New Lexus CT200h hybrid

Lexus CT200h hybrid

Lexus is planning to release its new CT200h hybrid -- which features the powertrain from the current Toyota Prius -- in early 2011, and columnist David Goodspeed says it should have a better reception than the Lexus HS250h hybrid, which debuted last year.
The CT200h has four operating modes ranging from full electric to sport. And it boasts the same safety, technology and comfort as other Lexus vehicles, Goodspeed says.

Lexus CT 200h UK price

2011 Lexus CT 200h

The starting price of the new hybrid model of the Lexus named CT 200h is £23,485. The car is open for booking orders. The car claims to be capable of 68.9 mpg and 94 g/km of CO2 emissions. SE-I, SE-L and SE-L Premier is the three spec levels that the car is being offered. Climate control, Bluetooth, 17-inch alloys, push button start and LED daytime running lights are what make up the entry level spec level. For £25,200, one would get the SE-L package which is the entry level specs added up with heated leather seats and parking sensors.

Lexus GS-F will soon hit the market

2012 Lexus GS-F

Lexus is planning to bring down its big competitors like BMW M5 and Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG with the new F version of the GS model. The GS is the last model from Lexus that will receive the sport version, as the IS has already received it. Lexus want to impress the American market with the aggressive look of the GS-F but also with the fact that this car will feature a big 5.0 l V8 engine that is also mounted on the IS-F. The difference is that the GS-F will have more BHP: 465 to be more precise.
More power was needed as the GS is heavier than the IS, even if the bigger model has been put on a diet: it now weighs about 3,700 lbs (1678 kg). The car can now accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (100 km/h) in just 4.5 seconds. Performance comes with a cost as the new Lexus will probably have a price tag from $90,000 to $100,000.

Lexus Plans Luxury Coupe-Cabriolet LC600h By 2015

Lexus Cabriolet LC600h

Autocar sources have revealed that we may be seeing a new luxury coupe-cabriolet version of the Lexus LS executive saloon in the next five years. In the sources’ words, the new model will be a “car that most captures the essence of what Lexus is all about: performance, luxury and the environment, more so than any Lexus model to date”.
Dubbed the LC600h, the new model has been planned as a successor to the discontinued SC, and will be based on the platform presently being developed for the next-gen LS due for a 2014 launch. It will come loaded with a V8 gasoline engine and a hybrid transmission, with two electric motors and an epicyclic gearbox. The combined power output has been estimated at more than 500 hp with a 0-100 km/h acceleration taking a little shy of 5 seconds.

2011 Lexus IS gets Minor Facelift

There has been some subtle design changes done on the new 2011 Lexus IS, like the inclusion of a new headlamp cluster. These new headlamps incorporate LED daytime running lights. The other prominent changes include the restyled lower front bumper with round fog lamps. Besides, the interior too has been subjected to a once over so that there is some minor trim upgrades here as well.

The changes came out in the open due to some leaked brochure shots that revealed, for the very first time, pictures of the Japanese domestic market (JDM) version of, the new 2011 Lexus IS 250 / 350 sedans though the changes has only been subtle at best. However, not all of the above changes may be visible in the leaked out pictures.

The JDM Lexus IS has also added an F-Sport grade car, which is a first for the JDM Lexus IS. The F-Sport grade is alike the 2010 IS 250 and 220d models that the company has made available in the UK market. However, the Japanese version of F-Sport comes bundled with a front bumper along with what is described by Lexus, a new sport suspension that has been created by the LFA team.

2010 Lexus GX 460

2010 Lexus GX 460
Big SUVs may be out of favor because of their generally low fuel economy, but the 2010 Lexus GX 460 reminds us how comfortable it can be to cruise around in one of these behemoths. Lexus fits the GX 460 cabin in leather, soft plastics, and wood trim, and its third-row seats fold out of the cargo floor, letting the big vehicle transport seven people.

The 2010 GX 460 is the successor to the 2009 GX 470. With the GX 460, Lexus uses a more advanced variable valve timing to downsize the engine yet increase horsepower and fuel economy. With the GX 460, Lexus uses more advanced variable valve timing to downsize the engine yet increase horsepower and fuel economy.

