2013 Lexus GS 350

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Lexus took a page from the IS playbook when they were putting together the design for the 2013 GS 350. This car, especially the front end, is far more aggressive than we’ve come to expect from Lexus.

The profile is typical Lexus, though. It’s classy and timeless, and offensive to no one. The rear is much the same – but with a fancy set of exhaust outlets. The front end though… I think aggressive is the best word. You may not like it, and I’m still not sure if I do… but no one can say Lexus never takes chances. I say, good for them.

It really should go without saying, but the interior of the 2013 GS 350 is absolutely gorgeous. Again, typical Lexus.

2013 Lexus GS 350 Specs

  • 306 HP 3.5 liter V6
  • Six speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters
  • RWD with optional AWD
  • 3715 lb curb weight [1]
  • 0–60MPH in 5.7 seconds

2013 Lexus GS 350 Gallery

  1. This is a reduction of about 80 pounds from the previous year’s model. Not a huge reduction, but I absolutely love when a manufacturer drops weight during a redesign.  ↩

Recall Alert: 2010 Lexus GX460

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Toyota isn’t just sitting still after Consumer Reports rated the Lexus GX 460 a Don’t Buy.  They have issued a recall on about 9,400 GX460′s, so they can update the VSC system.  VSC is Lexus’ Vehicle Stability Control.  This is a fancy form of traction control, designed to help the driver maintain control when the wheels begin to slip.

While I applaud Toyota for taking action in light of a very serious design flaw, I wonder if this is going to be enough.  Sure, today’s stability control systems are very advanced, and capable of some pretty amazing things.  But even the most advanced stability control doesn’t solve the problem of a very narrow, tall, top-heavy vehicle.

Hopefully, for Toyota’s sake, all the Lexus GX460 needs is the little software update.  They can’t really handle any more serious safety issues.

Consumer Reports says Don’t Buy Lexus GX460

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2010 Lexus GX460 Rear ViewThe folks at Consumer Reports finally confirmed what I’ve been saying for years: The Lexus GX460 is way too friggin tall for it’s width. I’d be afraid to take normal turns in that thing, let alone any sort of emergency maneuver.

It seems that I’m not alone in my concerns anymore, as CR gave the GX460 it’s worst rating. That rating is simply this: “Don’t Buy.” That’s about as bad as it gets, folks. Consumer Reports has a ton of credibility, and a huge reader base. These folks live and die by what CR says, and you can be sure none of them will be picking up the Lexus version of the 4Runner anytime soon.

Just what Toyota needed, what with the gas pedals of death, and the Prius brake recall. So much for that bulletproof reputation, eh? How quickly the mighty can fall…. just a few short months ago Toyota was constantly lauded for their extremely safe, reliable (and boring) cars. Nowadays, safety is a huge question mark, and they’re (still) boring.

Toyota piled on the incentives in March to move some metal – I wonder if this will become the norm for them… Time will tell. In the meantime, don’t buy a friggin Lexus GX460 if you want to stay upright when in your vehicle.

2011 Lexus CT 200h Spy Shots

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Before I even get started, I really, really hope that CT 200h isn’t the final name for this car. Even in this era of alphabet soup car names, CT 200h is decidedly forgettable and meaningless. Moving on….

The 2011 CT 200h is a compact, 4 door (some say 5 door) hatchback hybrid. Under the hood is Toyota’s 1.8 liter 4 cylinder engine, attached to the Hybrid Synergy Drive that Toyota is so famous for. Front wheel drive and a Continuously Variable Transmission round out the drivetrain.

As for electric-only power, 2011 CT 200h can travel up to a mile without using the engine, if you are careful with the loud pedal. Estimated fuel economy isn’t available yet, but it should be pretty solid given the small size of the vehicle.

For now, Toyota has no plans to sell the Lexus CT 200h in the United States.  I cannot fathom why – Toyota has a long track record of selling tons of hybrids here…. but such is life sometimes.  They could always change their minds.  Check out the spy shots after the jump.

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Lexus SC Bites the Dust

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The Lexus SC when from being a very stylish sporty / luxury coupe to an extremely expensive, oddly shapen hardtop convertible.  Sales were never really all that great, and Lexus has decided to pull the plug.

The only reason this news is even remotely sad, is that it drains the single ounce of excitement from Lexus’ lineup.  Now their most exciting car is…..

um….

I guess the LS is going to get the nod.  Not because it’s exciting, mind you, because it’s a snoozefest.  A perfectly engineered, amazingly luxurious snoozefest, of course.  But then again, that’s exactly what Lexus buyers are looking for.  Not every brand can be exciting, after all.

Edit: It seems I’ve made an obvious, glaring error.  In my haste to lament the SC dying off, I forgot about the badass Lexus IS-F, which is alive and well.  With a 416 HP 5.0 liter V8 under the hood, I’d say that qualifies as exciting, to say the least.  Thanks to commenter Mike for pointing out my gaffe.

2010 Lexus GX460

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Got a thing for huge, luxurious, thirsty, Lexus SUV’s? Me neither. But Lexus doesn’t care about us – they care about the thousands of people who do want a vehicle like that. And that’s what brings us the 2010 GX460, which will be in showrooms Q1 2010.
Based on the Toyota Land Cruiser, the GX460 has been updated and upgraded. Pricing starts at $51,970 for the base model, and $56,765 for the Premium. Under the hood lives a 301 HP 4.6 liter V8 engine, good for 329 lb-ft of torque. If that sounds underpowered next to vehicles such as Toyota’s own Sequoia – well yea, it is. I’m not really sure why Toyota didn’t use a Lexus-ified version of the 5.7 liter V8 here. Perhaps it’s not buttery-smooth enough to put in a Lexus.

If you can afford this ginormous SUV, then filling up the tank probably isn’t a concern. But in case you’re curious, the GX460 is good for 15 MPG city / 20 MPG highway. Premium fuel only, of course.

2010 Lexus GX460 Gallery


Lexus LF-A Not exactly a steal

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With a starting price of $375k , the Lexus LF-A isn’t the performance bargain of the century by any means. You might be wondering what other cars you could buy instead of the LF-A – cars that offer similar performance for less money. The answer is, well, a lot. The folks over at EGM Car Tech compiled a nice little list of these cars. Head over and take a look.


2011 Lexus LF-A Officially Revealed

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Way back in 2007, the first sighting of the upcoming Lexus LF-A supercar occurred. Finally, Lexus has officially revealed the production version of this beast, complete with full specs. This is a full-fledge, no-nonsense supercar, with the specs and price tag to prove it. Coming in at a whopping $375,000, the 2011 Lexus LF-A will find homes in just 500 garages. Toyota is keeping production exceedingly tight on this vehicle – probably not a bad decision, since this is their first attempt at a supercar.

2011 Lexus LF-A Specs

  • 552 HP 4.8 liter V10
  • 354 lb-ft of torque
  • Rear wheel drive
  • Six speed sequential transmission
  • 0-62 in 3.7 seconds
  • 202 MPH top speed
  • Curb weight: 3263 lbs

There’s not much else to say – the LF-A has the potential to be a fantastic machine. The only real question is – how does it drive? If it drives like a Lexus, then Toyota failed miserably. However, if it drives like a Ferrari but with Lexus reliability, then this is a huge win, even though Toyota is expected to lose money on each sale.


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