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Archive for the ‘Lexus’ Category

Straighten out your bank accounts, fellas. Lexus has officially announced the US pricing for the LF-A supercar. The magic number to bring home one of the most eagerly-anticipated supercars in recent memory is $375,000, and if you have that kind of money to spare for an LF-A, you also avail for yourself the privilege of choosing between 3 different configurations, 30 exterior colors, six brake caliper colors, and 12 interior colors.

The Lexus LFA is powered by a 4.8-liter V10 engine that generates 552 hp at 8,700 rpm and 354 lb.-ft. of peak torque at 6,800 rpm. The engine is mated to a unique six-speed Automated Sequential Gearbox (ASG) with paddle shifters that enables ultra-quick gear shifts (0.2 seconds) with four driving modes – AUTO, SPORT, NORMAL and WET for exceptional versatility.

The supercar accelerates from 0 to 60 in 3.6 seconds and achieves a top speed of 202 mph. Production is set to begin in December of this year so that should give all of you ample time to ring up your piggy banks and save as much money as you can because chances are, when you do buy an LF-A, you’re going to need as much of what’s left in your account for, you know, the rest of your life.

Press release after the jump.

Lexus LFA Supercar priced at $375,000 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 26 February 2010 02:30 EST.

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Rumors of an F version for the Lexus GS sedan first appeared in 2007. After a while, it seemed that the rumors began to die down and it wasn’t until just last year that word began to spread that there may be in fact, an F version of the Lexus GS and that it would receive the same V10 engine as the Lexus LF-A sports car.

Now, it becomes official: Lexus has officially announced the GS-F sedan, which will be launched in 2013, will come with a detuned version of the LFA’s 4.8-litre V10. The next year Lexus will also unveil a new SC model.

For the GS-F, the engine’s capacity will be reduced by around 200cc to 4.6 liters and power to 450bhp, making it the most powerful road-going Japanese saloon ever built. Another novelty for the sedan will be Toyota’s first torque vectoring differential. Similar to the diff used on BMW’s M cars and the likes of the X6 SUV, the ‘torque split unit’ actively apportions drive between the rear wheels to aid handling. In addition to that, a similar system is also expected to be fitted to the new SC.

Lexus prepares GS-F sedan for 2013 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 25 February 2010 10:00 EST.

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While the first SC is not even worth mentioning (at least not in terms of design) the second one proved to be a pretty strong player. It was the first luxury cabriolet with 2 + 2 seats and got to be known all over the world due to various rap clips . The Lexus design changed dramatically in 2005, when the beta "L-finesse" produced the magnificent second IS. The 2007 LS further pointed that the IS was no accident and Toyotas can also look stunning. We can now dare and dream at the third generation SC that could bring us the rough-sporty side of the "L-finesse" philosophy. . An increased wheelbase should be a must on the new car, that way it can have descent rear room, and a real chance against the competition.

Lexus SC rendered by avarvarii originally appeared on topspeed.com on Sunday, 31 January 2010 16:00 EST.

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In a shocking turn of events that has caught everyone by surprise, the interest surrounding the Lexus LF-A has gone through the roof. Sense the sarcasm there?

The truth is that nobody’s really surprised to know that Lexus’ very first supercar has become such a hot item ever since it was unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show; it’s even conceivable that the all 500 units of the car could be snatched up in just a few months. In Japan, all 165 units of the LF-A have already been accounted for with the remaining 335 cars, which will be allocated to 55 other countries around the world, likewise generating a ton of interest from prospective buyers.

It goes without saying that the LF-A has turned into one of the most sought-after supercars in recent times, which, according to Devshi Varshani, personal liaison manager of LF-A sales, is hardly surprising considering the tremendous outpouring of interest the car has generated is a testament to the amount of hard work Lexus has put into their very first super car. "The level of interest we have witnessed reinforces just what an exceptional car the LFA is,” he said. “Even though few people have even seen the car in the metal, let alone experienced its breathtaking performance, it has quickly achieved the status of a truly rare and highly sought-after machine."