However, don't expect a dramatic difference in fuel economy. Weighing in at 5,305 pounds, the engine has a lot of metal to move. Mated to its six-speed-automatic transmission, the engine turns in EPA fuel economy ratings of 15 mpg city and 20 mpg highway. In our driving, we averaged 16.2 mpg through city, freeway, and mountain roads.

Lexus sells all its LFA supercar

Lexus has allready sold all its LFA supercars. 500 lucky buyers already own a brand new Lexus LFA, the super sports car manufactured by Toyota allready sold out, even for a price of 350,000 euros.

The Lexus LFA is manufactured by hand at the Toyota Motomachi plant in Japan. This was a bad business for the manufacturer because each one of these 500 Toyota sports car costs 350,000 euros to make.

2010 Lexus GS 450h is a performance hybrid

It's the car that makes you scratch your head: the 2010 Lexus GS 450h.

The reason it comes across as confusing is because this rear-wheel-drive sedan is one of the most fun Lexus cars to drive. It's all sport on the highway.

The pickup is phenomenal. It boasts nearly 300 horsepower from its 3.5-liter V-6 and on the open road, it's library quiet. The steering is crisp. While heavy, the body remains stiff through turns and its adaptive variable suspension holds the car nicely to the road.

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Oh, and, it's a hybrid.

But this is a hybrid for enthusiasts, one that uses electricity for power and not just efficiency. What other mainstream hybrid goes 0-60 mph in 5.2 seconds?

Of course, boosting a V-6 to provide V-8 type power is nothing new (the GS 450h has a combined 340 horsepower). It's the wave of the future as carmakers around the world look to provide power and fuel economy. Already, other carmakers are talking about four-cylinder turbos replacing V-6 engines and others have said three-cylinder engines could replace fours.
Amazing highway ride

The GS 450h shies toward the power side, which takes away from the efficiency, enabling 22 miles per gallon in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. Great mileage numbers for a V-8, so-so for a six-cylinder engine.

And while this hybrid can drive on electric motors only, it rarely does. Instead, the electric motors seem to act as a boost for the car, pushing it quickly forward and inspiring the driver to push the accelerator a little harder.

Toyota recalls 3,800 Lexus cars for steering fix

Toyota Motor Corp. said Friday it is recalling about 3,800 Lexus LS sedans in the U.S. to fix a problem with the vehicle's steering system following a similar recall in Japan.

The company said the recall affects some 2009 and 2010 LS 460 and LS 600h sedans. The recall is designed to fix a problem in which the steering wheel becomes off-center after a specific driving maneuver. The problem should not occur during normal driving, the company said.

Toyota earlier Friday recalled 4,500 of the same models in Japan to address the steering issue. The recall affects roughly 2,750 vehicles elsewhere around the world.

The automaker has been working to react faster to problems after coming under government scrutiny and being slapped with a record $16.4 million U.S. fine for its slow response to its accelerator pedal recalls. It is also facing hundreds of state and federal lawsuits. Those recalls affected more than 8 million vehicles worldwide.

On Thursday, lawmakers in the U.S House of Representatives accused Toyota of failing to keep its promise to get to the bottom of what caused unintended acceleration in some of its vehicles. Jim Lentz, Toyota's top U.S. sales executive, told lawmakers that the company has no evidence that electronics are to blame for the sudden acceleration reports.

Toyota's safety concerns have triggered to the first major review of U.S. auto safety laws in Congress since the large tire recalls by Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. in 2000.

On models affected by its latest recall, Toyota said the steering wheel can briefly become out of alignment with the car's wheels when the steering wheel is turned to the extreme right or left and then re-centered. Toyota will remedy the problem by replacing the computer processor in the vehicle's variable gear ratio steering system, Toyota spokesman John Hanson said.

Full hybrid Lexus GS 450h enhanced for 2010

Lexus has introduced a series of styling, technical and equipment revisions that further strengthen the full hybrid GS 450h's appeal in the premium saloon market. It has rationalised the model line-up into two equipment grades – SE and SE-L – and introduced new exterior colour choices, alloy wheel designs and interior trims.

