Lexus News
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The Lexus IS F is something of an enigma - at once an entry-level luxury sedan and a performance beast, offering legitimate power figures but hampered somewhat by its automatic transmission. Another of the problems those that ply their IS Fs on the track may have bumped into is the speed limiter - set at an already lofty 170mph (273km/h). That's no longer a concern thanks to the Japanese tuners at HKS. A simple box wires into the car's ECU and overrides the speed limiter, letting the car go as fast as it can, restricted only by power, aerodynamic drag, gearing and the intestinal fortitude of...
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WedsSport unveils IS350-based D1GP drift carJapanese tuning house WedsSport has been racing a specially tuned Lexus IS350 in the Japanese Super GT since early in the current season, but now the performance workshop has turned its attention to the growing world of drifting. Sticking with the Lexus IS model, WedsSport has created a special...
Kenneth Hall -
Lexus presents IS250 Sports ConceptLexus has used this week’s Sydney Motor Show to present a new sports concept car based on its IS250 sedan fitted with the full gamut of F-Sport performance accessories unveiled last year, plus several new items. Aptly named the IS250 Sports Concept, the show car features everything from a new...
James Martinez -
Lexus IS250C and IS350C confirmed for the U.S.Three years after the introduction of the second-generation IS sedan Lexus introduced a new convertible model at the Paris Motor Show last week. The convertible version of the IS is denoted by the letter C and is available initially in IS250C and IS350C trim, going on sale in the first half of...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Report: Lexus will likely become a hybrid-only brandAlready known as the luxury segment’s “greenest” brand, Lexus is reportedly looking to build upon this reputation by moving to a completely hybrid lineup in the medium to long term. The statements were made by Toyota managing officer Toshio Furutani to Japan’s Nikkei...
Jeremy Weber -
Lexus to sell Prius-based vehicle in EuropeWe've known for a while that Toyota is planning an update to its blockbuster Prius hybrid, but word has just leaked out today that Lexus may be getting a Prius-based 'lifestyle' wagon. The concept is expected to be on display, alongside the new Prius, at the 2009 North American International Auto...
Nelson Ireson -
The annual Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas is a little more than a month away but already we have a number of details for several of this year’s highlights. We’ve already seen renderings for a widebody Mercedes Benz GLK, as well as a street racer Hyundai Genesis Coupe, and now we have the first details for a twin-turbocharged 2009 Lexus IS-F developed by Artisan Performance. The Texas-based tuner has not only added a custom twin-turbo set-up to the IS-F’s 5.0L V8 engine, but has also upgraded some of the internals. The list of aftermarket...
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Lexus accused of misleading ‘green’ claimsFor the second time in less than 18 months, Lexus has come under fire for misleading advertisements that promote its RX400h hybrid SUV as being far more environmentally friendly than it actually is. The RX400h was being advertised by Lexus as "perfect for today's climate (and tomorrow's)", and that...
Kenneth Hall -
Update: Lexus IS 250C to be unveiled at ParisClick here to see the debut of the Lexus IS250C Convertible at the Paris Motor Show. The secret about Lexus' upcoming convertible hardtop IS variants has been out for some time now, with spy photos and registered names tipping the company's hand. The latest news of the Japanese carmaker's plans for...
Ralph Hanson -
Lexus releases official details and pricing for 2009 IS faceliftThe current-generation Lexus IS sedan first went on sale in 2005 and in keeping with the carmaker’s practice of refreshing its models every three to four years the popular sedan has undergone a minor facelift for the 2009 model year. Changes to the car are minimal, and include a few minor...
James Martinez -
Lexus first in luxury owner loyalty survey, Saab lastLuxury brands take particular pains to breed loyalty in their customers, since the cars they sell ostensibly offer something beyond the best value for money, whether that's a style, a feel or a history. Cultivating a sense of belonging ensures buyers will return to the brand when they need to...
Nelson Ireson -
Lexus to launch LS 460 AWD at Moscow Motor ShowLexus currently sells an AWD version of its LS flagship in the form of the range-topping LS 600h but the carmaker is planning to add the same AWD set-up in the LS 460. Set to make its world debut at next week’s Moscow International Motor Show, the new LS 460 AWD will eventually go on sale in...
