Lexus LS 460 SZ: Sporty Variant said to Debut at Tokyo Show this Fall

News just in from Japan: in its July issue, Best Car magazine is reporting that Lexus will reveal a sportier variant of its LS 460 luxury sedan at the Tokyo Motor Show in October. The magazine claims that the car will carry the SZ moniker and that it will feature a subtle aerokit that includes a new grille treatment plus uprated Brembo brakes and BBS alloy wheels shod in chunkier tires. The LS 460 SZ is estimated to cost in Japan between 9 and 10 million Yen or around to $100,000 US.

There's no mention of any upgrades under the hood so it is possible that the SZ may simply be a special Japanese-market model / trim-level. But as is the case with these kind of rumor-reports, we'll just have to wait for Lexus to come out with something official before we make any definite conclusions.

Via: Best Car

Toyota to Bring Numerous Race Cars at Goodwood Including a 700HP Celica GT4-X and the Lexus LF-A

At next month's Goodwood Festival of Speed that runs from July 3 to 5, Toyota plans to bring a variety of race cars led by the Lexus LF-A that will be making its first appearance on British soil. The V10-powered supercar will be joined by another competition Lexus, the racing IS F that competed along with the LF-A at this year's Nurburgring 24-hour endurance race.

Panasonic Toyota Racing will be back at Goodwood with the TF108, the last F1 Toyota to be designed before FIA introduced its current restrictions on wing sizes and additional aerodynamic elements. Toyota's F1 driver Timo Glock will be present at the event to drive the TF108.

The Toyota Sprint Series will be represented for the first time on the hill climb with the 700HP Fensport Celica GT4-X AWD. Other Toyota cars that will be on show (but won't compete) at the Goodwood event include Alain Prost's Andros Trophy Auris that features a carbon fibre bodywork and a tuned version of the Lexus RX 3.0-litre V6 engine, the Aygo Crazy and iQ Gazoo plus various rally cars such as the Group B Celica Twin-cam Turbo, Celica ST185, Celica GT4 ST205 and the WRC Corolla.

Lexus Official Says IS Coupe worth Studying

When company execs are around journalists, they usually sound more like politicians than anything else, meaning that you rarely get a straightforward answer to a question especially if it involves future plans. This seems to be the case with the IS Coupe story. When asked by the folks over at Jalopnik if there was a possibility of an IS Coupe version in the future, Mark Templin, general manager of Toyota's Lexus division gave the following answer: "Obviously, we're making no announcements today, but it's certainly something we should study carefully."

That isn't a yes, it isn't a no, it's something that can be interpreted in more ways that we have time to address. And while we leave Templin to "think about it", let us ask you if you believe that Lexus should develop a coupe variant of the IS based on the Convertible. As always, leave your answers in the comment section below.

Via: Jalopnik

Lexus LF-A V10 Rumored to Debut at '09 Tokyo Show, Production Limited to 500 Units

If we are to believe the latest gossip coming in from the 'Land of the Rising Sun', Lexus is scheduling to reveal the production version of the long-anticipated LF-A supercar at the forthcoming 2009 Tokyo Motor Show that runs from October 23 to November 8. Citing inside sources close to the V10-powered supercar's development team, Japan's Best Car magazine said that the LF-A's production will be limited to a mere 500 units, with 120 of those being allocated to the domestic market with an estimated starting price of around 30 million Yen a piece or about $310,000 US - €220,000 at the current exchange rates.

The price alone places Lexus' V10-powered supercar into an entirely different league than the GT-R as it costs twice as much as the recently launched GT-R V-Spec model (15,750,000 Yen in Japan).

The report goes on to say that aside from the standard model that will most likely bear the GT500 moniker, there's also talk about an even more exclusive version dubbed SS550 where SS stands for Super Sport - that is unless someone decides to make a fuss about the name...

More specifically, the GT500 will be powered by a high-revving 5.0-liter V10 producing an estimated 500HP, while the SS550 is said to get a tweaked version of the V10 with a displacement of 5.5-liters and an output of around 550HP. Both variants feature a front-mid engined layout with a transaxle housing the semi-automatic gearbox and rear-mounted radiators.

When Lexus first unveiled the LF-A Coupe concept at the 2005 Detroit motor show (followed by a Roadster study at 2008 Detroit show - see photo album below ), the Japanese automaker claimed that its Ferrari-challenging supercar would reach a top speed of around 200mph or 322km/h. But now the word is that thanks to the extensive work on the LF-A's aerodynamics, the supercar will top out closer to 220mph or 354km/h.

We remind you that Lexus entered two LF-A prototype models at the 24h of Nurburgring endurance race, with one of those cars ending up in flames - see the video here.

Via: Best Car

VIDEO: Lexus LF-A V10 Supercar Proves Too Hot for the Nurburgring...

Damn that Youtube; you can't have an unfortunate moment these days without someone uploading a video and circulating it around the web for the entire world to see. Lexus' "Moment of Zen" came during this past weekend's Nurburgring 24-hour endurance race when one of the two participating V10-powered LF-A sportscars caught on fire. If you dying to see what happened out of pure interest (or boredom, doesn't matter) hit the jump to watch the video.

Via: Egmcartech

Lexus Reveals LF-A 500HP V10 that will Race at the 24h of Nurburgring!

