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Lexus News and Reviews
- New Lexus HS250h Hybrid a Fuel-Sipper - It has arrived! - Contact us for details.
- 2009 Lexus ISF Review
- 2010 Lexus RX 350 -- Test Drive
- 2009 Lexus LS 600hL -- Green with decadence!
- 2009 Lexus IS250 C / IS350 C Convertible has arrived!
New Lexus 250h hybrid a fuel-sipper
DETROIT–Lexus unveiled a new hybrid at the North American International Auto Show on Sunday, saying it will be the most fuel-efficient vehicle in the luxury brand's lineup.
The 2010 HS250h sedan, Lexus' fourth hybrid, will be the first standalone gas-electric vehicle for Toyota Motor Corp.'s luxury nameplate. Lexus said the car will arrive at dealerships this summer.
Mark Templin, group vice-president and general manager of Lexus, told reporters that more than 60 per cent of entry-level luxury car buyers would have considered buying a hybrid if one were available.
He said the HS200h is designed to meet that need.
"They also want a car that is kinder to the environment with outstanding gas mileage and low emissions, as well as one that offers advanced features, the latest electronics and one that delivers exceptional comfort," Templin said.
The HS250h is the first of two Toyota debuts – both hybrids – at the Detroit auto show. Toyota is set to reveal its 2010 Prius hybrid Monday. Lexus also unveiled a hybrid version of its RX450 sport utility vehicle at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November.
Toyota spokesman Irv Miller said an official price for the HS250h will be released in the spring, but the car will have a base price between $30,000 and $35,000 USD.
No EPA fuel economy rating has been assigned yet, but the carmaker said its city fuel economy rating will be better than that of the Smart Fortwo two-seater, which gets 33 city miles per U.S gallon (7.8 L/100 km).
Toronto Star
Written by MICHAEL BANOVSKY for the Toronto Star From Wheels.ca Mar 07, 2009
ENGINE: 5.0 L V8
POWER/TORQUE: 416 hp/371 lb.-ft.
FUEL CONSUMPTION: City 13.1 L/100 km (18 mpg); hwy. 8.5 L/100 km (27.7 mpg)
COMPETITION: Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, BMW M3 Sedan
WHAT'S BEST:
Sound, brakes, transmission
WHAT'S WORST:
Ride, on-track performance, definitely a three-season car
WHAT'S INTERESTING: One of the few special projects that got past the prototype stage. To make room for the 418-hp V8 engine, IS F designers widened the front track and raised the hood, giving it a front profile resembling a bottlenose dolphin.
Passion counts. It's why Porsches win endurance races, Jeeps are good off-road and Subarus can slide all day long on twisty gravel roads.
It's also why the teams of performance engineers behind the BMW M3, Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG and the Audi RS4 ensure those cars stand alone at the top of the sport sedan totem pole.
Well, they used to. Until the Lexus IS F came along.
See, all a car company really needs to make a successful performance model is a person who is so committed to the task at hand that it consumes him. At Lexus, Yukihiko Yaguchi is that person. He not only surprised management by developing a hot version of the IS luxury sedan, he also found a way to have it powered by a Yamaha-massaged V8 engine from the Lexus LS.
The 416-horsepower motor didn't fit. Nor the LS-derived eight-speed automatic. So he widened the front track by 26 mm and raised the hood, making the front profile resemble a bottlenose dolphin's.
His team then fitted a body kit with brake cooling slats for the front wheels, subtle rear spoiler and deep front chin spoiler – making the car more than 86 mm longer than the standard IS sedan.
Lexus says on its website that Yaguchi and his team of more than 200 worked during their own time and had approval from the keepers of the product-planning expense budget.
How they managed to test the car at racetracks around the globe, including Germany's Nürburgring Nordschleife, France's Paul Ricard Circuit, the Zolder track in Belgium, Fuji Speedway in Japan and California's Laguna Seca, is beyond me. Maybe they had a good line of credit.
So the IS F has a good pedigree, has been tested at challenging race tracks and costs $64,450, about the same as the BMW M3 Sedan ($69,900) and Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG ($63,500); the Audi RS4 has been discontinued.
On the track, the IS F is quick on the straights. Screaming toward its redline, the eight-speed automatic does convincingly crisp shifts in "Sport" mode, and the sonorous exhaust belts out a soundtrack fit for (Steve) McQueen.
