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The new facelifted Lexus GS300 is already on sale in Malaysia, right after the facelift was unveiled at the 2008 Detroit Motor Show just earlier this month.

What’s obvious is the exterior changes and the minor interior change (button relocations, etc) as previously highlighted in the facelift announcement blog post, so I will highlight some other technical enhancements in this blog.

• Increase in steering rigidity for improved direct road feel.
• Improved front suspension bushings for comfort and road holding.
• Underbody reinforcement for increased body response to steering input.
• Underbody aerodynamics improved for more stabler highs peed driving.
• 330W 14-speaker Mark Levinson Premium Surround System with in-dash 6-CD DVD player now has aux input for your iPod and other music players.
• Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management which uses input from various sensors to anticipate an impending vehicle instability such as a skid, and uses a combination of brakes, throttle and steering control to avoid a mishap.

Another interesting change is that the dashboard fonts have been changed to a new standard Lexus font. This is for branding and a “family feel”, which is important as Lexus establishes its identity in a market filled with luxury automakers that have very long histories and heritage.

Lexus has sold a total of 83 units of the Lexus GS300 last year. The new 2008 facelifted Lexus GS300 costs RM408,800.00, OTR without insurance.

More photos after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Lexus GS300 Facelift launched in Malaysia

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Lexus has updated its GS range with the new Lexus GS460, which launches with the luxury sedan line’s 2008 mid-life revision. The Lexus GS460 uses the LS460’s 4.6 liter V8, and features D-4S dual-port fuel injection which uses two injectors per cylinder - one on the intake port, the other in the combustion chamber itself – delivering the advantages of both direct and indirect injection to maximise power and torque throughout the revs.

The V8 also uses Dual VVT-iE, which uses a motor-driven valve timing system for the intake valves instead of the usual hydraulically controlled system. It produces 342 horsepower at 6,400rpm and 460Nm of torque at 4,100rpm. The engine is mated to the AA80E 8-speed automatic transmission also found on the LS460, which despite its larger amount of ratios, is actually more compact and lighter than the GS430’s 6-speed transmission. It is also quieter and fuel efficient. 0 to 100km/h takes 5.8 seconds, and fuel consumption is rated at 9 liters of fuel per 100km on a combined cycle.

As for the facelift’s styling updates which also apply to the rest of the GS range, there is now a chrome surround for the front grille, new door mirrors with integrated indicators and new-look door handles. The front and rear bumpers have also undergone a minor restyling exercise, with new-shape air intakes. New 17-inch (GS 300 and GS 300 SE) and 18-inch (GS 300 SE-L and GS 460) wheel designs have been introduced and the GS is available in two new colours now - Byzantine Silver and Namibian Gold.

On the inside, the steering wheel mounted audio and telephony controls have been updated, and the boot and fuel filler release buttons have been relocated outside the little pop-out module that Lexus employed to keep the dash design cleaner without too many exposed buttons.

More photos after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Lexus GS Facelift debuts with new GS460

If BMW has its M-cars and normal cars with M Sport accessories, Lexus has to have it’s F-cars and F-Sport accessories too… though the names are abit predictable, heh. Following close after the first F-car - the Lexus IS-F is the Japanese luxury automaker’s line of performance accessories called the F-Sport line. Initially it will include products for the IS250 and the IS350, although items like brakes and wheels can likely be applied to the GS and LS as well.

The following is a list of initial F-Sport products:

• Air Intake - Reduces restriction in the intake, fully compatible with stock engine and ECU, and emission legal in all 50 US states
• 19″ Forged Alloy Wheels - dark graphite with 19″x8″ for the front and 19″x”9″ at the rear, designed for 225/35R19 tyres at the front and 255/35/R19 tyres at the rear.
• Front Brake Upgrade - 355mm drilled cast iron rotors with a patented internal fin design, anodized aluminium hubs, and six-piston fixed calipers. Kit includes braided stainless steel brake lines and low-dust performance brake pads
• Rear Brake Upgrade - Four piston calipers and drilled cast iron 345mm rotors, with braided stainless steel brake lines and low-dust performance brake pads. May only be used with the above upgrade.
• Continuous Carbon Ceramic Brake Upgrade - Lightweight ceramic rotors sized 380mm for the front and 355mm for the rear. Calipers are 6-pot and 4-pot respectively.
• Exhaust System - stainless steel with fully polished mufflers and double-wall exhaust tips
• Lowering Spring Set - lowers vehicle 1″ in the front and rear without bottoming out or creating a harsh ride. Compatible with both stock and F-Sport absorber set
• Bilstein Shock Absorbers - sport-tuned suspension
• Sway Bar - larger diameter sway bars for both the front and rear, includes urethane mounting brushings
• Clutch Upgrade - increases clamping force by approximately 15% to handle higher torque capacity
• Quick Shifter - made from billet aluminium, it decreases shift throw by approximately 30%
• Rear Chassis Member Brace - connects key rear chassis and suspension mounting points via a tubular steel brace to improve chassis stiffness
• Carbon Fiber Engine Cover - exclusive for the IS350, this is a light and durable engine cover made of carbon fiber
• Ground Effects Kit - bodykit consisting of front and rear lips and side skirts
• Rear Spoiler - boot lid spoiler

