$300 discount on Lexus F Sport Accessories

Filed under: Aftermarket, Lexus

Lexus just dropped us a note to let us know that its F Sport line of performance accessories are on sale between September 10 and November 1, with between $100 and $300 off on accessory packages ranging from $500 to $2,000. If you’re interested in wheels, brakes or an exhaust for your GS or IS, click here for the coupon with all the details.

$300 discount on Lexus F Sport Accessories originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2010 Lexus HS 250h

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Lexus, Reviews, Luxury

A Perfect Prius It Is Not

Lexus likes to say that it pursues perfection. Toyota’s luxury brand has been playing the hybrid game for a while now with converted gas-powered models like the LS, GS and RX hybrids, and few would argue that these models represent the zenith of what a luxury hybrid can be. For that, Lexus finally decided to build a dedicated hybrid model from the ground up, and the result is the HS 250h.

Being that the brand’s parent company builds the Prius, the industry benchmark for hybrids in terms of both fuel efficiency and popularity, Lexus has, on the one hand, a much deeper well of hybrid expertise from which to draw than its competition. On the other hand, it has the toughest act to follow in the third-generation Prius. In the minds of many, a true Lexus hybrid should be everything Toyota’s magic bean is and more – it should be the perfect Prius.

Funny thing, the HS 250h is not. Lexus hasn’t built an upmarket version of the Prius with the HS 250h. Perhaps realizing that after three generations creating about as perfect a parallel hybrid as there is, Lexus up and decided that its own luxury hybrid should have a different mission. Unfortunately, after a week spent behind the wheel of a 2010 HS 250h Premium, we’re not still not sure what that mission is. Follow the jump to learn what else we found confusing about Lexus’ latest hybrid.

Photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL

Continue reading Review: 2010 Lexus HS 250h

Review: 2010 Lexus HS 250h originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Lexus to build GT racing version of LFA, GT1 or GT2?

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Lexus, Racing

Motor Trend is reporting that Toyota’s may be getting back into motorsports big-time with a GT entry based on the Lexus LFA. According to the report, Lexus would enter the FIA GT1 championship to take on the Nissan GT-R. This seems like a move downmarket for the $375,000 Lexus sports car from a marketing standpoint. GT1 is also a faltering race class that’s being eliminated under the new 2011 Le Mans rules.

If Toyota wants to race the LFA, it would make more sense to head to Le Mans where it can take on Ferraris, Aston Martins and Porsches in the GT2 class. The LFA race edition (above) that’s already been developed and run in the last two 24 hour races at the Nürburgring would already be close to GT2 specification and could be ready for the 2011 race season.

[Source: Motor Trend]

Rumormill: Lexus to build GT racing version of LFA, GT1 or GT2? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lexus and Tumi saddle the LFA with custom carbon-fiber luggage

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Lexus, Design/Style, Luxury

Necessity is the mother of invention, or so the saying goes. But this will likely be the first and last time we ever refer to necessity and the Lexus LFA in the same context. Because while it may be a lot of things, the LFA could hardly be counted as a necessity by anyone this side of a Toyota executive bent on showing up Europe’s finest.

Supercars, as you may well know, often suffer from rather cramped luggage space, and so the fitted luggage was developed out of necessity. Some of the more established exotic marques like Ferrari and Maserati are well accustomed to offering baggage specifically designed (usually by some very exclusive leather craftsmen like Schedoni or Ferragamo) to fit into the diminutive trunks on their supercars. But for Lexus, this is new territory. So they’ve turned to established luxury luggage-makers Tumi to develop a set specifically for the LFA.

The result is a set of hard-shell suitcases custom fitted to the LFA’s trunk. Each is made of aluminum and carbon fiber, and each has a specific purpose. Like the “concourse” case that’s made to fit driving gloves and shoes for track work, or the “coastal” case for longer trips. Each unit will also carry the VIN from the actual car for that added bit of exclusivity. Pack your bags and have a closer look in the gallery below and press release after the jump.

