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Video: LS 460 owner recreates seminal Lexus commercial with different results

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Lexus

lexus ls 460 owner recreates champagne commercial

Lexus LS 460 owner attempts to recreate classic commercial – Click above to watch video after the jump

Remember that early Lexus commercial from 1989? You know the one, where an LS 400 is sitting on a dynamometer and makes a run up to 145 miles per hour, then the camera pans to the hood, where a large pyramid of crystal champagne glasses calmly sits? An Arizona Lexus owner decided to recreate that clip using his much newer LS 460.

So, does the more advanced and powerful LS fare as well the second time around? Certainly, the owner has a rather different approach, so click past the jump and see for yourself (we’ve also posted the classic ’89 ad for those that need a refresher).

[Source: YouTube via Lexus Enthusiast]

Continue reading Video: LS 460 owner recreates seminal Lexus commercial with different results

Video: LS 460 owner recreates seminal Lexus commercial with different results originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This is the coolest Lexus LX 570. Period.

Filed under: Motorsports, SUV, Lexus, Off-Road, Racing

2011 JT Grey Lexus LX-570 SCORE Truck

2011 JTGrey Racing Lexus LX 570 SCORE truck – Click above for high-res image

Toyota is putting its full backing behind the JTGrey Racing Lexus LX 570 again this year as the team looks for a repeat in the 2011 SCORE Stock Full Championship. Last year, driver Joe Bacal piloted a very similar LX 570 to the overall championship.

This version of the LX 570 proves you can turn just about anything into a SCORE truck and instantly make it 100 percent cooler. This LX sport-ute has been permanently relieved of soccer practice and Whole Foods duty, and now sports a healthy lift and 37-inch rollers to keep the vitals off the ground.

In last year’s championship, Bacal drove the 5.7-liter V8-powered LX to victory at the Las Vegas 300, the San Felipe 250, the Baja 1000 Races and nabbed second in the Baja 500. Bacal’s 2011 season started this past weekend at the SCORE Mastercraft San Felipe 250, but Bacal finished outside the points. The next round of the season runs from June 3-5 at the Baja 500. Hit the jump for the official press blast.

[Source: Lexus]

Continue reading This is the coolest Lexus LX 570. Period.

This is the coolest Lexus LX 570. Period. originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Mar 2011 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Toyota bringing Lexus GS, Scion FT-86 to New York Auto Show

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Coupe, Sedan, Lexus, Scion, Toyota, Rumormill

Lexus GS Toyota FT-86

Click either image for high-res image gallery

We’ve gotten word from a very reliable source that Toyota is planning two big debuts at the New York Auto Show, although neither is wearing a ToMoCo badge.

First up is a fully redesigned Lexus GS, something that we’ve reported on and spied before. Although it’s unclear whether the GS we’ll see in NYC is a concept or a production model, we do know that it will be underpinned by an all-new platform that will also be used on the next-generation IS, due out sometime next year.

The current GS has been on the market since 2005 and, despite consistent sales, it’s overdue for a refresh. Expect many of the same V6 and V8 powerplants to carry over, although we haven’t gotten word on an F variant or whether the 450h hybrid will soldier on.

More intriguingly is word that Scion will bring its own version of the FT-86 to the Big Apple’s auto show, although don’t expect a production version – this will be yet another concept similar to the version we saw at the Geneva Motor Show, just with new badges and a few stylistic tweaks.

Expect more details to follow in the coming weeks.

Gallery: Spy Shots: Next-Gen Lexus GS

Next-generation Lexus GS spy shots

Gallery: Toyota FT-86 II Concept: Geneva 2011

Toyota FT-86 II Concept: Geneva 2011

Rumormill: Toyota bringing Lexus GS, Scion FT-86 to New York Auto Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 19:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Buick sales beating up on Lexus, may be this year’s most popular luxury brand

Filed under: Car Buying, Buick, Earnings/Financials, Luxury

There are a number of simple, reliable truths in the world. The Earth is round. A compass points north. Nobody but the Chinese buy Buicks and Lexus is the best-selling luxury brand in the United States. Well, hold on to your horses. Lowly old Buick, long seen as the doorstop of the luxury segment, has outsold Lexus two months straight and shows no signs of slowing down.

Our friends at Kicking Tires ground through the sales figures and found that Buick also sold more luxury cars in February than Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Acura. In fact, the only luxury brand that sold more cars in the States in February was BMW, and even then only by 800 units.

What makes Buick’s meteoric rise to the top of its segment even more impressive is the fact that it has done so with just four nameplates: Enclave, LaCrosse, Lucerne and Regal. By way of comparison, Lexus offers nine models in the States.