Lexus GS 450h

The GS, powered by a smooth and ultra-efficient combination of a 3.5-lire petrol V6 and a compact 650V electric motor, delivers sharp performance with fuel economy and emissions that are unmatched by its conventional petrol-powered rivals.

The Pre-Crash Safety system in the GS 450h has been revised to include pre-crash brake technology to support the established pre-crash seatbelt and brake assist functions.

Both front seats have new, inflator-operated active headrests, which are activated by a signal from the ECU should the car suffer a rear-end impact.

Toyota will recall Lexus LS flagship on Friday

Ouch. This one is going to hurt: Toyota will recall its Lexus LS flagship, the super-premium car that is the only in its lineup to list for more than $100,000, over steering problems on Friday, the company just said.

Normally, the embarrassment might be considered just another recall. But atop all the other recalls that Toyota has had this year, including another congressional hearing tomorrow and a mood of general discouragement, this one could be painful.

In the U.S., it's only 3,800 cars. Worldwide, it's 11,500. Small numbers, but this is the ultimate Lexus, the one car that Toyota tries to make perfect. Toyota has tried its best to insulate its Lexus line from the raft of recalls involving its Toyotas:

The incident that sparked the nightmare, the crash near San Diego last year that killed a California Highway Patrolman and his family, was in a Lexus ES. Just last month, Lexus recalled and briefly stopped selling the GX 460 sport-utility vehicle after Consumer Reports said it posed a rollover risk. But Lexus sales never dipped like those of Toyota as a whole.

2010 Lexus HS 250h Luxury Hybrid sale is down

Well, it seems like the U.S. market agrees with us. While Lexus had expected to sell 20,000 or more HS models a year--down from projections of 30,000 before the recession--Ward's Auto now reports that the total may be considerably lower than that.

Demand in Japan has been high for the car, so high in fact that early reports suggested U.S. supplies of the car might be affected. But Ward's projects U.S. sales of less than 14,000 units.

Part of the problem may be that upper-end models of the 2010 Toyota Prius not only offer a higher level of luxury equipment than on any previous Prius, but also get considerably higher gas mileage: 51 mpg city, 48 mpg highway versus 35 mpg city, 34 mpg highway for the HS.

The situation could change if fuel prices rise again, but so far this spring, increases have been moderate.

2010 Lexus HS 250h Road test

the HS 250h is something of a misfit. The four-cylinder Atkinson-cycle engine naturally doesn't have the refinement of the V6s and V8s that power the other Lexus hybrids (RX 450h, GS 450h and LS 600hL). It's suitably inconspicuous at cruising speeds, but it gets raucous when acceleration is called for. There's also some whine from the electric motor under deceleration. More vexing is the wind, road and tire noise at highway speeds -- each is not overly obtrusive, but, cumulatively, it's enough to intrude on the quietude that's expected. The ride, for the most part, is firm not harsh, although sharper tarmac imperfections will make their presence known. The electric power steering has a slightly numb feel to it, but the sedan turns where and when it's supposed to and body roll is minimal.

2010 Lexus HS 250h

Moving inside, the HS's interior is more upscale than luxurious. The car has a starting price of $39,900; the topline Ultra Premium edition (there's also Premium and Premium Sport) adds another $8,850 to the sticker, all of it in content. That includes heated and ventilated leather seats, voice-activated navigation system with integrated backup camera, outstanding 15-speaker Mark Levinson audio system, auto-levelling LED headlamps, 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels, power rear sunshade and auto-dimming side-view mirrors.

The front seats are almost bisected by the protruding centre stack, which contains the audio and climate controls as well as flip-up nav screen and "Remote Touch" joystick controller. While it's all busy and off-putting at first, the various control functions are within easy reach. The joystick and its computer mouselike interface work well, keeping the eyes at windshield level. However, programming the radio presets are overly complicated, requiring more steps than should be necessary.

One cool feature is the fact that 30% of the combined interior and trunk are covered in "Ecological Plastic," a bioplastic material that uses plant sources as raw material and is used for parts of the upholstery as well as a number of injection-moulded, foam and board components throughout the car, including trunk compartment trim, cowl side trim, door scuff plates, seat cushions and the package tray.

