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As happens all too frequently these days, the news that Tony Hawk jumped a skateboard over a Lexus LFA broke via Instagram via Twitter yesterday. And, like most things that break on Twitter/Instagram, this is pretty pointless. But, hey, who knew Tony still had enough cartilage in his knees to skateboard?
Next time try it without the ramp.
One factor that's influential in determining whether a model is one that dealers won't be able to keep in stock on the lot is, of course, demand. If buyers are lining up 'round the block to get their hands on a certain model, this frenzied enthusiasm will likely have an impact on inventory levels.
The other factor concerns supply. Brand-new models frequently make the list of quickest-selling vehicles because with these models, manufacturers often choose a cautious approach when it comes to supply; production is grown slowly and carefully with the intention of making sure that the products aren't plagued with glitches.
When Lexus announced that they would, in fact, be building a supercar, the world was...confused. And then we saw it, heard the home-brewed V10 spin up, showed off the carbon-fiber 3D loom and the whole world was suddenly interested. And then they announced that the damn thing would cost $375,000 and we all LOLed. (Then we drove it and were thoroughly impressed...still, $375 is a lot.)
Now it's rumored that Lexus is tired of playing with the Ferrari 458 Italia and McLaren MP4 12C and is now considering an "LFA II" that will now ostensibly compete with the upcoming Ferrari Enzo replacement and McLaren's F1 successor.
Sometimes redesigns and refreshes don't go so well. We can all cite cases in which manufacturers start out with a model that's okay enough and "upgrade" it into something that borders on appalling. Scary things can transpire when you give a room full of engineering geeks and art majors free rein.
The redesigned 2013 Lexus ES family will add a hybrid edition for the first time. Both the 2013 ES 350 and 2013 ES 300h sedans were introduced this week at the 2012 New York Auto Show.
The ES 350 is Lexus' best-selling car (the RX crossover is its top seller) and the new-gen 2013 model checks off all the boxes: It looks swanky and appropriately unadventurous, although the new Lexus signature grille does amp up the first impression. The interior delivers what you'd expect from an entry-lux sedan, too, and the wheelbase stretch translates to an obvious increase in rear-seat leg- and knee room.
Lexus will be bringing the 2013 Lexus ES to the 2012 New York Auto Show. This is the official teaser.
Unfortunately, the surprise here is kind of ruined as we've already seen the 2013 ES undisguised. Like all of the new Lexuses, the new ES has the "signature spindle grill" and promises a "new dynamic driving experience."
The Lexus ES will be joined in the Toyota quadrant of the show by the 2013 Avalon.
Eagle-eyed fanbois over at Lexus Enthusiast caught a vision during a Lexus promotional video that they didn't recognize. Lexus Chief Engineer Katsuda-san was discussing the new Lexus RX 450h and the new Spindle Grille that "further reinforces the Lexus brand family's identity" when, for less than a second, the above image flashed on the screen.
The brief flicker of spindled grille and projector-beam lamps set into metal bezels looks to be of the new LS. Other vehicles shown include the CT200h F Sport, 2014 Lexus IS and the 2013 ES.
Chinese car forum Xcar recently posted these completely undisguised photos of the 2013 Lexus ES**. The site is now down, but before it went away, Lexus Enthusiast managed to copy and post all of the photos of this yet-to-be-announced luxury sedan.
We see, as we knew we would, Lexus' new spindle grille with LED-accented headlights. The wider track we saw on an early prototype looks to have translated into a car with a serious stance -- to say nothing of the benefits in ride and room.
And if you think this exterior shot is impressive / shocking, wait till you see the interior.
**Sorry, force of habit there. This is the ES as is clearly marked on the car and NOT the GS which we've already had in our hands to test.**
Earlier this week Lexus went a bit risky when they fashioned a racing course around the general shape of SI Swimsuit model Tori Praver.
"The Lexus team began," reads the press release, "by photographing Tori -- being sure to capitalize on her curves -- in poses that mimicked the angles and curvature of a true racetrack."
Unfortunately, only two professional drivers were allowed to race around the 1-to-12000-inch scale form of a giant bikini model. Now everyone (with an iOS device) can! Nothing creepy about that. Not even a little.
The game is available now in the app store and rated 12+ fr "infrequent/mild sexual content or nudity" and "infrequent/mild mature/suggestive themes."
This one gives "She's got great curves" new meaning. For its tie-in advertising with the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition, Lexus has designed a race course around the scaled-up dimensions of ultra-hot Tori Praver. They call it the Tori 500.
Racing around the gigantic form of a swimsuit model are Scott Pruett and Greg Tracy. The vehicle is a Lexus GS. The winner gets to give Tori a ride...in the Lexus around, uh, herself. Video after the jump.
Supporting this SI Swimsuit Edition ad campaign is a new iPhone app that will let you crop Tori into your photos. Everyone on Facebook will totally believe she was really there.
Lexus was very clear about things when they revealed the new GS late last year: This was the new face of Lexus.
The hourglass / double-L / spindle look has now been grafted onto the 2013 Lexus RX. A leaked brochure of the Japanese Market 2012 Lexus RX shows the facelift in all of its glory. Beyond the new grille, the 2013 Lexus RX (when it hits our shores) will have LED DRLs.
The New RX also get a new F Sport version for the 350 and the 450h Hybrid. The 450h AWD also gets optional air suspension.
Look for more on this one as soon as New York.
Did you think that just because the Super Bowl is over (I'm going to pretend it didn't happen at all) you weren't going to see any more Super Bowl Ad content? No such luck.