And lest you think that buyers are choosing Buicks solely because of a value proposition, Kicking Tires notes that average Buick transaction prices have increased by $11,113 since 2003, according to Buick spokesman Nick Richards. Sounds like Buick deserves some real kudos, no?

We suggest you scan over the whole article from Kicking Tires, it’s a very interesting read.

[Source: Kicking Tires]

Buick sales beating up on Lexus, may be this year’s most popular luxury brand originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva 2011: Lexus LFA Nürburgring Package is an orange crush

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Lexus, Racing

Lexus LFA Nürburgring Package

Lexus LFA Nürburgring Package – Click above for high-res image gallery

Finally, the moment is upon us. Lexus has released the most-exclusive version of its already hyper-exclusive LFA supercar. Behold, in person, the 2012 Lexus LFA Nurburgring Edition. For those who need reminding, the LFA is Lexus’ $375,000 supercar. There will only be 500 LFAs built worldwide, and of those, a scant 50 will have the Nürburgring package bestowed on them.

The package takes the standard LFA, which is certainly no slouch on a racetrack, and makes it even harder core. To start with, Lexus added 10 horsepower to the LFA’s 4.8-liter V10 (for a total of 562), and has dropped gearshift times from .20 seconds to .15.

Helping out the reworked go-bits is a track-tuned suspension calling the shots for Nürburgring Edition-specific basketweave wheels shod with very sticky, very expensive rubber. The bodywork on the LFA Nürburgring gets some upgrades, too, most notably a unique front splitter and a huge fixed rear wing. According to Lexus, the extra 10 ponies are to overcome the increased aerodynamic drag from the aero bits, not to make the car any quicker.

The car can be had in white, gloss or matte black or screaming orange as seen here. If you’re lucky enough to be in line for one, you’ll need to have an extra 70 large in your hand for the package. Add another $20k if you want it matte black. For all that, Lexus will let you choose between an all-black interior, a black and red interior or a black and purple interior – and if you’re European, you can have an all-carbon fiber interior.

Of course, as part of the Nürburgring package, you’ll also get access to the legendary German racetrack itself. Buyers get driving lessons with a special instructor, a branded jacket, and a one-year pass to the Nordschleife and to its related themepark. Ye-haw.

Press release after the jump.

Gallery: Lexus LFA Nrburgring Package: Geneva 2011

Gallery: Lexus LFA Nurburgring package

[Source: Lexus]

Continue reading Geneva 2011: Lexus LFA Nürburgring Package is an orange crush

Geneva 2011: Lexus LFA Nürburgring Package is an orange crush originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2011 Lexus GX 460

Filed under: SUV, Lexus, Reviews, Luxury

2011 Lexus GX 460

2011 Lexus GX 460 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Despite the rise of the crossover, there’s still a market for traditional SUVs. Moreover, some buyers don’t want to sacrifice luxury to get the capability that a full-frame, truck-based sport utility offers. Lexus makes the GX 460 for consumers who want a blend of opulence and a sure-footed, full-frame, locking-transfer-case 4×4 architecture that’s not afraid to pull a substantial trailer and won’t roar loudly enough to cause permanent hearing damage.

While the Lexus RX grabs the hearts of buyers looking for an L-Finesse crossover, the GX 460 is an alternative choice if you’re considering an LR4 or Range Rover Sport, the most direct competitors in terms of architecture and market segment. Taking price and mission into account, a disparate field of rivals ranges from the BMW X5 and Audi Q7 to the GMC Yukon Denali or even the Ford Expedition King Ranch. The GX 460s footprint and price puts it in between larger crossovers and even bigger SUVs, perhaps an awkward place to be, but sales goals are modest.

So does the GX 460’s tinge of uniqueness help it stand out from the herd? Have the changes made since being knocked for potential instability been effective?

Continue reading Review: 2011 Lexus GX 460…

Gallery: 2011 Lexus GX 460: Review

2011 Lexus GX 460

Continue reading Review: 2011 Lexus GX 460

Review: 2011 Lexus GX 460 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lexus gives us a closer look at the LFA Nürburgring package ahead of Geneva debut

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Lexus

Lexus LFA Nürburgring package

Lexus LFA Nürburgring package – Click above for high-res image gallery

It takes a while to get around the Nürburgring Nordschleife – around seven minutes in even the fastest of machinery with the best driver behind the wheel. But apparently it takes even longer to get around to releasing a special edition Nürburgring package that makes your go-fast supercar even more track-friendly.

