Lexus LS 2008 News

Overshadowed by the volume-selling IS sedan and larger, lavishly equipped LS sibling, Lexus is now focusing on the GS.A revised GS range has just been unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show and arrives here in time for the Melbourne Motor Show.The big changes are under the skin, though the car does get a mild cosmetic makeover.The big news is the flagship GS gets the same 4.6-litre V8 as the range-topping LS sedan. The GS460 develops 255kW at 6400 revs and 460Nm at 4100 revs. That's 47kW and 43Nm more than the 4.3-litre GS430, which it replaces.The GS300 and GS450h carry over.Lexus Australia chief executive John Roca says the power gains bring the range-topper in line with the performance of the GS450h.However, compared with the LS460, power and torque are down in the GS460 because it misses out on the LS's direct-injection system.The V8 does share its eight-speed automatic transmission with the LS, which is lighter and more compact in the GS than the six-speed automatic it replaces.Despite the reduced power, the 4.6-litre in the GS is no slouch, hitting 100km/h in 5.8 seconds and reaching a top speed of 240km/h.Roca says apart from improved engines, the sedan gets some small visual tweaks.On the outside there is a chrome grille surround, new integrated indicators in the door mirrors and new alloys.Both bumpers have been restyled.The GS 450h gains several styling cues from other Lexus hybrids, relating to badging and hybrid blue highlights.Inside, audio and telephone controls on the steering wheel have been revised and the boot and fuel filler releases have been moved outside the drop-down switch module.All models now have an input jack for portable music players.For added security, the doors have an automatic locking function triggered when the vehicle is on the move.Roca says GS sales stalled last year, in part because the car was in run out mode.“We will refocus on improving the GS's share this year,” he says.GS sales were down 21 per cent last year, compared with 2006, while overall Lexus sales were up 14.5 per cent.The IS250 remains the best seller in the range, accounting for about half of sales.GS pricing is expected to be decided next month.Roca hopes to hold prices at current levels. That means the entry GS300 Sports should stay close to $95,000 and the new 4.6-litre V8 GS460 about $138,000. 

High-efficiency engines, diesels and hybrids — which have a small petrol engine assisted by an electric motor — are in the spotlight as buyers switch to smaller and smarter cars to avoid being slugged at the petrol bowsers.Small four-cylinder cars with engines around 2.0 litres have become by far the biggest-selling group, and the smaller light-car class — mostly 1.6 litres — is on track to out-sell large cars this year.New diesel models from several brands have been unveiled at the motor show.With the focus on fuel economy, demand for hybrid-engined cars continues to increase. The most economical car on sale is the hybrid Toyota Prius (4.4 litres per 100km), followed by the diesel Citroen C4 (4.5 litres) and Honda Civic Hybrid (4.6 litres).Hybrids have reached the luxury league, with upmarket brand Lexus demonstrating the self-parking system of its $233,000 LS600hL sedan.The 10-day motor show comes as the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission issues a stern “please explain” to oil companies over recent high petrol prices.ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel last week said; “We're bewildered by the fact that they're just so insensitive to community anger and outrage at this sort of situation.”As fuel economy becomes a must-have for many car buyers, the RACQ has made “going green” the theme for its motor show stand.Club staff are advising showgoers on how to save money and help the environment when buying and driving a car, compare vehicle technologies and understand fuel consumption labels.On the stand is the most economical car at the show, running on solar power instead of petrol. It is the University of Queensland's UltraCommuter entrant in last year's World Solar Challenge run from Darwin to Adelaide.Dana Di Labio, 19, from Murrumba Downs in Brisbane's north, said she would consider buying an environmentally friendly car.“Although they are a little bit more expensive, in the long term you save money on fuel, and it puts your mind at rest to know you're doing something for the environment,” she said.RACQ general manager for external relations Gary Fites said; there was no immediate relief in sight for Queensland motorists hit by petrol prices which have doubled over the past decade, while the consumer price index has gone up 30 per cent.Bowser wowsers RACQ tips for money-saving motoring: When buying a car, choose the smallest and most fuel-efficient model that suits your needsCompare fuel consumption informationConsider the lower fixed, annual and operating costs of owning a smaller carWhen your household has more than one car, try to use the more fuel efficient car for most travelChoose local, close destinations where possiblePlan your journeys and activitiesAvoid driving in peak hour congestion if possibleWalk, cycle or take public transport where possibleWhere safely possible, cruise at a reduced speedMinimise accelerating and brakingChange up through the gears as soon as practicalUse airconditioning only when necessaryDon't warm up or idle your engineFill your fuel tank only to the first click of the nozzleKeep your tyre pressure up to the recommended figureRemove unnecessary weight and roof racksService your car regularlyFor more information on fuel economy. 