Lexus LF-A drawing a ton of interest from prospective buyers originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 21 January 2010 10:00 EST.

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Despite being limited to just 500 units, the Lexus LF-A has been, hands down, one of the most popular supercars to come out in recent times. So as you can imagine, the demand for the LF-A has been, to say the least, off the charts, so much so that even before the car hit dealerships in its native land in Japan, all the 165 units of the LF-A allotted for the country have already sold out.

While the coupe version of the LF-A has been turning heads left and right, rumors about a roadster version of the Lexus super car has been running the mills for the past couple of months. As a result of enormous clamoring for an LF-A roadster, the folks over at Autogespot decided to render the supercar to see what it would look like once it loses its roof.

Lexus has still to make an announcement on whether or not the LF-A will produce a roadster offspring but judging from the renderings done by Autogespot, the LF-A convertible is just as - maybe even more - mouth-watering than the hardtop version.

Check out the rendered images to see for yourself.

Rendering of a roadster variant of the Lexus LF-A originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 19 January 2010 14:00 EST.

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The Lexus LF-A has already established itself as one of the fastest machines on the planet, but judging from the warm reception the LF-A has received in its native land, the V10 powered Japanese super car appears to be just as fast at selling out. Reports out of the island nation claim that Lexus’ new super car is becoming such a must-have item that all 165 units that were allotted to the land of the rising sun have already been tagged, and apparently much faster than anyone expected.

Unlike the agreement on this side of the globe, Lexus won’t be selling the LF-A in North America but rather leasing them to prospective customers, the Japanese are fair game like sushi on a Saturday night. This means that if you find yourself in Tokyo with enough dough in tow, you can buy one of the 500 LF-A’s outright. As long as you know that they are being priced at 37.5 million Yen each, a number that translates to roughly $410,000. So now that 165 of the LF-As have been gobbled up, it remains to be seen as to just how fast the remaining 335 cars will be snatched up. It suffices to say that it looks like Lexus’ new super car will be going just as fast in the dealership as on the track.

Lexus LF-A already sold out in Japan originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 15 January 2010 11:00 EST.

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Lexus has just left us their brand new 2010 HS 250h compact gas/electric luxury sedan. This premium compact hybrid from across the Pacific looks like nothing else you have ever seen from a four wheeled machine, it looks as if someone took a Camry and made it look cool. The HS line is an interesting move, unveiled at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, it is made up exclusively of HS 250 h model, thus becoming an alternatively powered range of vehicles.

From the sound of things, and trust us it will be quiet, Lexus has no plans of expanding to gas guzzlers. It is almost like how most crossovers have the letter X hidden away somewhere in their name, the fuel efficient Japanese automaker is striking their point home with this one. While the name, and while the car’s proper name is Harmonious Sedan we’re thinking hybrid. The heart of the beast is a very green 2.4 Liter 16 Valve DOHC four cylinder with VVT-i coupled with a Lexus Hybrid Drive electric drive motor mated to a gas sipping Electronically Controlled Variable Transmission, all together the 21st century power train puts out 147 HP and 105 lb-ft of torque which should be good for 35 MPG around town and 34 MPG on the highway.

From the looks of things our HS is short on options but comes with everything necessary to spoil it’s owner, creature comforts like a push button starter, power everything, a spacious leather wrapped interior, satellite fed hard drive based navigation complete with backup camera displayed on a neat little screen that tucks itself away when not in use. Outside you get a distinctly hybrid looking vehicle with a visually appealing aggressive edge; wearing a bold three bar grill, stylish 18 inch wheels and a sporty little rear spoiler all for well under $40,000.

Continued after the jump.

Initial thoughts: 2010 Lexus HS250h originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 30 December 2009 22:00 EST.

