Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[REPORT: Lexus preparing soft-top SC430 successor]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/09/report-lexus-preparing-soft-top-sc430-successor/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/09/report-lexus-preparing-soft-top-sc430-successor/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/09/report-lexus-preparing-soft-top-sc430-successor/#commentsFiled under: , ,


2009 Lexus SC430 Pebble Beach Edition - Click above for high-res image gallery

While the Lexus IS C is enjoying strong early sales and the luxury Toyota marque prepares to launch a version with the 5.0-liter V8 from the IS F, the top-of-the-line SC 430 grows increasingly irrelevant and long-in-the-tooth. However, contrary to reports that surfaced this time last year - 'tis the season for convertibles, after all - Lexus is indeed planning a successor to the range-topping coupe-cabrio.

Reports indicate that, far from the IS C replacing the aging SC 430, a clean-slate successor to the big roadster is in the planning stages. Because the SC has been around so long, Toyota's designers and engineers are reportedly going back to the drawing board. What they're apparently coming up with eschews the current model's complex folding hard top - one of the first on the market after the Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4 Spyder and Mercedes SLK - in favor of a simpler, lighter folding soft top.

With a new SC 430, an IS F convertible and a potential LF-A roadster all in the pipeline, the forecast looks sunny for Lexus.

[Source: Car and Driver]

REPORT: Lexus preparing soft-top SC430 successor originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>is cis fis250cis350cIsCIsFlexuslexus is clexus is flexus is f convertiblelexus is250 convertiblelexus is250clexus is350 convertiblelexus is350clexus sclexus sc430LexusIs250cLexusIs250ConvertibleLexusIs350cLexusIs350ConvertibleLexusIsCLexusIsFLexusIsFConvertibleLexusScLexusSc430scSC 430Sc430Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Review: 2009 Lexus IS F pursues perfection, might need more personality]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/05/review-2009-lexus-is-f-pursues-perfection-might-need-more-personality/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/05/review-2009-lexus-is-f-pursues-perfection-might-need-more-personality/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/05/review-2009-lexus-is-f-pursues-perfection-might-need-more-personality/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


2009 Lexus IS F - Click above for high-res gallery

The Lexus IS F is the sole Japanese contender in a crowd of compact high-performance sport sedans. Boasting a full complement of performance upgrades, including a 5.0-liter V8 mated to a quick-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission, the 416-horsepower sedan blasts to 60 mph in well under five seconds. But the stats only tell part of the tale. Do the sum of the IS F's parts make it a contender against the best from Germany and America? Let's find out.


Gallery: Review: 2009 Lexus IS F


Photos Copyright (C)2009 Michael Harley / Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Review: 2009 Lexus IS F pursues perfection, might need more personality

Review: 2009 Lexus IS F pursues perfection, might need more personality originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2009 Lexus IS F2009LexusIsFfeaturedIn the Autoblog GarageInTheAutoblogGarageIS FIS-FIsFLexusLexus ISLexus IS FLexus IS-FLexusIsLexusIs-fLexusIsFReviewreviewsTestTest DriveTestDriveFri, 05 Jun 2009 11:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Lexus unveils IS 250 Sports Concept in Sydney]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/12/lexus-unveils-is-250-sports-concept-in-sydney/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/12/lexus-unveils-is-250-sports-concept-in-sydney/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/12/lexus-unveils-is-250-sports-concept-in-sydney/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Click above for high-res gallery of the Lexus IS 250 Sports Concept

At the ongoing Australian International Motor Show in Sydney, the same show where Australian sportscar-maker Elfin took the wraps off its new Type 5 Clubman, Lexus unveiled a new version of its IS 250 sports sedan called the Sports Concept.

So what, you ask is the Lexus IS 250 Sports Concept? Think of it as IS F-light, but not quite as light on substance as appearance packages from its German rivals (think Audi S-line or Mercedes AMG sport packages). The show car has been outfitted with 19" wheels hiding cross-drilled two-piece rotors clamped by six-pot calipers up front and four-pots in the rear, painted trademark Lexus F blue. It also sports Billstein shocks and springs; sway bars and chassis braces; an enlarged air intake and cat-back exhaust; a new clutch and short-shift kit; a carbon fiber engine cover and an assortment of spoilers and skirts.

In short, what we're looking at is an IS F, only without the 5-liter V8. The revised breathing systems squeeze out a modest 1.5 percent increase in output from the 2.5-liter V6 for a total of about 213hp. The add-ons are currently being considered for the Australian market, but we're sure there are plenty of fans of the IS F on this side of the globe who don't need to hit 60 in the fours and wouldn't mind a more affordable alternative given the current economic climate.

