Paul Tan's Automotive News » Lexus

Lexus RX facelift arrives – four in all, RM356k to RM525k

Anthony Lim — Thu, 10 May 2012 01:51:36 +0000

Lexus Malaysia officially introduced the the facelifted RX last night – the reworked third-generation SUV makes its local debut just two months after its introduction in Geneva.

A complete line-up makes its way in, four models in all, these being the entry-level RX 270, followed by the RX 350, RX 350 F SPORT and the range-topping RX 450h hybrid.

Changes include a new front end, complete with the new spindle shaped grilled first seen on the LF-LC Concept, and most recently on the GS, launched here two months ago. The spindle grille will soon be adopted throughout the range to strengthen the Lexus family identity between model ranges, the company says.

Aside from the new spindle grille, exterior revisions include a new front bumper as well as headlamps equipped with new LED daytime running lights, and the rear light cluster has also been redesigned. Also on is a new 19-inch wheel design, found on the RX 350 and RX 450h, wrapped with 235/55 series tyres (the RX 270 has 18-inch wheels, with 235/60 rubbers).

Naturally, the interior gets reworked too, and features a new steering wheel with high quality wood and leather. For the first time, all RX variants are equipped with a second-generation Remote Touch Controller, which is linked to an 8.0-inch Electro Multi Vision screen and is equipped with navigation.

Meanwhile, the RX 350 F SPORT adds performance dampers and an F SPORT suspension into the equation. There’s also F SPORT specific exterior trim, which is made up of a mesh grille, dark grey 10-spoke 19-inch alloy wheels and F SPORT badges on the front fenders.

The interior on this one also gets kitted up to reflect a sportier tone, with aluminium panels in place of the more elegant wood inserts leading the changes. The seats get special F SPORT perforated leather and the six-speed automatic gearbox gains paddle shifters.

No changes mechanically, with the same engine line-up as before. The front wheel-drive RX270′s 2.7 litre 1AR-FE four-cylinder mill offers 185 hp 5,800 rpm and 252 Nm of torque at 4,200 rpm, while the RX 350 and RX 350 F SPORT wear the 2GR-FE 3.5 litre V6 engine, with 274 hp at 6,200 rpm and 346 Nm at 4,700 rpm.

The top-of-the-line RX 450h’s Atkinson Cycle 2GR-FXE 3.5 litre V6 engine continues with 245 hp at 6,000 rpm and 317 Nm at 4,800 rpm for output numbers as before, and in combination with a 123 kW electric front drive motor and a 50 kW rear motor, offers 295 hp in combined hybrid system output.

As before, a three-block, 10-module-each 288V Ni-MH battery – located below the rear seats – continues to provide the necessary juice, and the powertrain is mated to an E-Four electronically-controlled continuously variable transmission.

Standard kit on all four variants include a Lexus Premium Audio 12-speaker system and 10 airbags.

Price-wise, the RX 270 goes for RM359,800, while the RX 350 is RM399,800. Opting for the F SPORT route takes the price to RM409,800, and the hybrid RX 450h features a marginal increase from before, at RM525,000.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (28) Think (2) Angry (5) Happy (4) Sad (7) Meh (47)

2013 Lexus ES sheds dowdy image, follows the GS’ lead

Danny Tan — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 01:10:53 +0000

When the Toyota Camry got renewed, it was just a matter of time before the Lexus that’s based on it was replaced as well, so the 2013 Lexus ES that debut at New York wasn’t unexpected. Compared to the smooth wallflower of old, the new ES gets a sharp new suit, wearing the spindle grille face and cues seen on the new GS, recently launched in Malaysia.

For the first time, the Lexus ES will be available as a hybrid. Featuring a 2.5L four-cylinder Atkinson cycle engine, the Lexus ES 300h is expected to earn an EPA fuel economy rating of 40 mpg combined.

This new, low friction DOHC engine features a sophisticated power management system, 12.5 compression ratio and VVT-i. The beltless motor is designed to improve fuel economy and durability, and a near zero evaporative fuel system helps reduce emissions.

The Lexus ES 300h hybrid offers the driver four modes: Normal, Sport, Eco and EV. The latter allows short distance drives using only the power from the hybrid battery pack, something Prius owners can also do. Eco mode favors fuel economy while Sport mode increases powertrain responsiveness.

The ES 350, on the other hand, is powered by a 3.5L V6 engine with Dual VVT-i, paired to a six-speed automatic gearbox. Suspension and steering changes and a stiffer body deliver more precise handling, while opposite-wound coil springs on the front suspension enhance straight-line stability, says Lexus.

In the pursuit of better dynamics, Lexus also threw in revised rear suspension geometry and improved shock absorber damping characteristics.

A reduction in the steering gear ratio delivers a more responsive and direct steering feel. Increased body rigidity is achieved through lightweight, high tensile strength steel, added bracing and additional spot welds. Despite being slightly larger and roomier, weight is reduced by almost 40 kg.

The ES will roll on standard 215/55 low rolling resistance tyres on 17-inch alloys. For the first time, the entry luxury Lexus is also available with 18-inch high-gloss alloys.

Like the exterior, the cabin is also much changed for the better. A newly sculptured seat design enhances comfort, while the steering wheel angle has been reduced from 24 to 22 degrees for a more “natural control position”. Fluid-filled engine mounts, new sound absorbing materials and a tuned engine intake minimise the intrusion of outside noise.

Space wise, rear seat legroom and knee room have been improved, by 104 mm and 71 mm respectively. There’s also additional foot room below the front seats. The new ES’ wheelbase is up by just 46 mm, so better packaging is responsible for this jump in space. The new ES will feature enhanced NuLuxe seating surfaces, developed to reduce environmental impact. Genuine leather is also available, as is semi-aniline hide for an even more luxurious feel.

Available comfort features include manual door window shades, a power rear shade and a power trunk closer. Optional ambient lighting, discretely placed under the wood trim, softly illuminates the surfaces of the instrument panel and all four doors.

The new ES is further proof that Lexus is serious in fulfilling its promise to add dynamism in both looks and drive. Of late, Toyota’s luxury brand has been losing ground to the Germans in the crucial North American market, and we’re seeing a range renewal to address the slide. Read the brand’s plans here.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (24) Think (2) Angry (3) Happy (5) Sad (2) Meh (15)

Lexus GS launched; five variants from RM366k to RM464k

Chris Ng — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 17:17:49 +0000

Lexus Malaysia has just launched the new Lexus GS, which I drove it – for a very short time – not too long ago.

There were five variants launched at the event – the GS 250, GS 250 Luxury, GS 250 F-Sport, GS 350 Luxury and GS 350 F-Sport. So in all, there are three different trim levels and two engine options. The three trim levels, if you have not guessed already, are standard, Luxury and F-Sport, which I will explain later.

