Lexus: Development and Technology News
#81
Step 1: http://www.hookedonphonics.com
http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/anytime.html
Heres a shovel, dig yourself even deeper. I misspelled Here's on purpose, YOU JUST GOT TROLLED! lulz
#84
Honda Fanboy
oh my gosh, a grammatical correction! How original.
http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/anytime.html
Heres a shovel, dig yourself even deeper. I misspelled Here's on purpose, YOU JUST GOT TROLLED! lulz
http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/anytime.html
Heres a shovel, dig yourself even deeper. I misspelled Here's on purpose, YOU JUST GOT TROLLED! lulz
Hooked on Phonics is a software that is meant to help and improve in the development of reading skills. Had you taken my advice and used this software, you would have been able to read that OLD thread from the last decade and seen for yourself that I didn't start the door latches. Everyone has realized this and accepted it, it's time for you to move on as well. Or is that all you have to hang on to? Door latches!!!! OMG!!!! Please not the door latches again!!!!
#88
I'm interested in whether or not Lexus will follow through with a GS F.
Considering the skill that the LF A shows the brand's engineers have, I'd love to see it.
Imagine, a world where BMW's flagship performance car is a 100K 2-row GT car (M6) and Lexus' flagship performance car is a 375K exotic.
Considering the skill that the LF A shows the brand's engineers have, I'd love to see it.
Imagine, a world where BMW's flagship performance car is a 100K 2-row GT car (M6) and Lexus' flagship performance car is a 375K exotic.
#89
Safety Car
MMCs
Altho very subtle, the GS, which debuted for model year 2006 received its MMC in 2008; the IS, which also debuted for 2006, had its MMC in 2009.
I see no clear pattern for how long their model lifecycles are (except the ES which has consistently changed every 5 years - probably bc it is Camry based) but the FMC should be soon ...
I see no clear pattern for how long their model lifecycles are (except the ES which has consistently changed every 5 years - probably bc it is Camry based) but the FMC should be soon ...
#90
I'm the Firestarter
Ah, that was quite a thread. I remember LMAO while scouring the interweb for pictures of Ferraris, Veyrons and Astons showing the door latches.
Judging by the avatar, I see that realizing non-LFA cars have door latches hasn't changed his mind.
#91
Altho very subtle, the GS, which debuted for model year 2006 received its MMC in 2008; the IS, which also debuted for 2006, had its MMC in 2009.
I see no clear pattern for how long their model lifecycles are (except the ES which has consistently changed every 5 years - probably bc it is Camry based) but the FMC should be soon ...
I see no clear pattern for how long their model lifecycles are (except the ES which has consistently changed every 5 years - probably bc it is Camry based) but the FMC should be soon ...
Weirdly I read somewhere that they might drop the V8 entirely and the GS450h replacement will also replace the V8. In addition the 2.5 V6 could migrate over to the GS also which would lower the price of entry and compete with the 528i or S80 3.2 or sort of the A6 3.2.
The 2.5 isn't a bad idea, but I think dropping the V8 would be a mistake.
And assuming it's coming, the year after (for 2013) we would get the GS-F.
#92
Safety Car
Progressive Smart Luxury
NAGOYA, Japan -- Toyota is pushing a new global theme of "progressive luxury" for its Lexus brand, including a greater focus on hybrids, advanced telematics and sporty packages.
The new strategy also calls for bolder design and may include entering new market segments.
It is all part of a plan to unify Lexus' image around the world, said Karl Schlicht, general manager in charge of global Lexus marketing and product planning.
"There was a need to make sure we were all on the same page," said Schlicht, a 50-year-old Canadian who has been in the job since January 2009.
Lexus got its start in the United States 2 decades ago and has been the top-selling luxury brand in this country for 10 years.
"It's very simple when you have 1 market," said Schlicht, who was interviewed last week at Toyota Motor Corp.'s offices in Nagoya. "You have multiple regions now -- like Europe wanting 1 direction, Japan another and China coming on. That gets more complicated."
He said the aim of progressive luxury is to strengthen an identity of smart luxury -- where social responsibility and green credentials count as much as, if not more than, raw engine power and conspicuous consumption.
The Lexus CT 200h hybrid, which went on sale this year, is the 1st result of the new push into progressive luxury, said Schlicht. Fine-tuning the car's suspension to provide a sporty ride -- despite mustering only 134 hp -- underscores the priorities.
