There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to the Lexus LF-A. The exterior may look a little soft and boring but I’m in love with the cool instrument panel. The rev meter can actually physically move around according to the display’s needs! You’ll see what I mean in the video after the jump. Trust the Japanese to come up with something as techno-funky as this – totally gimmicky but damn cool.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.

Here’s a few shots of the Lexus LFA supercar live from the Tokyo Motorshow 2009 this morning, which was pretty much the most exciting exhibit at the Toyota and Lexus displays as the rest of the cars had already been unveiled in press release and product image form before the motorshow. Only a certain ‘2 seater supercar’ had been withheld until the motorshow press day itself.

The LFA really sounded great in real life thanks to its high-revving V10 with individual throttle bodies. Can’t say the same about its looks though. The individual design elements don’t really seem to gel together that well.

Anyway, words can only say so much. After the jump you’ll find a few things – live shots of the LFA, two product shots of the LFA, and a video of the Lexus LFA unveiling at the motorshow this morning.

VIDEO: Lexus LFA unveiling at Tokyo Motorshow 2009

VIDEO: Lexus LFA – Promo Footage 1

VIDEO: Lexus LFA – Promo Footage 2

VIDEO: Toyota Showcase Opening at Tokyo Motorshow 2009

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.

We all know that this year’s Tokyo Motor Show will mostly feature Japanese models apart from cars by just three European manufacturers. Nevertheless, the show that kicks off this week will have at least two major highlights including the Toyota FT-86 Concept and an all new supercar by Lexus. Yes as the title suggests we are talking about the V10 LFA.

The 2-seater LFA is motivated by a mid-front mounted 1LR-GSE 4.8 liter DOHC V10 that cranks out 552hp at 8,700 rpm and 480Nm of torque that is achieved at 6,800 rpm (90% of which is available from 3,700 rpm).

The engine that screams at a red line of 9,000 revs features Dual VVT-i technology, equal length exhaust manifolds and high-volume, a total of 40 valves, 12-hole fuel injectors, 12:1 compression ratio and is Euro 5 compliant. The powerplant was co-developed with Yamaha and features a total of ten individual throttle bodies – one for each cylinder! Titanium valves, ultra–light weight rocker arms with a diamond–like coating and a fully integrated lower crankcase reduces pumping losses at high RPMs.

Mated to a rear-mounted 6-speed Automated Sequential Gearbox (operated by steering-mounted paddle shifters) that drives the rear wheels via a limited slip differential, the engine enables the supercar to hit 100 km/h in just 3.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 325 km/h. The drivetrain has four driving modes that is made up by Auto, Sport, Normal and Wet modes. Each mode has a specific gearshift program as well as engine and brake control logic systems to let the driver tailor the car’s performance to suit different driving conditions.

Stopping power is provided by carbon ceramic 390 mm front discs and 306 mm rear discs. The front setup has 6-piston aluminium calipers while the rear features 4 pistons. The LFA has a track-tuned suspension that according to Lexus, gives “the best possible balance between control and comfort”. It has a bespoke front wishbone and rear multilink design configuration that is mostly made of aluminium alloy. It also has aluminium monotube dampers that were also featured in the LFA race car that took part in the Nurburgring 24-hour event. The rack and pinion setup in the LFA features an Electric Power Steering System.

The 1,480kg car sits on 20-inch aluminium BBS wheels that are shod with Bridgestone-sourced 265/35ZR20 tires for the front and 305/20ZR20 tires for the rear. Along with a drag coefficient of 0.31, it has a carbon fibre rear diffuser and flat underbody that help generate significant downforce. There is also an active rear wing.

The hand-built interior is treated to seats upholstered in fine leather and Alcantara. The trim details are finished in brushed metal while the floor-hinged brake and throttle pedals are made of forged aluminium. The hooded instrument panel combines an LCD display panel with a colour Thin Film Transistor (TFT) and a motor-drive movable ring. It features a single circular dial with a central tachometer with an LCD needle.

When engine speed exceeds 9,000 rpm, the display area turns red to prime the driver for an up-shift. It can also be programmed to turn yellow or green when the revs reach a user-selected range. The dial also houses a digital speedometer and gear indicator, transmission mode, vehicle control data and trip information displays.

At 4,505mm by 1,895mm by 1,220mm with a 2,605mm wheelbase, the car is slightly smaller than a Ferrari 458 Italia. Production will be limited to 500 units and pricing in the US starts from approximately US$375,000. Lexus revealed that the LFA will be hand-assembled at the Motomachi plant in Toyota City and each V10 engine will be assembled by a single engineer. Continue reading to view an image gallery.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.

