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2017 Lexus Model Year Preview and Updates

As the market for luxury and near-luxury vehicles continues to expand, Lexus intends to grow its already-dominant share; new entries and updates to existing models reflect that. Biggest news for this calendar year – if not the 2017 model year – is unquestionably the introduction of the 2018 LC 500 - pictured above - and LC 500h, high-performance 2+2 coupes powered by either a blazing 5.0-liter normally aspirated V8 (LC 500) or full-hybrid system (LC 500h). Complementing their spring intro is the arrival of a redesigned LS 500 sedan, also making its debut as a 2018 later in this calendar year. LEXUS CT 200h: Lexus' hybrid hatch, nearly invisible from a marketing standpoint, receives new colors in 2017: Atomic Silver Caviar, Autumn Shiver and Blue Vortex Metallic. ES: The various ES trims, including the hybrid, incorporate the Lexus Safety System+ as standard equipment. Display Audio adds the Scout GPS link and all trims receive rain-sensing wipers. GS: Lexus' 5 Series weapon, sold in four variants – 200t, GS 350, GS 350 AWD and GS 450h – incorporates the Lexus Safety System+ as standard, offers a limited-slip differential option for the GS 350 RWD and supplies navigation on the 200t free of charge. IS: The compact Lexus four door receives an in-your-face refresh. A new front fascia, headlamps and wheel designs constitute the significant updates. Inside, the infotainment screen is enlarged, and the Lexus Safety System+ is made standard. LC: Lexus' 2+2 halo is all-new, and comes in two variants: LC 500 is V8-powered, while the LC 500h is equipped with a V6 and fully hybrid integration. The coupe is in Lexus showrooms by May, 2017. LS: The 2017 LS drove into the model year with minimal changes. The big news is the introduction of an all-new 2018 LS in the fourth quarter of this year. RC: Lexus' four-place coupe receives new wheel finishes on both 18-and-19-inch wheels, as well as available triple-beam LED headlamps. In the RC 350 performance dampers are made standard, and in all models the Display Audio receives a Scout GPS link. GX: Little substantive news for the Lexus GX SUV, but heated/ventilated front seats are available as a standalone option, and second-row captain's chairs are standard on the Luxury trim and available on Premium. Finally, the GX receives an optional Sport Design Package, a set of cosmetic upgrades targeting those with a taste for urban adventure.

Lexus gives Jay Leno a shot at driving its 2014 IS

After we drove a prototype of the 2014 Lexus IS, we were told that Lexus was shipping it back to Japan. As it turns out, late-night funnyman Jay Leno was already in the motherland with the coming sport sedan, and he lapped it around Fuji Motor Speedway with Chief Engineer Junichi Furuyama.
This was probably during his LFA drive two months ago, actually, when Furuyama-san was even more tight-lipped about the IS than he was a week ago, so Leno has to make the best guesses he can. Leno goes over the whole car, then takes it out for a casual spin, so at least you get to see it in action. As for Jay's take, you'll just have to watch the video below to find out.

2016 Lexus GS F First Drive [w/video]

Performance cars used to be about horsepower and chassis tuning. Lately the question isn't so much what's under the hood, but how many buttons are on the console. We're overwhelmed with individual settings for engine response, transmission, exhaust, steering, and ride. When did these cars turn into a choose your own tuning adventure? The Lexus GS F represents an attempt to step back from this over-adjustable madness and return to more bygone sports car values. It has a special engine, unique bodywork, and a chassis tuned for high performance. There are only two settings you need to play with. The first setting is the Drive Mode Select dial on the center console, which mainly controls the response of 5.0-liter V8 engine and the shift behavior of the eight-speed automatic. The engine is the same V8 found in the RC F, making the same 467 horsepower and 389 pound-feet of torque. New this year are small balancing weights on the crankshaft pulley that cut down on internal vibration. Drive Mode Select also changes the electronic power steering, air conditioning, and stability control (you can also turn it all the way off via a separate button). The engine is the same V8 found in the RC F, making the same 467 horsepower and 389 pound-feet of torque. You will use two settings in the GS F: Eco when you want to get somewhere, Sport S+ when you want to get somewhere fast. Normal and Sport S modes offer intermediate steps you don't really need. Eco mode softens the throttle and reduces the use of air conditioning for slightly better fuel economy. It also makes the center-mounted tachometer switch into an eco-driving gauge. S+ puts everything into sport mode, including a heavier steering weight and a higher stability control threshold. While Sport S mode shifts the noon position of the tachometer to just below the horsepower peak of 7,000 rpm, S+ goes a step further and turns the rev indicator into a solid bar that grows around the edge of the display. It also adds oil and coolant temperature to the readout. And how could we fail to mention G-Force Artificial Intelligence (or grin at such an overwrought name)? That's the shift logic the transmission uses in Sport S+. It's designed to hold revs in corners and downshift during hard braking. "Our goal with F is to make a driver's car, not a drag race winner." The other button in the Lexus GS F that you need to pay attention to is next to the Drive Mode Select knob, labeled TVD for Torque Vectoring Differential.