Even though we have yet to see the production model of the Lexus LF-A study that has been previewed in both coupe and roadster forms in the past, the Japanese automaker decided to put its long anticipated (and overdue...) supercar to the ultimate test by entering two race-spec versions at this weekend's Nurburgring 24-hour endurance race. Seen here for the first time in race livery, the 200mph+ (321km/h) LF-A sportscars are powered by a front-mid mounted V10 engine producing 500HP. The LF-As will be entered by Gazoo Racing, which from what we learned, is a Japanese market, Toyota-owned, e-commence website that has its own racing team.

The team that will tackle the 'Green Hell' will be made up of a combination of professional drivers, Toyota test drivers, dealers and a pilot that Lexus refers to as "Morizo" who is none other than Toyota's soon-to-be CEO Akio Toyoda, the grandson of the firm's founder.

According to a previous release from Lexus, the knowledge gained from the endurance race will be fed back to engineering teams to assist with further development of the production LF-A.

Lexus IS Convertible F-Sport: New Photo Gallery

Since the new IS C -where 'C 'evidently stands for convertible- has started arriving in Lexus showrooms across the U.S., Lexus thought it would be a good idea to slip out a new gallery of its hardtop cabrio accessorized with the Japanese firm's F-Sport performance parts. Both the IS 250C and IS 350C can be upgraded with a bevy of performance enhancing accessories such as 19-inch forged alloy wheels, brake upgrades, suspension systems, air intake, exhaust systems and more. As expected, all parts are fully warranted for 12 months or for the balance of the new car warranty, whichever is greater.

___________________________________________________________

LEXUS PRESS RELEASE

F-Sport 18 and 19-inch Forged Alloy Wheels

The F-Sport forged alloy wheels, exclusively designed in a dark graphite finish, not only add an aggressive look to the exterior, but help enhance performance through increased strength and decreased weight. The F-Sport wheels require the use of spline-drive lug nuts, which are included in the available Wheel Installation Kit.

F-Sport Front Brake Upgrade

The Front Brake Upgrade provides a firmer pedal feel and improved fade resistance in repeated severe-duty use. The Brake Upgrade features six-piston fixed calipers and drilled cast-iron rotors with a patented internal-fin design mounted on anodized aluminum hubs. Braided stainless-steel brake lines and low-dust performance brake pads are included, and the upgrade can be used with stock or the F-Sport Rear Brake Upgrade.

F-Sport Rear Brake Upgrade

Similar in construction to the F-Sport Front Brake Upgrade, the Rear Brake Upgrade uses four-piston fixed calipers and drilled cast-iron rotors. Braided stainless-steel brake lines and low-dust performance brake pads are also included. The Rear Brake Upgrade may only be used in conjunction with F-Sport Front Brake Upgrade.

F-Sport Shock Absorber Set

Developed in cooperation with Bilstein^® and available exclusively through the F-Sport Performance Accessory program, this shock-absorber set offers sport-tuned suspension dampening without sacrificing ride quality.

F-Sport Lowering Spring Set

This feature lowers the vehicle approximately one inch in the front and rear for a more aggressive appearance and a lower center of gravity. The spring set is engineered to deliver lowered ride height without bottoming out or creating a harsh ride. The sets will be specifically configured for each model and can be used with either the stock or F-Sport Shock Absorber Set.

F-Sport Sway Bar Set

The sway bar set includes larger diameter replacement front-and-rear sway bars that reduce body sway and flatten cornering. Oil-impregnated rubber bushings are also included to replace the original rubber bushings. Each vehicle's sway bar set is specifically configured to achieve the best performance.

F-Sport Rear Chassis Member Brace

To improve chassis stiffness under aggressive driving conditions and provide a more responsive feel during cornering, the F-Sport Rear Chassis Member Brace joins key rear-chassis and suspension mounting points through this tubular steel brace.

F-Sport Performance Exhaust System

This system features all stainless-steel construction with fully polished mufflers and double-wall exhaust tips. In addition to an outstanding appearance, it delivers a powerful, sport-tuned exhaust sound while complying with established sound-level standards and does not affect emissions compliance.

F-Sport Performance Air Intake

This low-restriction intake and filter assembly is fully compatible with stock engine controls and is emission legal in all 50 states.

F-Sport Carbon Fiber Engine Cover

Constructed from real carbon fiber, this light-weight, durable engine cover provides a high-tech appearance under the hood. This is a direct replacement for the original cover.

F-Sport Performance ClutchSet

The F-Sport Performance Clutch Set, available for the IS 250 and IS 250C equipped with the manual transmission, increases clamping force approximately 16 percent to handle higher torque capacity and provide improved feel.

F-Sport Quick Shifter

Engineered and machined from billet aluminum, the F-Sport Quick Shifter for the manual-transmission equipped IS 250 and IS 250C decreases shift throw by approximately 35 percent for quicker and more positive shifting.

F-Sport Shift Knob

Constructed from premium leather and genuine carbon fiber, F-Sport shift knobs are sporty and offer a comfortable curved shape. The manual knob is weighted to provide a sporty and more controlled feel while shifting. Both knobs are detailed with signature blue stitching and a silver F-Sport logo.

F-Sport Floor Mats

Made from the same high-quality 18 ounce nylon carpet as the factory mats, the four-piece set is available in black with a silver embroidered "F-Sport" logo.