The 14.2-inch front brake rotors with six-piston aluminum Brembo calipers and 13.6-inch rear rotors stop the car even better than it goes – put these on a mobile dentistry van and you'd have wisdom teeth pulled in no time.
Then you hit a corner and a few things happen.
First, if you turn in before finishing your braking, the ESP will kick in and you'll miss the apex by a nautical mile.
Second, if you put the power on too early, the chassis bucks and floats over bumps, making it likely you'll use all of the track while sliding like a dog on linoleum.
If you turn the ESP off, you can better appreciate the immense levels of grip afforded by the 19-by-9-inch rear BBS wheels and 255-series tires. You'll enjoy yourself for three laps before getting stressed and sweaty from the hard work, preferring to slow down and turn on the optional $4,000 Mark Levinson 14-speaker stereo (part of the navigation package).
The thing about the Germans is they've got all sorts of performance algorithms programmed into their braking, steering, engine and chassis systems.
You can rip them 'round the track all day – making you look like a million bucks in the process – and never break a sweat. Then they take you home in comfort.
Lexus doesn't even offer adjustable suspension for the IS F, like the Germans do, a point proven by a passenger who poked some buttons on the centre console, turned to me and said, "Where's the switch to turn the sport suspension off?"
As for the interior, my 6-foot-1 frame doesn't fit in the driver's seat in an upright position. The navigation system is annoying, and there is no room to store anything in the cabin, apart from a Red Bull, which is too skinny for the cupholder and will spill all over the supple leather interior. There are four seats, a fact Yaguchi is proud of because it's a rarity for a sport sedan.
Finally, I've driven the IS F's little brother, the IS350, in the dead of winter and it always required heavy correction on slippery surfaces. I can't imagine that more than 100 extra horsepower and wider tires would work any better.
But I prefer the Lexus to the German cars.
If you buy the Mercedes or the BMW, there's no doubt you'll own a well-engineered car that does everything you'd ever ask of it. Keep in mind that both slot in at the bottom end of their performance car range – the M3 is slower than the M5 and M6, while the C63 is the most junior of the AMG family.
But there is no faster Lexus. The IS F is it. It may have some rough edges, but this is one man's vision of how a car should be, not a team's. Yaguchi's unique approach makes a muscle car shine through every kilometre.
I wouldn't want it any other way.
Freelance auto reviewer Michael Banovsky can be reached at banovsky.com. Toronto Star
2010 Lexus RX 350 -- Test Drive
Surrey, British Columbia - What’s very different, yet not obvious, about the just-released and completely redesigned 2010 Lexus RX 350? It’s the first Lexus to be built outside of Japan – and it’s built in Canada in Cambridge, Ontario.
A stalwart of the Lexus lineup for over 10 years, the new RX 350, like its two predecessors (RX 300 and RX 330), is a mid-sized luxury utility vehicle based on a unibody car chassis.
The overall package is a familiar one and the new RX does not look dramatically different, yet the changes are significant. Dimensionally it’s a little longer, wider, and lower and it has a longer wheelbase. Yet you have to drive this RX to really appreciate the improvements in both handling and performance.
An important key to its sharpened handling characteristics is a new double-wishbone rear suspension, plus a wider wheel track (by 69.9 millimetres). Its drivetrain is positioned lower, and that also lowers the overall centre of gravity of the vehicle. In addition, the compactness of the new rear suspension yields some extra cargo room on the inside.
At first glance, the increase in engine horsepower (270 to 275) may seem timid, but the new 3.5-litre V6 can now produce a lot more torque at lower engine speeds, and it’s more fuel efficient too. Over 90 per cent of its 257 lb-ft of peak torque is available from 2,300 all the way up to 6,100 rpm.
A new six-speed automatic transmission replaces the old five-speed. It comes with a new torque-converter lockup system that improves fuel economy, plus a new quick-response downshift control that allows it to rapidly downshift multiple gears at a one time, when the gas pedal is forcefully applied.
In addition, to help make the RX even more aerodynamic, a clever new design feature of the rear window spoiler is that it hides the wiper system and has a built-in radio antenna, plus high-mount stop lamp.
The side mirrors have integrated LED turn signals and the RX 350 comes with a new touch-sensor smart switch on the front door handles: instead of a push button, you simply run a finger across this sensor to lock the doors.
Keyless entry and engine start, high-quality, black-leather upholstery and rich-looking real wood trim give an immediate air of affluence. A power-operated tilt and telescopic steering column was another classy inclusion, and my test RX 350 came with a 15-speaker Mark Levinson sound system.