Alex Kaufmann -
Sales of Toyota’s large SUVs and pickups may have tanked in the U.S. but the carmaker’s luxury division, Lexus, is doing even worse, with July sales levels diving 25% from levels just one year ago. Part of the problem is that Lexus’ sales are heavily skewed towards its luxury SUV models such as the RX and LX lines at a time when the market is moving away from those vehicles. Another key problem is that Lexus’ sedan lineup is starting to show its age against many of its rivals. To invigorate its aging lineup, Lexus is planning several significant updates in the coming...
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Lexus Rates Highest In Latest J.D. Power Dependability Study, Followed By Mercury And CadillacLexus has once again taken top honors in the annual J.D. Power and Associates vehicle dependability study, a position it’s held for the past 14 years. Last year, however, saw Buick sharing the top spot but in the latest study the GM division has slipped to sixth place. The annual study looks...
Siddarth Raja -
Flagging Lexus sales force Toyota to axe 800 workersEarlier this week reports emerged citing an announcement made by Toyota that it was cutting up to 800 jobs at one of its plants in Japan. The decision was made in response to declining sales of SUV models in North America, in particular the Lexus RX mid-size SUV, which the plant is responsible for...
Ralph Hanson -
Lexus SC430 may be axedSales of the Lexus SC have dipped considerably for the Japanese luxury brand, with only 1,230 SC 430s finding a home in the U.S. in the first six months of the year, down more than 40% from levels just one year ago. The current generation has been in production since 2001 and is starting to show...
Kenneth Hall -
Lexus LF-A supercar to cost more than $200KLexus will give us our first taste of its new LF-A supercar this weekend at the Nurburgring 24 hour endurance challenge in Germany where a race-prepped version will be competing. However, the final production version isn’t set to arrive until late next year and actual specifications for the...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Lexus IS 250 SR with new sport pack goes on sale in UKLexus has expanded its line-up in the UK with the introduction of a new special edition model based on the entry-level IS250 sedan. The new car, called the IS250 SR, is fitted with a number of performance and styling accessories but unfortunately the output from the 2.5L V6 remains unchanged. This...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
The price penalty for the added complexity of a hybrid drivetrain has always been a bit of a concern for those looking to not just save fuel, but to save money. In some calculations from a decade ago, popular hybrids would have taken as much as eight or ten years to repay in fuel savings the cost of the car over an equivalent non-hybrid model. But today's fuel prices are closing that gap - in some cases down to just 18 months. In the United States, $4 per gallon gasoline is a nightmare soon to be lived, though Europeans and others are already seeing prices double that amount, or more. But...
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Lexus and Prius top J.D. Power UK satisfaction surveyThe Toyota Prius hybrid was the highest-ranking model in the latest J.D. Power and Associates vehicle customer satisfaction survey conducted in the UK. The Prius earned a total of 901 points on a 1,000-point scale, with owners reporting particularly high satisfaction with the model’s quality...
Ralph Hanson -
Spy video: Lexus LF-A supercar up closePrototypes for Lexus’ upcoming LF-A supercar have been spotted testing at the Nurburgring for the good part of a year but firm details about the car are still hard to come by. Most reports claim the LF-A will be powered by an F1-derived, high-revving V10 engine displacing 5.0L and developing...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Lexus registers name for new IS coupeMore evidence confirming the development of a new IS coupe has emerged with news today Lexus has registered a number of new names for the forthcoming model range with U.S. and Canadian patent and trademark offices. The new coupe will carry a ‘C’ designation tagged onto the end of the...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Lexus LFA Prototype Confirmed For Nürburgring 24 Hours RaceToyota has confirmed via its Japanese press site that its upcoming Lexus LFA supercar will contest the Nürburgring 24 Hours endurance challenge--dubbed the 36th ADAC Zurich 24h Race 2008--in Germany next month. This will be the first public debut of the new supercar although details about the...
Alex Kaufmann -
Hennessey Lexus IS-F and Nissan GT-R in the worksPerhaps most famous - or infamous - for its even more over-the-top take on the already outrageous Dodge Viper, Hennessey Performance is considering expanding its collection of custom cars to include more foreign makes and top of its list at the moment is the new Lexus IS-F saloon and the Nissan...
Nelson Ireson