LexFather

There are tons of Lexus news threads and even more commnets. This will be closed but will be a source for those looking for Lexus news.

Incredible Speech by Lexus GM on the future.
Morgan Stanley Global Automotive Conference
New York, April 7, 2004
Denny Clements
Group Vice President and General Manager, Lexus Division
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A.

Good afternoon.
Our thanks to all of you for being here, and to Morgan Stanley for this fine forum.
It is our first opportunity to bring Lexus to this group, except for the times when we were here with our cousins from Toyota.

Please refer to our cautionary statement before we begin this afternoon's presentation.

We'd like to use these few minutes to talk about three topics...
* The luxury vehicle market, and our take on it today...
* How changes in the market revise the conventional wisdom about luxury purchases...
* And how Lexus is preparing to meet the challenges that these changes bring about.

Last year, luxury automakers built and sold 1.8 million vehicles, accounting for 11 percent of the U.S. new-vehicle market.
That share, by the way, has grown from around eight percent of the total in just the past five years.

More on that in a minute.
Last year, Lexus sold almost 260,000 vehicles in the United States, registering the Number One market share at 14.0 percent.
It was our fourth consecutive year of leadership in the luxury vehicle segment. This year, first quarter sales totaled 64,970...up an impressive 25 percent from the same period a year ago.
In 2004, luxury vehicle sales should grow to 1.9 million units, or about 11.4 percent of the estimated total of 16.9 million U.S. light-vehicle sales.
Lexus aims to account for sales in excess of 270,000 while maintaining our market share.

All of you know well how crowded and competitive the luxury vehicle market has become.
When Lexus introduced the LS 400 back in late 1989, it competed with 40 vehicles in the luxury market.
Today, there are 70.
The reasons aren't hard to figure out if you look at the demographics.
The Federal Reserve report on changes in U.S. Family Finances shows that median and mean family income come to a peak in the 45-54 year age group.

And the people who were born between 1946 and 1964 - all 78 million of them - are today between 40 and 58.
In fact, another American turns 50 every eight seconds, landing right in the middle of that peak-earning group.
What's more, the Boomers are the first generation to have gone to college on a large scale.
And when you relate peak income to education, you find that families led by earners with college degrees have incomes twice those of families that are not.
So, we have a massive population of comparatively well educated people...at just the right age...
right at the peak of their lifetime earning potential.
That's a tempting market for makers of luxury products of all kinds - and...for makers of luxury motor vehicles...it's irresistible.

Americans in the so-called "middle class luxury" category - those with annual incomes of $100,000 or more - have become a fast-growing group.
According to the Census Bureau, this group accounted for 13.8 percent of all U.S. households in 2001, up from nine percent just ten years earlier.
That gives us a total of 15.1 million households in the United States with total annual income over $100,000.
Another factor is the amount of money American families have left to spend on discretionary purchases when their household expenses are paid.
We're told that the average family of four spends 21 percent less on clothes, 22 percent less on food, and 44 percent less on appliances, after inflation, than it did a generation ago.
And mortgage payments that consumed nearly a third of household income in 1980...and about one-fourth in 1990...have fallen to about 18 percent of monthly household income today.

Thank you, Chairman Greenspan.
Still another factor is the ratio of a car's cost to a family's income.
Today, an average-priced new car is more affordable than its been in 24 years...
Costing the equivalent of under 20 weeks of median family income.

So, more Americans in their peak earning years...generally better educated, as a group...bringing home more money...and spending less of it on necessities...with more to apply to car purchases.
That's a winning formula.
It means more and more families can move up into the luxury and near-luxury vehicle segments of the car buying population.

Now, what about this huge market?
What's the latest on luxury car buyers?
And how have they changed?

Well, we've recently concluded an extensive two-year study of the changing luxury market in an effort to forward the Lexus Brand Strategy.
We studied spending habits of affluent people, and of people in that "middle-class luxury" segment.
We looked at purchases of all kinds of luxury goods.
We examined the habits, the interests, the needs, the desires, even the values of people who bought our cars, and of those who did not.

What we learned from our studies was that Americans' notions about luxury have changed a great deal.
When Lexus was launched in the late 1980s, luxury in this country was all about possessions.
It was about accumulations of high-ticket assets of all kinds.

It was about pride of ownership...ownership for its own sake, often unrelated to the utility or performance of the possessions.
Remember "He who dies with the most toys wins"?

Then the luxury market entered a phase where experiences became more important.
It wasn't just about possessions, but also about how purchases enriched your life.
Luxury consumers started looking at high-ticket activities that included extreme sports in some extremely remote places.
Mount McKinley wasn't high enough, and it isn't remote enough...so let's send postcards from the top of K2 instead.
And luxury skiing meant hela-skiing in the back country of a nation on the other side of the world.