These products are engineered by TRD and is covered by Lexus warranty. More photos after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Lexus F-Sport Accessory Line

This is not exactly 100% new - in fact it a concept with the same name and the same general direction was first shown in 2005 and production models of it have been spotted on the Nurburging. A concept will the same name will be displayed at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show next week in updated form so here is a short refresher course.

The Lexus LF-A Concept is a 2-seater sports car - or a super car if you like - that is supposed to be powered by a 5.0 liter V10 engine, likely the 2UR-GSE that made it’s debut in the Lexus IS-F. However, the one to go into the production LF-A might be one in a totally different state of tune considering the 9,000rpm redline of the LF-A Concept as seen in the dash photos after the jump, compared to the IS-F’s 7,000rpm redline.

The car’s body is made of light but sturdy carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP), so this is not merely a two-door version of the IS-F. Comparing the photos of the 2005 LF-A concept and the one that will be displayed at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, it appears that Lexus has revised the LF-A Concept, with the interior looking noticeably different.

Check out photos of the updated LF-A Concept after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Lexus LF-A Concept 2-seater sports car

The Lexus LF-Xh concept will make it’s debut at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show next week, and is most probably a preview of what the production version of the next generation Lexus RX SUV will look like.

The new Lexus LF-Xh concept is 4800mm long, 1895mm wide and 1650mm tall with a 2850mm wheelbase, which makes it slightly wider and longer but shorter than the current Lexus RX/Toyota Harrier (4729mm x 1844mm x 1679mm), but with a significantly longer wheelbase of 2850mm versus the current RX’s 2715mm.

It will be powered by an all-wheel drive system incorporating both a V6 petrol engine and a high-output electric motor hybrid system.

Plenty more photos after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of TOKYO PREVIEW: Lexus LF-Xh Concept Hybrid

The full specifications of the Lexus IS-F and the 5.0 liter V8 engine has finally been announced, and the new performance Lexus sedan is now on sale in Japan, coming from Toyota Motor Corporation’s Tahara Plant in Aichi. Lexus reveals that the F in IS-F comes from the F in Fuji Speedway, at which the Lexus IS-F was extensively tested at.

The new Lexus IS-F uses the 2UR-GSE, a variant of the 5.0 liter V8 2UR-FSXE that goes into the Lexus LS600h without the Lexus Hybrid Drive, and has different tuning. The 2UR-GSE makes 423 PS at 6,600rpm and 505Nm of torque at 5,200rpm. It is a high compression engine with a compression ratio of 11.8:1. It has the same 94mm bore as the 4.6 liter unit in the LS460 but is stroked up from 83mm to 89.5mm to enlarge it’s displacement to 5.0 liters.

Fuel is delivered via a D-4S fuel injection system which incorporates both direct injection and conventional port injection. Dual VVT-i provides variable valve timing on both the intake and exhaust cams, and the intake cams use VVT-iE, which varies the cam using an electric motor instead of conventional mechanical methods.

A dual-intake system provides good torque at low to medium engine speeds, with additional air inlets opening at high revs. Lexus has managed to get the engine to produce three different intensities of engine roar as the needle moves up the rev range.

This engine is mated to an 8-Speed Sport Direct Shift transmission which is based on the 8-speed unit in the LS460, but tuned for more sporty intentions. In gears 2 to 8, the engine and transmission has a direct lock-up connection while the first gear uses a conventional torque converter to transmit power so that the car can launch smoothly. The transmission also automatically blips the throttle to smoothen downshifts.

The entry level IS250 is already in Malaysia thanks to Lexus Malaysia - will they introduce the IS-F here for those who feel adventurous and want to try out the Japanese luxury automaker’s first high performance model?

