeans will get another premium compact car not bound for U.S. shores and this time it comes courtesy of Lexus. The automaker is targeting the BMW 1 Series and Audi A3, vehicles that its rivals have offered in the United States market. Lexus, though, only plans the vehicle for markets outside the U.S. where sales of smaller cars outpace their larger siblings. Apparently, Lexus has set a goal to sell 150,000 vehicles in Europe by 2015 and believes the new model is necessary to meet that number. At this point, we have no idea what platform the compact car would be based on, but Toyota certainly has a number of options, most notably the Auris , which is offered in the European market in hatchback form. There is also the possibility that the new entry-level Lexus could be based on an upcoming small hybrid model from Toyota that would slot beneath the Prius, a version of which the automaker plans to debut in the Lexus line. [Source:...
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Filed under: Concept Cars , Tuners , Sedans/Saloons , Lexus , Misc. Auto Shows , Australia Click above for high-res gallery of the Lexus IS 250 Sports Concept At the ongoing Australian International Motor Show in Sydney, the same show where Australian sportscar-maker Elfin took the wraps off its new Type 5 Clubman , Lexus unveiled a new version of its IS 250 sports sedan called the Sports Concept. So what, you ask is the Lexus IS 250 Sports Concept? Think of it as IS F-light, but not quite as light on substance as appearance packages from its German rivals (think Audi S-line or Mercedes AMG sport packages). The show car has been outfitted with 19" wheels hiding cross-drilled two-piece rotors clamped by six-pot calipers up front and four-pots in the rear, painted trademark Lexus F blue. It also sports Billstein shocks and springs; sway bars and chassis braces; an enlarged air intake and cat-back exhaust; a new clutch and short-shift kit; a carbon fiber engine cover and an assortment...
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Filed under: Motorsports , Hybrids/Alternative , Sedans/Saloons , Green , Lexus , Canada At last year's Targa Newfoundland , driver Mark Lachapelle brought his Lexus GS 450h -- yeah, that's a hybrid -- home 18th overall, and sixth in his division. This year he'll return to the 2,200-kilometer race which runs over six days through the central and eastern part of the island. The 339 hp Lexus is the only one of last year's hybrid contestants to return, and is kitted for duty with just a safety cage, performance exhaust and upgraded shock absorbers. Slotted into the modern division, this year's race will pit the Japanese hybrid against big bore Americana: among other competitors, Ralph Gilles and Karen Wagner are scheduled to drive a Dodge Challenger SRT in the same class. Targa Newfoundland runs from September 13-20, and if you want to keep up with the action in a timely manner, check out Autonet.ca . For you French speakers, go to the French version of Autonet.ca , or...
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Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative , Sedans/Saloons , Etc. , Lexus , Toyota Lexus has some changes in store for most of its model lineup in 2009, though there doesn't appear to be anything in store for enthusiast drivers to rejoice over. Also cause for jeers instead of cheers: price increases from .8 to 1.1 percent, depending on model. The IS 250 and 350 do get revised suspension and steering tuning to go with exterior styling tweaks and the revised interior carries a new center cluster and an off switch for the VDIM stability control. The IS F über-IS also gets a new interior rendered in terra cotta and black that's termed "sporty." The only news in the GS department is a 40% increase in trunk space for the GS 450h hybrid, which sounds fantastic but only amounts to 10.6 total cubic feet. The big LS sedans stay largely the same, though some new variants join the party. AWD versions of the LS 460 and LS 460 L tuck a Torsen differential onto the transmission's output...
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Filed under: Aftermarket , SEMA , Tuners , Sedans/Saloons , Lexus Click above for a high-res gallery of the Fox/Artisan Lexus IS-F. The 2009 Lexus IS-F is slated to get some serious attention at SEMA, and Fox Marketing and Artisan are out to prove that show and go aren't mutually exclusive. The plan is to create an IS-F that has the power to match its presence, and to that end, Artisan developed a twin-turbo setup that huffs compressed oxygen into a 5.0-liter V8 equipped with JE pistons and Crower rods. With a Mishimoto radiator, an Artisan exhaust, a healthy amount of boost and a thorough tune, Artisan is estimating over 600 hp at the rear wheels. Aesthetically, the team sought to compliment the stock IS-F's styling, so they've fitted a bespoke body kit consisting of custom front and rear bumpers, and a set of side-skirts that cleanly integrate into the blistered rear fenders. iForged rollers fill the wheel wells, sized 20x9.5-inches in front and 20x11.5-inches in the rear...
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Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Paris Motor Show , Lexus Click above to view gallery of the 2009 Lexus IS While work is reportedly be done on developing a cabrio version of the Lexus IS and a lighter-weight version of the fire breathing IS-F , the IS 250 and 350 need some attention too. They're receiving mild updates for the 2009 model year, images of which have found their way onto the web. Though not expected to officially bow until the Paris Motor Show in October, the '09 IS will be sporting an ever so slightly revised front end, new side mirrors with turn signal indicators, redesigned taillamps with integrated L-shaped reverse lights and a new wheel design. In true Lexus tradition, the exterior changes are about as minimal as they get and require close comparison with an '08 model to appreciate. We can see that the front bumper, lower air intakes and fog lights have been softened, but that's about it. While we don't know anything official about mechanical changes,...