During this period, our lives became busier and busier, and time became more scarce.
So luxury consumers started looking for ways to not only save time, but to savor time.
These trends have created a new view of luxury.
It is understated and less formal.
It is oriented less to possessions, more to high-quality uses of time.
In place of conspicuous consumption is the new notion of consumption of experiences.
It is oriented to a pursuit of those things that help people savor time -- travel time, relaxation time -- that's the real luxury today.
People are looking at things that make life easier or more manageable so there is more time to enjoy one's life.

Consider, for example, that commuters in one-third of our nation's largest cities spend an average
of more than 40 hours a year - a full work week - sitting in gridlocked traffic with their engines running.
And if one cannot escape that situation, surely there must be a way to make that time more tolerable, if not pleasant.

When we asked our owners, "What does Lexus mean to you?" and "How does Lexus fit into your life?"
They told us that Lexus respects their time with things like...Mobile service...service pick-up and delivery...complimentary car washes...Lexus Luxury lounges where you can relax...or conduct business...and the most problem-free vehicles in the industry.

So when you consider Lexus in the context of this new view of luxury, it seems as though the stars are perfectly aligned for Lexus.

Our research confirms that consumers are looking for brands they can trust.
Lexus is rewarded by its customers with the highest loyalty rate of any nameplate - 53 percent.
Nevertheless, we resolved to study every aspect of our operations - every customer touch point - to see how we could further improve and meet these needs even better.

Our people talk about "seamless anticipation" of the customer's needs.
We brought our response to the customer's new view of luxury from three directions...product diversity...product design...and dealer operations.
Building a more diverse product lineup meant making additions of both new models and new features, new technology and new performance to our existing lineup.
Some competitors have been going down-market in the attempt to capture greater volume.
The Lexus way is to add features, improve performance, and generally try to anticipate what the customer will want next, remaining within our value ranges.
And that's why, tomorrow, we'll unwrap a concept vehicle that will give IS owners more choices
within this sport/luxury class.
This is our near-luxury entry point -- the market that will produce lifetime loyalists for the Lexus lineup.
Nearly 90 percent of IS buyers are first-time Lexus owners.
The median age of IS buyers is 29, the lowest in the segment, and well below the 39-year-old average of its nearest competitor.
In fact, the IS has done a better job of meeting the needs of young buyers than any other model in this segment.
Lexus IS competes directly with the BMW 3 series, which, with 15 variants accounts for 10,000 units per month...half that company's sales.
Today, IS has only 2 models.
While we never intended for IS to represent such a large percentage of our volume, clearly additional body configurations...such as a coupe and convertible would offers Lexus the opportunity to significantly increase today's volume of approximately 1,000 units per month.

As we look to grow our business in this highly competitive segment, we will introduce, at the New York auto show tomorrow, a new concept luxury-sports coupe...the LF-C.
The LF-C will attract young, sophisticated consumers seeking more than the traditional European sport sedan formula.

Another example of product diversification is in the Lexus SUV lineup - the most complete in the luxury market.
Today, Lexus dominates the segment with more than one in four luxury SUVs sold bearing the Lexus nameplate, and our RX 330 is the #1 luxury sport utility in the market.

Nearly every buyer can already find the features and price point he or she is seeking in our RX, GX and LX sport utilities.
Nevertheless, we will add a fourth SUV to our lineup this year...offering even more selection.

This past January in Detroit we announced the addition of the RX 400h, the world's first luxury hybrid vehicle.
This revolutionary SUV will be available late this year.
Powered by an all-new, advanced Hybrid Synergy Drive system, the 400h brings a performance dimension
to the traditional hybrid advantages of high mileage and low emissions.
The new RX will offer 20 percent more power, faster acceleration with better fuel consumption than the RX 330.
What's better than that?
The emissions rating.
The RX 400h will be rated a super ultra low emissions vehicle, one of the most stringent emissions ratings in the industry.
Drive this vehicle in nine round trips between New York and Los Angeles, and you'll produce less smog-forming emissions than in painting a room in your house with one gallon of paint.

We've done a lot of research on how affluent consumers will respond to this revolutionary vehicle.
We have found that it is not necessarily about being green...or more fuel-efficient...or even about the higher level of performance.
It's all about delivering a better total package to a very loyal customer who has come to trust the Lexus marque.

The new luxury hybrid, incidentally, will also introduce another industry first called Vehicle Dynamic Management.
VDM is an all-new system that combines Lexus vehicle stability control with an all-new electronic brake technology.
It is capable of anticipating impending vehicle stability problems and then automatically engaging a combination of braking and throttle control to help correct the situation.
It will be largely invisible to the driver...an example of the seamless anticipation of a customer's needs.