We’ll start with the engines. The Lexus GS gets a choice of two powerplants; both are 24-valve V6 engines with Dual VVT-i. The 3.5 litre 2GR-FSE produces a maximum power of 312 hp at 6,400 rpm and 378 Nm of torque with a 0-100 km/h of 6.3 seconds and a top speed of 235 km/h. The 2.5 litre 4GR-FSE is good for 206 hp at 6,400 rpm and 253 Nm at 4,800 rpm with a 0-100 km/h of 8.8 seconds and a top speed of 230 km/h.

The engines are installed with something called a Sound Generator that raises the sound pressure of specific frequencies at the intake area to create a pleasant engine sound. This is a first for Lexus.

Both engines are paired with a 6-speed Super ECT with A.I. Shift automatic transmission that sends power to the rear wheels. The transmission features a manual interface, the ability to enable faster shift speeds, earlier torque convertor lock-up and downshift throttle blips – all of which can be altered via the Drive Mode selector.

There are four modes to choose from – ECO, Normal, Sport and Sport +. In ECO, the GS’s throttle mapping is revised as well as the seat heating and climate control systems to give a better fuel economy. Transmission is also set for a more un-rushed drive and avoids unnecessary use of fuel. Also in ECO, the meter lighting changes to blue.

In Sport, the throttle mapping and transmission shifting priorities are set to make the best out of the engine. Needless to say, the driver will experience a stronger acceleration and more responsiveness. The meter cluster in this mode changes to red.

Sport +, which is only available in the Luxury and F-Sport variants, changes the characteristics of the engine, the transmission, suspension and steering. In this setting, the difference between the inner and outer shock absorber damping through corners is increased to cut body roll. The electric power steering (EPS) is also sharpened and optimised to give a better driving dynamics.

The GS features Lexus’ latest Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM), which also integrates the newly developed Lexus Dynamic Handling (LDH) system that calculates the optimum steering angles for all four wheels and responds to the driver’s input.

The GS 350 F-Sport’s LDH also includes a Dynamic Rear Steering (DRS). This system monitors the vehicle speed and yaw rate, steering angle and speed and lateral G and adjusts the rear wheel angle to 2.0 degrees.

The GS also gets new suspension bits. The front has a double wishbone front and multilink rear suspension system.

Back to the equipment levels. The standard GS 250 is only available with the 2.5 litre engine. The interior is finished in leather and the seats are wrapped in smooth leather. The front seat is power adjustable in 10 different ways and it’s the only seat that has a memory setting. The climate control is a dual-zone automatic system and it comes without sunshades. On the dashboard, the LCD screen size is 8 inches and the sounds come from a Lexus Premium Audio 12-channel speaker. Outside, the standard GS does not have adaptive front light, has 17 inch wheels and does not come with a Sport + mode.

The GS 250 Luxury and GS 350 Luxury are available with both engines. This variant gives you adaptive front headlights, 18 inch wheels and Sports + mode. Additionally, the interior is finished in wood and leather, the seats are wrapped in Semi-Aniline leather and the front seats are 18-way adjustable. Both front seats also have memory setting. As for creature comforts, the air conditioning is a automatic 3-zone system and there are sunshades for the rear window and rear door windows. There is a 12.3″ screen up front and the sound is hooked up to a Mark Levinson 17 speaker system.

As for the F-Sport equipped models, which you can have with either the 2.5 litre or 3.5 litre engine, you’ll get the 16-way adjustable seat for the driver and a 10-way adjustable seat for the passenger. The other interior equipment mirrors to the ones you can find in the Luxury variant. Extra for the F-Sport are exclusive front grille and bumper, rear bumper, lip spoiler, dark alloy wheels and upgraded front brakes. The change in front bumper means that the F-Sport also loses the fog lights. The front and rear suspension systems are also retuned in the F Sport to make better use of the adaptive variable suspension system, which makes the F Sport a more sport-focused machine.

The GS offers 10 airbags, including a knee airbag for driver and front passenger; rear gets protection from seat-mounted side airbags. The brakes have been tweaked as well. The brake booster power has been increased for instant response and brake-cooling performance has improved airflow to minimize brake fade.

The F-Sport gets bigger ventilated front discs. Notably, the hat section of the two-piece rotor has been fabricated in aluminium to reduce weight and suppress heat deformation – Lexus claims this is a world’s first.

The Lexus GS is built in Toyota’s advanced Tahara plant in Japan. It comes with a 3-year or 100,000 km warranty.

The price, on-the-road without insurance, for the GS 250 is RM366,200; GS 250 Luxury is RM398,660; GS 250 F-Sport is RM400,600; the GS 350 Luxury is RM456,800 and the GS 350 F-Sport is price at RM464,800.

Lexus are taking orders now. In fact, they’ve already been doing so for the past two months. Last tidbit: I heard, as I was walking to my car, a sales lady telling a potential customer that if he books the GS now, he’ll probably get it in the middle of the year. That’s a quick delivery time, isn’t it?

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (47) Think (3) Angry (12) Happy (5) Sad (5) Meh (23)

DRIVEN: Lexus GS 250 Luxury & GS 350 Luxury previewed

Chris Ng — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 00:00:12 +0000

There exist only two kinds of cars in this world with this level of noise inside the cabin – a hybrid and an electric. Both of which is what the new Lexus GS is not. Yet, the deafening silence keeps deceiving my noggin into thinking otherwise.

Right now, I’m in the Lexus GS 250 Luxury Trim. I’ve been told that in total, there will be three trim-levels and two engines choices for the GS. The three trim-levels are standard, Luxury and F-Sport. You can have your Luxury and F-Sport with either the 2.5 litre or 3.5 litre engine, or the GS 250 and GS 350 respectively.

The Luxury Trim falls in the middle, between the standard and the F-Sport. However, having the Luxury tag means that it gets all the pomp and circumstance, making this the crunchy peanut butter in a PB sandwich.

It has a huge 12.3 inch display in the centre console, plenty of leather, some nice tactile plastics, dark wood finishes and an analogue clock that is a must for all luxury cars.

What else… the indices of the meter cluster has a subtle matte sheen effect, the steering wheel has a nice meaty feel and the driver seat can be electronically adjusted to make it feel as if you’re in a bucket seat or a La-Z-Boy chair. And that Mark Levinson 17-speaker sound system sounds delicious.

One improvement that I can immediately tell is the Remote Touch Interface. It still retains the mousey configuration, but this time it is more of an Apple mouse rather than a PC mouse. You see, in its previous incarnation, you select your option by pressing a button on the side of the controller. This one, you press down on the controller to select your option, which makes it more intuitive.

And, Lexus has put more feedback, in the sense that there is some resistance when moving from option to the next. Elsewhere, the parking brake is fully automatic – pop the gear lever into ‘P’ and the parking brake engages automatically. Pop it out of ‘P’, well, you get the drift.

So, the car creeps out quietly out of the parking lot. The GS 250 is in ECO mode, which kills anything that remotely resembles power in the car. The accelerator pedal feels like a sponge and the engine response is almost two years too late. The upside is there are three more drive modes above ECO – Normal, Sport and Sport +.

