Lexus LF Reviews

It will sit below the existing IS250 sedan and is aimed directly at the 1 Series, with a likely starting price below $50,000.The plan points to a compact hatchback body, rear-wheel drive and a range of sporty engines with the emphasis on six-cylinder power and refinement. But there is an equal chance that Lexus could head into the crossover field, making the newcomer a small all-wheel-drive wagon.The car is not officially confirmed, although Lexus executives are open in their discussion of the project.“I believe in the strong necessity to include an entry-level Lexus model,” the executive vice-president of Toyota Motor Corporation, Tokuichi Uranishi, says.“It's not decided. It's just an idea at this moment.”But it is an idea, which is already being welcomed by Lexus in Australia.“We are getting a lot of requests for that sort of car,” the head of Lexus in Australia, John Rocca, says.“And, looking at our competitors, there is certainly a market there for it.”Uranishi says a baby Lexus would help the brand to improve its average CO2 emissions, offsetting the poor scores of heavyweights including the LandCruiser-based LX, but Rocca can see other advantages.“What it brings to the brand is another model, for starters. And market share,” he says.“I think the advantage we would have is that, having the Toyota brand, there is credibility that we can build a car that size. Similar to what we have already experienced with SUVs in the brand.”Lexus is pushing hard in Australia with six models from the IS through to the upcoming change for the LX500.The heavyweight four-wheel drive is expected to be a star in 2008, lifting the current sales rate of 12 cars a month to more than 50. The improvement will also be helped by a two-level strategy to set a competitive price point against rivals including the BMW X5, Porsche Cayenne and Mercedes ML.Rocca says the new models are the key to Lexus's plans to fight BMW and Mercedes for luxury car sales leadership in Australia.“We've got a pretty aggressive business plan that we are putting through at the moment,” he says.“It's reliant on product, but we have to plan out to 2015. It will range from 16,000 to 24,000 sales a year."“Plans like that are driven by product. But in the short term it will be driven through the dealer network. We need to expand the network."“At the moment we're at 22 and by 2015 we'd like to be at 38 dealerships. Most of the expansion will be rural and we're trialling the Japanese image, which has been used for setting up the brand there."“We're adopting that in Australia as a trial in Perth. The first of the new-look dealerships opens there in January.” 

Now capable of becoming a stand-alone car company; its road ahead is destined to be as a low-volume, premium-quality manufacturer. Nothing better illustrates this intention than Lexus's long-term fore

General Motors outsold Toyota in the first nine months of the year, regaining its position as the world's largest car maker in what has become a close race between the two rivals.Toyota's performance was hit in the last quarter by a near 5 per cent drop in sales in the US, where it has also recently suffered the defection of three key executives to competitors.The Japanese car maker, which sold more vehicles than GM in the first half of the year, yesterday reported global sales of 7.05 million units through to September, compared with GM's 7.06 million.Toyota said it still aimed to achieve annual group sales of 9.42 million units, a target that would probably allow it to steal the title of the world's top car maker from GM at year end, despite falling behind its US rival in the first nine months of the year.GM, like Toyota, suffered from sliding US sales in the latest quarter, but is selling record numbers of vehicles in emerging markets such as Brazil and China.The US car maker said last week that it was heading for its second-best annual sales performance. The company recorded peak sales of 9.55 million vehicles in 1978 and sold 9.1 million last year.Executives at Toyota have sought to play down publicly the car maker's expected replacement of GM in the industry's number one spot, while the American company still describes itself as 'the world's largest auto maker.'Toyota's sales in the US dropped in each month of the last quarter, its longest run of declines in more than a decade.Shares in the Japanese group closed 2.1 per cent lower at Y6120 ($60) in a weaker market.Toyota attributed its summer slump to slower sales of its Corolla compact, which is at the end of its model lifespan, and of Scion, its US youth brand, which is also poised for a model makeover. The Corolla is one of Toyota's best-selling vehicles but sales dropped 29 per cent year on year in July and 13 per cent in August.In addition to a slower US market, Toyota has also been hit recently by the departure of two top executives from its Lexus luxury brand and of Jim Press, its long-serving head of North American operations, who last month left to join Chrysler. 