And here's another - our Adaptive Front Lighting System, or AFS, that turns the headlights in the direction of a turn making night driving safer.

A central controller calculates the optimum direction and swivels the right and left headlights independently so the driver can see further into a curve before turning in to it.

In addition to greater product diversity and technology, a second step in our evolution of the brand is a new, more passionate design direction.
Last year, at the New York Auto Show, we took the first step in this direction with the world premiere of the Lexus LF-X, a luxury crossover concept.
Last fall, at the Tokyo Motor Show, we unveiled the Lexus LF-S, a luxury sedan concept.
And this year in Detroit, we premiered the third-generation Lexus GS sport sedan.
Arriving early next year, the GS will be the first production vehicle from Lexus to benefit from this passionate new styling approach.
Combined with a Lexus first all-wheel-drive system, Vehicle Dynamic Management, and a back-up camera the next generation GS will offer us a significant opportunity for volume growth.

As I mentioned earlier, the concept vehicle that will be shown tomorrow will be the next in the LF-series of Lexus concept vehicles.

This new design direction is bold and striking, but simple and intriguing.
It is consistent with our findings about what consumers are looking for in luxury purchases.

The third initiative we've taken up as we meet the changing expectations of the luxury consumer has to do with dealer operations and their critical role in the Lexus ownership experience.

Thanks to an early and uncompromising adherence to what is called the Lexus Covenant, our dealers have become the industry benchmark for success.
They not only foster our brand's exceptionally high loyalty rate...they also produce a service retention rate that is unprecedented in the industry.

Nearly two-thirds of our cars that have been on the road for up to ten years return to Lexus dealers for service.
The tremendous owner loyalty and the high service retention rate combine to build dealer profitability.
Our 207 dealers are the most profitable in the automotive industry.
In addition to being the most profitable, Lexus dealers are also number one in retail sales per outlet.
What's more, the National Automotive Dealers Association annually ranks Lexus number one in every category, from sales and profit per store to relations with the manufacturer.

Just to give you an idea of how rapidly we are growing...
It took 10 years and 3 months to deliver our first one-millionth vehicle.
Yesterday in south Florida, we just sold our two-millionth vehicle - a North American-built RX 330.
This time, it only took us 4 years and 4 months.
And in about 3 years and 5 months, we estimate we'll sell our three-millionth Lexus.
And because our already large Units in Operation is growing quite rapidly, we've been working with our dealers to make certain they have the parts and service capability they need to keep the Lexus brand growing into the future.
Our business model is based on two fundamentals - building a perfect product and delivering the perfect customer experience, and for this, we have to rely on our dealers despite our tremendous growth.

We did not want to risk a rise in customer waiting times or a decline in customer satisfaction.

And our dealer partners have stepped up to this challenge, investing three-quarters of a billion dollars in new and expanded facilities in just the past 20 months.
We're training and re-training dealer technicians, service associates and sales associates to be sure our high standards of performance aren't compromised by the additional volume.
There is an intensity about this training that I know is not duplicated
in the industry.
We insist that our industry-leading customer experience be delivered at every touch point.
So everyone from the dealer principal and the salesperson to the receptionist and the valet is brought into a culture of advocacy, engagement and empowerment.

Through these initiatives, our dealers have been able to enjoy consistent, continuous and sustainable progress year after year.
Their people produce the kind of discretionary effort
that team members add when they feel a devotion to a winning cause.

Now, despite our rapid sales and Units In Operation growth, we're adding new dealerships very cautiously and slowly - only about four or five a year.

And, we use customer demand to stock them with vehicles, not the production-push method common to other nameplates.
This means our dealers average a 20- to 25-day supply of product in a luxury segment that averages 50 to 55 days.
That lowers inventory costs and makes it unnecessary to discount aging product.
All of this adds up to superior support and more profit for the dealer.
And when our dealers are profitable,
They're able to sustain a world-class customer experience.

Perhaps you've already seen our recognition of the consumer's new view of luxury expressed in our advertising.
You might recall that when we started, Lexus had just one point to make with the consumer...and that was product superiority.
We had to show that a Japanese car company could build a luxury vehicle equal to world-class competition.
So, we showed our quality with the following commercial we call Ball-bearing:

Today, more than a dozen years later, we're still moving the message of product quality with this most recent spot, called dimples:

In summary, the outlook is good for the auto industry's luxury segment, and especially good for Lexus.
* Consumer demographics are going our way, with lots of new consumers coming into the right age and income sectors for the next decade or more...
* Household income and the amounts available for discretionary purchases are at record levels...
* Luxury vehicles are continuing to increase their share of total light vehicle sales...
* We have an exciting new design direction and ample new product in development...
* Lexus quality is being maintained and even improved, as we ratchet up our volume...
* Our products are marketed and serviced by the industry's most effective, profitable and committed dealer organization, with substantial expansion under way...and...
* We have the full support of a strong, diverse and well capitalized corporate parent.