He said progressive luxury will be spelled out in future models through:
-- More expressive, daring designs.
-- Aggressive application of hybrid technology.
-- Advanced use of onboard telematics.
-- Expanded use of F and F Sports packages, following the IS-F and IS-F Sports performance variations. For starters, the sporty packages will be added to the CT and RX ranges.
The F packages deliver a specially tuned or completely different engine, transforming the base model into a "real sports car in every sense of the word," said Schlicht. The F Sports trim is a lower-rung option offering the standard engine with sporty tuning of the suspension.
Lexus also is exploring new niches after tapping the entry-level luxury segment with the CT.
A top priority is a coupe to fill the void left by the discontinued SC, Schlicht said. Other possibilities include new SUV variants. But going smaller than the CT is unlikely, he said.
"There are new segments developing as we speak, segments within segments," said Schlicht, who joined Toyota in 1986. "I think there's lots of potential future markets."
Meanwhile, Schlicht said Lexus probably will keep its crown as the top-selling luxury car maker in the United States this year for the 11th straight year. But he wants to wind down as soon as possible the aggressive incentives that helped deliver those results.
Lexus sales climbed 8% to 201,769 vehicles through November, putting it on pace to best BMW in car sales. But to get there, Lexus had to pile on incentives after the brand was stung by multiple recalls, covering a wide variety of items that included floor mats, brake cylinders, valve springs and vehicle stability controls.
"The impact is huge on our dealers," Schlicht said. "They did an incredible job to sell what they did."
He defended the incentives as necessary and having minimal impact on residual values.
"We don't think we've gone over the top," Schlicht said. "If we saw any damage to our brand, our company is mature enough not to chase No. 1 just for the sake of No. 1."
#93
Race Director
"If we saw any damage to our brand, our company is mature enough not to chase No. 1 just for the sake of No. 1."
#94
The sizzle in the Steak
A top priority is a coupe to fill the void left by the discontinued SC
More expressive, daring designs
In other words: Don't go down the Honda/Acura road.
#95
I think Lexus has formed its own path in terms of ugly. that GX SUV is really...WTF, who approved that thing? It and the new Infiniti QX were apparently separated at birth
#96
You'll Never Walk Alone
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He said the aim of progressive luxury is to strengthen an identity of smart luxury -- where social responsibility and green credentials count as much as, if not more than, raw engine power and conspicuous consumption.
And "Fine-tuning the car's suspension to provide a sporty ride..."??? How sporty can a Prius get? Seriously.....that's not good enough for a Lexus....
I sure hope Honda doesn't do the same.....
#97
Burning Brakes
Ah...so that's what "smart luxury" means........to Lexus.....in other words...to them...smart luxury = prius platform + prius power + more weight than Prius..
And "Fine-tuning the car's suspension to provide a sporty ride..."??? How sporty can a Prius get? Seriously.....that's not good enough for a Lexus....
I sure hope Honda doesn't do the same.....
And "Fine-tuning the car's suspension to provide a sporty ride..."??? How sporty can a Prius get? Seriously.....that's not good enough for a Lexus....
I sure hope Honda doesn't do the same.....
#100
Senior Moderator
Progressive Luxury to me would be adding a hybrid assist to any of the 2GR motors, be it the ES350 (FE) or IS350 (FSE). (I sure as hell wish Honda would have carried the AV6h tech to the new MDX. )
But, I get what Toyota is attempting to do with the CT: give current Prius owners a way to go upscale while allowing them to continue flying their environmentalist banner high.
But, I get what Toyota is attempting to do with the CT: give current Prius owners a way to go upscale while allowing them to continue flying their environmentalist banner high.
#101
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Depends. The CR-Z isn't that pricey. It's priced similarly to a Mini Cooper (non S) while making more power and more efficient. The CR-Z offers sporty handling too like you said. I don't think a Prius even has sporty handling. Yea, the CR-Z for a hybrid doesn't get outstanding mileage. But then there are many kinds of hybrid and this kind is pretty much the simpliest and cheapest kind.