There isn’t much difference between ECO and Normal, both having similar throttle and engine response characteristics. The only major difference in how hard the air conditioning blows, which for ECO’s case, it blows softer.

As for Sport mode, the GS 250 gets a sharper throttle and remaps the gear’s shift points. Sport + will give you everything from Sport, plus a firmer suspension and a tighter steering.

Dial the knob to Sport and the car gets more fun to drive. A nudge in the throttle quickly puts some speed into the GS 250. The 2.5 litre 4GR-FSE has 206 hp and 253 Nm. No official 0-100 km/h or top speed figures but it feels like it’ll do the century sprint under eight seconds. The engine is mated to a 6 Super ECT close-ration 6-speed conventional automatic gearbox that sends power to the rear.

Handling-wise, the GS 250 in Sport has a sizable body roll to deal with; the suspension is not altered in any way. Although the GS is rear-wheel driven, the nose tends to push itself away from the corner instead of sniffing the apex.

In Sport + mode, the GS 250 feels much quicker. The shift points are stretched deeper into the revs and sensitive to the throttle. Which means, you can hold the rev steady in the sweet spot while going through a fast corner. Then put your foot down for a speedy exit. The Sport + does a very good job in restraining the body roll. Again, there is a hint of understeer that makes it constantly want you to feed it a bit more steering; just a bit more.

I can’t say much for the steering wheel, except that it needs to be more chatty. It’s nearly uncommunicative, even in Sport mode. Sport + puts more feel into the wheel, but only just.

Is it boring to drive? Not quite. Push the throttle pedal closer to the floor and you’ll hear some encouraging noises coming from the front. Lexus has given the engine more roar by way of a Sound Generator at the intake area. They’ve also tuned the muffler to give a more sporty sound when taking off from standstill. That said, it still sounds soft in the GS 250. To really hear the noise, you need to be inside the GS 350.

Basically, the GS 350 has everything the GS 250 possesses, except that it has a bigger engine. The 3.5 litre 2GR-FSE engine generates 312 hp and 378 Nm of torque, and obviously feels quicker. Again, no official numbers on the century sprint, but it feels close to about 6.5 seconds. The transmission is the same one as found on the GS 250.

As for handling, the GS 350 does feel hairier around the corner mainly because of the entry and exit speed. I’d still wish for more steering feel though.

The drive for both cars ended far too soon. This was a preview drive after all, so there was only a short 15 minutes allocated to each driver for each car. As soon as we can secure an extended test drive, we’ll be bringing you a detailed review on these two. No word on the price yet, but the official launch will happen later in the day, so more to come soon.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (72) Think (5) Angry (10) Happy (5) Sad (8) Meh (22)

Sexy Lexus LF-LC Concept has 50% chance at production

Danny Tan — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 06:17:08 +0000

Remember the sexy red Lexus LF-LC concept we were raving about earlier in the year? The Detroit showstar went on to bag this year’s EyesOn Design Award for best concept car at Detroit, and most commentators were also generous in their praise. The bosses at Toyota has heard the chorus of good reception, and the LF-LC now stands a chance at making production!

“A decision has not been taken. But we’re now up to a 50% chance from a 0% one. Every top Toyota Motor Company manager is aware of the great reception it has received and now we’re talking about how we can do it and fit it into the product plan,” Lexus product planning chief Karl Schlicht told Autocar UK at Geneva.

Schlicht, who will be product planning head at Toyota and Lexus Europe from next month, said that the idea for such a dramatic Lexus production car would have been binned by Toyota top brass if not for the concept car, which was designed by the Calty Design Centre in America. The folks at sunny California were “let loose” and only had one brief – it must be a 2+2 coupe.

“The only parameter was size. We wanted the designers to create excitement. We’d never get it built from a product planning point of view on paper, but people have seen the concept and fallen in love with it. Dealers have gone crazy for it as well,” Schlicht added.

Click here to view our previous post and full gallery of the LF-LC.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (24) Think (2) Angry (1) Happy (2) Sad (3) Meh (14)

Lexus RX facelift – leaked images ahead of Geneva debut

Anthony Lim — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 05:14:57 +0000

You’d figure that automakers might as well get it over and done with, release images the moment they’re ready to go, because with increasing alacrity does the inevitable happen more than not these days, in this case the leaky boat syndrome.

The next paddle steamer to take water is Lexus’ refreshened RX, which is set to debut in Geneva next week. First, images of the reinterpreted third-gen SUV broke via a brochure a little while back, and if that ha-ha moment wasn’t enough, further images of the vehicle have now surfaced on the Web.

The RX 450 h and the first F Sport interpretation of the full hybrid luxury SUV are the Swiss show premieres, and the vehicle wears a new front fascia, replete with a spindle-shaped grille, reminiscent of that seen on the striking LF-LC Concept. As for the entire lowdown on the new RX, Geneva will provide the necessary, unless another hole springs up before then, of course.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (12) Think (3) Angry (5) Happy (2) Sad (5) Meh (19)

VIDEO: New Lexus GS and swimsuit model Tori Praver?

Paul Tan — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 11:09:55 +0000

Hot women and race tracks have one thing in common – CURVES! Lexus puts them both in one video by creating a small track based on a photo of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Model Tori Praver and then taking the new Lexus GS around it. They even created a “Tori 500″ iPhone app for you to drive around it yourself.

The new Lexus GS will be launched in Malaysia soon and bookings are open, as well as a price list, which ranges from RM370k to RM488k OTR excluding insurance. Both the regular GS and the GS F-Sport are available, and you can have either the GS 350 with the powerful 3.5 liter V6 engine, or the new baseline GS 250 with a roadtax-friendly 2.5 liter V6.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (18) Think (1) Angry (6) Happy (1) Sad (5) Meh (8)

New Lexus GS is coming soon – now open for booking

Danny Tan — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:31:35 +0000

Lexus Malaysia has opened order books for the all new Lexus GS, which means you can now put your name down to be one of the first owners of the GS when it arrives soon.

First unveiled at last year’s Pebble Beach show in the US, Lexus’ challenger to the BMW 5-Series, Mercedes E-Class and Audi A6 is a huge departure from the car it replaces, looking more dynamic and sporty than its German classmates, something it has never been before this generation.

Click to enlarge

There are quite a few variants to choose from. Lexus Malaysia will import in the GS 250, GS 250 Luxury and GS 350 Luxury. By the way, this is the first time Lexus is putting an engine below 3.0L in the GS, allowing it to better match German rivals, who all have lower entry points. F-Sport variants for both engines will also be available.

The GS 250 is powered by a 2.5-litre V6 with D-4S direct port injection and Dual VVT-i. Maximum output is 206 hp at 6,400rpm and peak torque of 253 Nm is delivered at 4,800 rpm. 0-100 km/h is done in 8.6 seconds on to a top speed of 228 km/h. The V6 is matched to a Super ECT-i close-ratio intelligent six-speed automatic transmission, with sequential manual shift function. It’s likely that most GS buyers will opt for this engine.