As we look forward to continued, controlled growth toward unit sales in the 300,000 range within the next five years, we are often asked what's driving our phenomenal success?
Some would say its great products.
But if you go to the New York Auto Show, you'll see all kinds of vehicles that are faster, more fuel efficient, more advanced and that most likely cost less than the model they're replacing.
So, obviously, Lexus does not have a monopoly on great products.
Some would say it's our dealers and what they do for the customer. And our dealers are great.

Well many of our dealers also have other franchises.
So, we don't have a monopoly on great dealers.
What we do have at Lexus is a 15-year commitment for delivering the best product and a perfect customer experience.

Many companies tout their superior products, but clearly, Americans are more skeptical these days than ever before...of everything from Martha Stewart to terrorism, corporate scandals to political scandals.
Our research confirms consumers are looking for brands they can trust.
Which is why our philosophy of building a perfect product and delivering the perfect customer experience is more relevant today than when we launched in 1989.
Lexus is a brand you can trust.
And that's what we believe is driving our growth.
Thanks, now, let's take time to respond to your questions...

LexFather

From Richie:
Lexus wins in The Netherlands

Hot off the press, the IS200 won the best new car award over here in The Netherlands and the dealer network was also chosen as the best there is.
No car has ever scored this high.

Can't find an English article at the moment so you will just have to take my word for it.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...highlight=news

LexFather

LF-C concept is set to become the replacement for the SC430.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/?http:/...y.php?id=50376

Stunning Lexus Drop-top Ready To Hit Road


here's a whole host of new models coming from Lexus in the next two years - and this is one of them. The stunning LF-C concept is set to become the replacement for the SC430.

In an exclusive interview, European director Stuart McCullough told us: "The LF-C's folding roof and hybrid technology are the defining
factors of the next SC, and you should look no further than the show car as a guide to what the new model will be like."

The Japanese luxury brand also confirmed it will offer a diesel option for the first time. It will appear in the next-generation IS range, set to debut towards the end of 2005.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...highlight=news

LexFather

Toyota seeks new vets for dealerships

By Harry Stoffer
Automotive News / September 08, 2004


WASHINGTON -- Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. launched a program Sept. 8 to recruit people who are leaving the armed forces for jobs that are available at Toyota and Lexus dealerships.

The company calls the program Hire*A*Hero.

It is separate from a program undertaken early this year by Automotive Retailing Today (ART), called Hire the Heroes. ART, a coalition of dealer organizations and manufacturers, is providing dealers with tips on how to attract people leaving the military to their businesses, primarily as service technicians.

Denise Patton-Pace, executive director of ART, called the nearly identical program names "a happy coincidence."

Toyota Division General Manager Don Esmond announced the Hire*A*Hero program at an event in Washington.

Esmond, a Marine veteran of Vietnam, said about 200,000 people will be leaving the armed forces next year, and Toyota wants to help them in "transitioning back to civilian life." In addition, dealerships are looking for good employees, he said.

"So, there's a real need there to kind of get a connection," he explained.

The 1,200 Toyota dealers and 200 Lexus dealers will be posting their openings on websites where people leaving the armed forces can search for jobs. The sites are www.toyota.com/hero and www.lexus.com/hero.

Toyota said 600 jobs openings were posted at the launch of the program. They include sales and front-office positions as well as service technician jobs.

Beginning Thursday, Hire*A*Hero will be promoted with big decals on the Tundra truck driven by Bill Lester at NASCAR races, Esmond and Lester said.

Information about the broader industry effort is at www.autojobstoday.org, said Mike Moran, ART secretary-treasure
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...highlight=news

LexFather

PRESS RELEASE: Lexus ES 330 Debuts Freshened Styling and Even More Luxury for 2005

Lexus ES 330 Debuts Freshened Styling and Even More Luxury for 2005 The 2005 ES 300 will be available beginning August 2004 and will have a base manufacturer's suggested retail price of $31,975.

TORRANCE, Calif., Aug. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- The Lexus ES 330, a benchmark for comfort and smoothness in the entry-luxury sedan category, shows off revised styling for 2005 and builds on its already impressive resume of luxury for the driver and passengers. Drivers seeking flagship-type design and amenities will find more of both in the 2005 model, along with the industry-leading quality that has been a Lexus hallmark since its inception.

New luxury features include enhanced seating comfort and adjustability, a new steering wheel with integrated audio and central display controls, voice activation for the available navigation system, and satellite radio compatibility.

