Lexus

The car company better known for reliability than high-performance engineering released a commercial for its sold-out Lexus LFA in which the 552-horsepower exotic sports car shatters a champagne flute with the sound of its exhaust alone.

"The glass is actually broken by the precision sound of the vehicle," said Dave Nordstrom, vice president of marketing for Lexus. "We wanted to show just how deep our pursuit of perfection and commitment to innovation goes. The LFA was designed to deliver its own unique exhaust note, and this illustrates that beautifully."

The commercial was recorded in a sound … Read more

In one of the more ambitious Web-based marketing campaigns, Lexus launches its new CT 200h hybrid model with an interactive video. Dark Ride puts Lexus' new hybrid into a car chase/thriller movie, where you get to help a driver named Tony keep the car out of the hands of bad guys trying to steal the hybrid technology.

The whole thing is kind of goofy, but the production values are top-notch. You also need a Facebook account to access the interactive feature, and a bit of patience, as the whole thing takes a while to load. Also be aware that … Read more

Consumer Reports has lifted its "don't buy" warning from the 2010 Lexus GX 460 SUV. The magazine said the handling issue it identified during testing was corrected after Lexus developed software for the SUV's electronic stability control system. GX 460 owners have been asked to bring their vehicles in for repairs.

Lexus parent Toyota Motor Corp. suspended sales and production of the SUV and began its own investigation almost a month ago, after Consumer Reports called the model a "safety risk" because of the way it slid out of control on certain turns. Sales … Read more

Lexus looks set to expand its range of hybrid vehicles in a manner which almost nobody saw coming. Its next concept project, bizarrely enough, is a hybrid bicycle. Say what now?

Don't adjust your LCDs; this really is a two-wheeled Lexus. But although it's a hybrid, it doesn't rely on a combination of electric and petrol power. Instead, it supplements the rider's pedal power to the rear wheel with a 25.9-volt lithium ion battery pack and a 240W electric motor driving the front wheel, making it both-wheel drive.

Read more of "Lexus hybrid bicycle: Both-wheel drive,&… Read more

TOYOTA CITY, Japan--Toyota is often billed as the most Japanese of Japanese automakers, but it has turned to a foreigner to spice up the company's famously bland styling.

Simon Humphries, the soft-spoken Englishman tapped for the job, isn't the person you might expect to head the global design studios of the world's biggest carmaker.

Before joining Toyota in 1994, he had virtually no experience in vehicle design. And instead of injecting Toyota with a major dose of foreign perspective, Humphries is--by his own admission--sometimes more Japanese in his aesthetics than his own Japanese stylists.

"I think they need to be much more confident about their own cultural heritage," Humphries said in an interview at Toyota's main design studio here. "The foreign people who work within design are more aggressive about promoting Japanese-ness than the Japanese themselves."

Yet Humphries' leadership position since the semi-retirement of design chief Wahei Hirai in June 2009 is a sign that the company is taking a more cosmopolitan outlook. As general manager of Toyota and Lexus design brand strategy, Humphries, a fluent Japanese speaker with a flair for smart-casual dress, is the highest ranking foreigner at Toyota in Japan--at the tender age of 43.

And President Akio Toyoda wants Humphries to forge a new look that embodies the chief executive's personal ambition to make cars that are more visually interesting and fun to drive.

Look for Humphries' imprint in the latest Prius and the upcoming Lexus CT 200h. … Read more

In Monday's video, we got to check out the 2010 Lexus HS250h, which is a fine representative of the current hybrid vehicles that this luxury brand has to offer. A few weeks back, Lexus presented a new car to add to its hybrid legacy at the 2010 New York Auto Show--the CT200h--and this video has got the scoop on the next generation of Lexus hybrids.

In this clip, Consumer Reports reviews the production-ready version of the CT200h that was initially unveiled at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show and will only be sold as a hybrid vehicle much like the … Read more

In quite a few TV commercials lately, Lexus has been touting its hybrid-car muscle. So I figured why not take Lexus up on its boasts and see what their current hybrid line is about? With that thought, I present today's video that takes a look at the 2010 Lexus HS250h.

The Lexus HS250h is the company's entry-level luxury hybrid sedan, and it is also its first dedicated foray into the production of hybrid vehicles. At the 35-second mark in the video, we see in plain print what some of the specs are for comparison with other hybrids. The … Read more

The Toyota Prius is arguably the hottest hybrid car for many reasons. Within the blog this week we've explored several of outstanding features of the Prius, and today I'm turning our attention to the astounding intelligent parking assist feature found on this groundbreaking automobile.

The intelligent parking assist feature found on the Toyota Prius isn't entirely new--the self-parking feature was found on the Lexus LS 460 as well. Along with its rear monitor, the drivers can set up a destination parking spot and then allow external sensors and electric power steering do the parking for them--hands free! … Read more

GENEVA--As hybrids gained ascendancy in the U.S., Europe showed little interest, with diesels proving more popular. But if the 2010 Geneva auto show is any indication, that preference is about to change.

Toyota showed two hatchback hybrids, one under its own brand and one as a Lexus, with both building on the successful Prius power train. BMW and Audi both showed luxury hybrid sedans as concepts, with feature lists that show them ready for production, and Volkswagen announced a hybrid version of its Touareg SUV.

Chevrolet is growing its presence, and brought its Volt to the show, while Opel'… Read more