We’re talking, of course, about the Lexus LFA Nürburgring package, ToMoCo’s six-figure V10 supercar fitted with extra kit for track duty. Lexus announced last May that they’d make 50 examples, and the better part of a year later, confirmed that it would finally be unveiled to the public at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. Now less than a week away from its debut, Lexus has given us some additional details and images of the car which we only saw from three angles until now.

So what do we need to know? For starters, that extra ten horsepower isn’t meant to give the Nürburgring package-equipped LFA a quicker acceleration time. Nor a higher top end, either. The ten-horse boost is included to counteract the drag of the giant rear wing that helps keep the track-focused supercar glued to the Karussell. Also, while we knew the ‘Ring edition LFA could be had in white, black (matte or glossy) or orange (as pictured), Lexus has also confirmed that the interior can be trimmed in all black, black and red, or black and purple (a good match for the orange exterior if you were ever formerly known as ‘Prince’), and only European customers, for some reason, will get the full carbon-fiber interior.

There are more details to soak up in the press release after the jump, plus a new crop of images in the gallery below. But we’ll leave you with one more salient detail: Lexus is offering buyers one-on-one instruction from a ‘Ring master (or mistress) and a year’s free pass to lap the Nordschleife to your heart’s content. Of course, this is included in the $70,000 premium that the Nürburgring package commands over the already lofty $375,000 purchase price of an LFA. Tack on another $20K for the matte black finish, of course.

Gallery: Lexus LFA Nurburgring package

[Source: Lexus]

Continue reading Lexus gives us a closer look at the LFA Nürburgring package ahead of Geneva debut

Lexus gives us a closer look at the LFA Nürburgring package ahead of Geneva debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Lexus LFA launch control makes start lines disappear quickly

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Lexus

lexus lfa tachometer

Lexus LFA displays serious control on launch – Click above to watch video after the jump

Today, it’s almost impossible to buy a new supercar without launch control; the 2011 Lexus LFA is no exception. It might not be the fastest, with a zero-to-60 time of “only” 3.7 seconds, yet the LFA remains an impressive rubber-footed beast.

The LFA’s V10 wails towards its 9,500 rpm fuel cutoff like an oni haunting whoever slides behind the wheel. The video posted after the jump focuses on the tachometer as a Lexus LFA bolts from a starting line with the launch control lending its assistance. The driver pushes the car all the way up to 260 km/h (around 163 mph) before letting up on the throttle. Click past the jump to launch into the clip.

[Source: Lexus Enthusiast]

Continue reading Video: Lexus LFA launch control makes start lines disappear quickly

Video: Lexus LFA launch control makes start lines disappear quickly originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 19 Feb 2011 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Lexus IS 350C F Sport Special Edition limited to 175 units, priced from $55,120*

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Lexus, Luxury

2011 Lexus IS 350C F Sport Special Edition

2011 Lexus IS 350C F Sport Special Edition – Click above for high-res image

Lexus has just released a limited-edition version of the IS 350C convertible that will go on sale later this month. Called the F Sport Special Edition, the droptop is limited to a scant 175 units, priced from $55,120, not including delivery and processing fees.

To set it apart from other IS 350Cs, the F Sport Special Edition benefits from a few visual tweaks. It rides on 19-inch forged alloy wheels with a dark graphite finish and the only two exterior colors available are Starfire Pearl (pictured) or Obsidian. Other F Sport touches include Bilstein shocks and lowering springs that bring the IS one inch closer to the ground, and a unique sway bar set has been added, too.

The interior is padded with black and red leather surfaces, and both heated and cooled seats are standard. Navigation is also part of the Special Edition package, encompassing things like a rearview camera, Lexus Enform and the full host of XM infotainment features. Hit the jump for the official press blast.

[Source: Lexus]

Continue reading 2011 Lexus IS 350C F Sport Special Edition limited to 175 units, priced from $55,120*

2011 Lexus IS 350C F Sport Special Edition limited to 175 units, priced from $55,120* originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How Lexus ships the LFA – no peanuts required [w/video]

Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Performance, Etc., Lexus, Luxury

Uncrating the Lexus LFA

Lexus LFA – Click above for high-res image gallery

On January 21, Toyota played Show-n-Tell with the first Lexus LFAs to arrive in the U.S., inviting a representative from Club Lexus to witness the stylized drama of uncrating the $400,000 supercar. While we can’t be certain, perhaps it was the King-Lear-esque howls and gnashing of teeth from the non-invited (our own form of stylized drama) that convinced Toyota to do it again. So we headed to the Fujitrans warehouse in Carson, California to watch the LFA star in its own kabuki performance. Minus the make-up.

Gallery: Lexus LFA Uncrating

Continue reading How Lexus ships the LFA – no peanuts required [w/video]

How Lexus ships the LFA – no peanuts required [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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