The 2005 ES 330 is distinguished in front by a revised grille with additional horizontal bars and revised headlamps with projector bulb halogen low beams. The re-shaped lower intake valence is highlighted by a body-color horizontal bar and now houses larger, round fog lamps. From the rear, the 2005 ES 330 is identified by revised taillamps with twin circular bulb elements and a new chrome garnish above the license plate. The 2005 ES also adds four new exterior colors: Classic Silver Metallic, Blue Shale Mica, Sonora Gold Pearl and Oasis Green Pearl.

Customers can add a sporty new touch with newly available six-spoke 17-inch wheels in both silver and chrome finishes. The 215/55-VR17 tires are available in both summer and all-season tread to give customers their preferred choice to enhance handling response.

"From revised styling to color changes, new amenities and interior finishes, revisions to the ES 330 for 2005 highlight its understated elegance," said Lexus Group Vice President and General Manager Denny Clements. "The ES 330 is a great value story offering thoughtful attention to detail and luxury amenities often reserved for flagship models."

Lexus is the only luxury brand to maintain a distinct two-model strategy in the near-luxury segment, in which it also offers the rear-wheel drive IS 300 for more sport-oriented drivers.

The Luxury of Wider Choice

The more elegant exterior appearance of the ES 330 is complemented by revised interior design features along with newly available finishes and amenities. The ES 330 offers two new leather colors for 2005. Cashmere leather interior replaces Ivory, and Ash replaces Light Charcoal for the gray color. The instrument panel trim features a lighter silver finish with color-coordinated buttons replacing black buttons. With the Ash interior, subtle changes to the upper instrument panel and the headliner provide a fresh yet harmonious appearance.

Renowned for the quality and detail of its interior wood trim, Lexus now offers two kinds for the 2005 ES 330. In addition to the Burled Walnut, the ES 330 now also offers Golden Bird's Eye Maple matched with the new Cashmere and Ash interiors. The wood trim highlights the dashboard, center console and doors, which also feature chrome handles.

In more than just new surface treatments, the 2005 ES 330 indulges and pampers its occupants with luxurious amenities and innovative features that are intuitive and easy to use. The ES 330 now offers heated and ventilated front seats, as seen on flagship models. The standard mirror and seat memory system now holds settings for the eight-way power passenger seat in addition to the 10-way power driver's seat. Shifting the transmission into reverse automatically tilts both exterior mirrors downward to help make parking the car easier.

Effortless Performance

Lexus vehicles have always exemplified effortless powertrain performance. The ES 330 is powered by a 3.3-liter four cam V6 engine matched to a five-speed automatic transmission. Equipped with continuously Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i) and a three-stage variable intake manifold, the V6 produces 225 horsepower and 240 lb-ft. of peak torque to give the ES 330 V6 quick response at virtually any speed. The ES 330 has fuel mileage estimates of 21 MPG city and 29 MPG highway as well as the ULEV II (Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle) certification.

Grade logic enables the five-speed automatic transmission to provide silken performance even in hills, where it will delay upshifts to sustain power on inclines and hold a lower gear for increased engine braking on descents.

Advanced Passive and Active Safety

The ES 330 safety starts with a reinforced passenger compartment, which helps protect the occupants with front and rear crush structures. New for 2005, ES 330 is equipped with seatbelt pre-tensioners and force limiters for the rear seats.

The Lexus Supplemental Restraint System includes side curtain airbags in addition to the dual front airbags and front seat-mounted side airbags. The side curtain airbags extend from the A-pillar to C-pillar to help manage the impact energy to the head and upper body in certain types of severe side impacts. Advanced front airbags are designed to deploy at one of two speeds, according to impact force. The driver's front airbag also includes an extra low stage designed to deploy based, in part, on how far forward the seat is on its track. Additionally, whiplash injury-lessening (WIL) front seats are standard.

The front passenger occupant classification system is designed to help determine whether a child or an adult occupies the front passenger seat. If the system determines that a child is in the front passenger seat, an indicator light will display "Airbag Off" and the front passenger airbag, front passenger side airbag, and seatbelt pretensioner will be deactivated. If the system determines that an adult is in the front passenger seat, an indicator light will display "Airbag On" and in case of severe frontal collision, the front passenger airbag will deploy at either "High" or "Low" speed depending on the severity of the impact. Additionally, the front passenger airbag and seatbelt pretensioner will activate.

Standard active safety technology in the ES 330 includes daytime running lights, anti-lock brakes (ABS), and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), which helps proportion braking power to the wheels that need it most. The optional Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system integrates ABS, EBD, electronic traction control (TRAC) and the advanced Brake Assist feature.