The flagship Lexus LS will soon come with a special highly scratch-resistant clear coat which Toyota says possess self-restoring qualities. The clear coat is highly resistant to typical surface scratches usually caused by car wash brushes and fingernails. You can usually spot loads of fingernail scratches near your door handle area, and sometimes you’re bound to hit the paint while reaching to grab your door handle.

An ingredient in the new clearcoat apparently encorages molecular bonding, resulting in a denser structure than conventionally possible.  This gives the coat flexibility and elasticity, making it less prone to damage and more resistant to light and acid, and giving it the ability to self-restore after deformation.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.

Lexus has facelifted the GS 450h. No, it’s not yet another update to the GS line as we’ve already seen that early last year but more of a cosmetic update to further differentiate the hybrid version from the “regular” GS. There’s a new front grille with thicker horizontal bars instead of the regular GS’s horizontal bars, and new rear tail lamps.

There have also been some changes to the Pre-Crash Safety system, so I guess it is safer to crash your 2010 GS450h compared to the 2009 model, in case you’re wondering. The new features are the pre-crash seatbelt and brake assist functions with pre-crash brake technology. Both front seats are fitted with new, inflator-operated active headrests, activated by a signal from the ECU in the event of a rear-end impact. The inflator slides a piston into the headrest, unlocks the mechanism and projects the headrest forwards and upwards to support the occupant’s head and reduce the risk of whiplash injury.

With the new Euro 2M diesel implemented here in Malaysia, I can tell you that there will be a barrage of eco-marketing (i.e. – good for nature and pocket) from the two main German luxury marques here in Malaysia. Lexus has its hybrid models positioned for the same purpose internationally.

There has yet to be any hybrid Lexus introduced in Malaysia yet, but with the introduction of the Prius out of the way, you would think there could be the possibility of a hybrid Lexus sometime in the future. But that remains to be seen as the hybrid Lexus cars all have their combustion engine sizes over 2.0 liters, which disqualify them from any kinds of incentives currently offered by the government.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.

Lexus have revealed full details on their Frankfurt concept car – the new Lexus LF-Ch Concept. Previously only one shot each of the front and rear respectively were revealed, but here comes the full press pack with hi-res photos.

A wheelbase of 2,600mm confirms suspicious that this will most likely be a Lexus-ified Toyota Auris. It’s a full hybrid and coincidentally Toyota is also exhibiting a hybrid version of the Auris at Frankfurt. Even with its Auris roots, design is pure L-finesse, which makes the car share a family resemblance with the IS sedan.

All we know right now is the car’s dimensions and the fact that it’ll be powered by a full hybrid, which means the possibility for a EV mode. The LF-Ch measures 4,300mm long, 1,790mm wide and 1,400 tall. Those large concept car wheels are 20 inches in size, wrapped with 225/35R20 tyres.

Look after the jump for hi-res images of the concept car.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.

We’ve already seen how the rear end of the new Lexus concept hatchback looks like, so here’s a few front shot. It definitely shares a family look with the IS sedan, though unlike the IS it is most likely to be front wheel drive and based on the chassis of the Auris. The production version is very likely to be very much toned down.

Look after the jump and you’ll find a photo of the previously unveiled rear end.


Click for enlarged image

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.

This is probably an Auris/Blade with a new skin, but a C-segment premium 5-door hatchback like this Lexus LF-Ch Concept is vital for Lexus to deepen its penetration of the European market.

The concept’s name is quite easily decoded – LF for L-Finesse (Lexus design language), C is probably a reference to the production car’s CT name while h denotes a hybrid powertrain. Lexus confirms that it will have a full hybrid system which means an EV mode will be available.

More images and details will be unveiled when the concept car makes its public debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.

It looks like Lexus is getting real serious about upping its presence in the European market. Here’s an official teaser sketch of the upcoming Lexus C-Premium hatchback, the first ever visual indication of how the new A3/1-Series competitor from Lexus will look like.

The new Lexus C-Premium is rumoured to be called the Lexus CT, since the Japanese luxury car maker trademarked that name not too long ago. The names trademarked were the CT 200h, the CT 300h and the CT 400h. The h suffix on all the model names seems to indicate this new hatchback might be hybrid-only.

Look after the jump for some renderings by resident “automotive manipulator” Theophilus Chin on how the new Lexus hatchback might look like.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.

It looks like the new Lexus C-Premium hatchback will not be called the BS after all. Good for them too, as you can probably imagine the kind of jokes people will be making about a car called a BS, especially from those who argue against the viability of hybrids, since it appears now that the new Lexus C-Premium is to be exclusively hybrid-only.

Lexus has registered three trademarks in the US – the CT 200h, CT 300h and CT 400h. The naming scheme indicates a hybrid-only line-up with power outputs equivalent to a 2.0 liter, 3.0 liter and 4.0 liter regular internal combustion engine.

