Lexus will unveil refreshed versions of two existing models on Thursday ahead of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. It isn't saying just which models they will be, but we can take an early guess or two.
Lexus champagne glass re-creation - click above to watch video after the jump
2010 Lexus LS460 Sport – Click above for high-res image gallery
True to predictions, The Detroit News is reporting that Lexus has issued a stop sale on its LS 460 and LS 600h (standard and long-wheelbase) luxury sedans due to a problem with the electronic steering system that can temporarily cause the steering wheel to become off-centered.
2010 Consumer Reports Top Pick Cars – Click above for high-res image gallery
The Lexus LS is supposedly in line for a V6 engine. The suggested powerplant is Toyota's 3.5-liter unit tuned to produce 310 hp and 278 lb-ft of torque. A comparable car would be BMW's 740i, offered in Europe with a 3.0-liter inline putting out 326 horses and 332 lb-ft. The Toyota's numbers are down slightly, but since the V8-powered LS460 already weighs less than the BMW 740i, the additional weight savings of a Lexus V6 should allow it to move along just fine.
Our friendly neighborhood Toyota/Lexus spokesman, Curt McAllister, dropped us a note with an official announcement of what's coming to the Lexus booth at next week's LA Auto Show, and as expected, the big reveal will be the reworked RX luxury crossover. Like the current crossovers, the RX will come in two prescription strengths: the conventional RX350 with a 3.5L V6 and the hybrid flavored RX450h. The bump in nomenclature from the current RX
In trying to establish a Japanese-market foothold for Lexus, Toyota has seemingly fallen prey to the same tactic that made the Cadillac Cimmaron such a maroon. When trying to launch a brand, especially an upscale brand, it's not advisable to rebadge existing models and crank up the price. It doesn't seem to matter how good the car is, or how swanky the new $10-million-a-pop showroom is, once an Altezza, always an Altezza, and paying 20 percent
As a woman, I find the various gadgets making it easier to operate your everyday automobile fascinating. A sensor to check your blind spot for you? Brilliant. Adaptive suspension? Perfect for more sophisticated drivers. But even more fascinating, however, is the subsequent impact upon the "guy things" about operating the automobile.
Unless Hyundai execs somehow lose their marbles and make a play for a segment beyond their reach, this may be the only time that Lexus and Hyundai will share space in the same post. Being that both manufactures released pricing details on their newest offerings yesterday, we thought it best to keep you informed and kill two birds with one post, errr... stone.