#102
The Third Ball
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Depends. The CR-Z isn't that pricey. It's priced similarly to a Mini Cooper (non S) while making more power and more efficient. The CR-Z offers sporty handling too like you said. I don't think a Prius even has sporty handling. Yea, the CR-Z for a hybrid doesn't get outstanding mileage. But then there are many kinds of hybrid and this kind is pretty much the simpliest and cheapest kind.
#104
Depends. The CR-Z isn't that pricey. It's priced similarly to a Mini Cooper (non S) while making more power and more efficient. The CR-Z offers sporty handling too like you said. I don't think a Prius even has sporty handling. Yea, the CR-Z for a hybrid doesn't get outstanding mileage. But then there are many kinds of hybrid and this kind is pretty much the simpliest and cheapest kind.
#105
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Best Motoring did a few races at Tsukuba and in one of the races in the rain, they got following lap times:
Mini Cooper 6AT - 1:20.784
Honda CR-Z 6MT - 1:19.772
Honda CR-Z CVT- 1:19.303
Honda CR-Z 6MT Modulo - 1:18.322 (Modulo is similar to A-spec - lowered, body kit, different wheels)
In another test, they got the following lap times (Dry condition):
Mazdaspeed 3 - 1:11.156
Mini Cooper S - 1:11.576
Lutecia RS - 1:11.681
Golf GTI - 1:11.760
Colt Ralliart Ver.R - 1:12.123
Civic Type R Euro - 1:12.221
Abarth 500 - 1:12.977
Twingo RS - 1:14.588
CR-Z Modulo - 1:14.749
Polo TSI Highline - 1:17.121
The cars that are faster than the CR-Z all have way better power-weight ratio. The Polo is about the same as the CR-Z. However, it's way slower too.
Also, despite having a "RS" designation, the Twingo RS isn't that much faster than the CR-Z.
It's also very clear that the CR-Z is faster than a non S mini cooper.
#108
Safety Car
LF-Gh
Lexus has decided to pull the wraps off its LF-Gh – which stands for Lexus Future Grand-Touring Hybrid – ahead of its official debut at the upcoming New York Auto Show. Interestingly, Lexus itself describes the styling of its latest conceptual hybrid sedan as something of a contradiction in terms. Says Kengo Matsumoto, general manager of Toyota's Lexus Design Division:
For this concept, Lexus designers studied characteristics that are often considered contradictory and difficult to execute together. The captivating design of the LF-Gh concept examines the possibility of balancing what are normally opposing qualities, such as style and functionality.
Expect such offbeat styling details to make an appearance on future Lexus production models, including what the company is calling its "aggressive and bold spindle-shaped front grille."
As a grand-touring sedan, Lexus says the rear-wheel-drive LF-Gh will offer plenty of room for "multiple occupants at higher speeds on long-distance drives." We don't have any real detailed photos of the car's interior, but the automaker claims it hints at "an all-new, future Lexus interior" that incorporates a new 3-dimensional analog clock, whatever that means.
As you'd expect from any new concept from the global leader in hybrids, the LF-Gh Concept features a hybridized powertrain of unknown specification. We do find it interesting, though, that Lexus is purposely trying to diminish the appearance of the car's exhaust in an effort to "suggest that the flow of exhaust gas will be substantially reduced."
Stay tuned for live images from the show floor in New York later this month. In the meantime, feel free to check out the official press release after the break and be sure to take a nice, long gander at the high-res image gallery below.
*UPDATE: Video added after the break. Enjoy!
#109
Senior Moderator
From the side view, the rear looks TSX-ish. I like the flow of the car except for the front grille. I feel like if it didn't widen so much at the bottom, it would look better. Almost seems like they are going after Audi's grille design (with the size).
#110
Safety Car
that grille is exactly what i expected. lexus is up to no good with their grilles.
they are slowly phasing into full faced grille. look at how the top chrome grille surround matriculated in the newest facelifts in the RX and IS. it is especially apparent in the CH. its basically a top chrome fang, that is open ended at the bottom to allow for the grille to flow into the lower air dam. (at least, its obvious to me, bc i considered upgrading my 2010 IS to a 2011 for the new front, and studied the differences) sooner or later, lexus will have a top to bottom grille. they are just preparing us for it at the moment.
exhibit a:
note the upper grille surround and bumper lines.
