2011 Lexus IS Receives Minor Facelift and New F-Sport Grade in Japan

Thanks to some leaked brochure shots, we can show you the first pictures of the Japanese domestic market (JDM) version of the subtly refreshed 2011 Lexus IS 250 / 350 sedan.

The most notable exterior changes include the new headlamps that incorporate LED daytime running lights and the redesigned lower part of the front bumper with round foglamps. Though not visible from these photos, the interior is said to benefit from some minor trim upgrades.

Also new for the JDM Lexus IS is the addition of an F-Sport grade, similar to the one offered on the UK market 2010 IS 250 and 220d models. However, in Japan, the F-Sport grade also gets a unique front bumper as well as what Lexus describes as, a sport suspension developed by the LFA team.

Stay tuned for more information as soon as Lexus releases the official details on the updated JDM Lexus IS sedan.

Source: Ameblo

Lexus CT 200h Official Brochure Spills Online, FWD with 1.8-liter Hybrid Powertrain

Either Lexus has a leakage problem on its hands (less likely) or the company is following unconventional methods (more likely...) to drum up interest on its new CT 200h hybrid premium hatchback before its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show.

Following a trio of 'spy shots' that were sent to Carscoop and other sites in January and a teaser shot earlier this month, our friends over at World Car Fans today received the official brochure of the CT 200h in their mailbox.

The brochure pictures confirm what most of us suspected upon seeing last year's LF-Ch concept - that the styling of the production version would be severely toned down. The result is a much less aggressive looking C-segment hatch.

At 4,320mm long, 1,765mm wide and 1,430mm tall, the five-door model is more compact that the Toyota Prius but slightly longer than the Audi A3 Sportback (4,238mm x 1,765 x 1,421mm respectively).

The BMW 1-Series rivaling Lexus hatchback is powered by a hybrid drivetrain that couples a 1.8-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with an electric-drive motor-generator for an unspecified output.

Energy is stored in a nickel-metal hybride battery pack while power is delivered to the front wheels through an electrically controlled continuously variable transmission (E-CVT).

As a "full hybrid", the Lexus CT 200h can be driven exclusively in all-electric mode.

That's about all we have for now on the Japanese firm's first attempt to enter the lucrative European C-Segment category, but in less than a week's time, we'll have the Full Monty on the CT 200h.

Via: Worldcarfans

Lexus LF-Ch: Production Version of Five-Door Hatchback Rival to BMW 1-Series Scooped!

An anonymous Carscoop reader dropped these scoop photos of what appears to be the production version of the Lexus LF-Ch hatch into our mailbox this morning. The LF-Ch concept model made its world debut at last year's Frankfurt motor show with Lexus making it more than clear that it would build the five-door hatchback.

"Let me stress that you are not looking at a market study … or hearing about vague intentions" Andy Pfeiffenberger, vice president of Lexus Europe, told journalists during the presentation of the car in Frankfurt.

"This LF-Ch concept is a clear indication of our entry plans for the compact premium segment in the near future, with the world's first ever premium compact, full hybrid."

The overall shape of the plastic wrapped model depicted in these spy photos is almost identical to the LF-Ch concept right down to the rear window, though the design does appear to have been toned down a notch.

For example, gone are the 'hidden' read door handles that have been replaced by conventional handles while the tail lights and rear bumper design are new.

If the car pictured here is indeed the LF-Ch, then there's a strong possibility that we may see the hatchback model in the flesh at the Geneva Salon next March.

Lexus plans to offer the premium hatch that will rival cars like the BMW 1-Series and Audi A3 with both conventional and hybrid powertrains.

Hat tip to our anonymous reader for the shots!

Lexus GS-F said to be Still Under Development, Could get LFA's V10 Engine

Given that the latest Lexus GS has been in the market for a while, most of us have abandoned the idea of an F-badged variant of the current model that would compete head on with the Audi RS6, BMW M5, Cadillac CTS-V and Merc's E63 AMG. But even though common sense says that, if Lexus wants to go ahead with the GS-F, chances are the automaker will wait for the next generation GS, Japan's Best Car magazine claims it knows otherwise.

In fact, the magazine says Lexus is working on the current GS and that the super-sedan will most likely be powered by a slightly modified version of the LFA's 4.8-liter V10 powerplant that produces 553HP at 8,700 rpm and 480Nm or 354 lb-ft of torque at 6,800 rpm in the two-door supercar.

Only time will tell if the story about the GS-F is true, but we wouldn't hold our breath if we were you..

Via: Best Car

Lexus LF-A: Production Version of V10 Supercar Uncovered in Photos and Video [GALLERY UPDATED]

*Updated II: 40 Official High-Res Photos Have Been Added After The Jump --> Just a few hours before its official debut at the Tokyo Motor Show, and the first photographs as well as a video of the production version of the Lexus LF-A supercar have made their way onto the internet. From what we've been informed by our inside people, the LF-A features a new, front-mid mounted V10 engine that churns our approximately 550HP with power being sent to the rear wheels through a six-speed automated manual gearbox with paddle shifters for a 0 to 100km/h sprint time of about 3.7 seconds. Stay tuned for more updates on Lexus' first ever supercar but until then, hit the break for the photo gallery and video.

Source: Nagtroc , Via: Jalopnik

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LEXUS LF-A: OFFICIAL HIGH-RES PHOTOS

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