[Source: Lexus]

Continue reading Lexus and Tumi saddle the LFA with custom carbon-fiber luggage

Lexus and Tumi saddle the LFA with custom carbon-fiber luggage originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 08:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota and Lexus combine to capture 73.9% of hybrid sales in July

Filed under: Car Buying, Hybrid, Lexus, Toyota

Last week, we informed you that sales of the Toyota Prius had sharply dropped off this July, falling some 30 percent from the reported numbers a year ago, yet Toyota was pleased with the results. While it seemed rather odd that Toyota was satisfied with a drop in sales, the fact that the Cash for Clunkers program kicked off in July of 2009 helped to make some sense of the decline.

Though sales of the Prius may have fallen, the company is surely pleased with its continued dominance in the hybrid market. Toyota and Lexus have combined to capture 73.9 percent of U.S. hybrid sales for July, and surely that’s something to be pleased about. The seven hybrid models from Toyota and Lexus accounted for 17,504 sales in July, with the Prius capturing a rather astounding 59.6 percent of the hybrid market for the month.

Ford placed a far distant second to Toyota by reporting just 2,896 hybrid sales in July, while Honda remained planted in third with a total tally of 2,475 hybrid sales. So, while Prius sales may have dropped off compared to last year, there’s no denying that Toyota still retains its position atop the hybrid market.

[Source: Green Car Advisor]

Toyota and Lexus combine to capture 73.9% of hybrid sales in July originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Aug 2010 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lexus allowing outright purchase of LFA in U.S., demands right of first refusal if you try to sell it

Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Performance, Lexus

Shortly after the LFA supercar was unveiled last fall, Lexus announced that it would only be available to lease in the U.S. Toyota’s intent was to drive speculators out of the market for its $375,000 supercar by forcing owners to hold onto the car for at least two years. Once the lease was up, customers would then have the option to buy the car outright. That two-year lease, by the way, costs the princely sum of nearly $300,000, which Lexus wants upfront as part of its 1Pay Lease Program rather than in monthly installments.

Lexus has apparently had a slight change of heart. According to a letter delivered to Autoblog by an LFA intender (see below in gallery), American customers will now be able to buy the LFA outright, but only on the condition that they sign an agreement giving the dealer first right of refusal to buy back the LFA if the owner wants to sell it within the first two years. The dealer will have the option to buy back the used LFA for either fair market value or the original sticker price, whichever is lower.

What happens if an owner sells the LFA within two years having not given the dealer the chance to buy it back first? The dealer is owed the difference between what the buyer originally paid for the car and what he sold it for, plus any legal fees. So whether you decide to lease or buy the LFA, Toyota is going to considerable lengths to ensure that no speculators will make a profit on reselling the LFA during the first two years.

Though 99.9 percent of Autoblog readers are most likely not in the market for an LFA, we’re still curious if Toyota’s tactics strike you as fair or would deter you from handing over your inheritance for a car that comes with strings attached, so have your say in Comments.

Lexus allowing outright purchase of LFA in U.S., demands right of first refusal if you try to sell it originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Aug 2010 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2010 Lexus ES 350 is soft-riding royalty that’s lost its crown

Filed under: Sedan, Lexus, Reviews, Luxury

The entry-level luxury sedan segment doesn’t command the enthusiast attention of, say, the ultra-premium luxury sports sedan. But if you ask automakers to choose between the two, we’d wager that most would rather have a best-in-class $35,000 sedan than a world-beating $70,000 sports tourer.

The reason? Very few fortunes are made selling a few thousand highfalutin’ rocket launchers, but bottom lines can easily be bolstered or crippled based on the success or failure of a plush, high-volume cruiser. Luxury marques from Acura to Volvo have experienced varied levels of success at the low end of the luxury market, but few have enjoyed the consistent sales dominance of the Lexus ES. In the past decade, Toyota has cranked out over 600,000 copies in the U.S. alone, with another 650,000 units shipped around the world. And those sales have traditionally been overwhelmingly of the retail variety with little or no incentives. Not bad for what many consider a glorified Toyota Camry.

