Lexus
Lexus CT 200h F Sport shown down-under
Lexus has unveiled the CT 200h F Sport at the Australian Motor Show. The CT 200h F Sport is basically a sportier version of the CT 200h hybrid hatchback. The modifications over the conventional model are not limited to just aesthetic upgrades but they don’t cover the engine department either. This means that power remain the same from its 1.8 litre VVT-i engine and a rear-mounted electric-drive motor/generator system.
Apart from the visual changes including badging, aggressive bumpers, different alloys and a unique Flame Blue body colour, the CT 200h F Sport is treated to an uprated suspension with new body performance dampers to help improve ride and handling. The dampers are said to offer increased torsional rigidity. The hybrid is also given carefully-gauged welding, an attempt to improve overall driving dynamics.
The interior also offers a slightly different flavor as well. There is an F-Sport steering wheel, sports pedals, scuff plates as well as a different instrument panel and privacy glass. There is also a unique interior trim. Continue reading to check out an image gallery. Read the rest of this entry.
Lexus IS refreshed for Japan: Leaked brochure
Lexus is set to unveil a refreshed IS for the Japanese market and we have some images to show you thanks to a leaked brochure. The 2011 IS 250 and 350 models now come with new headlights featuring, you’ve guessed it: LED daytime running lights. There is also a reworked lower front bumper with round fog lamps.
The interior is said to benefit from some trim upgrades as well, although we don’t have the details. Japan will also get an F-Sport variant, something like the one being offered in the UK with the IS 250 and 220d models. Potential buyers in Japan will enjoy a different front bumper as well as a sportier suspension “developed by the LFA team”. Continue reading to view more images. Read the rest of this entry.
All 500 Lexus LFAs sold out, new video of the 553hp supercar released
A report by Autoweek has indicated that all 500 units of the LFA supercar by Lexus have been sold. The report said that Germans take up the most share in the customer pie, a third to be exact. US customers aren’t that lucky compared to Europeans as US buyers can’t actually purchase the LFA just yet, instead they have to make do with leasing the odd-looking Japanese supercar.
The lease period is for two years and they can decide to purchase the car after the period. The interesting thing is that the LFA has not even gone into production. That only begins in December this year. The 1480kg super car is powered by a 553hp 4.8 liter mouth-watering V10 that also makes 480Nm of torque.
At the same time Lexus has also released a brand new commercial that was filmed in a specially-designed audio studio with the LFA placed on a dynamometer. The car is then started and accelerated (in stand still) to about 170 mph and eventually its exhaust note brakes a champagne glass.
The company claims that no CGI or camara tricks were employed in making the commercial. Its the real deal and the company even hired a physicist to help determine which type of champagne glasses that has the same “frequency as the LFA’s engine”. Apparently the pitch of the glass needed to precisely match the pitch of the engine in order for the flute to shatter.
The press release also mentioned that the LFA’s signature sound was created by “emphasizing the secondary combustion frequency of the engine and then introducing primary, secondary and tertiary firing harmonics.” Continue reading to watch the rather interesting video.
UPDATE: It has been revealed that there are still some units available for lease in the US.
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Gazoo Racing to race in Nurburgring 24 Hours with two Lexus LFAs
Lexus has announced that two of its high-performance LFA will be raced in the Nurburgring 24 Hours endurance event with Gazoo Racing. The cars will compete in the SP8 class which is for near production vehicles.
Lexus pointed out in the press release that the race version does not differ substantially from the actual road version especially in terms of the construction, engine and transmission.
Other racing goodies that are fitted in the race-ready LFA include a refined aero package that mainly is made up by a fixed rear wing. The cars also have a larger fuel tanks. Car number 50 will be piloted by Takayuki Kinoshita, Akira Iida, Kazuya Ohshima and Juichi Wakisaka while car number 51 will be driven by Armin Hahne, Jochen Krumbach and Andre Lotterer.
The Lexus LFA is slated for production in December this year. Continue reading to view more images. Read the rest of this entry.
Lexus announces 562hp LFA Special Edition
Lexus has revealed the limited edition LFA which also comes with a boost in power. Unfortunately details are limited so we don’t have pricing information and we don’t know how many units are planned.
We do know that the LFA Special Edition will be available in four colour options including Matte Black, Whitest White, Black and Orange as pictured above. The exterior features a front lip spoiler, aerodynamic canards at the sides of the front bumper, a carbon fiber fixed rear wing as well as different wheels.
The mouth-watering V10 in the LFA Special Edition has been tweaked to offer an extra 10hp, bringing total power to 562hp. More work was carried out on the suspension and the transmission has been re-calibrated to offer slightly quicker gear shifts, by 0.05 seconds to be exact. Continue reading to view some images. Read the rest of this entry.
Lexus LFA returns to Nürburgring, this time to race!
The Lexus LFA racked up plenty of testing miles at Nürburgring in its development stage, and will return to the famed German track in May. But this time, it’s to race.
The production LFA’s maiden competition will be to last the 24 hours of Nürburgring. In previous two occasions, Lexus’ pre-production supercar was entered in the same race to hone performance and handling, with Toyota president Akio Toyoda doubling up as test driver. For this year’s event, Gazoo Racing will prepare two LFAs for the race and the team, led by ace Toyota test driver Hiromu Naruse, will have four Japanese and three German drivers.
First up is Takayuki Kinoshita, a six-time winner of the Super Taikyu Endurance Series and the most experienced Japanese driver in the Nürburgring 24 Hours. Akira Ida was overall winner of the Tokachi 24 Hours in 1995 and 2007, and both Juichi Wakisaka and Kazuya Oshima race in Super GT. The German wheelmen are Armin Hahne, winner of the Spa 24 Hours in 1982 and 1983; Jochen Krumbach (second overall in the 2008 Nürburgring 24 Hours) and Andre Lotterer, reigning Super GT 500 champion for Team Petronas Tom’s.
Powered by a 552 bhp mid-mounted V10 engine and capable of 0-100 km/h in 3.7 seconds, the Lexus LFA’s top speed goes beyond 320 km/h. More images of the race car after the jump. Read the rest of this entry.
Lexus teases the CT 200h, world debut in Geneva
Remember the gold-coloured Lexus LF-Ch concept that was showed six months ago? Well now Lexus is ready with a production version which will be presented at the Geneva Motor Show. Called the CT 200h, it will become the first full hybrid vehicle in the premium compact segment, according to Lexus that is.
The CT 200h is equipped with the second-generation Lexus Hybrid Drive technology. That should be a system that includes a 1.8 liter petrol engine and an electric motor. Total output should be figured at 134hp. Above is a teaser image of the new vehicle released by the company. The hybrid will be showcased along with the Lexus LFA supercar.