The CT 200h will probably use a version of the 1.8 liter HSD system in the new Prius, while the CT 300h will probably use the next generation HSD system that will in the Toyota/Lexus line-up replace the one in the HS 250h. The HS 250h uses the hybrid system from the Camry Hybrid, which is based around a 2.4 liter engine. Toyota seems to be replacing its 2.4 liter engines with a 2.5 liter as evident from updates to the US Camry and RAV4, so the 2.4 liter in the hybrid may also go.

The top of the line CT 400h will likely use a variant of the hybrid system in the GS 450h, which is based around a 3.5 liter V6. We know that this engine will fit the C-Premium chassis if rumours that it will be based on an Auris is true, because a variant of the Auris called the Toyota Blade uses a 3.5 liter engine in Japan.

It’ll be interesting to see how well a CT 300h holds up to an IS 220d. The IS 220d is the first ever diesel by Lexus and is offered in Europe. It features a nice 2.2 liter diesel putting out 175 horses and a nice 400Nm of torque.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.

Specially trained offers of the Humberside Police spent a year evaluating a couple of fast cars to replace the Subarus that they’re currently using in their Roads Crime Section. They ended up picking this one – a Lexus IS-F with a 5.0 liter V8 engine that can take the car from 0 to 100km/h in just 4.8 seconds.

But of course this cop version won’t be able to do that as it’s got lots of extra weight from the £30,000 worth of on-board computers and communications equipment. Apparently one edge that the Lexus had over its competitors is that its driving dynamics and stability was not affected much by the extra weight.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.

Lexus has recently launched the new HS250h hybrid car in Japan with a monthly sales target of 500 units per month. The Atkinson cycle 2.4 liter engine mated to an electric motor managed to achieve 23 km per liter based on the Japanese 10-15 life cycle, and on the new JC08 test cycle, it managed 19.8km per liter.

The central LCD screen system which was a main feature and attraction of the 2nd gen Prius cabin that went missing in the 3rd gen is now back in the HS250h and renamed the Harmonious Driving Navigator. It monitors and provides information on the car’s hybrid system, fuel consumption, and brake energy regeneration as well as awards “points” for environmentally (and wallet) considerate driving. These points can be used by a Lexus owner to make donations to charities registered with Project Mirai Isan, which is managed by the National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan.

The 2AZ-FXE 2.4 liter engine makes 150 PS and 187Nm of torque, supplemented by a 143 PS electric motor with 270Nm of torque, backed by a NiMH battery. An e-CVT combines the two power sources up to a maximum of 190 PS at any one time.

Nothing really that interesting about the engine as its the same one found in the Camry Hybrid but as if to make up for it, there are a few interesting techy bits about the HS250h. The Lexus HS250h also has LED headlamps as well as tail lamps. It has a heads-up display system which can display various info such as speed, lane information and warnings.

A Pre-crash Safety System using millimeter-wave radar detects whether driver’s eyes are properly open and also determining direction of driver’s face. If risk of accident is determined, system warns driver with buzzer and automatic braking. If there is a risk of a crash, the hazard lights flash, and if the risk is even higher, headrests are shifted to the appropriate positions to reduce strain on the neck and chances of whiplash injury.

There is also a telemetry system that reminds me of BMW Assist or BMW ConnectedDrive. The Lexus take on such services is called G-Link (called Lexus Enform with Safety Connect in the US). You will have access to a concierge that help you out in various ways. If you meet an accident, G-Link communicates with the remote Lexus center to contact the police and fire department. The call center will then call you to check if you are safe. If there is no answer, an ambulance will be called. The call centre operator can also help you with finding a location and can send GPS coordinates to your on-board GPS unit automatically. If there is an intrusion while the car is parked, the owner can be notified via phone and email.

G-Link also monitors various car components such as the brakes and engine and can assist with booking a service appointment with your Lexus service center. Of course all of this costs money and G-Link is only free for the first 3 years if you buy the car new.

Look after the jump for a photo gallery with some new photos of the HS250h, some videos, as well as the previously published photo gallery of the HS250h dedicated hybrid.

VIDEO: Lexus HS250h – Concept

VIDEO: Lexus HS250h – Hybrid System

VIDEO: Lexus HS250h – Fuel Economy

VIDEO: Lexus HS250h – Change The World

VIDEO: Lexus HS250h – Eco Materials

VIDEO: Lexus HS250h – Innovation

VIDEO: Lexus HS250h – Sustainability

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.

Lexus is currently facing the same problem that Jaguar had identified in the recent few years. It simply hasn’t been able to attract younger buyers and the 45 year olds who fell for the Lexus brand when it was first introduced 20 years ago are now 65, and guess what, soon they won’t be in the position to buy any new Lexus cars!