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Filed under: Convertibles , Sedans/Saloons , Lexus Click above for a hi-res gallery of the Lexus IS-F The higher-ups at Toyota may have decided to axe the replacement for the Lexus SC convertible , but don't get too used to the idea of a world without a wind-in-your-hair Lexus. Word has it they've given the green light to a convertible version of the current IS sedan . Of course, lopping off the doors and roof of a four-door is hardly unheard of, as that's just what Audi did to make the A4 convertible, but while that 'vert is set to be replaced by the A5 cabrio, Lexus is going the opposite direction. The IS cabrio is tipped to come in 250 and 350 varieties, with Lexus reasoning that there'd be no market for an IS-F convertible. But fret not, as the same reports suggest that a lightweight IS-F sedan is on its way, again going the opposite way of the Germans as BMW just canceled the M3 CSL program . Things are about to get a whole lot busier at the Lexus plants in Tahara...
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Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Lexus , Misc. Auto Shows Click above for a high-res gallery of the Lexus LS460 AWD. The Moscow Auto Show seems like the perfect place for Lexus to unveil the all-wheel-drive version of its LS460. Russians have a torrid love affair with rolling living rooms, evidenced by the 7-series and S-class-lined streets of Moscow's high-end shopping districts. Add AWD to the equation and the LS460 makes a strong case against the Germans. As previously reported , the Lexus LS460 AWD is fitted with the same four-wheel-drive system and eight-speed auto 'box as the LS600h, and comes equipped with a Torsen rear LSD and 381 hp, 4.6-liter V8 as the standard model. Torque split is set to 40/60 in normal driving conditions, but if you need to make a dramatic getaway on the mean streets of Moscow, 70-percent of the power can be sent to the rear-wheels. Gallery: Lexus LS460 AWD Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Hyundai , Lifestyle InsideLine, no strangers to luxury, recently put the Hyundai Genesis up against the kind of competition the Korean automaker wants to be associated with: the Lexus GS 350. The GS 300 first came out in 1993 and had the luxury re-defining LS and ES for siblings; at the time, Hyundai was still making do with Excel, Sonata, and Scoupe, and parking any of them next to a Lexus would have laid bare the gulf. Now the marques are going head-to-head. This, ladies and gentlemen, is what we call progress. Still, issues of cost -- and perception -- skew the comparison slightly. The V8 Hyundai goes up against a V6 Lexus, because adding two more cylinders to the Lexus would have meant a $12,000 difference. As it is, there's still almost $8,000 between them. And there's the fact that the Lexus and the Hyundai don't exactly compete with each other (we'd have thought an ES comparo would make more sense) in brief, either. Nevertheless, it's...
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Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Lexus , Misc. Auto Shows Click above for a high-res gallery of the Lexus LS460 AWD. The Moscow International Auto Show is shaping up to be a serious event. Audi is showing off the RS6 sedan , Mazda is bringing a new crossover concept , Mitsubishi will debut the redesigned Pajero Sport and plan on plenty of Lada love to spread around. Lexus is joining the ranks of other top-tier automakers showing their wares in Moscow with the unveiling of an all-wheel-drive version of its LS460 flagship. The AWD system fitted to the LS460 is the same found on the LS600h, and includes a Torsen LSD integrated into the rear drive shaft that receives power from the 381 hp, 4.6-liter V8 via an eight-speed automatic gearbox. In normal driving conditions, torque is split 40/60 front-to-rear, with as much as 70 percent of the power being shoveled to the rear wheels depending on conditions. Russia's affection for stately sedans is one of the reasons that BMW decided to launch the...
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Filed under: Convertibles , Hybrids/Alternative , Sedans/Saloons , Lexus Click either image for a high-res gallery. Another year, another limited edition Lexus. But this year's Pebble Beach Edition SC430 (the sixth consecutive variant) is joined by the first-ever LS 600h L Pebble Beach Edition. We know, the excitement is palpable. Only 50 LS 600h Ls will be made available in Callaway Golf Experience, Travel Package or Epicurean Encounter trim levels, swathed in Truffle Mica exterior paint and featuring two-tone Alabaster and black leather trim interior, with Dark Grey Bird's-eye maple wood trim. Both models receive all the prerequisite badging to stand apart from the rest of the Lexi in the golf-course parking lot, and are equipped with a host of standard equipment that you can read all about in the press release after the jump. One of the 300 2009 SC 430s can be yours this September, while the Pebble Beach Edition LS 600h L will hit dealers the following month. Gallery: 2009 Pebble...
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Filed under: Coupes , Hybrids/Alternative , Sedans/Saloons , Green , Supercars , Lexus , Rumormill Click above for high-res gallery of the Lexus LF-A concept. Lexus sales have been down every month so far this year, which may be due in part to its SUV and crossover-heavy lineup. It also seems that Toyota's luxury division doesn't quite have redesigns of its sedans ready yet. According to Automotive News , the automaker's smallest car, the IS, won't be redesigned for another few years. While the SC coupe/convertible is set to go the way of the Dodo, expect to see a coupe and convertible iteration of the IS sometime soon. Some sales help is also likely forthcoming from the Lexi-fied version of Toyota's next-gen Prius. In a blow to high-performance sedan lovers, however, the rumored GS-F performance edition of the marque's rear-wheel drive mid-size sedan has been put on hold with fears that the sinking economy will shrink the market for gas-guzzlers too much to make...
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