Lexus LF-NX Concept Shows Its Edgy Body with New 2.0L Turbo in Tokyo

The LF-NX Concept is not exactly a new study, but Lexus found a way to make it relevant for the Tokyo Motor Show by replacing the original study’s hybrid powertrain with a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine.

With the exception of the front under spoiler, the study’s controversial styling remains intact though, but it is less important than the new engine - Lexus’ first ever, turbocharged gasoline powertrain. The carmaker says the 2.0-liter unit paves the way for the introduction of turbo engines in future models.

The four-cylinder unit combines Lexus’ advanced high tumble port, fan spray fuel injection, D-4S and VVT-iw combustion technologies with a cylinder head-integrated exhaust manifold and a twin scroll turbocharger with an active wastegate valve. Lexus says the new engine targets “a fast throttle response and exhilarating performance while demonstrating outstanding fuel efficiency”.

For the Tokyo Motor Show, the Lexus LF-NX Turbo concept sports a new Brushed Metal Silver exterior color, a more aggressive alloy wheel design and a change in tire size from the hybrid concept’s 255/50R 20 to 255/45ZR 20 that gives the study a sportier appearance.

The interior remains largely the same, minus the color combination that now includes Sunrise Yellow and Black leather upholstery with contrast stitching. Another change is the sporting red illumination of the instrument and switchgear including the meters, navigation screen, RTI touch tracer and touch pad, as well as the roof and door panels.

By Dan Mihalascu

PHOTO GALLERY

Jay Leno Drives the 2014 Lexus IS Sedan, Gives us a First Peak at the Interior

Just like it did last year with the all-new GS, Lexus invited the press to meet its next generation IS sedan before it unveils the car to the public at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in mid-January.
Among those who received an invitation was U.S. comedian and television host Jay Leno who traveled all the way to Japan and the Fuji Motor Speedway to try out a pre-production prototype of the 2014 IS that was covered on the outside, but not on the inside, thus affording us our first view of the dashboard.
Leno hints at a longer wheelbase and a sportier chassis setup aimed to compete primarily against the BMW 3-Series and from the looks of things, GM's newcomer in the segment, the Cadillac ATS.

VIDEO: Lexus LF-A Nurburgring Edition Laps the Nordschleife in 7:22.85

A Carscoop reader from Japan tipped us off about this video showing the new Lexus LF-A Nurburgring Edition (or at least that’s what the Youtube poster claims we’re seeing here) lapping the famous Nordschleife circuit in 7 minutes and 22.85 seconds. The poster videotaped the run from a video screen set beside the LF-A Nurburgring Edition.
According to the person who shot the clip, Lexus raced the car just before this past weekend’s 24-hour Nurburgring endurance race kicked off.

Lexus Builds one-off Landaulet LS 600h for Monaco Royal Wedding [with Video]

Whatever your opinion of royal families, you can’t deny that they know a thing or two about spectacular weddings, as evidenced recently by the huge viewership of the Prince William-Kate Middleton tie-up.
Now, another European royal is about to tie the knot: on July 2, Prince Albert of Monaco will stand on the altar besides Carlene Wittstock and exchange vows for richer or poorer (just saying...), better or worse etc.
And Lexus is the one providing the newlyweds’ transportation by building a one-off version of its top of the range LS 600h limo. This version, which has been engineered by Belgian coachbuilder Carat Duchatelet and took over 2,000 hours to complete, is a Landaulet.

VIDEO: Lexus LFA Wows the Crowds at Tokyo Drift Event

A bespoke sports car priced over than $370,000 and of which only 500 will be produced worldwide, isn’t something you normally expect to see at a drift event. But in the Land of the Rising Sun, everything goes when it comes to burning tires and wowing crowds.
Making its appearance on the sidelines of the 2011 D1 Grand Prix Tokyo drift was this stock Lexus LFA, which you can enjoy in action in the video that follows after the break.

Renault Wind Roadster and Lexus CT200h

Selling a car through advertising isn’t as easy as you might think. What good is it showing your product nimbly taking on Alpine twists and turns when your competitors are doing the same thing? Here are two ads that don’t really break the mould, but try something a little different.

Lexus LS 600h L Getting Prepped for the Wedding of Prince Albert II of Monaco

With monthly average sales of around 2,000 units this year, Lexus’ cars continue to be a scarce commodity on Europe roads and we somehow doubt that being crowned the official vehicle of His Serene Highness [very sic…] Prince Albert II of Monaco will help improve the Japanese automaker’s position in the market.