The right car and a bit of fear can do a great job of clearing a congested road, even in a city as crowded as Tokyo.There is an unwritten law about making space for big black or white limousines — usually a Mercedes-Benz S-Class or a Lexus LS — when you see them pushing their way through traffic.If you see one of these cars blocking a driveway or parked on a corner, it's best to drive on by.That is what the locals do — because Mr Average really does not want to cross paths with whoever might be inside the luxury Lexus or blitzer Benz.It's the same for me. I like my life. One time, crawling along at 15km/h in heavy city traffic, I spot three black S-Class limos in my rear-view mirror and watch as they thread their way through the congestion.Their precision at maintaining single-file formation and their ability to block both lanes by straddling the centre white lines is as eye-popping as it is educational.Yet no one gets upset. No one honks a horn. No one thinks about calling the police.When members of Japanese criminal society yakuza are on the move, you let them go.But why do they choose the cars they do and what is their car culture?The best idea was to sit with someone from the yakuza and ask, but that is something a Japanese writer would never even consider.Why? Because Japanese think it's too direct or even rude to ask such a question.But a foreigner, even one with fluent Japanese after 20 years in the country, has more licence.There are still rules and you can plead ignorance, but you have to be aware that if you cross paths with this underworld society you had better know when you can ask questions and when to shut up and move on.After many weeks of tip-toeing around potential cross-cultural minefields and careful diplomacy to locate a possible candidate, one yakuza boss finally agreed because, as I understood it, he was intrigued with the foreign media.Fighting back the urge to ask him whether he'd seen Michael Douglas's yakuza movie Black Rain, or if he watched the TV series The Sopranos, we agreed to meet in a park in Tokyo.I could tell you the exact location, but then I'd have to kill you. Just kidding.We spoke about cars, brands, status and driving, and his candid replies were unexpected.These guys were not packing weapons, of course, because in Japan the yakuza don't normally carry guns.Even so, the extent of their politeness and concentration on my questions was a surprise.“So, why do you drive an S-Class Mercedes?” I ask.As expected, the boss talks about Mercedes' strong build quality, as well as the car's power and high status levels.“The S-Class has plenty of power, looks good on the road and has a lot of luxury inside. Nothing really comes close, except maybe a Lexus LS,” he said.After one obvious question and a straightforward answer, I push my luck a little.“So why do you use tinted windows?”Without any hint of irritation, he answers: “Because we like our privacy. It also pays when certain people (our rivals) cannot see inside our car.”I query: “But why choose left-hand drive?”He says: “They don't come in right-hand drive, so we settle for left.”That may have been the case 10 years ago in Japan, but now you can get an S-Class in right and left-hand drive.Still, these well-dressed gents will stay with left-hand drive because it commands more status — or generates more fear — and that is very effective at clearing a crowded road.Feeling comfortable with the interview, I ask how they practise for the tight formation driving I witnessed.“I'm not quite sure what you're talking about,” he said, and I realise I am pushing my luck and have used enough of his time.Bowing profusely, I thank the yakuza and humbly excuse myself.Japan is a country of extremes and that is reflected on the road.On the surface, people seem very polite and courteous. And most are.Even road rage is far less of a problem than in many Western countries.Japan is a land steeped in traditional and unwritten rules, and you have to know your place.If you're going to drive in Japan's mega-cities you need to be aware of an underworld organisation that lives a parallel existence to mainstream society.One day it might confront you, so knowing how to respond — or not — is one way to remain on the streets.As the yakuza boss says: “You have to know your place and show the right level of respect. Otherwise things can get out of hand, and quickly.”

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.  

