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What effect did Super Bowl ads have on online car searches?

Lexus's Super Bowl ad Let's Play starring an RC version of the RC 350 sliding around wasn't really a big hit among Autoblog readers, with a pretty miserable 13 down-votes as of this writing, compared to the winning Nissan spot with 52 up-votes. The Japanese luxury brand doesn't need to feel blue about the results, though, because in at least one metric the commercial ranks as the most popular of the night. According to Adweek analyzing figures from Kelley Blue Book, the Lexus coupe saw an astounding 1,820-percent increase in searches on the auto pricing site, more than any other vehicle advertised during the game. Viewers were apparently intrigued by the BMW i3 because the EV came in second place with a 1,131-percent jump. Third place went to the Mercedes-AMG GT with a 950-percent boost from its whimsical ad. The lowest growth for the night was from Toyota with a 20-percent upswing for the Camry. In terms of brand searches, the Kia James Bond-inspired spot brought a 68-percent increase in searches to KBB's website, according to Adweek. Dodge scored a close second with a 62-percent bump, and Fiat's humorous ad apparently resonated enough for third place and a 52-percent jump in searches. Despite the RC 350's popularity, Lexus actually ended up at the bottom of the list with just 6 percent more visitors looking for the company. To explain the weird discrepancy, a Kelley Blue Book analyst explained to Adweek that visitors came to the site specifically looking for the RC 350 and to a lesser extent the NX, which saw a 48-percent jump in queries, but that interest didn't extend to the whole brand. Related Video: News Source: Adweek Marketing/Advertising Lexus Coupe Performance Videos lexus rc lexus rc 350

Gazoo heads to the N"urburgring with Lexus LFA Code X

You'd be forgiven for thinking just because the Lexus LFA has ended its production run (it's been over a year now) that Toyota would have ceased its development. You'd be forgiven, but Gazoo Racing is here to tell you you'd still be wrong.
One of Toyota's many works racing teams, Gazoo is returning to the 24-hour endurance race at the Nürburgring this year with a trio of entries. One is based on the Toyota GT86 (which we know as the Scion FR-S), and one is essentially the same LFA that it's entered in years past. But the third vehicle is dubbed Code X.
It's also based on the LFA, but its 4.8-liter V10 engine has been bored out to 5.3 liters, raising its output to untold levels. It's got a full carbon-fiber chassis and a range of other enhancements that Gazoo isn't telling us about just yet, but they should turn the LFA Code X from a road-going supercar beyond a racecar and into a rolling research lab. Considering that Gazoo has been racing at the 'Ring since 2007 and fielding versions of the LFA there since 2008, it'll be interesting to see how the Code X version fares.

Lexus LF-CC gets green light, Evoque rival under consideration

While wandering the floor at this week's LA Auto Show, we had a bit of an epiphany at the Lexus stand. The traditionally stodgy Toyota premium outlet is really starting to come into its own in terms of exciting design. And not just with production models like the excellent new GS sedan. At the front of the display, a triangular formation of plinths was a feast for the eyes - the head was formed by the LFA Nurburgring Package supercar, flanked on either side by the company's outré LF-LC and LF-CC concept cars.
So consider it welcome news on our end that the LF-CC concept shown above has apparently been given the production green light, with a projected arrival by 2015. So says Autocar, which quotes an unnamed source at Lexus willing to confirm that a senior engineer has been tasked with the project. The British publication suggests that the production version of the 2012 Paris Motor Show star will probably be built in both coupe and convertible formats and ride atop the automaker's new modular rear-wheel drive architecture. Power is expected to be an evolution of the GS 350h's hybrid drivetrain.
In other news, that same shadowy source at Lexus has reportedly confirmed that the Japanese luxury brand is "seriously studying" offering a small SUV in the mold of the stylish Range Rover Evoque from Land Rover, though no further details are given. Lexus' own RX crossover range has long been a massive hit for the brand, leaving many industry analysts scratching their heads as to why the automaker hasn't already expanded its crossover offerings to include both larger and smaller formats.