Click to enlarge

There’s also a good selection of colours available, both for the exterior and cabin. Prices range from RM370k to RM488k OTR excluding insurance. We’ve seen it in the metal and sat in it before, at motor shows, and can say that the GS has never been more desirable.

Click here for full details and a hi res gallery.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (59) Think (5) Angry (9) Happy (5) Sad (2) Meh (41)

Lexus LF-LC Concept is the fairest of them all in Detroit

Anthony Lim — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 06:46:43 +0000

Think the Lexus LF-LC Hybrid Sport Coupe Concept is a stunner? Well, you’re not the only one then; those in the industry seem to think so as well – a group of leading automotive designers and design academics have named the car the top design concept at the NAIAS.

The Detroit debutant bagged this year’s EyesOn Design Award for best concept car. Created by Lexus’s Calty studio in Newport Beach, California, the design of the 2+2 coupe explores how a future redefinition of Lexus design might take be like, with a more emotive and avantgarde approach.

The EyesOn Design Awards are given in recognition of skills and creativity in different areas of design for both concept and production vehicles, including Aesthetics and Innovation, Concept Implementation, Functionailty and the Spirit of Industrial Design.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (36) Think (3) Angry (1) Happy (15) Sad (5) Meh (19)

Lexus LF-LC Concept fully revealed, and it’s spectacular!

Danny Tan — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 04:55:32 +0000

The Lexus LF-LC Concept has been officially revealed, and it’s one heck of a concept car. If I were at Detroit’s Cobo Hall, I can imagine spending good time just standing and staring at this sculpture. Awe inspiring, and check out that cabin!

Challenged by the Lexus Center in Japan to come up with a design for a future hybrid sport coupe concept, the company’s Calty design studio in Newport Beach, California, sought to “advance the redefinition of Lexus” with emotive, avant-garde beauty and advanced technology, yet remain within reach for premium buyers.

The movement is not new. “The concept we’re showing here in Detroit continues the Lexus design revolution started with the CT and GS. The concept hybrid 2+2 liberates the idea of a sport coupe and pushes the boundaries of performance, style and technology,” said Mark Templin, Lexus Group VP and GM.

The LF-LC displays the new Lexus design language in its bold interpretation of the signature Lexus spindle grille and rear architecture. Silky curves blend smoothly into dynamic angles, creating a nice blend of lines, shadows and corners.

Framed by a deep aluminum surround, the mesh pattern of the spindle grille takes 3D sculpture form, and the air intakes are functional. Daytime running lights are shaped like an “L” while the vertical fog lamps use a fading dot matrix pattern to suggest a sense of movement.

The concept car’s glass roof features a lightweight, cantilevered pillar with a glass-to-glass juncture inspired by modern architecture. A rising, kick-up window graphic and polished aluminum trim are unexpected elements. Overall, the greenhouse design enhances driver visibility while adding to the sleek lines of the car.

Lexus integrated the spindle grille theme to the rear as well. The tail lamps, inspired by the look of a jet afterburner at take-off, use inner lighting to create a sense of depth. The rear is also fitted with fog lamps, repeating the fading dot matrix pattern of the front. Visually, the integrated tail and fog lamps repeat the “L” shape and lead eyes down to the quad exhausts.

The cockpit is spectacular. The driver is enveloped by deeply scooped side panels and a high, curved console. The effect is to focus the driver zone on the controls and on the road. LF-LC incorporates a remote touch-screen device that allows operation without shifting altering line-of-sight. Twin 12.3-inch LCD screens provide information and navigation display. A pop-up touch-screen keyboard is used to control the ICE, climate and navigation.

Never mind all that, just look at the organic shapes and nice blend of metal trim and wood accents. The beautiful stitch details emphasise the attention to detail here.

This is a design concept, so all we know mechanically is that the LF-LC is a front-engine, rear-wheel drive car featuring Advanced Lexus Hybrid Drive.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (68) Think (0) Angry (0) Happy (38) Sad (2) Meh (11)

GALLERY: More pics of the Lexus LF-LC Concept surface

Danny Tan — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 09:31:00 +0000

More images of Lexus’ LF-LC Concept have emerged, showing off a sports coupe looking sexy in red. With a recent leak by a US mag, there’s nothing left to hide now, so Lexus has contributed a pic or two to the collection.

The LF-LC is a 2+2 sports coupe that takes the company’s design direction a step further. Conceived as a design exercise to explore the future of Lexus design, the LF-LC was created at the company’s Calty design studio in Newport Beach, California. for They worked on it for a year and a half. Apparently, Akio Toyoda himself wanted the LF-LC to “have the ‘wow’ factor”.

“Crafted from a clean sheet of paper at the request of Lexus headquarters in Japan, the LF-LC blends both high technology and organic shapes to connect the driver to the machine,” said Mark Templin, Lexus group vice president and general manager. “The clean lines of the vehicle emphasise motion, creating a distinctive look for this futuristic sport coupe.”

The LF-LC will showcase Advanced Lexus Hybrid Drive. Nice interior, too.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (46) Think (2) Angry (5) Happy (8) Sad (2) Meh (18)

Lexus LF-LC – wraps come off early on the new 2+2 coupe

Anthony Lim — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 03:12:02 +0000

Click to enlarge.

It was supposed to only be fully revealed at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on January 9, but the Lexus concept that is now known as the LF-LC is a surprise no more, courtesy of a leaked image of the car by a publication, which carried the car in its entirety in a digital preview of its latest magazine.

So, Lexus has now brought out an official image of the LF-LC, which is a 2+2 sports coupe that takes the company’s design direction a step further. Conceived as a design exercise to explore the future of Lexus design, the LF-LC was created at the company’s Calty design studio in Newport Beach, California.

Expect more images to come about, now that the rug has been pulled out from under this surprise. So much for all that teasing …

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (34) Think (2) Angry (1) Happy (0) Sad (2) Meh (5)

Lexus concept – another teaser shot of Detroit debutant

Anthony Lim — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 04:30:36 +0000

Click to enlarge.

Last week, the new Detroit-bound Lexus concept was teased through a front partial. Now, a second image has come about, this time of the interior. Plenty of leather, wood and aluminium, by the looks of it.

The vehicle, which will make its debut at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in January, is designed by Calty, the company’s design studio in Newport Beach, California, and is said to showcase the new design direction embraced by the brand. Just how radical that is, we’ll find out on January 9.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (12) Think (2) Angry (1) Happy (2) Sad (1) Meh (6)

Lexus’ Detroit 2012 concept previews new design direction

Danny Tan — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 04:03:02 +0000

Time really flies, doesn’t it. Here we are at the end of 2011, with the major motor show circuit ending with the bi-annual Tokyo Motor Show. And to kick off 2012, major manufacturers will be crossing the Pacific to Detroit, USA, where the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) happens in January.