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Despite the recent credit crunch and new car sales falling by the wayside the muscle car day are back, in more ways then you think. In the 1960s it was American automakers pulling their most powerful engines and installing them in smaller vehicles to create and fun factory built hot rod. And while U.S. car builders have come back with models like the Camaro SS and Shelby GT500, but it looks like things are taking shape across the Pacific as well. It turns out that the one cancelled F tuned version of the Lexus GS luxury sedan has just received a new lease on life, much like the IS-F a GS-F will receive a high output power plant exotic to that chassis and be beefed up everywhere else to accommodate the extra ponies. The Lexus GS-F high performance four door will compete with models like Audi RS6, BMW M5, Cadillac CTS-V and Mercedes E63 AMG.

The Japanese magazine Best Car is speculating that a future Lexus GS-F will be powered by the same 4.8 Liter V10 piston pumper that can be found under the hood of the current Lexus LF-A super car. With a V8 being the largest engine offered in the current Lexus GS, a ten cylinder is next logical step, cranking out 553 HP and 354 lb-ft of torque from the 1LR-GUE, a 550 HP sport sedan sounds quite fun, however Toyota is going to have to shed a considerable amount of weight from the Lexus in order to work well with considerably less torque. However they know what they are doing, taking a decade to develop the LF-A, and we are sure that they have already taken that into consideration.

Future Lexus GS-F could get LF-A's V10 Engine originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 30 December 2009 11:00 EST.

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In an effort to gain more mainstream exposure for the LF-A, Lexus has released the first commercial of the new supercar. In a nutshell, the ad highlights the engineering and racing exploits of the LF-A, a car that the company has described as a car for “emotional sports”.

The voice-over is in Japanese so we couldn’t quite figure out what he was saying. Nevertheless, the photos and the video clips pretty much summed up what the commercial is trying to relay.

Needless to say, the commercial’s treatment was pretty impressive and one particular – the one where the LF-A was taking a hot lap at the Fuji Racing Speedway with Mt. Fuji in the backdrop – was equally top-notch, at least as far as were concerned.

Video: Lexus’ first LF-A commercial originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 21 December 2009 10:00 EST.

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As you may already know, the Lexus LF-A is Toyota’s all new purpose built super car with a planned production run of only 500 units, each priced at around $375,000. The LF-A is powered by a 4.8 liter V10 that delivers a maximum output of 560 HP at an astonishing 9,000 RPM and is able to sprint from 0 to 60 MPH in just 3.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 202 MPH. Luckily enough the folks at Mobil 1 managed to snag one of the Japanese automaker’s representatives to do a brief walk around at this year’s SEMA Show. Although this is the same blonde guy who was telling us about the car’s front mount intercooler he did manage to do a decent job describing the LF-A, however if you want to see a bit more professional recanting then check out racing driver Justin Bell’s recap of the new super car from Jay Leno’s garage.

Video: Lexus LF-A explained at SEMA originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 27 November 2009 17:00 EST.

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The new Lexus LF-A is fast becoming a household name in the auto circle lately. After being unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show, the oh-so desirable supercar has been making quite an impression on a lot of people and has even done the rounds on a number of car gatherings lately, including the
Cars & Coffee event in Irvine, California over the weekend.

The same matte black LF-A that people saw at the event proceeded to make an appearance at Jay Leno’s webisode, ‘Jay Leno’s Garage’. In the clip, Justin Bell, a former LeMans champ and the racing coach of the Jay Leno Show, went out onto the California Speedway with the LF-A in tow. After getting some prep time from fellow racer Scott Pruett, Bell gets behind the wheel of the LF-A to do some hot laps of his own.

Check it out.

Jay Leno’s Garage features the Lexus LF-A originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 24 November 2009 09:00 EST.

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Lexus recently unveiled the compact hybrid LF-Ch Concept earlier this year at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The forward thinking hatchback is a preview as to what the future of luxury will be all about, set to compete head to head with other efficient space saving luxury vehicles like the the BMW 1 Series and Audi A3 when the LF-Ch makes its scheduled debut sometime in 2012.