Lexus is debuting its new intelligent park assist system at the Australian International Motor Show, with demonstrations showing how the car can take control and park itself. It is the first time the system is available on a production vehicle in Australia, although the technology has previously been seen overseas in a Toyota Prius. In Australia, the system is currently standard on the recently released Lexus LS460 and it will also be a feature on the soon-to-be-released hybrid, the LS600hL. But saving face doesn't come cheap. The new hybrid will carry around a $250,000 price tag, which also includes reclining ottoman seats in the rear. And the LS460 is already available for about $185,000. The system uses a rear camera and ultrasonic sensors to identify parking spaces; then calculates the correct steering angle to guide you into the chosen spot. Steering is controlled automatically and all the driver needs to worry about is controlling speed by using the brake. Lexus Australia advertising and PR manager Matt Tannock said; one of the key benefits of the self-parking system is customers don't have to worry about damaging their car while parking. And while it is currently only available in the two models, Mr Tannock said customer demand will determine if it becomes an industry standard and even spreads to other manufacturers. “The whole idea of taking your hands off the wheel and reverse parking a vehicle would be understandably different from any normal driving experience,” he said. “Once customers observe the IPA and understand how it can benefit them, there is no doubt demand for such technology will become standard in the future.” And while there is a lot of technology that can be found at the Motor Show in the 500 different models on display, this is the only one where you can see it in action, with demonstrations held every hour for the duration of the show. And it has been attracting plenty of curious onlookers during the week, although some are a little cynical. Fay Sheeley from Victoria was skeptical, saying that if you can not back your vehicle car into a parking spot, you really should not have your licence. Monique Selton, who does the parking demonstrations at the Motor Show for Lexus, said the system was easy to use and very practical. The LS600hL in which the parking technology features, is the world's first petrol-electric V8 hybrid and equals a V12 in performance. And it does so without costing a fortune at the pump. It has the fuel economy of a medium-sized car and its claimed consumption is just 9.3-litres per 100km. The new intelligent park assist technology is on display in the LS600hL at the Lexus stand. Tonight the show focus swings to fashion with the first of three nights of parades. Designer Ruby Smallbone will showing a collection at the Peugeot stand from 6.30pm. The Australian International Motor Show is on until 21 October 2007.   How it works The driver slowly drives past an intended parking space The sonar sensors detect the available space before stopping just beyond the space. Driver shifts into reverse gear and selects the parallel parking option. It calculates both the parking trajectory and required steering angle, while a view of the target car park is projected on to the centre console's touch-screen. The driver then activates the system by releasing the brake pedal and the car begins reversing at a slow speed. The system monitors vehicle speed and automatically controls the electric power steering to guide the vehicle into the parking spot. It automatically controls the steering but the driver controls the speed and stopping of the vehicle using the brake pedal.  