Designed by Calty, the company’s design studio in Newport Beach, California, the concept showcases the new design direction embraced by Lexus. Just this one image has been released so far, and it looks very sporty.

It looks like Toyota’s premium brand is increasingly taking the sporty route. Look at the latest GS, for instance. While German class rivals such as the BMW 5-Series have gone less sporty, more elegant with the F10, Lexus’ new exec takes over where the E60 left off. And if they continue to blend exterior sportiness with cabin craftsmanship and quality, like in the new GS, the path looks good.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (36) Think (1) Angry (1) Happy (4) Sad (1) Meh (2)

No related posts.

Free parking for hybrid cars purchased in Petaling Jaya

Danny Tan — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 17:24:39 +0000

The Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) will be giving three months free parking to hybrid cars purchased in the city next year, according to a Star report. PJ mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman said this was one of the green initiatives that MBPJ was implementing.

“Hybrid-car buyers will be given free parking passes for three months to park anywhere in Petaling Jaya. We are extending the scheme to people who are not Petaling Jaya residents, as long as they have bought their car from a car dealer in Petaling Jaya,” the mayor explained.

While it’s a welcome, albeit temporary, benefit for would be owners of the Honda Insight, CR-Z, Toyota Prius and Lexus hybrid models, I’m sure many PJ residents and workers would agree that finding a parking spot in the first place is the more painful task.

In Budget 2012, PM Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced that incentives given to hybrid cars have been extended till 31 December 2013. The incentives in question are full import duty and excise duty exemption for hybrid and electric cars and motorcycles.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (14) Think (2) Angry (20) Happy (8) Sad (7) Meh (36)

Lexus unveils GS 250, the first ever GS to go below 3.0L

Danny Tan — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 09:43:58 +0000

Lexus has revealed another engine option for its all new GS saloon at the Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition. It’s the GS 250, and we saw it coming.

Back in August, before the launch of the 5-Series fighter at Pebble Beach, it was reported that Lexus will for the first time offer an engine smaller than 3.0 litres in the GS, allowing it to better challenge German rivals, who all have sedans this size with smaller engines. It makes sense for our region, and UK is also a recipient of this variant.

The GS 250 is powered by a 2.5-litre V6 petrol engine with D-4S direct port injection and Dual VVT-i intelligent valve timing. Maximum output is 206 hp at 6,400rpm and peak torque of 253 Nm is delivered at 4,800 rpm. 0-100 km/h is done in 8.6 seconds on to a top speed of 228 km/h. Combined cycle fuel consumption is 11.2 km/l.

The performance is on a similar level with the F10 BMW 523i, which 2.5-litre straight-six puts out 204 hp and 250 Nm. It does the century sprint a tenth faster than the Lexus.

The V6 is matched to a Super ECT-i close-ratio intelligent six-speed automatic transmission, with a sequential manual shift function. The system has been tuned to deliver faster shift speeds, earlier torque converter lock-up and downshift throttle blips, complimenting a range of different drive modes available through the GS 250’s Drive Mode Select System.

More info and pics of the new GS in our previous post here.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (42) Think (2) Angry (2) Happy (2) Sad (9) Meh (23)

UMW Toyota says Toyota recall of 550,000 vehicles over crankshaft pulley issue doesn’t affect Malaysian models

Anthony Lim — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 09:50:36 +0000

UMW Toyota Motor has issued a statement regarding reports in the news regarding a voluntary safety recall campaign issued by Toyota Motor Corporation on approximately 550,000 units of certain Toyota and Lexus models in Japan and other countries.

The exercise seeks to replace the crankshaft pulley on the V6 engine affecting 283,200 Toyota and 137,000 Lexus vehicles in the US, with the remaining total being in other markets. In this case, there’s a possibility that the crankshaft pulley may become misaligned, causing noise or illumination of the discharge warning light and in some cases result in a sudden increase in steering effort.

The recall involves the following Toyota models – the 2004 and 2005 Camry, Highlander, Sienna and Solara, the 2004 Avalon and the 2006 Highlander HV, while affected Lexus models are the 2004 and 2005 ES 330 and RX 330, as well as the 2006 RX 400h.

UMW Toyota said through the statement that it has received confirmation from TMC that all Toyota and Lexus models sold by UMW Toyota are not affected by this voluntary safety recall exercise, and as such, advises its customers that there is no cause for concern on this matter.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (14) Think (5) Angry (23) Happy (3) Sad (10) Meh (9)

Lexus at SEMA: Project GS-Five Axis and CT 200h-Five Axis among the nine vehicle Toyota charge

Anthony Lim — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 02:25:33 +0000

Lexus is heading to the upcoming SEMA show in Las Vegas in a big way, and among the slew of products it’s bringing along are two projects by tuning house Five Axis, headed by Troy Sumitomo.

The first is an alternative take on the all-new GS F Sport. The Project GS – Five Axis, built around an F Sport GS 350, gets a widebody conversion and is finished in a Glacier White shade, with Slate Gray accents.

Elsewhere, there’s a custom fabricated twin-tailpipe exhaust, an AirRunner TC-5 air suspension and a Stop Tech Big Brake kit featuring six-pot front and four-pot rear calipers. Finally, the flared wheelarches house FIVE:AD S5:F 20-inch alloys wrapped with 245/35 front and 25/30 profile Yokohama Advan Sport rubbers.

The company has also worked its magic on the CT 200h, focusing on maximum fun with a widebody conversion, a JDSU Dark Passage paint finish with custom black accents and a TEIN performance suspension system.

The cabin is just as edgy as the exterior, with seats that have laser etched inserts in UltraSuede, a synthetic microfibre material from EcoDesign and an illuminated headlining, also finished in UltraSuede. The upholstery has been created by California-based specialist Turinmodel.

Rounding things off in this one-off CT 200h are FIVE:AD 19-inch forged wheels wearing 235/40 tyres and a Stop Tech four-piston braking system.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (41) Think (5) Angry (4) Happy (4) Sad (3) Meh (18)

Lexus GS F Sport to be unveiled at SEMA in November

Anthony Lim — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 02:45:17 +0000

Lexus is set to unveil the F Sport version of its new GS sedan at the SEMA show in Las Vegas on November 1. The GS F Sport features bolder exterior design elements than its civilian counterpart, and these include a new front bumper design with larger side grilles, as well as a dedicated mesh design for the upper and lower grilles.

At the rear, the F Sport gets a grey metallic finish to the bumper diffuser, and on the GS 450h F Sport there’s an additional chrome moulding on the bumper’s lower section. The package also includes a rear spoiler and – exclusive to the grade – dark metallic finish 19-inch alloy wheels, wearing staggered width rubbers – 235/40 in front, and 265/35 series at the rear.

As for the interior, it gets matching door and seat upholstery finished in a new Garnet (deep red) shade exclusive to the F Sport. Other features include aluminium trim elements, 16-way adjustable F Sport front seats, a black headliner and pillar finish, dimple perforated leather steering wheel and gear knob covers as well as aluminium pedals and scuff plates with the F Sport logo in black.