Warning Is Lifted On a Lexus S.U.V.

Consumer Reports magazine is lifting a “Don’t Buy” warning for a Lexus sport utility vehicle that failed an emergency handling test.

The magazine said on Friday that the 2010 Lexus GX 460 luxury S.U.V. passed its test after a dealership updated the software that runs the vehicle’s electronic stability control system.

The Toyota Motor Corporation recalled about 10,000 of the S.U.V.’s in the United States in April after the magazine told readers not to buy them. The automaker also stopped selling them.

Mark Templin, the Lexus group vice president and general manager, said in a statement that the automaker was pleased that the magazine had lifted the designation. He said about 75 percent of GX 460 vehicles had received the software update.

2010 Lexus GX 460

2010 Lexus GX 460 sport-utility vehicle, says Toyota Motor Sales.

Last week, Toyota had promptly halted sales of the GX 460 after Consumer Reports noted an unexpected handling behavior, and possibly a malfunction of the electronic stability control system.

The test behavior, in which the stability system allowed the back of the vehicle to slide out sideways when the driver lifted abruptly off the accelerator while going tightly around a corner (lift-off oversteer), could potentially result in a higher chance of rollover if the vehicle were tripped by a curb, dropoff, or change in surface.

Consumer Reports subsequently gave the 2010 Lexus GX 460 a rare "Don't Buy: Safety Risk" designation.

Toyota later confirmed that its own engineers had duplicated the behavior

Curiously, there's more to the story. Now Toyota Motor Corporation has also released a confession of sorts, explaining that several different conditions contributed to the issue:

- In the GX 460 and Land Cruiser Prado, heavy components, such as the fuel tank, are located on the left side, and in left-hand drive versions, the left side is made even heavier because of the presence of the driver.
- For vehicles with certain tires (on 18-inch wheels) and equipped with the Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS*) and VSC, the activation of the VSC may not be sufficient in certain circumstances due to the setting of the VSC program.

Toyota will recall Lexus GX460, DOT officials say

Toyota Motor Corp. is recalling the Lexus GX460 sport utility vehicle to correct a problem that could lead to rollover or loss of control, according to Department of Transportation officials.

Problems with that model surfaced last week when Consumer Reports magazine reported that the vehicle had slid out of control during routine testing. In response to the findings, Consumer Reports issued a rare "do not buy" advisory to the public.

Toyota's recall would affect roughly 6,000 vehicles in the U.S. To date, Toyota has responded by testing all of its SUVs for potential stability problems. It acknowledged that it was able to duplicate the problem with the GX460. Toyota officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

Consumer Reports Puts 2010 Lexus GX 460 On Don’t Buy List

For the first time since 2001, Consumer Report has indicated serious concerns of rollover for an SUV. This time, it is one of the most popular brands, the new Lexus GX 460. Three months and 5000 SUV sales later, Consumer Reports have cautioned users not to buy Lexus GX 460 SUV until Toyota (NYSE:TM) engineers are able to fix stability issue. According to Consumer Report experts, when they tested new SUV on track handling course, the vehicle nearly fell sideways due to a potential rollover problem. On sharp turns whenever test drivers took off their feet from accelerators, the SUV had tendency to veer off sideways due to high center of gravity. Although, electronic traction control takes over to keep Lexus GX 460 in an upright position but engineers found that the sudden impact was too quick even for computers to handle.

2010 Lexus IS 250C

2010 Lexus IS 250C

The IS 250C, from certain angles, is no exception. To provide ample space to stow the roof and still leave a little carry-on luggage room, the entire rear end often grows out of proportion to the rest of the car. The IS C's overall length grows a little more than two inches, and it shows. It's also impossible to hide the massive cut lines for the trunk lid, which only adds to the feeling of extra mass. Then you add 400 pounds to the curb weight, and that extra mass becomes a real issue, especially in car packing a 204-hp V6.

To be fair, the car looks sharp from the front three-quarter angle, and--like all good convertibles--is fine with the top down. It also is fitted with some damn nice equipment--the super-powerful and clean sound of the Mark Levinson audio system is worth the money, along with the strong navigation system and the adaptive headlights which both do a great job of helping guide and light the way forward.