Then there's this - the IS F. If Godzilla wore a business suit, this is very likely the car he’d drive to work. The first in a series of specialised “F” cars for Lexus, it’s Japan's answer to Germany's high-performance V8 mid-sizers such as BMW's M3 and Audi’s RS4. Carsguide was given a preview ahead of its appearance at the Australian International Motor Show on Thursday. The Lexus is the first ultra-fast sports sedan from Toyota's luxury division. An apparently 5.0-litre V8 has been shoehorned into an engine bay that normally hosts a powerplant of half that capacity, driven through the world's first eight-speed direct sport shift gearbox and the rear wheels. In order to be competitive with the usual suspects, the F car needed to achieve the 0-100km/h sprint in less than five seconds – 4.9, which is their precise claim. Lexus product planning manager Jeff Shafer relates preliminary specifications of “more than 300kW and more than 470Nm” to move its approximately 1.7 tonne kerb weight, distributed 54:46 per cent front-to-rear. As to the nomenclature, the “F” code signifies those special vehicles that are removed from the Lexus engineering and development mainstream. And, as it happens, much of the IS F development took place under Yukihiko Yaguchi at Fuji Speedway at the foot of Mt Fuji, an aptly volcanic backdrop for the car in question. Shafer is one of the chosen few to have driven the near-production IS F. While he says that Mr Yaguchi was “adamant that the IS F had to have the instant sensory elements of driving” it also needed to be sufficiently civilised to be a daily driver. In both respect, Shafer says the IS F is well-served by its all-new eight-speed Direct Sport-shift Transmission (DSS). A new torque-converter lock-up control was developed that allows for a direct, crisp gear change through the constant lock-up of the torque converter in second through eighth gear. In Drive mode, the transmission is skewed toward smoothness, and the torque converter allows for enhanced launch capability. For more frenetic deployment, manual mode allows fingertip shifting via the steering wheel-mounted paddles - the fastest changing of its type, Shafer says. Downshifts are accompanied by automated and precise throttle blips to match engine RPM to vehicle speed. Unlike the current and conventional IS, the Drive mode can be temporarily overridden by the paddles without engaging manual mode. So you can engine brake into a corner in your chosen cog and allow the torque converter to take over as you emerge. A smarter-than-ever Vehicle Dynamic Integrated Management System (VDIM) manages power delivery, braking response and suspension settings, all of which are changeable at the push of a button. Indeed, this newest VDIM has three modes, with the Sport mode providing what Shafer says is greater latitude before the electronic safety measure intervenes. Of course you can simply switch the thing off altogether and go your hardest, so it’s a good thing that this is underwritten by purpose-specced Brembo brakes. The standard wheels are custom 19-inch forged-alloy BBS number shod with 225/40R19s at the front and 255/35R19 for the rear. Of course, the F rides on a dropped and tightened suspension. These are also the subtlest visual hints the F is a departure. Other exterior pointers run to a bonnet that bulges to accommodate the bigger engine, a bespoke body kit and quad exhaust pipes. The interior is similarly understated but striking with aluminium composite trim, special surface treatments and F logo on the steering wheel and rear-centre console. The most obvious departure from the norm is that the F seats four not five, albeit in cosseting and supportive sport buckets. No doubt some will find the visual cues insufficiently bling, but anything more overt would be at odds with the executive express segment at which Lexus are aiming. The metallic blue of the car we were shown is the range’s signature colour, one that is intended to suggest a “flame when it gets to 1500 degrees”. On the face of it, the IS F will be hot enough for the Germans to feel the heat. See this car at the Australian International Motor Show  

Mercedes-Benz has launched an extensive value-added campaign to hit back at aggressive incursions into its customer base by luxury rivals. With BMW, Audi and Lexus all improving market share ahead of Mercedes, the once-dominant luxury leader has added equipment and technology across its range.While the additional features are accompanied by price increases up to $5100, Mercedes insists the overall value equation is a positive for customers.Mercedes-Benz Australia's Horst von Sanden says the widespread moves are not simply a knee-jerk reaction to the success of other luxury brands.“We have spent a lot of time listening to our customers about what they need and want in their new Mercedes-Benz and these changes are commensurate with their feedback,” von Sanden says.“These model revisions have been in development for some time. The all-new C-Class was the first car in our range to benefit from this new approach to our product strategy.”Von Sanden says Mercedes has undertaken extensive research into what customers want in each of the product ranges. “As I have previously stated, leadership is not solely about numbers. Mercedes-Benz's goal is to be able to offer the best possible products and services to customers in order to exceed their expectations,” von Sanden says.Mercedes claims that about 70 per cent of the model range has benefited from the upgrades with much of the additional equipment, such as side and curtain airbags, the night-vision system and keyless start systems, previously having been offered as optional extras.BMW holds a comfortable lead in the luxury passenger car market this year with almost 1500 more sales than Mercedes.Mercedes has improved its sales figure by just 1.7 per cent over last year, while BMW is up more than 7 per cent and Audi, from a much lower base, is 43 per cent ahead of where it was in 2006. Lexus is showing an 11per cent improvement for the same period. 