Their solution is new entry level models such as the new HS250h Hybrid (which is really a Toyota Avensis). It is currently relying way too heavily on the RX SUV, which is really not surprising since it is a brand quite firmly planted in the American consumer tastebud. The front wheel drive HS must do well – and Lexus is taking all steps to make sure it does. It just embarked on a comprehensive in-store training program for all of the 228 Lexus dealerships in the US.

A hatchback model under the IS will not do it any good in the US where they like sedans and coupes and not hatches, but it could do wonders for the brand in hatchback-crazy Europe. Lexus aims to improve European sales to 150,000 units annually by 2015, but currently only commands 1% of the total market there.

There has been word for a long time now for a new Lexus hatchback, very likely to be based on the Toyota Auris/Blade. Internally, this project is called the C-Premium and it will rival the likes of the Audi A3 and the BMW 1-Series.

Personally, what are your luxury brand preferences right now? Would you buy a BMW, a Mercedes-Benz, an Audi or a Lexus?

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.

Lorinser who usually dresses up Mercedes-Benz cars has released this bodykit for the Lexus LS. The bodykit consisting of a front bumper side skirts, a rear bumper and a choice of Lorinser wheels is not too overly done, with the only sign of aggression being at the rear where the neatly integrated rear exhaust tips that come standard with the LS have been replaced by quad exhaust tips integrated into the rear bumper lip. There is also a very small bootlid spoiler tacked on.

S300 and S350 owners in Malaysia have been spoiled silly by the amount of kits they have available to tack onto their cars. The AMG bodykit whether from Mercedes-Benz or replicas seems to be very popular lately and then there is of course the Brabus kits offered by Naza. BMW will soon get an M-Sport kit for the F01/F02. Now a Lexus owner will be able to do that too, though it’s very unlikely for a typical Malaysian Lexus buyer to ever consider doing it.

Look after the jump for one more side shot of the Lorinser LS.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.

The Lexus F-Sport bodykit and aftermarket accessory range has been extended to cover the new 2-door hard top convertible body variant of the Lexus IS.

In case you haven’t previously read about it, the F-Sport range of products is a step between a regular Lexus and F cars like the IS-F, much like BMW’s M-Sport parts are positioned between a regular 3 and an M3.

The IS C you see here carries alloy wheels of the same design as the one first launched with the sedan IS F-Sport, and the rest of the performance accessories also seem the same, so for full details you can read my previous post on the F-Sport parts. The only thing is the wheels now also seem to be available in 18 inch sizes, while previously the F-Sport kit was launched with 19 inch wheels.

Look after the jump for a full gallery of the IS C equipped with the kit.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.

Lexus now have their own iDrive-like device. BMW debuted iDrive with a rotary knob and other car manufacturers followed suit with a similiar knob.

Lexus started off with a touch-screen system, which you can see in the LS and GS sold locally right now but with the new RX, Lexus chose a system they call “Remote Touch control” which looks rather similiar to a Nintendo Wii’s nunchuk.

The little controlled knob works very similiar to the Wii’s nunchuk as well, just nudge it around to control the screen’s mouse pointer. The system also “pulls” the mouse pointer to an icon if it passes close to it.

Look after the jump for more shots of the actual Lexus Remote Touch as found in the new third generation RX.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.

The latest generation Lexus RX450h now features a heads-up display which can present vehicle speed, navigation arrow view directions, audio information and warning messages from various systems like the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Pre-Crash Safety (PCS) systems.

In the UK market, it is standard equipment on the RX450h SE-L Premium, and it’s display position and lighting intensity can be adjusted according to ambient light via controls near the steering wheel. The Lexus HUD system uses white as the colour for the HUD display, a colour that is rarely used because of its tendency to blend with the exterior background. Lexus went around this by using high intensity LEDs. They then tested it out on the snow-covered roads of Hokkaido.

They probably insisted on having it white to maintain a consistent look with the rest of the instrument lighting, which is white. As far as I know there is no HUD on the RX offered in Malaysia, which is the RX350 model.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.

The drop top version of the Lexus IS 250 aptly called the IS 250c goes on sale in Japan this month. Two models are available – the IS 250c and the IS 250c L which features more equipment. The IS 250c goes for 4,950,000 Yen (RM180k) while the IS 250c L goes for 5,350,000 (RM194k), inclusive of consumption tax.

The IS 250c features a folding 3-part hard top that can go down or up in 20 seconds. The air conditioning system has also been tuned for convertible usage, featuring a special top down mode that adjusts cabin temperature in relation to exterior temperature and the amount of sunlight. Air volume is also adjusted according to vehicle speed. The audio system also makes similiar adjustments to suit the different sound stage that an open top presents.

