2012 Lexus LS Reviews

Lexus believes four-wheel steer could give it the edge over its competitors in the competitive sports sedan segment. The system has the rear wheels turn at the same time as the front ones -- but only a small amount -- to help the car through corners. The idea gained some traction with Japanese car makers in the 80s, notably with cars like the Honda Prelude and Mazda MX-6 coupe. At the time, it was touted as the next big thing but the system was clunky and could be expensive to repair if things went wrong. That was then this is now. Technology has moved on and BMW already offers the system with its 5 and 7 Series models and Lexus introduced four-wheel steer in the first of its cars last year with its GS line. It has also been trialling the system in the smaller IS range in Japan and the Australian arm of the company is keen to get a piece of that action. Lexus Australia boss Sean Hanley believes it could give the car a much-needed competitive edge. HOW IT WORKS Lexus calls its system Dynamic Rear Steering (DRS), and has it turn the rear wheels of the car two per cent – a seemingly tiny amount but enough to make a difference to the cornering. At low speeds the rear wheels turn in the opposite direction to the front wheels to reduce the car's turning circle and the level of steering effort required. But at speeds of more than 80km/h, the rear wheels turn in the same direction as the front wheels. This makes the steering more responsiveness and gives it an intuitive feel at medium speeds, plus greater stability and vehicle posture for increased safety and comfort at higher speeds. The net result is the turning circle is reduced by almost half a metre at parking speeds and it also reduces the tendency of rear wheel drive vehicles like those produced by Lexus to step out or oversteer in a corner. We had the opportunity to put a car fitted with the rear wheel steer system through its paces on a recent trip to Japan. Unfortunately we had no car with standard steering to compare it with and Lexus has apparently not quantified the difference it makes to track times (although we thought that would have been an obvious thing to do). Having said that the car was plenty of fun to drive. WHEN MIGHT WE SEE IT HERE? Lexus wants to add the system to its F Sport models. "We think it gives us another progressive edge in the market place," Hanley says. "And the other thing is that it is significantly well developed now. So we're bringing to market a very credible technology, with great safety and performance that is aligned very very well to Lexus's innovative and fun to drive performance car strategy." At this stage the system is available only in Japan but it is under evaluation for other markets. If it is approved for overseas use it is likely to find its way into Aussie cars within the next year or so, probably when the car receives its mid-life facelift. Rear or four-wheel steer is part of the Lexus Dynamic handling System (LDHS) that features the world's first integration of Dynamic Rear Steering (DRS), Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS), Variable Gear Ratio Steering (VGRS) and Electric Power Steering (EPS}.

It was a dream come true. The opportunity to drive a supercar on one of the most famous race tracks in the world. We're talking about Fuji Speedway in Japan and of course Japan's very own supercar.

Lexus has re-launched its ES Line of luxury mid-sized sedans after a break of seven years.

Lexus has given the Lexus CT200h a mid-life upgrade for 2014, and released images ahead of the hybrid five-door hatchback's official unveiling later this month. The revision shows changes to exterior styling, including the new spindle grille that's been spreading across the Lexus family's faces. Restyled bumpers and alloy wheel designs largely comprise the rest of the facelift, with no word of any changes under the bonnet. The CT200h is likely to carry over its Prius-sourced drivetrain, with a 73kW/142Nm 1.8-litre engine coupled with a 60kW/207Nm electric motor -- which also performs the role of generator and starter motor -- and mated to a continuously-variable transmission. There was some thought that Toyota may update to a lithium-ion battery pack, moving on from the heavy and less efficient nickel-metal hydride. However the cheapness of the latter is likely to have won out, especially as Lexus is expected to be looking at strategic pricing that could lower the CT200h's $39,990 entry price to better arm it against the latest crop of rivals in the premium hatch sector. More details will be revealed when the CT200h is unveiled at the Guangzhou Motor Show in China on November 21, and is set to arrive here in the first half of next year. This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott    

The cut-price Lexus ES sedan has made a return, although it is no longer the entry model that it used to be.