Toyota Australia is planning to build a hybrid version of its family-sized Camry or Aurion and have it on sale within four years.Toyota's head of sales and marketing, Dave Buttner says one will get the hybrid petrol-battery system.Toyota sells three imported hybrids, the Prius, based on the Corolla; a Lexus prestige sedan, the GS450h; and all-wheel-drive wagon, the RX400h, while a V8 luxury saloon, the LS600hl is due later this year.The home-grown hybrid would be built on the same lines as the Camry and Aurion at Toyota's Altona plant.“We want to be the first local manufacturer with green credentials. We want to be known as the company that was first to market,” Buttner says. “We want to be the leader on this issue. We have been looking at the Camry and Aurion for the hybrid and it's looking like the Aurion. It will go on sale in 2011 or 2012.”Toyota has been encouraged by the take-up rate of its hybrid Prius.“When launched, 3 per cent of sales went to private buyers, now it's 39 per cent,” Buttner says."Demand for our Lexus hybrids is double (our) expectations."  

Warning luxury SUV drivers. The following article contains words and images that may disturb some readers. You see, we did something that many owners of luxury “soft-roaders” would never contemplate. We actually took the vehicle off road.After all, the Lexus RX400h is classed as a Sports Utility Vehicle: sports meaning sporty I suppose, and it has a bit of that about it, because it looks sharp and goes great, and utility meaning all-rounder I would imagine.OK, you wouldn't throw your tool box in the back, or haul a bogged cow from one paddock to another, but sport and utility surely mean that this vehicle is meant for fun and that means getting off the beaten track occasionally.When I first learnt that I was taking the new RX400h for this trip, I logged on to the Lexus website to get a brief rundown on what I could expect when I got behind the wheel.What really grabbed my attention, though, were the options, it didn't have any.This car has everything as standard; there's power everything, heated leather seating, sat-nav, a DVD system, dual climate-control airconditioning, airbags everywhere and the list goes on and on.But what sets this vehicle apart from its rivals in the luxury SUV class, is its hybrid drive system.It really is a wonderful piece of technology. In a nutshell, it has a 3.3-litre V6 petrol engine, supplemented by three electric drive motors (two up front, one in the rear).Using electrical energy generated by the petrol motor, it then powers the two electric front motors, and when needed, the rear electric motor, for a combined output of 200kW.The really cool part is that even when you hit the brakes, the Regenerative Braking system captures the kinetic energy, which is normally wasted. This energy is then converted into electrical energy, which is used to charge the battery. Confused?The real benefits are the excellent fuel consumption and much lower engine emissions compared with normal petrol and diesel drivetrains. In the nearly 700km of combined urban highway and dirt road bashing that we undertook on this mission, it drank an average of about 10 litres per 100km, which is very impressive for a two-tonne car.Yes, that's a lot of car, especially for what is essentially a mid-sized SUV. For just under $100,000, you would expect plenty as well.As with all Lexus vehicles, everything is done well. But despite all the bling of this car, I didn't find myself overwhelmed by the fact I was in a $100,000 luxury car.The leather seats were comfortable, but slippery and unsupportive on tight cornering.The handling was adequate, and the ride was smooth and quiet, but hardly sporty. Dials and instruments were all user-friendly and accessible. The sat-nav system was very functional but took some getting used to.Once on the open road though, the RX400h was at its best. Fuel consumption plummeted and, when required the V6 had plenty to spare, with effortless overtaking.When we hit the well-maintained dirt roads just out of Canberra, the RX400h remained comfortable and able, although we did notice some rear-wheel loss of traction at times.This car had road tyres fitted, so better-gripping all-rounders may have made all the difference. The Brindabellas make the drive well worthwhile. If you plan to stay the night, there are many popular camping spots on the approach to Wee Jasper.Banjo Paterson part-owned a property on the banks of the lovely Goodradigbee River, so his children could get a taste of country life.We also decided to set-up camp next to the river at Billy Grace Reserve. Equipped with hot showers, flushing toilets and a hospitable ranger who cut wood for our fire, which was needed. From the reserve it is only a short drive to the village itself. Here you can find a tavern and general store that serves the 100-odd residents, and trailer loads of holiday campers who flock to this pretty town bordering the Burrinjuck Dam to fish, camp, swim and waterski.We decided to visit Carey's cave, just out of town. This is a magnificent limestone system dating back about 40 million years.So back to the Lexus. Being the only AWD available in Australia, it's a compelling argument for purchase if you have a spare $100,000 and require all the extras.But most of the “luxury” items were simply unnecessary and if something in this vehicle's array of extras were to go on the blink, then it could be catastrophic.