Unlike the sedan IS which comes in both 250, 350 and IS-F forms, the 1,730kg convertible is only available as a 250c for now. The car’s 2.5 liter 4GR-FSE V6 is mated to a 6-speed Super ECT transmission driving the rear wheels with 215 PS at 6,400rpm and 260Nm of torque at 3,800rpm.

Look after the jump for a video and gallery of the IS 250c.

VIDEO: Lexus IS 250c Promo Clip

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.

No signs of the Honda NSX anywhere but that other Japanese supercar project seems to be still going strong. The Lexus LF-A Prototype will enter the 24-hour Nurburgring race set to be held during the 21st to 24th May 2009. It will be the 2nd time in a row the prototype car will be running the race.

The Lexus LF-A Prototype race car will be run by GAZOO Racing in the Division 2 SP8 (engine close to production) class. The LF-A measures 4,530mm long, 1,880mm wide and 1,200mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,605mm. It runs 305/30R20 Bridgestone rubber. Mounted at the rear and mated to a mid-rear transaxle gearbox be a 4,805cc V10 engine said to be producing over 500 PS.

Look after the jump for a video of the GAZOO LF-A racer.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.

UMW Toyota Motor Sdn. Bhd. launched the Lexus RX350 premium SUV for the Malaysian market today at its Lexus showroom in Mutiara Damansara. Although maintaining the general shape of its predecessor, this third generation RX350 features an exterior design which is inspired by the LX-Fh concept, with head lights that point downward and a new bumper up front, a side profile with a slightly curvaceous shoulder line, and new LED tail lights with a new bumper at the back.

Continue for the rest of the report and to view an image gallery.

Other exterior features include a new rear spoiler that conceals the rear wiper, a touch sensor smart switch on the door handles, LED turn signal lamps on the door mirrors, Bi-Xenon head lights with adaptive lighting and 18 inch alloys with a 5 spoke design which are wrapped with 235/60 R18 tires. Overall size wise, it has grown a little, with an increase of 40 mm in overall width and 30 mm in length which helps increase wheelbase by 20 mm. Height is also slightly increased, while overall weight is rated at 1975 kilograms, instead of 1860 kilograms with the old model. Tracks are also wider now, by 55 mm up front and 65 mm at the rear.

On the interior which is generously finished with leather and genuine walnut wood, the new RX350 receives a centre console that is connected to the dashboard, an improved instrument panel with a white multi-information display which uses OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) which offers better clarity, Eco Driving Indicator Light and Zone Display that allows the driver to monitor his or her level of driving economy using a bar graph, a new centre-mounted 7 inch information display, front seats with 10-way power adjustment, rear seats which can be folded down via a 40:20:40 split as well as a tilt-and-slide moon roof.

In terms of in-car entertainment, the new RX comes with the Lexus Premium Audio 9-speaker system with an in-dash 6 CD changer with mp3 and WMA compatibility, as well as an auxiliary jack which is located in the centre console. The RX350 continues to utilize the 2GR-FE 3.5 liter V6 that is capable of 273HP at 6,200 revs and 346Nm of torque which is available from 2,300 revs.

The 24-valve power plant which features Dual Variable Valve Timing (VVT-i) with newly designed intake and exhaust manifolds and the addition of ACIS (Acoustic Control Induction System) which helps improve torque across the widest possible rev range is mated to an all new 6 speed automatic transmission that is 6 kilograms lighter than the previous 5 speed automatic. To help improve shifting response, Lexus has fitted miniature high-flow linear solenoids to control transmission-fluid line-pressure. Shifting can also be performed manually via the Multi-Mode Automatic Transmission with Artificial Intelligence Shifting. The new RX350 is able to sprint to 100 km/h in 8 seconds, all the way up to 200 km/h.

This time round, the RX350 comes with an all-new electronically controlled Active Torque Control All Wheel Drive system. Meaning, this new system enables torque to be distributed from anywhere from 100:0 to 50:50 (front and rear) depending on driving conditions. Suspension wise, the front features MacPherson struts with a thicker stabilizer bar while the rear features a double wishbone setup. The new RX also comes fitted with an electrical power steering system.

Safety features are made up by a Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) which controls other functions such as ABS, EBD, Brake Assist, Traction Control and Vehicle Stability Control, a Hill-Start Assist system, a total of 10 air bags as well as active headrests. Available in nine body colours including the new Silvery Blue Metallic and three interior colours with two different shades of walnut wood trim, the Lexus RX 350 carries an on-the-road price tag of RM 377,200.00, without insurance.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.

It looks like the Selangor state’s new 15 unit fleet of 2.4 liter Toyota Camrys purchased at RM 130,000 each are not good enough for Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, as he has declared a new Lexus SUV (according a Bernama report, presumably the Lexus RX 350) as his new official car to be used for official business only.