VSC helps control loss of lateral traction while cornering on slippery or dry road surfaces by using throttle intervention and/or applying individual wheel braking to help control any discrepancy between where the driver is steering and where the vehicle is heading. Brake Assist can determine whether the driver is attempting emergency braking and, if the driver has not stepped hard enough on the brake pedal to engage the ABS, the system applies maximum braking power until the brake pedal is released.

Navigation System Now With Voice Activation

The optional Lexus Navigation System for the ES 330 adds voice activation for 2005. The system uses a DVD for map storage, containing the contiguous United States, plus major cities in Canada, on one disc. This system includes multi-language selection and very fast route calculation (about five seconds). Map modes with easy-to-understand graphics show freeway exit information, an intersection guide, upcoming exits (a benefit if the driver passes an intended exit), points of interest at the exits and a compass.

The DVD map database contains more than five million points of interest (POI). The database for Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles and New York features "building footprint" graphics, which show a 3D rendering of buildings in their locations. This feature can be useful for identifying buildings and their surroundings. System functions include multi-route calculation, route preview, simplified highway junction graphics, and a dual-map screen mode. The navigation system comes with a center-console mounted six-disc CD auto-changer as well as a single-disc player in the dash.

Ride Quality Benchmark

Lexus designed the ES 330 as a ride quality benchmark in its segment, exemplifying the brand's reputation for this luxury attribute. The four-wheel independent suspension is mounted to anti-vibration subframes with high rigidity to help provide stable handling. A nearly flat underbody and other exterior details contribute to the low 0.28 coefficient of drag and help reduce wind noise to ultra-low levels. Lexus uses extensive sound absorption material in the ES 330, which reduces noise in the cabin by absorbing it, not merely blocking it. An active engine mount helps cancel out vibration on every power stroke. Special engine mounts further reduce vibration at idle, and a two-stage muffler reduces exhaust booming at low speeds.

The optional Adaptive Variable Suspension system (AVS) is a feature generally seen in LS 430 competitors, not the entry-luxury segment. AVS enhances ride quality by continuously changing each wheel's shock absorber damping rate in response to road surface conditions, vehicle speed, steering and braking inputs, and even vertical vehicle movement. The driver can choose between four settings ranging from Comfort to Sport.

Flagship-Style Luxury

Lexus infused the ES 330 with luxury features similar to the LS 430 flagship sedan, such as dual-zone automatic climate control with an air filtration system. The standard premium audio system in both models features a five-channel amplifier and seven speakers. The ES 330 includes both a CD player and a cassette player. Automatic Sound Level (ASL) adjusts volume up or down in response to ambient noise. Like most Lexus models, the ES 330 offers an optional high-end Mark Levinson audio system in combination with a DVD-based navigation system.

Available XM Satellite Radio provides CD-quality sound and a wide selection of music and news/talk stations coast-to-coast. The subscription service, offered at an additional cost, features 71 music stations and 29 news/talk and entertainment stations, with about half of all stations broadcasting commercial-free.

The optional power-adjustable accelerator and brake pedals give drivers greater adjustability for comfort and include a memory feature.

Additional standard luxury features include a one-touch power moonroof with sunshade, multi-information display with trip computer, Homelink(R) compatible garage door opener, electrochromic auto-dimming inside and outside rearview mirrors and a compass integrated into the rearview mirror. The power windows on all four doors provide one-touch up/down control with jam protection. Two convenience features borrowed from the LS 430 include water-repellent front door glass and four door courtesy lamps that illuminate the ground and doorsill areas.

The luxury ambience is enhanced by standard footwell lighting, a center console LED interior light, and sun visor vanity mirror lamps that turn off automatically when the visor is closed. Another option that brings the ES 330 even closer to the LS 430 is a power rear sunshade that lowers automatically when the transmission is shifted into reverse.

Lexus' traditional attention to detail is further demonstrated by a front seat design with a front headrest hinge that allows the lower portion of the headrest to swivel toward the occupant. This design provides a larger support area and a more comfortable fit. Additional luxury options include heated and ventilated seats, High-Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights with dynamic auto-leveling and rain-sensing windshield wipers.

The 2005 ES 300 will be available beginning August 2004 and will have a base manufacturer's suggested retail price of $31,975.

Lexus Experience

As with all Lexus vehicles, the ES 330 comes with a 48-month/50,000-mile basic limited warranty with roadside assistance for 48-months/unlimited miles. Powertrain and restraint system coverage is provided for 72 months/70,000 miles. Corrosion perforation protection is covered for 72 months, regardless of mileage.

SOURCE Lexus









https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...highlight=news

LexFather

From GlobeCLK, with Lexus being sold in Japan, this is relevant information

Gentleman's Agreement removed.

Don't know if you guys heard about this already, but the Japanese Gentleman's Agreement, which limited factory vehicle's outputs to 280ps max, has been removed. It was a voluntarily thing anyways, but now they finally put a definite end to it.