Check out more photos of the Lexus IS-F in my previous post.

Related Post:
2007 Lexus IS-F: a performance Lexus sedan!

UMW Toyota’s luxury division Lexus Malaysia will be launching it’s fourth model today, the Lexus IS250. The IS250 will go against the BMW 325i and the Mercedes Benz C230 (or whatever it’s equivalent is in Malaysia for the W204), and is expected to account for a third of Lexus Malaysia’s projected sales of 300 units in 2008.

In overseas markets, the Lexus IS250 uses the 4GR-FSE, something that some of you might already be familiar with as it is the same engine in the 2.5 liter version of Naza’s Toyota Mark X. The 2.5 liter V6 engine makes 205 horsepower at 6,400rpm and up to 265Nm of torque at 4,800rpm, rather impressive torque figures for a 2.5 liter engine as usually you only get 100Nm of torque per liter of displacement for a normally aspirated engine. This might not be the exact state of tune that we’ll get in our Malaysian market, so more details will be posted here once Lexus Malaysia’s website is updated.

Expected price is about RM300k, which puts it somewhere at a premium over the normal 325i, but slightly cheaper than the 325i M Sport. Exact price to be posted here later.

UPDATE: Here’s the official deal on the car: RM313,166.20 on the road inclusive of insurance gets you a Lexus IS250 with a 2.5 liter V6 4GR-FSE engine complete with D4 direct injection producing 205 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 252Nm of torque at 4,800 rpm. This is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission with sequential shifting and steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. Equipment includes HID headlamps, vehicle stability control, adaptive front-lighting, rain-sensing wipers, anti-glare rear view and wing mirrors, and of course the Lexus trademark here in Malaysia - an awesome Mark Levinson sound system with 14 speakers.

More photos and four videos of the Lexus IS250 after the jump.

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Click here to read the rest of Lexus IS250 launched in Malaysia today

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Motor Trend reports that the Lexus GS-F will only make it’s debut with the next generation Lexus GS, which would be the fourth generation since the first GS was unveiled in 1993, based on the 1991 Toyota Aristo. The current third generation Lexus GS was released late 2005 and is due to be replaced by the fourth generation in 2011, with the GS-F coming the following year in 2012.

If the project gets a green light, the 2012 Lexus GS-F is expected to make it’s debut with the Lexus LF-H supercar’s V10 engine mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. Above is an artist’s impression by Theophilus Chin of what the GS-F could look like if based on the current third gen Lexus GS. It takes styling cues from its younger sibling, the V8-powered Lexus IS-F.

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Lexus is planning a new car for the 2009 model year that will only be offered with a hybrid drivetrain, much like Toyota’s Prius hybrid car. The new hybrid-only Lexus will be a C-segment car slightly roomier than the Lexus IS sedan, and will be priced between the IS sedan and the RX400h hybrid SUV.

The new Lexus hybrid will be offered in European and Japanese markets, but a North American debut is uncertain at the moment. It’s also not known what body form the new Lexus hybrid will use - a sedan, an SUV or a hatch?

Source

Lexus Malaysia is now selling the very popular Lexus RX350 luxury SUV as the third model in it’s line-up, joining it’s GS and LS sedan brethren. It goes for RM382,934.50 on the road including a RM9,934.50 insurance for individual private registration, and RM383,683.23 including RM10,483.23 insurance for business private registration.

The new Lexus RX350 comes with a three year warranty, or the first 100,000km travelled, a pretty standard warranty package these days. It is powered by the 2GR-FE, a 3,456cc V6 Dual-VVTi engine making 272 horsepower at 6,200rpm and 342Nm of torque at 4,700rpm. This is mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission (4 forward + 1 forward overdrive). 0-100km/h acceleration takes 7.8 seconds.

Features include electric seats, power rear door, HID headlamps, a wide panoramic moonroof, and a wood grain and leather interior finishing available in a few variations. Safety features include VSC, Traction Control, EBD, ABS, and the works, as well as 7 airbags which include dual two-stage front airbags The Lexus RX350 sold by Lexus Malaysia is equipped with a Mark Levinson 11 speaker in-car entertainment system with a 6-CD in-dash changer, which Lexus says is “like having Bach perform the Toccata and Fugue in D minor in person”. Would definitely like to try having a listen to that.

Related Posts:
Lexus LS460L Short Test Drive Report
Lexus Malaysia - Lexus LS460L and Lexus GS300

Click here to read the rest of Lexus Malaysia now selling Lexus RX350