When asked why he did not use one of the Camrys, Tan Sri told the Bernama reporter that he was more comfortable with the Lexus. He says he only uses it for work (he owns the car but the government pays for its maintenance so he wants to make sure it is for work purposes only), and for personal trips he uses a personal car. Of course, a Lexus RX is nothing compared to what Khalid Ibrahim’s political secretary Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad claims Khir Toyo purchased during his Selangor MB tenure – a Mercedes-Benz S350L.

I feel Tan Sri Khalid should have waited for the new 2009 RX due to be launched in Malaysia this year, then perhaps I can ask him if he finds the new “Remote Touch” system user friendly!

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.

Sources say Lexus will most likely add a baseline V6 model to its flagship Lexus LS range, in line with recessive market trends as well as expected benefits to the company’s overall CAFE ratings. This could happen when Lexus unveils the facelift for the LS, which would be due anytime soon as it was launched in the year 2007.

A Lexus LS 350 could be powered by the 2GR-FSE 3.5 liter V6 engine incorporating Toyota D4-S twin injection technology, which combines port injection with direct injection. It produces 315 PS and 377Nm of torque, which puts it somewhere in line with the F01/F02 BMW 740i.

The LS is currently only offered in LS 460 and LS 600h variants. Both are V8s with a 4.6 liter and 5.0 liter engine respectively, the latter also equipped with a high-output electric motor and a NiMH battery pack. In Malaysia in particular where only the LS 460 and LS 460L are sold, the LS is burdened with high road tax costs, and a LS 350 could help boost LS market share with the private buyer “entry level” owners.

Don’t expect anything lower than this at the moment though, as the LS doesn’t have the kind of volumes in 3rd world countries to warrant something like the 730i (yet to be released with the F01/F02 but is said to be a work in progress) or the S300.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.

Essentially what you could consider a hybrid version of the Toyota Avensis, the new Lexus HS 250h is not exactly a dedicated hybrid version by that definition but in the Lexus line-up it does come only with a hybrid powertrain, which is what Lexus means by a “dedicated hybrid vehicle”. It is powered by the 2.4 liter Atkinson cycle combustion engine and electric motor hybrid system from the Camry Hybrid. This is vehicle platform and powertrain sharing at it’s best, one that rivals the Volkswagen Group’s. We’ve previously already taken a look at the HS 250h but for the 99.9% of us that did not get to witness the HS 250h’s unveiling at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, here’s the official launch video from Detroit, along with new photos.

Video: Lexus HS 250h

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.

Despite it’s somewhat concept-like looks, thanks to so many car manufacturers releasing concept cars that are near production models totally changing our opinion of what a concept model looks like these days, the new 2010 Lexus HS 250h is a production model that will debut in late summer this year. But despite being a production model apparently specifications are still preliminary, though it’s very likely most if not all of what’s been released at the Detroit show will make it into the car in the showrooms this summer. It will slot in between the ES and the IS as an entry level hybrid car.

The new Lexus HS 250h is a front wheel drive sedan which has similiar proportions to the UK’s Toyota Avensis in terms of height, width and length, and in fact it shares the same 2,700mm wheelbase. In comparison, the Lexus ES/Camry’s wheelbase is 2,776mm while even the wheelbase of the IS is longer at 2,730mm. It’s amusing how a luxury American C-segment car can have a longer wheelbase than an European D-segment car, but the latter have traditionally been smaller than its American counterparts anyway. I guess that’s how superminis survive/thrive in Europe. I believe the HS is classified as a front-wheel drive non-sporty hybrid counterpart to the IS in the Lexus range, just like what the ES is to the GS (but the ES does without dedicated hybrid engine). Frankly I wonder if this is just a reskinned Euro Toyota Avensis with the Camry Hybrid’s powertrain thrown in, with the interior then loaded up with high-specs.

The drivetrain in the HS 250h is lifted from the Toyota Camry and thus retains its 2.4 liter Atkinson cycle engine, the electric motor, front wheel drive layout and CVT transmission. The engine and electric motor combination puts out a combined total output of 187 horsepower, but no torque figures have been released at this time. The engine is rated as a SULEV engine thanks to low emissions even on 87-octane gasoline. The combustion engine uses cooling piston oil jets, an optimized balance shaft rate for improved NVH properties, and a hot-air venting system mounted behind the radiator. An exhaust heat recovery system reduces the amount of time it takes to warm the engine up, thus enabling earlier activation of auto-start-stop functions.