^^ audi did the same exact thing a few years back when it start to phase in their full faced grilles. first they started linking up the lower/upper grille with a large chrome surround, then next thing you knew, they had a monstrous grille.
it would not suprise me if lexus has these full faced grilles in their next generation renditions (as shown in the Gh concept pic below)
they are slowly phasing into full faced grille. look at how the top chrome grille surround matriculated in the newest facelifts in the RX and IS. it is especially apparent in the CH. its basically a top chrome fang, that is open ended at the bottom to allow for the grille to flow into the lower air dam. (at least, its obvious to me, bc i considered upgrading my 2010 IS to a 2011 for the new front, and studied the differences) sooner or later, lexus will have a top to bottom grille. they are just preparing us for it at the moment.
exhibit a:
note the upper grille surround and bumper lines.
^^ audi did the same exact thing a few years back when it start to phase in their full faced grilles. first they started linking up the lower/upper grille with a large chrome surround, then next thing you knew, they had a monstrous grille.
it would not suprise me if lexus has these full faced grilles in their next generation renditions (as shown in the Gh concept pic below)
Last edited by ThermonMermon; 04-12-2011 at 04:42 PM.
#112
altho Lexus can sell ugly like nobody else can. you can't say that for Acura. the Lexus marketing people have cultivated such a strong passionate following that Lexus can come out with designs like the above and still sell.
#113
Honda Fanboy
Identity Crisis for Lexus
Gavin Green on Lexus's identity crisis in Europe
By Gavin Green
Analysis
15 April 2011 09:16
In the red corner, there are the premium makers obsessed by speed and sport. And then, alone in the blue corner – or should it be the green corner? – there is Lexus.
The speed-’n’-sport bunch is led by BMW. It did not invent the breed. But it certainly popularised it. Its elevation to become the world’s most successful premium car company has encouraged all European – and many non-Euro – rivals to follow.
Audi has done this particularly successful (in Europe, it now outsells BMW). Mercedes, despite its hallowed pedigree for producing saloons and sports cars of superior manners, also embarked on BMW imitation before recent welcome efforts to regain its former nobility (the best example of its recovery is the fine new E-class, never mind the machete style).
Saab, of course, is a long-time player in the sports saloon sector, so you can’t blame it for continuing to ply its trade, no matter how unsatisfactory recent efforts. Alfa, equally, was doing sports saloons when BMW was making bubble cars.
Every premium maker is sports obsessed
Even Jaguar, once maker of the most-supple riding saloons in the world, now prioritises performance and sporty style. Outside Europe, Nissan’s Infiniti wing is unashamedly sports-biased. And when Cadillac – of all people – had its big Euro-push a few years back, its prime offering – the CTS-V – was more weaponry-on-wheels than posh boulevadier.
Only Lexus – if we exclude the stratospherically priced Rolls-Royces and Bentleys – prioritises quietness, refinement. luxury and comfort, in the middle-class premium sector. Or rather, it sometimes prioritises it.
Its sales are a joke. Last year, it shifted just over 16,000 cars in the whole of Europe. Compare that with BMW and Audi, both of which chalked up about 600,000.
But is this because Europeans want speed and sport, leavened with aggressive big-wheel style, rather than quietness and refinement? To some extent – rather incongruously, considering the state of our roads and the strict enforcement of our speed limits – we do. Equally, we Europeans are brand snobs. Lexus still sounds too much like an anonymous white good rather than a fast silver car.
Lexus: Right idea, wrong execution
Mostly, though, it is because Lexus has not done a good job delivering its key brand quality – to produce comfortable, refined and luxurious cars, grand tourers not road racers. The first LS400 saloon, of 1989, was a meritorious machine – superbly quiet and beautifully made, with hair-thick shutlines and the best music system on the market. It felt as much Swiss watch as four-door saloon. Its refinement made contemporary BMW and Mercedes sound like ageing Transit vans carrying bags of bolts. It was focused, its proposition as clear as its Nakamichi premium music.
Since then, things have gone fuzzy
I mostly blame marketing and engineering schizophrenia, not any lack of technical competence. Lexus overlords in Japan see the European market move to sports driving and motorway-missile-style. And they want a share of that action. Wiser voices, some in Britain, counsel individuality. You won’t beat BMW by copying. Infiniti is fast proving this. The result, so frequently, are cars that are neither especially sporty nor especially refined.