Audi is a brand on the march, and its marketing people are proud of it. This Christmas-themed ad for Audi in the US takes another stab at rivals BMW, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz, and suggests  that the appeal of the four-ringed brand is enough to encourage owners of the other premium brands to donate their keys to charity.  Earlier this year, another Audi US ad suggested that the other brands create typecast images of their owners, and that the Audi image is above such typecasting. Well that's Audi's opinion anyway.     Watch the desktop version of the Audi donation ad here.    This reporter is on Twitter: @Malcolm Flynn    

Lexus has updated its LF-NX compact SUV concept for the coming Tokyo motor show, giving it a cosmetic touch-up around the nose and a new turbo engine in the lead-up to its move to production status. Largely unchanged in appearance from the car revealed at Frankfurt motor show in September, the LF-NX has sprouted a front under-lip spoiler integrated into the nose's aggressive styling -- much of which is aerodynamically functional, with styling cues such as the vertical lines performing as an air curtain and helping channel air flow to the front brakes. Under the bonnet it gets a newly developed 2.0-litre turbocharged engine -- likely to morph into a NX200t variant when the new Toyota RAV4-based compact SUV hits production. When that happens, expect it to be joined by a NX300h hybrid, with a new version of the Lexus Hybrid Drive system. Other variants may follow, as Lexus positions the NX to steal some of the success of the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLA Class. The concept will be unveiled at Tokyo motor show on November 20, and more details about the planned progress to production time could be revealed then. This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott  

We turn the spotlight on the car world's newest and brightest stars and ask the big questions, including the most important -- would you buy one?

Lexus has reintroduced the ES nameplate to Australia, with an all-new four-model lineup that undercuts the previous ES by up to $12,500. Sitting between between the existing Lexus IS and GS lineups, the new ES range defies Lexus convention by pricing the new ES 300h hybrid variants beneath the petrol-only ES 350 by $2000 across Luxury and Luxury Sports trim levels. “The decision to lead ES pricing with the hybrid is a result of higher consumer demand and the commercialisation of hybrid technology,” Lexus Australia chief executive Sean Hanley says. “More than 30 per cent of Lexus customers locally choose hybrid as their preferred drivetrain and we believe ES will grow that proportion as we edge ever closer to our goal of 50 per cent hybrid.” The ES 300h Luxury kicks off the range at $63,000, with the Sports Luxury grade commanding a $9000 premium for either driveline – topping off with the ES 350 Sports Luxury at $74,000. The previous fourth-generation ES exited the Australian market in 2006 with its single-spec priced at $76,500, and the new model follows its predecessors with a mid-sized body and front-wheel drivetrain. Australia missed out on the fifth-generation ES range due to a lack of right-hand drive availability, and Lexus Australia lobbied hard to plug the resulting gap in their lineup with the new model. "Over the past seven years, luxury vehicle customers have been looking for a vehicle like ES and we are happy to welcome them to the Lexus family," Hanley added. The price-leading ES 300h Luxury comes with partial leather trim, satnav, reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, glass sunroof, 10 airbags, eight-speaker audio, proximity keys, air-purifying dual zone climate control, digital radio, Lexus Remote Touch driver interface, multiple drive mode selection and 17 inch alloys. A $3000 Enhancement Pack is available for the entry ES 300h Luxury, which adds a Pre-Collision safety system and active cruise control. These features are standard on the rest of the ES lineup, with Sport Luxury versions of both models also gaining semi-aniline leather trim, three-zone climate control, HID headlamps, unique 17 inch alloys, 15-speaker Mark Levinson Audio, heated front and rear seats with ventilation on the fronts, powered boot lid, manual side sun shades, rear centre armrest-mounted ventilation, audio and sunroof controls. Both models come with a full-size alloy spare wheel, with the ES 350’s 490L boot dropping to 420L for the ES 300h, and losing the petrol models' ski port boot access.  ES 300h hybrid models are powered by a 151kW transversely-mounted version of the 2.5-Litre four cylinder petrol-electric drivetrain fitted to the smaller IS 300h with a six-step CVT auto. Petrol-only ES 350 models come with a 204kW 3.5-Litre V6 -- as seen in the RX 350 SUV – tied to a six-speed torque converter automatic. Lexus is yet to confirm official fuel figures for the new ES lineup, but both ES 300h models qualify for the Luxury Car Tax exemption for fuel-efficient vehicles. Full details will be available after the official launch in early November. PRICING Lexus ES 300h Luxury – $63,000 Lexus ES 300h Sports Luxury - $72,000 Lexus ES 350 Luxury – $65,000 Lexus ES 350 Sports Luxury - $74,000   This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn  

I go weak at the knees just thinking about big 4WDs with V8 engines.