Performance-wise, all the GS F Sport models are fitted with larger, 356 x 30 mm ventilated front disc brakes, of which the hat section of the braking system’s two-piece rotor is made of aluminium, to reduce weight as well as suppress heat deformation.

The F Sport also gets a retuned front and rear suspension, supported by Adaptive Variable Suspension to maximise body control and steering response. The front and rear shock absorbers have been modified to optimise AVS damping control, and uses low viscosity oil to improve efficiency by reducing friction. The rear shocks have also been inclined further to the rear, and the lower bushings have been made larger and stiffer.

The AVS features two damper setting controls – Normal and Sport S+, the latter for greater body control and precise responses to steering when cornering. Switching to Sport S+ mode automatically increases the difference between inner and outer shock absorber damping.

At the same time, the Variable Gear Ratio Steering automatically reduces the steering gear ratio by about 10% while the electric power steering increases steering assist torque by about 4%, to sharpen handling and optimise steering feel.

As for drive modes, the car has four – Eco, Normal, Sport S and Sport S+. In Sport S mode, engine speed and throttle response are adjusted to give a more engaging driving experience. Switching to Sport S+ combines the enhanced powertrain output of Sport S with co-ordinated control of the GS’s Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management system.

The last includes the AVS and EPS plus, where fitted, the Lexus Dynamic Handling system, Variable Gear Ratio Steering (VGRS) and Dynamic Rear Steering (DRS), the trio being seen as standard on the GS 450h F Sport, making it the world’s first hybrid vehicle to feature an integrated four-wheel steering system.

The handling system monitors vehicle speed, steering direction and driver inputs, and calculates the optimum angle for all four wheels. With VGRS at the front and DRS at the rear, the system can independently control front and rear wheel steering angles to greatly improve turn-in response, rear grip, stability and overall agility when cornering.

The DRS monitors vehicle speed and yaw rate, steering angle and speed, and lateral G force to determine the required rear wheel steering input, up to a maximum two degrees – at most speeds below 80 km/h) the front and rear wheels turn in opposite directions, while in certain conditions above that speed, they turn in the same direction.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (24) Think (3) Angry (3) Happy (2) Sad (3) Meh (20)

Lexus CT 200h F-Sport: bodykit and sportier suspension

Paul Tan — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 10:08:56 +0000

Here’s some new pix of the new Lexus CT 200h F-Sport, which is essentially a regular CT 200h equipped with sportier body styling and a sports suspension. We first featured the F-Sport CT 200h about a year ago where it premiered at the Australian International Motor Show. The Australian showcar was blue, equipped with the same kit.

The F-Sport kit for the CT 200h includes 17-inch dark-finish alloys, a larger rear spoiler, flared side skirts, a mesh front grille and new aero-styled bumpers front and rear. In the cabin the distinguishing features include an F-Sport steering wheel with a flat bottom section and aluminium pedals and scuff plates. The suspension has also had its coil spring rates revised and the standard Showa shocks replaced with ones supplied by Kayaba, all for a sportier setting.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (71) Think (6) Angry (4) Happy (3) Sad (4) Meh (23)

Lexus GS 450h gets an early reveal ahead of Frankfurt

Harvinder Sidhu — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 23:42:26 +0000

UPDATE: Live photos have been added to the gallery.

The new Lexus GS was recently revealed in August and it looks better than ever. You can consider it as a larger IS, which is a good formula to grow from at least in the design department. Following the reveal of the D-segment contender, Lexus has just unveiled the hybrid version called the Lexus GS 450h ahead of its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show which should be starting anytime soon.

The new 450h uses the company’s second generation Hybrid Drive System which is made up by a 3.5 litre V6 Atkinson cycle gasoline engine with D-4S direct injection and a two-motor hybrid system.

This front engined rear-wheel drive system is able to collectively output 338hp, allowing it to sprint to 100km/h in just 5.6 seconds. At the same time, fuel consumption has improved by about 30%. The reduction in fuel consumption is contributed by enhanced cooling of the hybrid system’s Power Control Unit (PCU) as well as improved regenerative braking.

The full hybrid drivetrain which allows all-electric motoring also features a high-performance nickel-metal hydride battery pack, a power spilt device which helps allocate and combine power when required and so on. The GS 450h now sits on a stiffer platform with lightweight components.

It also has an Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS), Dynamic Rear Steering (DRS), Variable Gear Ratio Steering (VGRS) and the latest generation Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) to help make certain that traction is always available.

Other goodies include Electric Power Steering (EPS), 10 airbags and front seats with Whiplash Injury Lessening (WIL). In the options list, there is a pre-collision system, Night Vision, Heads Up Display (HUD), Blind Spot Monitor as well as Lane Keep Assist (LKA) with Lane Departure Warning (LDW).

In terms of design, the 450h is differentiated from its non-hybrid sibling with a three-lamp headlight system, larger 17-inch wheels and the customary blue-tinted logos. On the inside, along from the usual luxurious treatment, it has an analog clock with LED indicators, a new energy-saving auto climate control system called S-Flow that focuses airflow only to the front area where passengers are seated, a bamboo-finished steering wheel and more. All of these features are also available in the standard GS.

Continue reading to check out an image gallery and a promo video of the Lexus GS 450h.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (24) Think (1) Angry (4) Happy (3) Sad (2) Meh (8)

2012 Lexus GS sedan revealed – first details and images

Paul Tan — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 23:15:37 +0000

And here it is – the latest 2012 Lexus GS. It looks rather like an enlarged Lexus IS, featuring a similar hourglass shaped front grille found on the CT200h, a design that extends down to the bumper to visually integrate the upper and lower grilles on the front end. The headlamps are also now a one-piece design, losing the split design that the GS has had since the second generation.

Lexus has played it safe with the side profile – there are no funky creases that are very popular with car designers lately – instead the new 2012 GS looks like a smooth and solid chunk of steel from the side, with a strong shoulder line running level (as opposed to upwards sweeping) from the front wheel arch to the rear.

A few models will be available – the GS 250 has been confirmed by Lexus for at least the UK market. There will also be a GS 350 and a full hybrid – the GS 450h. Lexus also reveals that it will be having F-Sport versions of the new GS – but I wonder if they’ll do a monster GS-F?

Wheelbase (and exterior dimensions) remain about the same, but the chassis has been revised to be more rigid than the current GS thanks to an increased number of spot welds and adding laser welds in very specific locations. The track, wider by 40mm at the front and 50mm at the rear, works in combination with a revised suspension design for better handling.

In the front, lighter aluminium upper and lower control arms employ larger bushings. The rear subframe has been completely redesigned to accommodate an all-new multi-link rear suspension, the improved geometry enhancing rear-end control. With the stiffer platform and lighter components, the shock absorbers can use lighter-viscosity oil, responding faster to small inputs.