As hybrid screams futuristic, it’s not surprising to know the interior has a decent amount of “innovations”. For one, the interior uses plant-based, carbon-neutral “Ecological Plastics” or bio-plastics in specific interior areas, or approximately 30% of the interior and luggage area. The in-car entertainment system features Bluetooth, sat radio, HDD-based sat nav, voice recognition, USB and iPod connectivity, a high-contrast multi-info display, the new Lexus “Remote Touch” iDrive-like controller, a heads-up display, a class-leading 10 airbags, and a lane keep assist system which detects lane markers on the road and adds steering torque to keep the vehicle in the center of a lane.

Look after the jump for a hi-res photo gallery of the new HS 250h.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.

After slightly more than a year of being the niche choice of C-segment luxury sedans buyers who want to buy into the whole Lexus experience at the cheapest price point possible, the Lexus IS 250 now receives a facelift, and now comes in 2 variants – standard and luxury.

Under the hood is a 2.5 liter V6 engine featuring D4 direct injection that puts out 205hp at 6,400rpm and 252Nm of torque at 4,800rpm, giving the car a 0 to 100km/h acceleration time of 8.4 seconds and a top speed of 225km/h. The engine also has Dual VVT-i variable valve timing on both the intake and exhaust camshafts. This engine is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission with enhanced lock-up clutch control in 5th and 6th gears for better fuel economy. The transmission also has an AT fluid warmer for better cold start performance.

The external changes are very subtle. The front grille receives a minor update with a restyling of the vertical bars as well as a different number of bars. The front lip of the bumper is also now integrated for a smoother experience. The front bumper has been extended by 10mm which gives the profile a sleeper look. Side mirrors now feature turn indicators, which were previously on the front fenders on the pre-facelift car. On the rear, the bumper now has a blacked out area to emulate the look of a diffuser. The brake lamp cluster has also had minor changes made to them.

Differences between the Lexus IS 250 and the Lexus IS 250 Luxury differ mainly in the equipment you get. The IS 250 Luxury has the option for a tilted moonroof. The IS 250 has a leather interior trim while the IS 250 Luxury gets 3 choices wood as well colour coded to the exterior colour, including Birdseye Maple which comes in either light brown or gray.

Other features that are only available on the IS 250 Luxury are electrically adjustable steering column, an electro-chromatic rearview mirror, a rain sensor for the wipers, illuminated scuff plates on the door sills, a rear window sunshade, semi-aniline leather, ventilated front seats, and a memory function for the front seat position. The 14-speaker Mark Levinson system with a 6-CD in-dash changer that is MP3/WMA capable is also only available on the IS 250 Luxury while the standard IS 250 gets a 13-speaker Lexus Premium system.

However I think the differentiation between the two models went abit too far as for such an expensive sedan, it’s sad to see the standard IS 250 getting regular headlamps while Xenon HID is only reserved for the IS 250 Luxury. The HID headlamps come with Adaptive Front Lighting, which adjusts the headlamp angle according to the roads for better illumination on winding roads.

Safety features include 4-wheel ABS, Brake Assist, EBD, airbags all-round including knee airbags and a multi-stage airbag for the driver, and VDIM which integrates brake, throttle, steering and transmission control into the stability control system.

The standard Lexus IS 250 goes for RM270,000 while the more premium Lexus IS 250 Luxury retails at RM305,000. Look after the jump for more images of the car.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.

Lexus will be displaying a dedicated hybrid vehicle at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show next month. A dedicated hybrid vehicle is essentially a model that can only be had with a hybrid powertrain, unlike cars like existing Lexus hybrids which are hybrid versions of models that are also available with regular combustion engines (current Lexus hybrids are the RX450h, GS450h and LS600h).

The new Lexus dedicated hybrid is rumoured to be called the Lexus HS250h and will be exhibited in concept form, with a production version only due in North American showrooms in late 2009 as a 2010 model. The HS250h indicates a relatively small engine compared to the lumps in the 450h and 600h models.

The word is that the Toyota Camry hybrid’s 2.4 liter Atkinson cycle engine coupled with an electric motor will be used. That means front wheel drive, 147hp and 187Nm of torque from the combustion engine, and 40hp with 270Nm from the electric motor, or at least that’s what the motor makes in the Camry. It could be upgraded for Lexus use. If this is true, the new HS250h would probably be based on the Camry platform as well, turning it into a new hybrid-only “Lexus ES”.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.

Lexus sales in Europe only commands 1% of the total market, but Lexus plans to hopefully increase this to 150,000 units a year by the year 2015. Spearheading this push is a new premium hatchback that’s now been confirmed by Lexus Europe managing director Tadashi Arashima, but a launch date has not been set yet. A tentative guesstimated launch has been set for 2011. Europe is quite fond of premium hatchbacks such as the BMW 118d that recently won the World Green Car of the Year award. The new Lexus hatch will rival the likes of that car, and the Audi A3.

