NOT YOUR DADDY'S LS

Now this is what I call slamming! At a quick look you forget is it an LS600h. This car is was built for the upcoming SEMA show in Vegas. it is a tour de force in how to customize your Lexus. I don't usually go for the big wheel bling, but this one works.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/foxmarketing/sets/72157625053877825/with/5088092786/

Something Different to do to Your Lexus-Graffiti It!!

When you are bored and live in Cali, you doodle on your car with sharpies..... when you are tired of that you hire local "Aerosol Artists"(?) to paint your car on the showroom of a Lexus dealer. Great marketing don't you think? The car is cool...

I like the whole and heaven and hell theme....

http://www.driveculture.com/2010/10/07/sharpie-gets-colored-full-video/

Motor Trend likes the CT200h, Maybe we have a Winner!

Motor Trend has driven the Lexus CT 200h, and was plenty enthused by the experience:

…this car can handle. Quite well, in fact, in spite of its fuel-economy-friendly tires. The chassis is difficult to upset and when it does lose composure, it defaults to gradual understeer, at which point the nannies step back in…The steering is heavier in Sport Mode, which is good because it’s normally very light, but there isn’t a whole lot of feedback.

The most remarkable thing about the CT 200h is how easy it is to forget that you’re driving a hybrid. Regardless of driving mode, transitions to and from electric power and gasoline power are so seamless that you simply forget they’re happening. Power is plenty adequate in most situations, but can leave you wanting when passing or climbing hills. The brakes, meanwhile, are much more linear and dare we say “normal” than Prius brakes, without that two-stage feel when the regen kicks in.

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/hatchbacks/1010_2011_lexus_ct_200h_drive/index.html

The New LS Coupe---The LC600h

According to Motor Trend, Lexus is planning to replace the dearly-departed SC 430 with a brand new coupe based on the next-generation LS.
Called the LC 600h, this flagship coupe would be AWD and powered by an updated version of the same 5.0L V8 Lexus Hybrid Drive found in the current LS 600hL, and is expected to hit a 0-60 of under five seconds.

Here’s an interesting quote from the MT article:

According to a Lexus insider, the company sees the new LC as the car that most captures the essence of what Lexus is all about — performance, luxury, and the environment — more than any Lexus model to date. It’s an upscale configuration that should elevate the car to a status rivaling the Mercedes SL-Class.
Currently being developed in the shadows of the next LS, our contact tells us not to expect the LC before its four-door LS brother hits showrooms in 2014. “If we don’t get anymore nasty surprises on the economic front, then any time after 2015 might be the right time for the LC.”
After the SC, this would be a dramatic and all-together necessary change-up, but even more, there’s something about this rumor that rings true — a sports coupe at this level is exactly what’s needed in the lineup.

All I can say for sure is that the sketches accompanying the article are mighty fine — here’s another sketch from a different angle:

http://wot.motortrend.com/6719403/future/lexus-working-on-hybrid-powered-sc-430-replacement/index.html#ixzz126r2tdrD

LFA Preps For SEMA.......

09/28/2010—This weekend, a repainted Lexus LFA made its debut in Glendale, California.

Here’s the back story: With the SEMA aftermarket auto show coming up in November, the time had come to give the North American LFA prototype a new look, inside and out, for the 100,000 expected SEMA attendees. (You’ve probably seen this LFA already: it’s the exact same car that shattered a wine glass in the now-famous TV commercial earlier this year.)

The work itself was carried out by B.A.D. Company (aka the Big American Dream Company) this September. B.A.D. Company is a Los Angeles-based shop that specializes in custom work for Hollywood, and these are the guys who build some of the crazy custom vehicles you see at car shows, as well as prep Lexus vehicles for TV shows like Entourage and The Apprentice.


Lexus basically gave B.A.D. Company 10 days to transform the LFA’s exterior from white (actually Starfire Pearl) to a darker color, and while they were at it, recover the seats in fresh, semi-aniline leather. This may not seem like a lot of work, but when you’re talking about a high-tech supercar, removing the seats for upholstery work and repainting carbon fiber surfaces are a big deal.

Nevertheless, these guys got the job done. As our photographer notes: “When I got here the first day at 7 a.m., this was a white car. By 8:30 a.m., it was stripped down, masked off, and they were prepping for paint. If I’d been late, I’d have missed it.”


Fortunately, he didn’t miss it, and neither will you, even if you don’t get to SEMA. In a few weeks, we’ll show how B.A.D. Company transformed the LFA—trust us, it’s a good story.

https://secure.drivers.lexus.com/lexusdrivers/magazine/content.do#:/pub-share/magazine/html/Lexus-News/news_2010_09_27.html

The New CT200h gets F'd

Lexus has decided to release the new CT200h with a variety of accessories including F-Sport Tuning parts. Besides the F-Sport sway bar set, lowering springs and what looks like mirror covers, here are some other items you will see available. Check out the European commercial video to get a feel what Lexus is going for. I am not sure what the deal was in the beginning of it with the odd magazine quotes. You make your decision and let me know.

17″ Alloy Wheels (directly inspired by the LF-Ch concept)
All-weather cargo mat
Body-Side Molding (the Lexus chrome stripe)
Car Cover
Cargo net-envelope
Carpet cargo mat
Exhaust tip
First Aid kit
Glass breakage sensor
Illuminated door sills
Lexus Hybrid Drive window sticker
Paint protection film
Premium carpet floor mats
Rear bumper appliqué
Remote engine starter

What Does Lexus Have In Store For You

Automotive News has taken a shot at predicting the next couple years of Lexus models, let’s summarize:

GS: The next-generation GS will arrive in the spring of next year on a new shared platform and a longer wheelbase, while retaining the V6/V8/Hybrid powertrains. A GS-F has been prototype, but is not expected to make it to production.
As for the styling, Automotive News says the “design of the GS will feature a long dash-to-axle ratio and a reprise of its signature stubby trunk, while the roofline will be a constant-radius swoop.”

IS: 2013 will see the debut of the third generation IS, which will be built on a shortened version of the GS’ shared platform.

LS: A redesign for the 2013 model year is expected, with a focus on reducing the weight generated by all the technology & safety features.

ES: Due to be redesigned as a 2012 model, the next-gen ES will be getting “more angular and active styling”, and may be offered in a hybrid.

HSh: Should the Prius receive a lithium battery pack in 2012, the HSh should follow.

SC: The next-generation SC will not be offered as a convertible.

LFA: A roadster version of the Lexus supercar could appear in 2014.
Most of these predictions summarize current rumors, with a few twists: No GS-F would be a disappointment, but the on-off nature of this V10 super-sedan means there’s no way to know for sure, just as there’s no way to guess if a LFA roadster will ever make it into production.

Also mentioned is the possibility of a brand new model:
VX: A seven-seat, car-based large crossover above the RX 350 is possible. Owners have told Lexus that towing is not as important as driveability and seating capacity. Lexus is studying a competitor to the BMW X6 crossover based on the next generation of the GS/IS platform.

With the RX straddling the line between small & large crossover classes, it’s hard to predict which side of the equation a new model would come up on. A large 7-seater may very well be in the works, but what about a smaller version of the RX instead?

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20100927/CARNEWS/100929892