The interior shares a family look with the one in the CT 200h, and it certainly looks like a nice place to be in – definitely a huge, huge upgrade over the current GS visually. I hope the materials have been improved as well – they probably have been. Lexus says the interior room has been improved despite the car’s wheelbase not increasing in size. A new energy-saving auto climate control system called S-Flow uses the occupant-detection system to focus airflow only to the front area where passengers are actually seated.

The new Lexus GS boasts the option for a huge 12.3 inch high resolution screen, which tops anything offered by the German competitors in its class. The screen serves multiple purposes – a display for the GPS navigation, DVD audio/video, and displays for various other features such as the Bluetooth handsfree system which includes automatic phonebook download and more. For cars without a navi system, the screen is smaller at 8 inches. The standard speaker system is a 5.1 system but you can upgrade to an 835 watt 17 speaker Mark Levinson system.

And last but not least – no el-cheapo LED clock! Lexus has instead given the interior a nice touch with an analog clock carved from an ingot, neatly tucked in between the two central aircond vents.

Available safety systems include a Night Vision System that enhances driver visibility in the dark; Head-Up Display (HUD); a Blind Spot Monitor that helps detect vehicles in rear/side blind spots; and Lane Keep Assist (LKA) with Lane Departure Warning (LDW). The LKA system uses active steering torque to provide a small assistance in maintaining course, while the LDW feature alerts drivers if they begin to drift out of their lane.

Look after the jump for a gallery of the new 2012 GS. The GS will make its debut to the public at the 2011 Pebble Beach.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (12) Think (0) Angry (0) Happy (1) Sad (0) Meh (0)

2012 Lexus GS 350 AWD leaked on Chinese website

Paul Tan — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 15:38:19 +0000

These are the first leaked photos of the new 2012 Lexus GS to hit the internet, which were posted on Chinese website Auto Sina.

It’s basically a much tamer version of the Lexus LF-Gh concept shown earlier this year. The new GS looks more sportier and youthful, and I’m glad they went with regular looking headlamps instead of the weird triple lens design on the LF-Gh concept!

The car shown here seems to be a GS 350 from the badging, and there’s also an AWD badge to signify all wheel drive. The GS 350 is the base model in a lot of countries for the existing GS, although some countries like Malaysia got a GS 300.

Word is that with the new 2012 GS, Lexus will introduce a lower end GS 250 to match their German competitors which all have baseline models to offer in markets where the consumer does not care for large thirsty engines.

Look after the jump for a small gallery of the leaked images.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (0) Think (0) Angry (0) Happy (0) Sad (0) Meh (0)

Next gen Lexus GS to come with 2.5L V6 engine – GS 250

Danny Tan — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 03:38:09 +0000

Last week, we posted on Lexus’ planned major lineup revamp, which will see its GS, ES, IS and LS sedans either redesigned or re-engineered by spring 2013. This, plus a halo “LFA Roadster”, will work to address flagging sales in the crucial North American market.

First out will be the new GS, which will be launched at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on August 18 – a teaser is already out, click here to view it. The production car should retain much of what we see on the LF-Gh Hybrid Concept from the New York show earlier this year – in line with Lexus’ push for a more dynamic image. For the GS, out goes the soap bar shape for sharper BMW E60 style styling.

Around since 2005, the current GS has its smallest engine pegged at 3.0 litres (GS 300), but reports from Thailand say that the new model will have a smaller 2.5-litre V6 engine to better compete with BMW’s 5-Series and Mercedes’ E-Class. This logical move means that for the first time in the GS’ 20-year history, the car will have an engine smaller than 3.0 litres.

This move will allow Lexus to dodge Thailand’s maximum excise tax of 50% for cars with more than 220 hp (GS 300 has 229 hp), allowing it to be priced at “the level of its intended rivals”. The Thai assembled BMW 523i Highline and Mercedes-Benz E250 CGI Avantgarde sell for 4.249 million and 4.299 million baht, respectively. The current Japan made GS 300 is priced between 5.39 million and 5.99 million baht, putting it out of contention.

Lexus already has a 2.5 V6 in its IS compact exec, so this is no big issue. Perhaps Malaysia is part of the plans as well, since we have a road tax system based on engine capacity, and our market is used to mid sized execs with relatively small engines.

The fourth-generation GS will make its first appearance in our region later this year at Thailand’s Motor Expo.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (2) Think (1) Angry (0) Happy (0) Sad (0) Meh (0)

Lexus GS 350 set for Pebble Beach launch – teaser pix out

Anthony Lim — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 08:52:17 +0000

Click to enlarge

Lexus has released a sneak peek image of its upcoming all-new GS 350 luxury sport sedan, which it will be unveiling at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on August 18.

The darkened silhouette depiction doesn’t reveal much about the fourth-generation car, but does highlight the distinctive new front grille – essentially that as seen on the LF-Gh – that will soon be seen on all future Lexus vehicles. The new GS was spotted testing on the Nurburgring in prototype form last month.

The company says the completely redesigned vehicle will feature styling cues – again, largely previewed on the LF-Gh – in line with the brand’s new design philosophy, and will also lead the rest of the Lexus lineup towards an entirely new direction in terms of driving dynamics.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (2) Think (0) Angry (0) Happy (0) Sad (0) Meh (0)

No related posts.

Lexus to revamp lineup, add dynamism in looks and drive

Danny Tan — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 07:28:21 +0000

We’ve just posted on BMW recording a big jump in sales and profits. They have to come from somwhere, and a unit gained by Munich is a sale lost by rivals such as Lexus. The North American market is crucial to Toyota’s luxury brand, and recently released July US figures don’t look good for the Japanese – while Audi sales were up 17% and BMW’s 12.3% compared to the same month last year, Lexus volumes slipped by 21.81%.

They’re not standing still, though. Automotive News reports that a major lineup revamp is in the cards, and Lexus’ GS, ES, IS and LS sedans will be either redesigned or re-engineered by spring 2013.

And as hinted by the Lexus GS prototype recently caught testing on Nurburgring, the next generation models will be more dynamic to drive – why else would they bring it to Green Hell and back?

They will look sharper too, as we’ve seen from the LF-Gf hybrid concept. The report adds that Lexus models will have a major change every three years, alternating between sheet metal and powertrain, like how BMW does it.

Besides the sportier new GS, which will debut early next year, the dowdy Lexus ES (pic above) will be redesigned in the summer of 2012 to look more different from donor car Toyota Camry. Its handling will be sharpened and there will be a hybrid option good for 40 mpg (14.2 km/l) combined.

Later in 2012, the compact IS sedan will be re-engineered, based on a shrunken version of the new GS platform. The good looking current car has been around since 2005, so it’s about time for a new one.

The brand’s flagship LS limo will remain for 2012, as a redesign is only due in spring 2013. Apparently, weight saving technology using premium materials is a main focus point, and Lexus will stick with a V8 engine for the range topping hybrid variant. The RX SUV will soldier on till 2014.