In an official statement, Lexus General Manager Mark Templin said that “There is a group of buyers growing up now who won’t buy cars by the pound. We have already seen a structural shift to the smaller and lower-priced segments of the luxury market over the last couple years.” The compact premium segment has been strong in congested urban areas for years, especially in Europe. The challenge that not only Lexus but a host of other automakers are setting for themselves is how to get the American market to warm up to the idea of paying mare and getting less. One of the steps that will most likely be taken when the LF-Ch becomes production ready is the use of a conventional power train in order to pass the savings along to the customer, but with any success you can expect Toyota to release a hybrid versions shortly after.

Lexus LF-Ch Concept could be going into production by 2012 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 23 November 2009 15:00 EST.

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In an effort to douse the growing fear that the Lexus LF-A’s price tag would be too much to spare, Lexus has decided that they will lease the cars to prospective owners and not sell them outright. According to Automotive News, Lexus will be offering two year leases of the LFA to interested parties at a fixed price and, after the two-year period expires, will give these people the chance to buy the car outright.

This development should come as a welcome relief to those interested in getting one of the 500 LF-As Lexus is set to build. This allows people the opportunity to go home with one of the most sought-after supercars in the world without having to pay the full price tag for the privilege. In the event that they’d want to let go of it after two years, they won’t have to pay for the outstanding balance of the car. But if they want to keep the LF-A in their garage, they would only need to pay the remaining balance.

Ever since the car was unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show, the buzz surrounding the car has grown exponentially with more and more people salivating at the thought of owning a limited edition model. But while the price tag has yet to be released, people are still expecting the LF-A to come with a six-digit price tag, which, given the signs of the times, might be too much for their wallets to bear.

Lexus’ decision to lease the LFAs instead of selling them outright allows people to enjoy the car’s glorious 552 horsepower without having to sell all their appendages in the black market.

Lexus will lease – not sell – the LFA supercar to prospective customers originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 23 November 2009 12:30 EST.

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Lexus will reveal at the Los Angeles Auto Show the replacement for the GX470 luxury SUV. Called GX460, the new SUV is based on the European model Toyota Land Cruiser and will go on sale in early 2010.

The difference between the Land Cruiser and the GX460 is given by the Lexus grille, reworked headlights and tail lamps, re-profiled bumpers and the chrome trimming on the side windows and lower door moldings, and of course by a more luxurious interior.

Under the hood the current 4.7 liter V8 engine is being replaced by the new 4.6-liter V8 engine that delivers 310-hp and 327 lb.-ft. of torque. The engine is mated to a new six-speed automatic transmission with sequential shift.

Press release after the jump.

Lexus GX460 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 23 November 2009 12:15 EST.

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The Japanese luxury automaker Lexus recently debuted their LF-A super car to the world at the Tokyo Motor Show so by the time the new V10 powered sports car arrived at SEMA it would seem that the LF-A was old news, but don’t say that to the hoards of tuning enthusiasts who croweded around this limited edition high performance machine snapping photos and admirig everything from the flat black super car’s bodylines to the carbon fiber accented interior.

Lexus LFA at the 2009 SEMA Show originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 16 November 2009 18:00 EST.

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The Lexus SC430 luxury convertible is entering the 2010 model year with more standard technologies. It is now on sale at a price of $67,505.

The SC’s sleek style is enhanced by a low-profile front grille surrounded by chrome. The aggressive front bumper, projector-lens headlamps and stylish rear combination LED taillamps add to its fluid design. It comes equipped with iPod/USB Connectivity, Streaming Audio, Lexus Navigation System and Mark Levinson Premium Audio System.

The 2010 Lexus SC430 features an all-aluminum construction, and is powered by a 4.3-liter engine that produces 288 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque. It can go from 0 to 60 mph in a remarkable 5.8 seconds. The engine is mated to a six-speed Sequential-Shift automatic transmission. The sequential-shifting capability enhances performance by allowing the driver to nudge the gearshift forward or backward. It works in conjunction with the Electronically Controlled Transmission with intelligence (ECT-i), which compensates for uphills, downhills and headwinds, even adapting shift-timing to the driver’s acceleration habits.

Press release after the jump.

Lexus SC430 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 12 November 2009 09:25 EST.