Lexus LS 600h L Getting Prepped for the Wedding of Prince Albert II of Monaco

With monthly average sales of around 2,000 units this year, Lexus’ cars continue to be a scarce commodity on Europe roads and we somehow doubt that being crowned the official vehicle of His Serene Highness [very sic…] Prince Albert II of Monaco will help improve the Japanese automaker’s position in the market.

Lexus Turns the Roosevelt Hotel into the World’s Biggest 3D Billboard

The Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles, California, is one of the most iconic hotels in the United States, nay the world. Built in the 1920s, it has since featured in countless movies, television shows and music videos. So it figures that sooner or later someone would get the bright spark idea of using it as a giant billboard for their product.
Enter the world of Lexus who, with the help of some cutting-edge 3D projection mapping technology, turned the side of the Roosevelt into a Michael Bay Transformers-esque advertisement for its new CT 200h hybrid hatchback. Walls shift around and rotate; gaping holes appear and flowers, roadways and other objects all spring to life out of the eighty plus year old façade.

A Detailed Video Look at Lexus’ New LF-Gh Hybrid Sport Saloon Concept

One of the star attractions of next week’s 2011 New York International Auto Show will be a new concept model from Lexus called the LF-Gh Hybrid. We’ve already brought you the first details and photos on the sedan study, but now we’ve got official footage of the LF-Gh. Those of you looking to catch a glimpse of the concept model on the move will have to skip through towards the end of the 7-minute long clip.

Lexus Owner Recreates Epic LS400 “Champagne Glass” Ad from the 1980s

In one of the cleverest ads from the 1980s, Lexus stacked fifteen champagne glasses on the hood of its (then new) LS400 sedan...and then placed it on a dynamometer. Taking the LS400 up to a simulated 145 mph (233 km/h), the viewer marvels as the glasses remain exactly where they should be. The ad ends with the Lexus logo and the words, “The Lexus LS400 is designed to stir the soul...and not much else.”
It’s a great bit of advertising and holds up pretty well even today. There is one question that many would-be Lexus owners may be asking themselves today: are the cars still as good as they were back then? Has engineering perfection über alles survived twenty years of market reinvention and product development?

VIDEO: Lexus LFA Burning Some Rubber on the Track

It might not be the prettiest or most sought after supercar in the world, but the new Lexus LFA does have a certain appeal to it. Even more so when we have the opportunity to watch it on the track. In this video we see American car racing champion Scott Pruett drifting and doing donuts in the LFA at the Infineon Raceway in Sonoma California. Click through the jump for the clip.

VIDEO: Lexus LFA Meets Hot Dutch Supermodel in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition

Normally, the annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition wouldn't be something that you'd read about or see on Carscoop, but being that Lexus is involved in the 2011 issue, we....couldn't leave you in the dark about the LFA's presence in the photo shoot with Dutch supermodel Rianne Ten Haken.
Now, if you're still with us and haven't used the zoom function for a closer inspection of Miss Ten Haken, in the hands of Rhys Millen, the Japanese firm's 552-HP, V10 supercar ran -in Lexus' own words- "multiple high-speed donuts around the model to create the imagery for the sizzling four-page spread." Now spread your wings over the jump to watch the video clip.

Lexus Offers Special Driver Lessons to LFA Owners [with Video]

Owning a supercar like the Lexus LFA is not always a walk in the park. With 552HP on tap, it has enough oomph to get you in serious trouble and, given the $375,000 price tag and limited run of just 500 units, it would be a shame to wrap this beast around a tree. So, it’s definitely good news that Lexus will offer a driver development program for LFA owners that will run from March 8 to 15, at the Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California.

VIDEO: C&D Pits Lexus LFA Against Ferrari 599 HGTE

In 1971, one of the greatest one-on-one boxing matches took place in New York's Madison Square Garden: the bout between Mohammed Ali and Joe Frazier. So big was this event, advertisers dubbed it, 'The Fight of the Century'. Now, two different contenders take to the ring (uh...tarmac). The reigning champion: the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano HGTE. The challenger: the Lexus LFA. Video after the jump.

Video: Lexus at the 2008 SEMA Show

For its second official appearance at the SEMA Show Lexus brought a flock of modified vehicles including four unique IS F project cars, an IS 350 adorned with F-Sport products and a Five Axis-prepped GS 460 sedan. Check out the company's proposals live from the Las Vegas convention center in the video that follows after the jump.