CT200h: The schizophrenic premium compact car
The new Lexus CT200h, which I recently drove, is further proof of this corporate schizophrenia.
I recall its global launch, at the Geneva show last year. It was positioned as the company’s compact sports premium hatch, hybrid power meets heated performance, BMW 1-series watch out. Yet, by the time UK sales commenced a year later, the ‘sports’ word was never mentioned. It’s now all about quietness.
I like the CT200h. It has much to recommend it. But its on-road behaviour is as schizophrenic as that earlier marketing message. At low speed, especially in full electric mode, it is blissfully silent. Even at low petrol revs, there is almost LS400 refinement. But once you work that four-cylinder engine, it whines and groans. A BMW at big revs sings. This car screams.
The cabin is well made, nicely appointed and comfortable, a good place to spend time. So far, so good. But the ride is stiff-legged and jarring, more sports than supple. It has fully independent suspension. Although this could mean that the suspension is fully independent from the cabin. It’s a bit like putting a chaise longue on a go kart.
Apart from the firm ride, this Lexus is otherwise about as sporty as Sir Alex leaving the dug-out and donning Wayne Rooney’s number 10 strip. What do you expect from a Prius-derived powertrain?
The CT200h ticks every low company car tax box and is naturally London congestion charge exempt. Few will desert their BMW for one. But plenty of people, I suspect, will buy this instead of a similar-money tarted Golf or Focus and be happy. (Not least, with the pleasing theatre that still accompanies driving a hybrid, and with Lexus’s vaunted reputation for customer service.)
But, as with so many other Lexi, the CT200h is an opportunity missed. There is surely room for a premium car company that delivers comfort, quietness and exemplary road manners, as all rivals continue their firm-riding BMW sports obsession. But until Lexus’s bosses align their thinking, and deliver their refinement-first promise, they will continue to be an irrelevance in the European premium car market.
By Gavin Green
Analysis
15 April 2011 09:16
In the red corner, there are the premium makers obsessed by speed and sport. And then, alone in the blue corner – or should it be the green corner? – there is Lexus.
The speed-’n’-sport bunch is led by BMW. It did not invent the breed. But it certainly popularised it. Its elevation to become the world’s most successful premium car company has encouraged all European – and many non-Euro – rivals to follow.
Audi has done this particularly successful (in Europe, it now outsells BMW). Mercedes, despite its hallowed pedigree for producing saloons and sports cars of superior manners, also embarked on BMW imitation before recent welcome efforts to regain its former nobility (the best example of its recovery is the fine new E-class, never mind the machete style).
Saab, of course, is a long-time player in the sports saloon sector, so you can’t blame it for continuing to ply its trade, no matter how unsatisfactory recent efforts. Alfa, equally, was doing sports saloons when BMW was making bubble cars.
Every premium maker is sports obsessed
Even Jaguar, once maker of the most-supple riding saloons in the world, now prioritises performance and sporty style. Outside Europe, Nissan’s Infiniti wing is unashamedly sports-biased. And when Cadillac – of all people – had its big Euro-push a few years back, its prime offering – the CTS-V – was more weaponry-on-wheels than posh boulevadier.
Only Lexus – if we exclude the stratospherically priced Rolls-Royces and Bentleys – prioritises quietness, refinement. luxury and comfort, in the middle-class premium sector. Or rather, it sometimes prioritises it.
Its sales are a joke. Last year, it shifted just over 16,000 cars in the whole of Europe. Compare that with BMW and Audi, both of which chalked up about 600,000.
But is this because Europeans want speed and sport, leavened with aggressive big-wheel style, rather than quietness and refinement? To some extent – rather incongruously, considering the state of our roads and the strict enforcement of our speed limits – we do. Equally, we Europeans are brand snobs. Lexus still sounds too much like an anonymous white good rather than a fast silver car.
Lexus: Right idea, wrong execution
Mostly, though, it is because Lexus has not done a good job delivering its key brand quality – to produce comfortable, refined and luxurious cars, grand tourers not road racers. The first LS400 saloon, of 1989, was a meritorious machine – superbly quiet and beautifully made, with hair-thick shutlines and the best music system on the market. It felt as much Swiss watch as four-door saloon. Its refinement made contemporary BMW and Mercedes sound like ageing Transit vans carrying bags of bolts. It was focused, its proposition as clear as its Nakamichi premium music.