Gallery: Lexus IS 250 Sports Concept


[Source: Lexus]

Lexus unveils IS 250 Sports Concept in Sydney originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 12 Oct 2008 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>australiaisis 250is 250 sports conceptIs250Is250SportsConceptlexuslexus australialexus islexus is 250lexus is 250 sports conceptlexus is flexus sports conceptLexusAustraliaLexusIsLexusIs250LexusIs250SportsConceptLexusIsFLexusSportsConceptsydneySun, 12 Oct 2008 12:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Lexus IS-F gets tuned by Wald]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/19/lexus-is-f-gets-tuned-by-wald/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/19/lexus-is-f-gets-tuned-by-wald/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/19/lexus-is-f-gets-tuned-by-wald/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Click above for gallery of the Wald IS-F

The extrovert of the entire Lexus lineup, the IS-F isn't light on visual or actual horsepower. Japan's Wald Tuning hasn't let that fact get in their way of releasing the Sports Line Black Bison bodykit. Wald's setup adds some visual aggression through an increase in the number of strakes and vents, as well as a trunklid spoiler. Doubtless, this get-up will add weight, possibly offering contradictory real-world performance from a vehicle that certainly looks like it should be fast. The amped-up visuals also help distract from the controversial fender gills, and the Black Bison package for the IS-F manages tack-on without being overly tacky. Well, maybe just a little tacky.

Gallery: Wald IS-F Black Bison


[Source: Inside Line]


Lexus IS-F gets tuned by Wald originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>is-fisflexus is-flexus isfLexusIs-fLexusIsfwald internationalwald is-fwald isfwald lexuswald tuningWaldInternationalWaldIs-fWaldIsfWaldLexusWaldTuningThu, 19 Jun 2008 18:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Lexus Performance Driving School: Dates are available and the price is right]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/24/lexus-performance-driving-school-dates-are-available-and-the-pr/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/24/lexus-performance-driving-school-dates-are-available-and-the-pr/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/24/lexus-performance-driving-school-dates-are-available-and-the-pr/#commentsFiled under: ,


Click above for a high-res gallery of the Lexus IS F.

The introduction of the IS F proved that Lexus was serious about taking on its Germanic counterparts, but it's taking another page out of the BMW and Audi playbook by beginning to offer a high-performance driving experience to prospective owners. The Lexus Performance Driving Academy has announced dates and locations for 2008, giving attendees a choice of two courses to suit their needs and pocketbooks.

The first course consists of a two-hour session that puts you behind the wheel of the IS250, IS350, GS460, GS450h and the IS F. These basic sessions are available on Saturday and Sunday and here's the kicker: it's free. If you're willing to take a Friday off, you can upgrade to the "Ultimate" session that puts you behind the wheel of the IS F for a half-day, and includes your basic chalk talk (racing lines, grip dynamics, etc.), a team time attack, timed autocross session and a lead/follow exercise around the racetrack. Not a bad deal for $295.

Four tracks are available, including the Autobahn Circuit in Joliet, Illinois; the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California; the Summit Point Motorsports Park in West Virginia; and the Atlanta Motor Speedway, in Hampton, Georgia. You can head over to the Lexus Performance Driving Academy website for all the details.

Gallery: Lexus IS-F

Lexus Performance Driving School: Dates are available and the price is right originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>is fIsFlexuslexus is flexus performance driving academyLexusIsFLexusPerformanceDrivingAcademyThu, 24 Apr 2008 16:27:00 EST<![CDATA[VIDEO: WebRidesTV pits IS-F against RS4]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/24/video-webridestv-pits-is-f-against-rs4/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/24/video-webridestv-pits-is-f-against-rs4/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/24/video-webridestv-pits-is-f-against-rs4/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click above to view the WebRidesTV shootout.

It's tough to top Top Gear (as Gear producers are about to find out), but until Clarkson, Hamster and Captain Slow get back on schedule, the crew at WebRidesTV is back to cure our insatiable lust for all things automotive and in motion. Sure, it doesn't have TG's production value, but everything looks cooler with heavy vignetting.

This latest installment pits the Audi RS4 against the Lexus IS F, in what could be their best shootout to date. It's the battle of the middleweights and you can view the film in full after the jump.

Continue reading VIDEO: WebRidesTV pits IS-F against RS4

VIDEO: WebRidesTV pits IS-F against RS4 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiaudi rs4AudiRs4battleis fis-fIsFlexuslexus is flexus is-fLexusIs-fLexusIsFrs4shootoutwebridestvThu, 24 Apr 2008 15:58:00 EST<![CDATA[First Drive: the 2008 Lexus IS F]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/16/first-drive-the-2008-lexus-is-f/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/16/first-drive-the-2008-lexus-is-f/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/16/first-drive-the-2008-lexus-is-f/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click the image above for a hi-res gallery of Lexus IS F pics

So we recently got some seat time in the Lexus IS F, and we can proudly report that it's not anything Lexus has ever been before. Does it really compare to the M3 and C63 AMG? In a little-kid-from-down-the-street-trying-to-get-in-the-game way, yeah. But that doesn't mean it shouldn't be in the game. Follow the jump for the full story, and check out the new gallery of Lexus IS F pics below.

Gallery: First Drive: 2008 Lexus IS F

Gallery: Lexus IS-F




Continue reading First Drive: the 2008 Lexus IS F

First Drive: the 2008 Lexus IS F originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 16 Mar 2008 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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