Internally, the new Lexus hatchback is called the C-Premium. It’s development is in such early stages that it’s not quite sure at the moment whether it will be a rear wheel drive platform based on the IS, or a front wheel drive platform likely to be based on the Toyota Auris, which spawned a premium C-segment hatchback in Japan called the Toyota Blade.

Source

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.

Lexus has unveiled the new Lexus RX range at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show today. The RX will be offered with a two-model range, the RX350 with a regular 3.5 liter V6 engine and the RX450h also with a 3.5 liter V6, but running on the Atkinson cycle together with a hybrid electric system. In the UK, the RX will be offered exclusively as a hybrid.

The RX350’s 3.5 liter V6 engine puts out 275 horsepower, mated to a 6-speed transmission. Both front wheel drive and all-wheel drive versions are available, with the latter using an Active Torque Control AWD system that varies torque distribution according to driving conditions. Both this model and the hybrid version uses a new double-wishbone rear suspension for better control.

While current Lexus cars use a simple touch screen interface to access its in-car entertainment and navigation systems, with the new RX, Lexus now has its own iDrive/MMI-like system.

It uses a “Remote Touch” controller that’s supposed to be as natural to the driver’s hand as a computer’s mouse. Let’s see if the Japanese get it better than the Germans. The system also uses HDD-based storage.

The hybrid RX450h’s 3.5 liter Atkinson cycle engine together with its hybrid electric drive system has a combined output of 295 horsepower. To differentiate it from the regular combustion engine-only RX350, it has its own front grille and bumper design, hybrid badging, blue-trimmed Lexus logos, an optional 19 inch wheel design that’s exclusive to the RX450h, blue-tinted headlamps and taillamps and optional LED headlamps.

The RX450h’s Lexus Hybrid Drive system has two new features – the first is an exhaust gas heat recovery system that reduces the time it takes for the engine to warm up. As only a sufficiently warmed up engine can do automatic stop and go smoothly, this reduces the time it takes for the start-stop feature to be activated. The second feature is a cooled exhaust recirculation system which reduces pumping losses, helping improve power and fuel economy.

Unlike the RX350’s mechanical all-wheel drive, the RX450h’s Lexus Hybrid Drive can allows it to function as an all-wheel drive via an electric motor powering the rear wheels. The rear motor also functions as a brake energy recovery device, which means brake energy recovery can be performed on all four wheels.

Lexus Malaysia Sdn Bhd has been known to bring in new Lexus products rather quickly into the market (partly thanks to the ease of bringing in a CBU model), and looking at how the second generation RX has been spoiled by all the grey market RX and Toyota Harriers running around being sold at a much cheaper price, you can expect the new RX to make a Malaysian debut very soon next year.

Look for a hi-res gallery of the new RX after the jump.

PHOTO GALLERY: Third Generation Lexus RX450h and RX350
Click thumbnails to view high resolution photo

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.

The facelifted 2009 Lexus IS range have been unveiled in the UK this week (though at first sight I cannot tell what on earth has changed with the design), and it is now more accessible with the cheapest model (which is the IS 220d SE) costing £22,490. The entire range has also got price slashes, some by more than £1,000. This is probably an effort to keep up sales volumes in these tough times.

The IS 220d is now more environmentally friendly, with a small drop in CO2 emissions from 168g/km to 163g/km. In the UK, this means it moves down a band for vehicle excise duty from E to D. The owner of a facelifted IS 220d will save £25 a year on his road fund license and reduces the Benefit in Kind (BIK) rate for company car tax calculation to 23 per cent.

Other changes include VDIM as standard on all models, and folding rear headrests. A Satnav option is available for £1,825 on SE and SE-I models which include Europe GPS maps, a 7 inch 640×480 LCD display with touch screen operation, Bluetooth hands-free, a rear parking video feed monitor and a 13-speaker audio system with an in-dash 6-CD changer. This pack can be upgraded to a Multimedia Pack on the SE-L for £2,710 which includes the same stuff but adds a 14-speaker Mark Levinson system with a 6-DVD changer.

Look after the jump for more shots of the facelifted Lexus IS.

PHOTO GALLERY: 2009 Lexus IS Facelift
Click thumbnails to view high resolution photo

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.

There’s so much that can change on the way from a concept display to a production model and the comparison image above shows just that – how different the production next generation Lexus RX will look like compared to the Lexus LF-Xh Concept displayed last year at the Tokyo Motor Show.

The front end has stayed largely similiar but the rest of the SUV ends up looking like a Nissan Rogue. Look after the jump for a strangely Subaru-ish rear view of the new RX, or head on to the source link for more shots of the brochure.

The thing is the RX always had very subtle roof rails, but they seem to have grown larger or at least apear to be more prominent in this new installment in the RX series, causing the new RX to take on a new feel.

Source

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 18:31:34 +0800.