Since then, things have gone fuzzy
I mostly blame marketing and engineering schizophrenia, not any lack of technical competence. Lexus overlords in Japan see the European market move to sports driving and motorway-missile-style. And they want a share of that action. Wiser voices, some in Britain, counsel individuality. You won’t beat BMW by copying. Infiniti is fast proving this. The result, so frequently, are cars that are neither especially sporty nor especially refined.
CT200h: The schizophrenic premium compact car
The new Lexus CT200h, which I recently drove, is further proof of this corporate schizophrenia.
I recall its global launch, at the Geneva show last year. It was positioned as the company’s compact sports premium hatch, hybrid power meets heated performance, BMW 1-series watch out. Yet, by the time UK sales commenced a year later, the ‘sports’ word was never mentioned. It’s now all about quietness.
I like the CT200h. It has much to recommend it. But its on-road behaviour is as schizophrenic as that earlier marketing message. At low speed, especially in full electric mode, it is blissfully silent. Even at low petrol revs, there is almost LS400 refinement. But once you work that four-cylinder engine, it whines and groans. A BMW at big revs sings. This car screams.
The cabin is well made, nicely appointed and comfortable, a good place to spend time. So far, so good. But the ride is stiff-legged and jarring, more sports than supple. It has fully independent suspension. Although this could mean that the suspension is fully independent from the cabin. It’s a bit like putting a chaise longue on a go kart.
Apart from the firm ride, this Lexus is otherwise about as sporty as Sir Alex leaving the dug-out and donning Wayne Rooney’s number 10 strip. What do you expect from a Prius-derived powertrain?
The CT200h ticks every low company car tax box and is naturally London congestion charge exempt. Few will desert their BMW for one. But plenty of people, I suspect, will buy this instead of a similar-money tarted Golf or Focus and be happy. (Not least, with the pleasing theatre that still accompanies driving a hybrid, and with Lexus’s vaunted reputation for customer service.)
But, as with so many other Lexi, the CT200h is an opportunity missed. There is surely room for a premium car company that delivers comfort, quietness and exemplary road manners, as all rivals continue their firm-riding BMW sports obsession. But until Lexus’s bosses align their thinking, and deliver their refinement-first promise, they will continue to be an irrelevance in the European premium car market.
#114
I thought it was a good value for what you get? $21K buys 6-MT, HID, Bluetooth, iPod, 40 mpg in mixed driving, but no armrest. I can't think of another car that can offer these at the same price.
I've wondered about this. I was worried that this would put a 'big hurt' on the TSX but it never worked out that way. However, we've recently lost two sales to the CT and these people are waiting 2 months for their car. I'm not sure what these people were driving before, but I wonder if Prius owners want to stick with a hatchback and the HS doesn't suit them?
I've wondered about this. I was worried that this would put a 'big hurt' on the TSX but it never worked out that way. However, we've recently lost two sales to the CT and these people are waiting 2 months for their car. I'm not sure what these people were driving before, but I wonder if Prius owners want to stick with a hatchback and the HS doesn't suit them?
#115
CT200 is more like desperate attempt against A3 TDI. newer A3 Sedan/hatch is just around corner.
#116
Safety Car
Design Exercise
Lexus has just lost the title for the top luxury automaker in 2011 in the United States after being the leader for 11 years, but the head of Toyota Motor Corp.'s Lexus division isn't worried.
According to Detroit News, the Japanese automaker expects to lose some market shares this year due to components supply shortages from Japan as a consequence to the March 11 earthquake.
"I've told people for the 11 years that we have been No. 1 that it's not what we set out to do," Lexus general manager Mark Templin told The Detroit News after an event to unveil a concept Lexus hybrid - the LF-Gh.
"It's not what we're about now. We're all about the best quality cars," he added.
In the first three months of 2011, the Japanese automaker lost some positions in favor of Mercedes Benz and BMW. In addition, the sales levels were down 4% in the first quarter.
Due to new fuel efficiency regulations, the luxury segment in the States has changed and continues to change as Templin explains.
"Some of our competitors don't have the might and power of a Toyota behind them," he said. "They have to sell smaller, less expensive cars that get better mpg and get more volume out of it to meet their government regulations," he added.