Other brands before it have taken on a sideline of “hero car” models where sports looks and high performance earn the brand extra status. Lexus can make this move with justification: Lexus cars do race in various categories overseas, including at the famed Japan Fuji Speedway. And it's that first letter, F, that will mark the Lexus premium performance vehicles. First car in Australia, in about a year, will be the IS-F based on the existing compact IS250 which now has a 2.5-litre V6 engine delivering 153kW of power. The IS-F hot version will be aimed at European performance sedans. There's even talk of it running a five-litre V8 of 300kW, an eight-speed transmission (from the LS460 flagship saloon, perhaps) and limited slip differential to get better power to the ground. Lexus Australia manager John Roca says the IS-F signals the expansion of the Lexus range outside its traditional luxury-vehicle segment. “This IS-F is the embodiment of performance,” he says. “Just by looking at the vehicle, you know that it is something special. It will be the ultimate in performance cars and Lexus's first performance-specific model.” Lexus sister brand Toyota is about to release its performance version here, the TRD Aurion - the V6 has been supercharged to give a predicted 235kW of power. Holden performance arm HSV is doing well in sales while Ford has its Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) and Mitsubishi is preparing a supercharged 380 V6, with 230kW of power being suggested.  

Mercedes and BMW have luxury-loaded battle wagons for $300,000-plus. Suzuki's local headliner is the Grand Vitara four-wheel-drive and Proton has to get by with the Gen.2 baby hatch.But there is no flagship quite like the new Lexus LS.Australia has just had details of the new V8 Lexus LS460 but, barely a week later, it has been overtaken by a car called the LS600hL.It is a serious, tick-all-the-boxes headliner for Lexus, for Japan, and for hybrids.Lexus has gone all the way with its commitment to petrol-electric hybrids by creating the first flagship of any brand that has a green footprint.It is still more than two tonnes and the fuel economy is never going to rival a diesel-engined Peugeot 207, but it is a huge commitment by Toyota as it overtakes General Motors as the world's largest carmaker.The LS600hL — cryptic for 6.0-litre performance, hybrid drive and long wheelbase — will reach Australia in a couple of months. The price should be in about $240,000, based on the $184,900 of the LS460.Final details are being decided, but the car will have incredible luxury and technology, from a self-parking system to LED headlamps, a device that monitors driver fatigue, and even a reclining rear passenger seat with shiatsu massager.On the hybrid front, Lexus has gone all-out with a 5.0-litre V8 with battery-electric booster, all-wheel drive and a constantly variable transmission that can mimic an eight-speed manual.“This car is the symbol of the Lexus brand. It is like a president or the chairman of a company, not just responsible for itself, but for everyone in the group,” chief engineer of the LS hybrid Osamu Sadakata says.“When conceiving the 600h, we didn't set out to build a hybrid car. First we thought about the level of performance and social responsibility required for a premium car. Then we started thinking about what kind of powertrain we needed. The answer was the hybrid.”Sadakata says the new LS has the performance to match a V12 petrol limousine, with the fuel economy and CO2 emission of a V6.That means a 0-100km/h sprint of 6.3 seconds, a limited top of 250km/h, and a claimed combined fuel economy of 9.3 litres for 100km.In some ways the arrival of the 600h is a return to the start for Lexus, which broke the mould in 1989 with its original LS flagship.The question is how many customers will want the car, and if so, as a green machine or for the gadgets.Lexus Australia is forecasting sales of five to 10 cars a month, or about half the volume of the regular LS460, and is still working on the final price and specification.It intends to sell it as a regular five-seater and with the four-seat cabin that is compulsory with the shiatsu recliner — which crimps front-passenger space — but is not sure of the breakdown.But all will have the long-wheelbase body, which puts an extra 120mm into the rear-passenger space.