If your tastes run to luxury and you're willing to forego serious power to get everything for less than $50,000, the IS 250C is a good option.

Lexus Hybrid Adds Economy To Luxury

The Lexus RX 450H shows just how far hybrids have come. It was the first luxury crossover SUV as well as the first luxury full-hybrid SUV, and it couldn’t be more different from the teeny Insight or even the first-generation Prius, which absolutely defined dorky in automotive terms.

The RX crossovers have been a huge success among upscale drivers, and with the RX 450H, they can have their luxury SUV steak with a side order of smug frugality. Instead of the non-hybrid RX 350 with its 18 city, 25 highway fuel mileage, RX 450H breaks out with 30 city and 29 highway.

That difference probably won’t pay back the $7,000 extra cost over the regular gas-powered car for a whole lotta years unless gas prices spike into the stratosphere, but there is the daily psychological benefit of driving lean and clean. Plus, those sublime interludes when the Lexus is cruising through city streets in near silence on electric power only.

The Lexus RS was completely restyled for 2010, with a sleeker exterior and a more luxurious interior for its third generation. For many people, the RX pushes all the right buttons for versatility, accommodations, refinement and luxury.
The ride is soft and cornering is accompanied by plenty of body roll from the hefty SUV. But what it may lack in drivability, RX makes up for in cushy comfort. If insulation from the rough edges of the outside world is what you desire, then here it is, in spades.

The hybrid drive is generally seamless, though there is some jerkiness as the RX shifts between the electric motor and the gas engine. At low speeds, electric power become the only motivation up to about 40 mph, when the gas engine cuts in. At traffic lights and other stops, the engine shuts down to save fuel.

In the city and suburbs is where you save the bulk of your gas money. On the highway, it is what it is, though on downhill grades the engine will turn itself off until it’s needed again. A nicely designed video graphic helps the driver monitor the hybrid functionality around town, and saving gas can become something of a game to see how well you can do.

Acceleration is decent, though if you go poking too hard on the throttle at start ups, you’ll foil the fuel savings. Throttle response is fairly languid, anyway. The continuously variable automatic transmission is designed to make the most of the hybrid’s functionality, but it sets up an annoying drone when the gas engine is running.

2010 Lexus IS F-Sport in UK

2010 Lexus IS F-Sport

New F-Sport grade
The new F-Sport grade, available for both 2010 Lexus IS F-Sport and 220d models, takes its cue from the high impact styling of the IS F and is positioned in the IS line-up between the established SE-I and SE-L models.

The dedicated 2010 Lexus IS F-Sport exterior features include lowered suspension (IS 250 only), exclusive 18-inch wheels and an IS F-style front grille and rear bootlid spoiler. In the cabin there are aluminium sports pedals, IS F-style sports seats, steering wheel and (on the IS 250 automatic) gear lever. The seats are finished in a combination of Alcantara upholstery with leather side bolsters.

A black-on-black interior colour scheme is complimented by a black headlining and grey stitching detail on the front seats and steering wheel.

F-Sport models share a number of premium equipment features with SE-L grade, including rain-sensing wipers, HID headlights with AFS, 13-speaker audio system and memory settings for the front seats and door mirrors.
Lexus IS prices, insurance and VED

MODEL OTR PRICE INSURANCE
50 group VED BAND
IS 220d SE £24,350 27 F
IS 250 SE manual £24,625 29 L
IS 250 SE automatic £25,285 29 K
IS 220d SE-I £26,610 28 F
IS 250 SE-I manual £26,885 29 L
IS 250 SE-I automatic £27,545 29 K
IS 220d F-Sport £28.290 TBA F
IS 250 F-Sport automatic £29,365 TBA K
IS 220d SE-L £29,075 29 F
IS 250 SE-L automatic £30.150 30 K

Option prices

HDD navigation £2,350
Multimedia package £3,120
ACC/PCS (250 SE-L only) £2,640
DAB audio £360
18-inch Hoshi wheels £1,425
18-inch Baransu wheels £1,425
18-inch Tsuki wheels £1,550
Metallic/mica paint £595