The centre console box has a nifty lid that drops to the rear when the latch is released, and there’s enough space inside to store CDs and lots more. The RX also comes with a smart smog sensor that can detect harmful particles entering the vehicle and will automatically switch between fresh air and the recirculation mode.
Rear passengers also get both recline and slide adjustments on a three-part split 40/20/40 seat. Behind these rear seats there’s also a big (1,133-litre) cargo area that doubles in size when the rear seats are folded down. In addition to more space there’s also more width between the suspension towers, an increase of about 15 cm.
Driving impressions
Swift, silent and secure, the RX 350 performs like, well, a Lexus. While its suspension is tuned more toward “relaxing ride” than “edgy performer,” there’s still enough crispness to its handling to make any time at the wheel an enjoyable one.
Faster than the previous generation, this RX can hustle from zero to 100 km/h in less than eight seconds. The new six-speed transmission comes with an impressive “Sport” mode, in addition to a manual-shift mode. The “S” change in attitude, from mild to mean, is immediate and intense.
The Lexus navigation system is also particularly good. Its large colour-coded display screen is easy to understand and, when driving on a freeway, the image automatically splits and one side gives upcoming exits, with the exit number and the distance to it.
Another interesting technology in my test RX was its heads-up display. It projects road speed, audio and navigation info on to the windshield directly in front to the driver. First used on fighter planes (and then by GM), it allows you to watch the road and see important information at the same time.
Verdict
The Lexus RX 350 offers better handling, improved acceleration, better fuel economy and a roomier cabin – and it’s now built in Canada.
2009 Lexus LS 600hL -- Green with decadence!
Hybrid-powered vehicles are most commonly associated with owners seeking to reduce their automotive-related impact on Mother Earth while saving a few bucks at the pump; all laudable attributes. Lexus is now extending those virtues to the executive-class purchaser in the form of their technologically extraordinary LS 600h L.
Executive sedan with flair
Although large in size due to its extended wheelbase, Lexus’s hybrid flagship isn’t a stogy-looking affair; rather it projects a sleek image bolstered with smooth lines that convey luxury and elegance but not at the cost of performance.
There is a cost however in trunk space when the Executive Package is opted for. It greatly reduces inner trunk dimensions to facilitate mechanical gear associated with the marvelous first-class seating arrangement.
Despite the cargo-hold shortcoming, the vehicle’s stance is broad and aggressive, supporting the proposition that more than just overblown luxury exists beneath its flawless skin.
Serious potency, to the tune of 438 horsepower, is the result of a harmonious marriage between gas and electrically produced power. At the heart of the relationship is a 5.0-litre DOHC V8 gas-fired engine featuring Direct Injection technology and Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i).
Through the application of Lexus’s Vehicle Dynamic Integrated Management system (VDIM), the LS 600h L utilizes either battery supplied power or a blend of engine and battery juice to silently hustle the big sedan.
I have yet to experience a hybrid vehicle as infinitely capable of uniting these two power sources so unobtrusively, and with such refinement. A sophisticated drivetrain directs the propulsion to all four corners of the LS to ensure flawless launches
CVT combined with AWD
A dual-mode electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (ECTV) eliminates traditional gear changes and the limitations imposed by a finite number of cogs. This unit keeps the engine operating at peak efficiency whether lofting along a residential boulevard or at full throttle in the passing lane.
Augmenting vehicle control when things threaten to come unglued is a vehicle stability control program and traction control.
Greater driver input is accomplished via the electronic manual-mode function and the ability to deactivate the control nannies at lower speeds. Drivers can also opt for several suspension settings to suit their driving mood.
Adaptive Suspension shows flexibility
The hybrid Lexus flagship is underpinned with the latest in adaptive suspension setups.
Referred to by Lexus as Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS), the arrangement continuously balances handling needs with ride comfort but the beauty in this technology is the ability to select ‘comfort’ or ‘sport’ orientation at the touch of a button.
The choice of ride dynamics serves as the foundation to other settings, such as audio, to complete the desired environment from which to pilot the big craft.
Even thinking about writing the complete list of standard comfort and convenience equipment is a daunting task. Suffice to say if you can think of it, it’s likely here provided the Premium Executive Package has been ordered.