Enthusiasts take note: Lexus didn’t reach such lofty sales levels with a rear-wheel-drive architecture or pavement-punishing quantities of horsepower. The road map to success for the ES has been simple: a soft, compliant ride; a pampering interior; and unmatched quality. The fifth-generation ES350 has built nicely on those attributes with smoother power, a quieter cabin and more technology. But the competition is still striving to overtake the ES in sales, so Lexus has gone and given its top-selling sedan a mid-cycle refresh for 2010. We spent a week in a Starfire Pearl ES350 to see if it still had the goods to remain a top option in the entry-level luxury segment.

Photos by Chris Shunk / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Review: 2010 Lexus ES 350 is soft-riding royalty that’s lost its crown

Review: 2010 Lexus ES 350 is soft-riding royalty that’s lost its crown originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota recalls Lexus LX 470 for potential ’steering shaft disengagement’

Filed under: SUV, Recalls, Safety, Lexus

While the BP oil well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico may have shifted the media spotlight away from from Toyota’s recall problems over the last several months, that doesn’t mean the crisis has ended. One of two new recalls announced by the automaker today covers 39,000 Lexus LX 470 SUVs built between the 2003 and 2007 model years.

According to Toyota, a snap ring that retains two sections of the SUV’s steering column can get dislodged following a heavy impact on the front wheels of SUV, such as hitting a severe pothole. Without the snap ring in place, using the steering can result in the column working itself free.

Toyota claims that no accidents have resulted from the problem and that a redesigned snap ring will keep the part where it belongs. LX owners can expect to see notifications in their mailbox starting in about two weeks. In the meantime, interested parties can check out the official recall press release after the jump.

[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading Toyota recalls Lexus LX 470 for potential ’steering shaft disengagement’

Toyota recalls Lexus LX 470 for potential ’steering shaft disengagement’ originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bloomberg: Mercedes to overtake battered Lexus as U.S. luxury leader?

Filed under: Car Buying, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Earnings/Financials, Luxury

After a decade at the top of the U.S. luxury vehicle sales charts, Lexus may soon be unseated by the previous leader, Mercedes-Benz, as well as BMW. While Lexus sales have been recovering this year from the dismal first half of 2009, Mercedes-Benz has been climbing even faster.

One possible reason for this disparity is the string of recalls Lexus has been hit with this year, including accelerator pedals, floor mats, leaking gas tanks and defective valve-springs. Another reason is the sales strength of Mercedes’ updated bread-and-butter vehicles, including the new E-Class.

In June, Lexus sales were up just 2.7 percent compared to 25 percent and 15 percent for Mercedes and BMW respectively. Unless Lexus cleans up its act quickly and manages to convince customers that its quality problems are behind it, Toyota’s premium brand could fall behind both German brands.

Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: Bloomberg]

Bloomberg: Mercedes to overtake battered Lexus as U.S. luxury leader? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 25 Jul 2010 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Those two mystery Tesla prototypes for Toyota? Bloomberg says RAV4 and Lexus RX

Filed under: Crossover, Toyota, Tesla, Electric

Toyota has several fingers in a few electric pies. There’s the electric car it’s working on in-house, in conjunction with Panasonic, using proprietary technology. Then there are two mash-up prototypes that Tesla is building for Toyota, which according to Bloomberg include an electric RAV4 and Lexus RX. According to the report, the crossovers were chosen because they’re the best fit for the weight of Tesla’s battery pack, which uses 6,831 lithium-ion batteries.

Even though the Elon Musk says he expects, “range and acceleration exceeding that of other announced electric vehicles of this class,” we wonder if he’s including a crossover like the BYD e6. The electric SUV from China is currently testing in the Shenzhen taxi fleet and claimed to have a range of 186 miles. If that’s his target, then the numbers would exceed the figures Toyota has for the joint project, with an ideal cost of “about $40,000 with 150 miles (240 kilometers) of driving range per charge.”

Tesla’s electrified RAV4 and Lexus RX are predicted to be delivered to Toyota this month, so expect a barrage of news to be forthcoming.

[Source: BusinessWeek]

Those two mystery Tesla prototypes for Toyota? Bloomberg says RAV4 and Lexus RX originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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