By 2016, automakers are forced to increase their car’s fuel efficiency by 30% in order to meet the new regulations that require a 34.1 mpg (6.89 L/100 km) level.
Lexus is not obliged to build fuel-efficient models in order to meet the new terms.
“We don't plan to that," Templin said. "We can stick to true luxury cars and that's what we intend to do... It's not just about volume," he concluded.
The Lexus Future Grand Touring hybrid represents just a new face for Lexus according to Templin. He explained that Lexus does not intend to sell the LF-Gh model, considering it just a design exercise.
"But I promise you a lot of what you see will come to see in this car will come to future Lexus products,” Templin reports, saying it would "not be too long."
#118
Burning Brakes
I think they could've pulled off the grille on the Lf-Gh a little better. Big grilles are fine, but the way it flares out at the bottom is awkward. It's nice to see Lexus try some bolder designs, though.
#119
Race Director
Since this was probably driven by the Lexus run away fiasco I thought I'd post it here.
http://content.usatoday.com/communit...o-work-alike/1
http://content.usatoday.com/communit...o-work-alike/1
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is proposing a rule that would make all keyless ignition systems operate in the same manner, according to Bloomberg News.
The safety enhancement would make turning off the car's engine easier in an emergency situation, according to the proposal. The rule would require all keyless ignition systems to be able to turn off the engine regardless of the position the gear selector is in. Normally, the transmission must be in Park for the push-button start to work. Some vehicles have push-button starts that will shut the motor if you press and hold the button for a certain length of time. Under the new rule, holding the button for half a second would stop the engine.
The rule also proposes an audible warning to the driver if he or she tries to shut the motor without first selecting Park. The warning would also sound if the driver leaves the vehicle without turning off the engine or tries to exit the vehicle without first selecting Park even if the engine has been turned off.
NHTSA is proposing the rule because of the increasing popularity of push-button start. In 2002, only 5,000 vehicles were sold with the feature. By 2008, the number had jumped to 1.2 million vehicles, according to NHTSA. Standardizing the feature would cost less than $500,000 a year to implement for all automakers, the agency says.
The push-button issue figured prominently in the case the sparked the debate a couple years ago about Toyota runaway cars. A Lexus driven by an off-duty California Highway Patrol officer was equipped with a push button that the officer and his passenger pushed furiously, not knowing that it requred a three-second continuous push to activate, a federal report on the issue later found. Toyota stands by the delay as a safety feature to prevent cars from accidently being turned off and has never labeled them to indicate the three-second rule.
The rule will be submitted to the Federal Register on Monday:
An audible warning would also prevent more people from leaving vehicles in the wrong gear or with the engine on, preventing chances of a vehicle rollaway or carbon monoxide poisoning, Bloomberg says.
The safety enhancement would make turning off the car's engine easier in an emergency situation, according to the proposal. The rule would require all keyless ignition systems to be able to turn off the engine regardless of the position the gear selector is in. Normally, the transmission must be in Park for the push-button start to work. Some vehicles have push-button starts that will shut the motor if you press and hold the button for a certain length of time. Under the new rule, holding the button for half a second would stop the engine.
The rule also proposes an audible warning to the driver if he or she tries to shut the motor without first selecting Park. The warning would also sound if the driver leaves the vehicle without turning off the engine or tries to exit the vehicle without first selecting Park even if the engine has been turned off.
NHTSA is proposing the rule because of the increasing popularity of push-button start. In 2002, only 5,000 vehicles were sold with the feature. By 2008, the number had jumped to 1.2 million vehicles, according to NHTSA. Standardizing the feature would cost less than $500,000 a year to implement for all automakers, the agency says.
The push-button issue figured prominently in the case the sparked the debate a couple years ago about Toyota runaway cars. A Lexus driven by an off-duty California Highway Patrol officer was equipped with a push button that the officer and his passenger pushed furiously, not knowing that it requred a three-second continuous push to activate, a federal report on the issue later found. Toyota stands by the delay as a safety feature to prevent cars from accidently being turned off and has never labeled them to indicate the three-second rule.
The rule will be submitted to the Federal Register on Monday:
An audible warning would also prevent more people from leaving vehicles in the wrong gear or with the engine on, preventing chances of a vehicle rollaway or carbon monoxide poisoning, Bloomberg says.