My tester was so equipped, which transformed rear seating into an opulent office environment for two, replete with heated/cooled reclining ottoman seats featuring Shiatsu massage. A Mark Levinson Reference Surround Sound audio system was in place to massage the ears while the back received its royal Japanese treatment.
The fortunate rear occupants will also find a DVD entertainment system and an automatic climate control with an infrared body temperature sensor to enhance their pleasure. And let’s not forget the ubiquitous foldout wood and leather table for inking those lucrative contracts.
But what’s comfort and entertainment without safety?
Occupant safety and protection maximized
Along with its comprehensive assortment of vehicle control technologies, including antilock brakes fortified with Brake Assist (BA) and Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), my tester was equipped with a Driver Monitoring system.
This cutting edge technology utilizes infrared monitoring of the driver’s facial area and eye movement combined with driving data to recognize when fatigue is compromising driving ability.
This is a difficult system to test without forcing oneself into driving when the mattress is a wiser choice but I’ve heard from reliable sources that it works and it is very effective. Irrespective of fatigue, driving the LS 600h L is a bit of a dream.
Two factors jump out the moment one takes the wheel and hits the throttle. The first is an eerie silence in operation and the second is a startling response to the right foot.
This car has prodigious power that’s totally out of sync with one’s expectations. Thanks to its AWD traction, it’s capable of launches that waste not a nanosecond of wheel spin while snapping necks and pinning backs.
This LS 600h L is infinitely capable in the passing lane as well, where it can devour many cars considered high performance vehicles.
But hostile acceleration is only one aspect of this gentleman’s beast. A smooth, refined, near silent ride is the other half of its dual mission. I liked maximizing the creamy ride by selecting the ‘Comfort’ setting, and floating through life on a wheeled cloud.
The LS 600h L isn’t a car that one drives with the goal of attacking the apex in a mountain switchback; rather its specialty is wrapped-up in Zen-like serenity.
Is too much Zen possible?
The electric power steering setup makes driving easy but it doesn’t offer much road-feel in return. The powerful braking system is also somewhat artificial in its feel, more due to regenerative braking I suspect than anything else.
Both of these functions emphasize ease of operation over a sense of performance, and that’s fine given the intended purpose of this $146K sled.
Why create the world’s most expensive hybrid sedan?
Yes, the Lexus 600h L is an expensive ride, which makes one wonder about the purpose of its hybrid powertrain.
I think the messaging here isn’t so much about saving the planet as it is about demonstrating that hybrid technology knows no bounds. Its application in extending fuel efficiency and reducing emissions is limitless and ought to be more universally adopted.
The LS 600h L proves that you don’t need to eat tree bark and wear wool to feel good about hybrid technology.
2009 Lexus IS250 C / IS350 C Convertible -- Lexus adds a droptop to its IS lineup.
BY CARTER MILLER September 2008 from Caranddriver.com
Lexus unveiled the 2009 IS convertible at the Paris Auto Show and announced that the four-seater hardtop will be coming to the U.S. in late spring of ’09. Like the sedan, the convertible comes in two varieties, the IS250C and 350C. They share the same powertrain and suspension setup as the sedans, meaning a 2.5-liter, 204-hp V-6 with either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic in the IS250C and a 3.5-liter V-6 making 306 hp in the IS350C. Also like the sedans, the bigger V-6 will only be available with a six-speed auto. Both models have a double wishbone suspension in front and a multi-link in the rear.
Lexus says smooth, quiet operation is the priority here. The car has a three-piece lightweight aluminum roof that opens in 21 seconds, on par with other premium hardtop convertibles. Structural reinforcements improve torsional rigidity for NVH characteristics Lexus says are “nearly identical” to the sedans.
The exterior has incorporated some changes over the sedan, besides the obvious deletion of the top and rear doors. The convertible and sedan share only the hood, headlamps, door handles and mirrors. All else is unique. The resulting shape is long and sleek, compared to the rather stubby SC hardtop convertible. The IS design has the flowing lines that Lexus has favored for the past few years, and they work well on a convertible.
As a folding hardtop, the IS convertible suffers from compromised trunk space, but Lexus says that the trunk will hold one golf bag with the top down and two with it up. Inside, the climate control and audio systems automatically adjust temperature and equalizer settings based on speed and roof position.
Pricing has not yet been announced, but expect the base IS250C to start a few grand higher than its four-door sibling, probably around $37,000 USD. Look for an IS F convertible to join the lineup sometime in 2010.