Some background info on the Gentleman's Agreement (from here described as GA haha):

1) Started in 1990, the GA was set up to reduce the worsening traffic and accident situation. At that time, the highest power car was the Fairlady Z (300ZX) at 280ps, so the limit was set there.

2) It was suppose to last only 3 years, but the economy starts to slide downward, and automakers wanted to keep the GA intact in order to reduce competition of horsepower to keep costs low.

3) SUV, minivan, and K-car boom also lead to the continued existance of the GA, because those cars don't reach 280ps, and people see no need to remove it.

4) But the GA hurts the luxury segment of JDM cars. While JDM cars can't go over 280ps, European rivals easily overpower the domestic cars. When BMWs and Benzs use high liter V12 engines, 280ps is what the Japanese people get.

5) Finally, the Department of Transportation in Japan realized that lifting the GA will help domestic economy, as well as boost company images.

6) The first car that will be produced outside the GA will be the next Honda Legend (Acura RL here). 300ps in Japan.

7) Side note, JDM bikes are limited to 100ps. They are working on lifting the limit also.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...highlight=news

LexFather

JLSC4 scanned this from Motor Trend



https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...highlight=news

LexFather

From SexySC

(08:30 July 27, 2004)


By JASON STEIN | Automotive News

Lexus is inching closer to the day when it offers a superluxury vehicle.

Executives at Toyota's luxury channel are in deep discussions on a halo model, said Irv Miller, group vice president of corporate communications for Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc.

"I think you'll see (Lexus) vehicles in that area," Miller said during a meeting last week with Automotive News editors and reporters. "There's a market there for sure. There's a lot of discussion on halo effect on a franchise and a luxury market particularly. There is discussion going on how to go about doing that."

Miller said Lexus is considering everything from a four-door sedan to a super sports car to a hybrid with "plenty of low-end torque and 0-to-60 performance," adding: "That might be something the real enthusiasts embrace."

Yuki Funo, CEO of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., said during a recent interview with Automotive News that a $100,000 car is high on Lexus' wish list.

"For the brand it is quite important," Funo said. "From a marketing and sales perspective, we need a strong product that should be regarded as the flagship or the ultimate Lexus. At a certain point we should have that kind of product. Doing something like a Maybach is too much. But we are thinking in the vicinity of $100,000."

Lexus General Manager Denny Clements has said a $100,000-plus sedan or sports coupe would make a perfect extension for the brand. But Clements acknowledged that Lexus must go into the market with eyes wide open.

"There isn't enough room for everybody," Clements said last month. "The depreciation of those cars is horrendous. You can't really make a business case for it."




Link [URL=http://autoweek.com/cat_content.mv?port_code=autoweek&cat_code=carnews&loc_code=index&content_code=02193128]HERE[/URL

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LexFather

From Gekko and jpa2400
Toyota nets quality award -- again
J.D. Power says Detroit's big three made impressive gains; VW, Land Rover struggle.
June 29, 2004: 3:37 PM EDT

DETROIT (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp. was the highest-ranking automaker in an annual vehicle quality survey released on Tuesday, with its Lexus luxury brand winning top honors for the 10th consecutive year.

The closely watched J.D. Power and Associates survey of long-term vehicle dependability is based on responses from 48,000 owners of three-year-old vehicles in the United States when questioned about scores of specific problems ranging from wind or brake noise to uneven tire wear and stalling engines.

The survey is key to the auto industry because 52 percent of new car buyers say long-term quality is one of the most important factors in their choice of brands, according to J.D. Power. It is also important to automakers because of warranty costs.

Toyota's Lexus unit topped the brand rankings with 162 problems per 100 vehicles. But Japan's largest automaker also led manufacturers overall, with 207 problems per 100 vehicles, followed closely by Honda Motor Co. Ltd. with 210 problems.

Porsche AG, with 240 problems, General Motors Corp. with 262, and BMW AG with 264, rounded out the top five.

"The two (Toyota and Honda) are head and shoulders above everybody else and the factor there is that they were the first in the industry to recognize that building vehicles that last is really the most important thing," said Joe Ivers, J.D. Power's executive director of quality and customer satisfaction research.

"Building vehicles that last tends to produce a whole lot of benefits that aren't immediately obvious. One of course is that it satisfies more customers, it gets you more customers," Ivers told Reuters.

For the second straight year, GM was alone among Detroit's traditional Big Three automakers in ranking above the industry average of 269 problems per 100 vehicles. Its Buick brand placed No. 2 behind Lexus and its Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC, Saab and Saturn nameplates all scored above the industry average as well.

Ivers said Ford Motor Co. and the Chrysler unit of DaimlerChrysler also made impressive gains.