“It will be almost a built-to-order car,” Lexus Australia sales operations manager Andrew Caie says.“It's a toe-in-the water for us. A lot of LS buyers have been lining up for the car, so it will take a while to clear those before we go out to new buyers.”Caie is not firm on final details because of the price and position of the 600h.“The planning volume is not really huge. That's one of the reasons we have not locked everything down.“We aren't going to go out and sell thousands. This is a very different perspective even from the LS460.”But he does confirm the LS600hL will be the first Lexus over the $200,000 mark.“We probably have a few months before we know the final price.”The bottom line will include leather seats, twin DVD screens, 19-speaker sound, 17-inch alloy wheels, four-zone automatic airconditioning, a rear cooler bin and safety gear ranging from front/curtain/knee airbags, an airbag to stop rear-seat passengers sliding into the footwell in a serious crash, a pre-crash system, radar cruise control and a fully integrated vehicle dynamics system including stability control, anti-skid brakes and adaptive air suspension.On the roadTHE LS hybrid creates a sensory overload. There is so much technology, so much luxury, it is difficult to know where to start.It is easy to slide into the reclining shiatsu massager and fire up a DVD for relaxation, or talk to the Japanese engineers to hear the inside story of the engine and transmission and all-wheel drive.But it all fades to background when I crank the speedometer towards 240km/h on a German autobahn arrowing out from Frankfurt — the obvious choice for the preview, because it is Benz-BMW-Audi home ground — and submerge in the luxury, the quiet, the refinement and the surprisingly good driving experience.The long-wheelbase LS is the best car Lexus has created, as expected. It has cracking performance, is stable and responsive in corners, is supremely quiet, and has every luxury trinket possible.It does not have the personality of a BMW or Benz, but Lexus has always gone softly to avoid offending potential owners. And it wants people to choose their car for different reasons.So to the hybrid drive. The LS is electric-car quiet around a carpark, but there is no mistaking the howl of its 5.0-litre V8 when I sink the foot on a wide-open autobahn.Or the stop-light potential of a total package that delivers a combined 327kW and 820Nm.The LSh will also drop down to about 8 litres for 100km on a gentle cruise and, despite its heft, Lexus says its CO2 output is lower than the regular 460.There is so much in the 600h that I could write a book about the technology and frame an essay on how it feels and drives and responds.It is enough to say that it is the world's most techno-driven car and it delivers everything wanted from a Lexus flagship.Does the world need a car such as this?Probably not, but I said much the same thing when Lexus introduced the original LS and when Toyota unveiled its first Prius hybrid.Those cars started something new and there is every chance the LS600hL will be carving out fresh territory and previewing technology that will eventually be as common as electric windows are in today's economy compacts. Fast Facts: LEXUS LS600hLON SALE: SeptemberPRICE: Estimate $240,000ENGINE: 5.0-litre V8 engine with series/parallel hybrid drive, 650-volt electric motor and nickel-metal hydride batteryPOWER: 327kW combined (290kW at 6400 revs, V8 only)TORQUE: 800Nm combined (520Nm at 4000 revs, V8 only)TRANSMISSION: Eight-speed constantly-variable automatic, all-wheel driveWEIGHT: 2320kgFUEL ECONOMY: 9.3 litres/100km (claimed combined)CO OUTPUT: 219g/km (claimed combined)