Do you want to see some behind-the-scenes footage of the new Lexus GS? No? Well how about a big dog in a fat suit? Thought so.
Lexus has just released their entry into the Super Bowl ad frenzy with this spot they're calling "The Beast."
Lexus says, "The all-new Lexus GS is showcased in this ad because it's the first model to feature the new look of Lexus and it's also the first of nine new or updated models we'll launch this year."
We say that this commercial is one of the more boring we've seen and is more suited to prime time TBS than the Super Bowl.
Youtube says "no description available" about this video of a Lexus IS-F Crashing at the Tokyo Auto Salon. We agree.
Why a Lexus? Well, the 2011 Lexus GX 460 is based on the Land Cruiser Prado, a smaller version of the Land Cruiser we know that Toyota sells elsewhere in the world. Furthermore, it comes with something called a Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS,) a long way of saying it has front and rear stabilizer bars that automatically decouple to improve off-road articulation.
Standard on the GX since 2010 (and optional since 2004), KDSS is also found in the US on the Land Cruiser (2008-present) and the 4Runner Trail Edition (2010-present.)
Daily driving benefits greatly because such a system allows the GX to be fitted with much larger stabilizer bars than any off-road vehicle could otherwise tolerate. Indeed this Lexus GX460 corners far flatter than other SUVs of similar size and configuration.
KDSS is a hydaulic system that's fully automatic -- there are no switches on the dash because there is no need to turn it on or off. Instead, the front and rear stabilizer bars feature hydraulic cylinders on their left-hand sides, with piping connecting the two and a valve in between.
In a corner, both cylinders are squeezed (right turns) or stretched (left turns) in the same direction. Such "in-phase" loading produces front and rear pressures that are more or less equal, which holds the valve closed to keep those cylinders absolutely rigid so the stabilizer bars can deliver their full roll-resisting effects.
But frame twist off-road conditions -- and our RTI ramp -- produce positive pressure in the cylinder that's being compressed and negative pressure in the one being stretched. Such "out-of-phase" axle articulation causes the valve to pop open, which makes the cylinders go limp and take the stabilizer bars out of the picture.
The Super Bowl is an interesting experience. You watch it at home and you've got 50% of the people tuning in for the game and 50% tuning in to see what commercials they get to talk about at work the next day. In person it's even stranger, aside from the players, it seems only, oh, 10% off the people have actually heard of football.
Frequent Super Bowl commercial watchers will know that Lexus has avoided the uber-expensive ads until now. The star of the show is the all-new 2013 Lexus GS which hits dealers in February, but that's not all. "The spot also will convey that even more products are waiting in the wings and are anxious to hit the road." said Lexus in a statement.
With this announcement, Lexus joins Audi, Suzuki and Kia, all of whom have ads running at Super Bowl XLVI.
Presented in Detroit, the Lexus LF-LC Concept is a front-engine, rear-drive hybrid sport coupe with aspirations of 500 horsepower. But before you start pestering your local Lexus dealer about this beauty, you should know that it's only a concept. It's serving as a showcase for Lexus' design direction at the moment, but if this is where they're heading, we'll be following.
James Riswick let the design expert do the talking. Video after the jump.
Lexus didn't bother discussing the 2013 LX 570 during its press conference yesterday, and rightfully so given that the LX is only getting a minor refresh. Instead, the company's largest and most opulent luxury SUV is just sitting on the Lexus stand in Detroit between a GX 460 and a red LFA.
The changes to the front and rear fascia are pretty obvious compared to the 2008-'10 LX 570. Headlights are now HIDs (and with an $80K price tag, we're surprised they weren't standard before) and the grille has more chrome and a new GS-inspired look to it. There are also LED DRLs. In back, Lexus has cleared the lens for the amber turn signals. You're also looking at a new 20-inch wheel design for the LX and one of the two new paint colors (Nebula Gray Metallic).
Inside, there's a new TFT (that's thin-film transistor, of course) display in a new gauge cluster, and granny's bird's-eye maple trim gives way to more youthful mahogany inlays. Also seen here is the new Parchment interior decor in lieu of the former Cashmere. The 2013 LX 570 also picks up Lexus Enform, meaning that if you know how to use your smartphone and Bluetooth, you can use apps like Pandora and Open Table via the audio-navigation system.
Sales start in early February, and we're told pricing will be released in a couple weeks.
Informally, this may be our favorite car of the 2012 Detroit Auto Show so far. Indeed, the Lexus LF-LC concept looks every bit as good in the metal as in the photos, and after listening to Mark Templin gush over it, we'd be shocked if it hasn't already been given the nod for production -- though undoubtedly with a different name.
Not only does it preview the new iteration of the Lexus design language, the LF-LC has an all-new hybrid drivetrain, Mark Templin, group vice president, told the crowd. We might get a glimpse of what that will entail if the automaker is able to pull off its new LMP1 car in time for 2012 Le Mans.
Also, it turns out that the Lexus Remote Touch Interface (which uses a somewhat clunky mouse-style controller) will have a short lifespan. The LF-LC features an iPad-like controller mounted on the console that allows the driver to interact with a 12-inch navigation display. The gauge pack in this concept car is also a 12-inch LCD.
A few years ago, such hardware would have seemed far-fetched; now Lexus will have to come up with something at least that slick and cutting-edge for the eventual production car.
As an aside, Lexus announced it will release two more factory F-Sport models -- like the GS 350 F-Sport, as opposed to piecemeal accessories catalog stuff. A teaser video that played before the LF-LC unveiling (but which appears at the end of our casually shot video after the jump) suggests those new models will be CT- and IS-based. It also suggests the flagship LS will get a much-needed restyling.
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