Lastly, an “LFA Roadster” will be offered, after the current run of 500 fixed top units is done, plus a one-year gap. That should be around mid 2014. It’s not too big a surprise, as Lexus has shown a topless LFA concept before. Can you imagine the sound of that V10 without a roof in place? It’s gonna be epic for sure!

Stiff competition forces carmakers to keep improving, which is good news for us, the consumer.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (0) Think (0) Angry (0) Happy (0) Sad (0) Meh (0)

2012 Lexus GS prototype spotted testing on the ‘Ring

Paul Tan — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 11:09:45 +0000

It’s about time for Lexus’ E-Class and 5-Series fighter to be updated, and we’ve already seen the future of the Lexus GS in the form of the recently showcased Lexus LF-Gh hybrid concept.

Now we see the production version being tested on the mother of all test grounds – the Nurburgring. The next generation GS is still very heavily disguised but we can see similarities to the LF-Gh hybrid concept preview car, such as the horizontal LED daytime running lights integrated into the lower edge of the headlamps.

There’s also not much to be seen at the rear but we get to see bait of the LED tail lamps lighting up here while the car is braking.

The current GS has a 2,850mm wheelbase, and this is expected to be retained with the new generation car. The new car will supposedly be slightly wider though – 1,870mm versus the current generation’s 1,821mm width.

Look after the jump to check out the rest of the spypix along with the previously published image gallery of the LF-Gf hybrid concept.

Spyshots licensed from SB-MEDIEN.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (0) Think (0) Angry (0) Happy (0) Sad (0) Meh (0)

Lexus LS 600h L Landaulet – one-off wedding limo

Anthony Lim — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 12:11:13 +0000

Click to enlarge

It’s definitely unique, this one, a Lexus LS 600h L with only half a roof. It’s called the Landaulet, and the one-off vehicle – reworked with a one-piece transparent polycarbonate roof fitment – is set to serve as Prince Albert II of Monaco and Carlene Wittstock’s official royal wedding car on July 2.

The conversion work was carried out by Belgian coachbuilder Carat Duchatelet, working closely with Lexus engineers based in Brussels. The project took more than 2,000 hours to complete, with a focus on maintaining the levels of quality and preserving the performance, safety and dynamic attributes of the original car.

Reinforcing the bodyshell required extensive use of honeycomb structures, with Kevlar and carbon fibre composite materials being utilised to achieve suitable chassis stiffness and torsional rigidity, following the removal of the roof and pillars.

Click to enlarge

With composite parts needing to be cured at very high temperatures, and litreally having to be ‘cooked’ on to the bare chassis in a specially prepared oven in this case, much of the vehicle had to be dismantled – around 20,000 mechanical parts, electric component and interior features and upholstery were stripped out.

Re-assembly was carried out under close supervision of a Lexus engineering team to ensure consistency with original vehicle specifications and performance. Prior to re-assembly, the car was finished in an elegant Midnight Blue livery, applied by hand using several coats of a bespoke, water-based paint.

The transparent roof presented a challenge in both design – as a large, single piece with no reinforcements or pillars – and in manufacturing. To build it, Lexus sought cooperation with a French company that specialises in supplying similar components to the aerospace industry in the form of helicopter windscreens and fighter jet canopies.

Click to enlarge

The roof is a single, lightweight polycarbonate shell that is 8 mm thick and weighs just 26 kg. Fixed to the body of the Lexus through two intermediary parts, it allows a perfect view in and out of the car.

A template was made in a honeycomb structure and carbon fibre to validate the roof’s shape and structural integrity and to ensure a perfect fit with tolerances of less than a millimetre. Once the design was complete, robotic tools were used to produce the canopy and fit it to the Landaulet in a completely automated process. The final stage of the conversion, re-assembly and finishing took a team of 10 specialists working with Lexus engineers more than two weeks to complete.

On the day of the wedding the LS 600h Landaulet will be used by the royal couple to tour the principality after the marriage ceremony, after which it will be displayed at the Media Centre and later, the Oceanographic Museum in Monaco.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (0) Think (0) Angry (0) Happy (0) Sad (0) Meh (0)

No related posts.

Lexus IS-F and Lexus LFA on track in the UK

Paul Tan — Tue, 24 May 2011 15:12:50 +0000

Car companies rarely pit their own products against each other unless they’re a bike and a car, like recent BMW shootout featuring the M3 and the S1000RR. But Lexus has done just that – they’ve put the Lexus LFA supercar alongside their sole F-model, the Lexus IS-F on a track in Bruntingthorpe, UK.

Say what you want about the other Lexus vehicles… but just hear that Lexus LFA roar! One of the best recorded engine and exhaust tones around – I wish I could hear one go bonkers against the redline in real life!

Just as a recap – the Lexus IS-F is a monster IS with a 5.0 litre V8 engine producing 423 PS at 6,600 rpm with a 6,800 rpm redline, and 503 Nm of torque at 5,200 rpm. The engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox.

The LFA on the other hand is powered by a high-revving 4.8 litre V10, making a peak power of 560 PS at 8,700 rpm and 480 Nm of torque at 6,800 rpm, of which 90% is available from 3,700 rpm. This V10 is mated to a 6-speed automated manual transmission. Apparently Lexus tried a dual clutch box out but decided shifts were too smooth and did not give an ‘emotional’ feeling.

Both the IS-F and the LFA’s engines had some help from Yamaha.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (0) Think (0) Angry (0) Happy (0) Sad (0) Meh (0)

No related posts.

Gazoo Racing Lexus CT makes race debut at Nürburgring

Danny Tan — Mon, 16 May 2011 06:29:29 +0000

The Lexus CT hatchback made its race debut at the legendary Nürburgring circuit over the weekend. Prepped by Toyota’s racing partner Gazoo Racing, the same people responsible for racing the Lexus LFA, the CT competed in the Adenauer ADAC Rundstrecken-Trophy, racing for over six hours on the world’s most demanding circuit and finishing in 108th place from 127 finishers. Almost 200 cars took part.

The Gazoo Racing CT driver line-up features three experienced pilots: Kumi Sato, a female racer who competed in a Lexus IS 250 in 2008; Masahiko Kageyama, who previously supported Toyota’s vehicle development programme; and Minoru Takaki, who is responsible for production vehicle development.

Competing in the SP4 Class, the race car, like the road going CT 200h, features Lexus Hybrid Drive, but with a higher capacity 2.4-litre petrol engine instead of the usual 1.8L unit. The batteries and hybrid system are identical to the road car. Lexus says that the Racing CT requires less fuel and emits less emissions than any petrol or diesel race car.

Racing with a full hybrid car isn’t new to Lexus though – they raced an RX 400h in the Nürburgring 24 Hours in 2005.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:45:54 +0000.

This story makes me...

Excited (0) Think (0) Angry (0) Happy (0) Sad (1) Meh (0)

No related posts.