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The Japanese automaker Leuxs has just revealed details about the extended wheelbase 2010 LS 600h L Hybrid luxury sedan. The LS 600h has always been more about providing owners with the feel of a twelve cylinder engine while offering them a hybrid badged vehicle at the same time. For 2010 the LS 600h L receives a new exterior design complete with revised front fascia and a redesigned front grille and bumper, while out back the tail lamps now feature a distinctive blue tint. As usual, the Lexus flagship sedan doesn’t fall short on the technological side either.

The 2010 LS 600h L Hybrid is powered by a variant of Toyota’s hybrid synergy drive power train, a system that combines a 5.0 Liter gas burning V8 with two powerful electric motors and a large capacity battery pack. The hybrid unit generates a peak combined output rating of 438 HP and can move the LS 600h L from 0 to 60 MPH in a very sporty 5.5 seconds.

The 2010 LS 600h L benefits from numerous additional luxury amenities as well as technologies like a driver’s seat that now features a standard slide away feature that makes it easier to enter and exit the vehicle and a memory function to ensure that the bucket goes right back to the perfect spot. There is also a new LCD instrument cluster; the standard Lexus Navigation system employs new casual language recognition; Bluetooth phonebook capability and new music playing capability with the obligatory USB/iPod connectivity.

Press release after the jump.

Lexus LS 600h L Hybrid originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 29 October 2009 11:30 EST.

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When Lexus unveiled their new super car, the LF-A, at the Tokyo Motor Show last week, it did so with a replica sitting a few meters away from the original super car. And while replicas have become a common sight in auto shows, this particular sculpture of the LF-A is worth mentioning because it was made completely from ice.

The you-have-to-see-to-believe sculpture was the handiwork of renowned Japanese architect Scu Fujimoto and was created out of transparent acrylic boards, which was then polished to give it that ‘cold and icy’ look.
If pictures of the car don’t do justice to the intricate details Fujimoto painstakingly went through to create this sculpture, then we don’t know what else to say. The similarities between the real LF-A and the sculpture is remarkably uncanny and what’s even more mind-boggling is the fact that the

LF-A’s interior – and all the details that come with it – was also created in the sculpture version, down to the smallest of details.

Take our word for it; ‘amazing’ is an understatement.

Lexus LF-A acrylic sculpture displayed at Tokyo Motor Show originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 27 October 2009 07:00 EST.

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Nobody knows the ins-and-outs of a Toyota-produced sports car better than Hiromu Naruse. Regarded as the Japanese carmaker’s resident “test driver”, Naruse has been behind the wheel of some of our favorite Toyota sports cars, including the MR2, the Supra, and lately, the Lexus LF-A.

In this video, Naruse jumps behind the wheel of an LF-A and takes all of us on a scintillating lap around of the car arounf the Homestead-Miami Speedway. You might be surprised to see just further along Naruse is in the calendar of life, but despite being older than most of us, he still knows a thing or two about taming these beasts of sports cars out on a racetrack.

Watch the video and enjoy Naruse bring the horses out of the Lexus LF-A.

Lexus LF-A takes hotlap at Homestead-Miami originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 26 October 2009 09:00 EST.

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After revealing the official images and specifications concerning the latest offering from Lexus, the new LF-A supercar, The Japanese automaker is also letting consumers have a little fun and play around with the new super car right from your desktop with their latest bit of innovative software, the LF-A configurator. The program allows you to customize the new sports car in a variety of manners to suite your individual taste including everything from exterior colors to wheel options. So even if you can’t quite buy one just yet, or your budget may not permit it, at least you can have some fun before bursting your creative bubble.

The LF-A is powered by a 4.8 liter V10 that delivers a maximum output of 560 HP at 9,000 RPM and a peak torque of 354 lb-ft at 6,800 RPMThe LF-A can sprint from 0 to 60 MPH in just 3.7 seconds and won’t stop until it reaches a top speed of 202 MPH. If you want to have a go at designing your own Lexus LF-A super car, follow the link below.

Lexus LF-A configurator originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 22 October 2009 10:30 EST.

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