To be launched here later this month, the car was chosen from a list of 28 nominated by journalists from 22 countries including Australia. The announcement was made at the New York International Auto Show. Jurors considered the LS 460 to be “classically luxurious, with modern execution, unquestioned quality and more than ample power”. A green alternative, the LS 600h hybrid will be released later this year. Cars are judged on a number of criteria including styling, quality, performance and safety. The top three contenders were the Lexus, Audi TT and the Mini. The TT won the design award, while Audi's RS4 won the performance car trophy and Mercedes-Benz E320 BLUETEC won the green car award. First winner of the three-year-old award was the Audi A6 in 2005, followed last year by the BMW 3 Series.

Where manufacturers have previously pursued one environmental solution, most are now embracing multiple strategies to the high-profile problem.GM chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner best summed up the industry's new multi-pronged environmental strategy as energy diversity.He referred to alternate energy sources such as electricity, ethanol, biofuels, compressed natural gas, hydrogen and combinations of these working happily together in the same vehicle.Wagoner says GM will also continue to seek improved efficiency from internal combustion petrol and diesel engines and expand its commitment to electric power.GM will introduce a test fleet of 100 hydrogen-powered Chevrolet Equinox fuel cell vehicles in the US this year and 10 in Europe, he says.Other car companies working on alternate powertrain solutions, such as Kia, also pledged to introduce test fleets, particularly for government evaluation.The first of GM's new energy strategies to be introduced in Australia could be the extension of the Saab Biopower range from the 9-5 to the 9-3 model range, including vehicles running on 100 per cent biofuel.GM has also developed a new cleaner turbo diesel V6 engine which could power the new Holden VE Commodore.Wagoner confirmed that the 184kW 2.9-litre Italian-made engine would be compatible with the VE chassis, but he could not confirm its application in the Australian market. A GM Holden spokesman says the company will consider the engine.Mercedes-Benz has started its push to clean up diesel emissions with a detox system called BlueTec. It is claimed to reduce nitrous-oxides (NOX) from the exhaust by up to 90 per cent compared with previous diesels.The German firm has introduced BlueTec in its upper-luxury E320 sedan in the US market and will follow that up with three more models next year. The E320 and the follow-up R320 people mover, ML320 SUV and GL320 4WD will be released in Europe in 2008 and are expected here later in 2008 or early 2009.Volkswagen showed a Passat and a Polo with the technology, the latter capable of a low 102g of CO2 and greatly reduced NOX.Japanese makers are aggressively pushing hybrids. They are led in this by Lexus, which announced it is making more hybrids combining electric motors with petrol engine models than conventional petrol-fuelled vehicles.Geneva launched the Lexus LS600h luxury saloon that it claims has the power of a V12 with the economy of a V6. It has a V8 petrol engine combined with an electric motor to deliver 327kW. Yet Lexus claims the lavishly-equipped saloon will get an average fuel consumption of only 9.5-l/100km while having a CO2 emission level of less than 220g.Toyota showed a hybrid concept sedan, the Hybrid X, that is more a styling exercise than a mechanical marvel. Then there is the Toyota FT-HS hybrid sports car that combines a 3.5-litre petrol V6 with an electric motor; a car that doesn't ignore performance or style.But while Europe is going diesel and Japan is leaning towards hybrids, there is some blurring of technologies.Honda announced a NOX-depleting system similar to BlueTec and says it will be fitted to its diesel-powered cars. It plans to launch its new diesels within three years, first in the US and later in Europe and Australia.At the same time, Honda says it will make its fuel-cell electric car available to selected buyers by next year, making it likely to be the world's first car maker to make a production fuel cell passenger car.The new Honda, which uses hydrogen gas and air to produce electricity to power electric motors, is based on its long-standing FCX concept vehicle.To keep its feet in all camps, Honda plans to introduce a small-car hybrid that is currently in concept form.The Small Hybrid Sport shows that even hybrids can be fun and sexy.Subaru unveiled its 2-litre turbo-diesel engine that will go into European models later this year but won't come to Australia until at least late 2008. It is Subaru's first diesel and has been devised to improve sales in diesel-crazy Europe.Meanwhile, BMW and DaimlerChrysler have announced they will join forces to create a new hybrid system for the premium car segment.Both companies plan on introducing the new technology into rear-wheel-drive models within the next three years.A BMW spokesman says the technologies will be tailored to fit the specific character of the different vehicles.And, two battery city cars were among the show oddities, including the Zebra which was painted like animal fur.