Autoblog

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 RX400h likely implies some enhancements to the powertrain including a bump from the current 3.3L V6 to the 3.5L engine used in the 350. It's assumed the RX400h will also boast enhancements to the hybrid drive system with tech pulled from the 2010 Toyota Prius. The photo above, taken of the Japanese brochure, appeared online showing an evolution of the current design rather than a revolutionary redesign. In addition to the RX, LA will host the North American debut of the all-wheel-drive equipped LS460 and the IS 250C Convertible.

[Source: Lexus]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Lexus LS460 AWD.

The Moscow International Auto Show is shaping up to be a serious event. Audi is showing off the RS6 sedan, Mazda is bringing a new crossover concept, Mitsubishi will debut the redesigned Pajero Sport and plan on plenty of Lada love to spread around. Lexus is joining the ranks of other top-tier automakers showing their wares in Moscow with the unveiling of an all-wheel-drive version of its LS460 flagship.

The AWD system fitted to the LS460 is the same found on the LS600h, and includes a Torsen LSD integrated into the rear drive shaft that receives power from the 381 hp, 4.6-liter V8 via an eight-speed automatic gearbox. In normal driving conditions, torque is split 40/60 front-to-rear, with as much as 70 percent of the power being shoveled to the rear wheels depending on conditions.

Russia's affection for stately sedans is one of the reasons that BMW decided to launch the redesigned 7-series in the planet's largest country, and Lexus is obviously trying to tap into one of the world's fastest growing automotive markets with the introduction of the LS460 AWD.

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 more for the same car with a different logo is rightfully galling.

Japanese luxury car buyers also have quite a taste for European iron, specifically German cars from the likes of Audi, BMW and Mercedes. Enthusiasts in Toyota's own backyard echo the universal car-guy complaint that Lexus vehicles lack personality. There's no denying that Lexus cars are well-made and capable, and the IS-F may finally infuse the brand with enough attitude to woo buyers of storied marques. Currently, most Lexus buyers in Japan are stepping up from Toyota ownership. Less than 5 percent of sales are conquests, and actual sales have lagged behind projections. Lexus offerings have been expanded from the initial IS, GS, and SC models to include the LS, and the RX will be coming in 2009. While it may appear less than successful so far, Toyota can afford to be patient. American buyers have fully embraced Toyota and Lexus nameplates to the point where they're both smashing successes. In another two to three years, we're betting Lexus will have a cheery song to sing in Japan.

[Source: Businessweek]

We've all seen the ads in the newspaper or in commercials that say you can get a new car with zero money down and only $299 per month. Quick math tells you that even after taxes and destination, you're only paying about $4,400 the first year to own a brand new car. A recent study by consulting firm Runzheimer International shows that a new car will cost you considerably more in overall operating costs. At 15,000 miles per year, the cost of insurance, gasoline, fees, depreciation, and maintenance can drive the overall cost near $20,000 per year.

The 2008 Cadillac STS was tops in this year's test, costing buyers $19,537. The Lexus LS460 was close behind at $19,372. Big vehicles cost quite a bit also, with Ford's E-350 XL SuperDuty tallying a $16,543 bill followed by the Chevy Tahoe LS 4x4 at $15,789. There were some relatively low cost vehicles as well, with the first year costs of a Toyota Corolla CE coming in lowest in the test at $7,933 and a Ford Ranger XL pickup that hits $9,929. If these numbers seem high, it's because the highest liability in a new car balance sheet is depreciation, and new cars can lose thousands the day they're driven off the lot. Every mile on the odometer brings the resale value lower, and if your new car carried lots of incentives or it's a rental car favorite, its residual plummets even further.

[Source: The Car Connection]

In case you somehow hadn't noticed(?!), it's not only deer and turkey season, it's also automotive award season. And here's yet another trophy for those keeping track of all of them. CNET.com wants you to help decide their 2006 Tech Car of the Year Award winner. They've done the hard work and weeded out the really big turkeys to give you a list of some real dears.

In early voting, the Lexus LS460 L, with its 19-speaker sound system, live traffic GPS and self-parking system is leading the other nine contenders. So what's it gonna be for you? Acura's RDX with voice commands? Audi's adaptive-suspension-equipped Q7? BMW's 335i with its adaptive cruise control and iDrive? Or are you more a Cadillac guy, voting for the Escalade with OnStar?

See the other five contestants after the jump.

[Source: CNET]

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.

Manual transmission is a prime example of this. Even with new dual-clutch gearboxes, which have proven themselves to be more effective than manual transmissions, guys are still teaching their sons to drive stick. Why? Not because they envision valet service careers for thier sons, but rather because the guy who can't operate a vehicle with manual transmission will get called out by his peers later in life.

When high-performance automakers like Porsche signed on with dual-clutch gearboxes and the media gave more advanced versions of the technology a thumbs-up, guys seem to be slowly getting over needing to punch the clutch pedal and have something to shift. I have yet to see a guy (or most women, for that matter) who didn't smirk in satisfaction after a particularly impressive parallel parking job.

Bosch has come up with a system that will help us out, but still give us enough responsibility that we'll be smirking afterwards. Introduced on the Citroen C4 Picasso, Bosch's system makes the vehicle "the world's first car to feature integrated parking space measurement," according to the supplier. Drive by at up to 12.5 mph, press a button to initiate the system, and six sensors measure the parallel parking space, alerting the driver to whether the space is too small, "a tight squeeze," or will work just perfectly.

While it doesn't park the car itself like the Lexus LS 460 or the Toyota Prius, Bosch hopes to have that capability online by 2008.

[Source: Engadget]

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.

Starting at the, ahem, lower end of the spectrum, Hyundai announced that their redesigned 2007 Elantra will come in at $670 below its predecessor beginning this month. The new mid-segment sedan will start at $13,995, including shipping, and will come standard with the mundane; tach, variable wipers, armrest with cup holders, and the sublime; power heated mirrors, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS and side curtain airbags. Those last three features may have only been found on the high dollar vehicles of yesteryear, which brings us to the antithesis of the Elantra, the LS460.

Lexus' flagship sedan is packed with more features than Blockbuster and priced accordingly. Available in both standard and long wheelbase trim, the LS460 will begin at $61,000 (MSRP), with their first ever 'L' model available for an extra ten large. A newly developed 4.6-liter V8, producing 380 HP, will send power through an eight-speed automatic, another first for the manufacturer. A host of acronyms will thwart you from going farming with your new luxo-cruiser, including VSC for stability,
VDM for more stability, electric power steering (EPS) and ABS with ECB for braking control. Along with the active safety gizmos, the LS will also be equipped with a pre-collision system that makes use of the active cruise control and, if all else fails, the 460 comes standard with eight air bags, including matching knee airbags for both driver and passenger.

While not thinking about the possibility of carnage, Lexus sought to shove as many electronic toys into the LS as they could fit, while still keeping fuel efficiency in the 'acceptable' realm. Some standouts include a sat-nav with a 2,000 song capacity hard-drive, a 19-speaker, Mark Levinson surround sound setup, a ceiling mounted, nine-inch VGA screen, four-zone climate control, foldout tables and, if you're the right-rear passenger, a reclining seat, complete with massage and ottoman.

Further exploration of the automotive opulence continues in the press release, after the jump.

[Sources: Auto News (sub. req.) and ToMoCo]