"The domestics have been touting for a couple of years now the commitments they've been making to long-term quality, and we just had not seen, until now, consistent evidence of that. Now we're really seeing that," Ivers said.

Preception lags reality
Despite improvements, Ivers, who noted that GM was neck-and-neck with Toyota in the number of highly ranked vehicles, cautioned that Detroit has an image problem stemming from some of its poorly built vehicles of the past, however.

"It takes a long time for a reputation to get healed ... The perception tends to lag the reality sometimes by as much as 10 years," Ivers told reporters on a conference call.

"There's a large cross-section of customers out there who just will not consider a domestically produced vehicle and in many cases the (past) quality is the barrier," he said.

Volkswagen AG and its Audi unit both improved over last year's results. But VW was still near the bottom of the survey and Ivers said virtually all European automakers were struggling with quality problems.


Land Rover, which Ivers described as a perennial loser, finished last among individual nameplates. "They're highly desirable vehicles but they tend to have a tough time getting customers to buy more than one," he said.

Since their 1998 linkup with Chrysler, executives at Daimler have boasted about how Mercedes-Benz would show its poor American cousin how to build more dependable and desirable vehicles.

But Chrysler and its Dodge, Jeep and now-defunct Plymouth brands all out-ranked Mercedes, which had 327 problems per 100 vehicles, up from 318 problems in last year's survey.

J.D. Power: Lexus again leads all brands in durability

Tuesday, June 29, 2004

BY JOHN PORRETTO
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Toyota Motor Corp. remains the automaker with the most dependable vehicles, led by its Lexus luxury brand, though Detroit's Big Three manufacturers all showed improvement in the past year, according to the latest J.D. Power and Associates vehicle dependability study released Tuesday.

For the 10th consecutive year, Lexus was the highest-ranking brand in the closely watched study. It was followed by General Motors Corp.'s Buick nameplate, Nissan Motor Co.'s Infiniti brand, Ford Motor Co.'s Lincoln label and GM's revamped Cadillac lineup.

GM was the only one of the domestic automakers to score better than the industry average of 269 problems per 100 vehicles, but Ford and DaimlerChrysler AG made significant headway. Last year's industry average was 273 problems per 100 vehicles.

"The domestics are putting their money where their mouths are in terms of consistent long-term quality improvements," said Joe Ivers, J.D. Power's executive director of quality/customer satisfaction. "However, while the domestics continue to outpace the Europeans, the Japanese continue to dominate."

The study is based on responses from more than 48,000 original owners of 2001 model-year cars and trucks. It measures problems such as wind noise, excessive brake wear, vibrations and the replacement of parts not called for under normal maintenance.

Toyota, whose U.S. sales were up 11.6 percent through May, had seven models score highest in their respective segments -- the Corolla compact car, Avalon premium midsize car, MR2 Spyder sports car and 4Runner midsize sport utility vehicle for the Toyota label, and the ES 330 entry luxury car, LS 430 premium luxury car and RX 300 entry luxury SUV for Lexus.

Among individual brands, the most improved from last year were Kia, Suzuki and Audi, though all three continue to perform below the industry average. Kia had 77 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, Suzuki 38 and Audi 23.

GM was tops among the Big Three with 262 problems per 100 vehicles, two fewer than last year. Ford (275) improved by 12 problems from a year ago, and DaimlerChrysler (302) was better by nine problems.

Segment-leading models for the Big Three included the Chrysler Concorde among full-size cars, Ford Ranger among compact pickups and the redesigned GMC Sierra HD among heavy-duty, full-size pickups.

Hyundai, which showed the most improvement among 37 brands in J.D. Power's initial quality study released in April, was near the bottom in the dependability study, registering 375 problems per 100 vehicles.

The bottom five in terms of problems per 100 vehicles were Volkswagen (386), Isuzu (393), Daewoo (411), Kia (432) and Land Rover (472).

Among manufacturers, Toyota (207) was followed by American Honda Motor Co. (210), Porsche Cars North America Inc. (240), GM (262) and BMW of North America (264). Those were the only manufacturers to rank above the industry average.

Brand rankings in J.D. Power and Associates 2004 vehicle dependability study

How specific brands ranked in J.D. Power and Associates' annual vehicle dependability survey released Tuesday.

The study is based on responses from more than 48,000 original owners of 2001 model-year cars and light trucks. The figures represent the number of problems per 100 vehicles:

Brand Problems/100 vehicles

Lexus 162

Buick 187

Infiniti 189

Lincoln 194

Cadillac 196

Honda 209

Acura 212

Toyota 216

Mercury 224

Porsche 240

Chevrolet 262

GMC 262

BMW 264

Saab 265

Saturn 267

INDUSTRY AVG. 269

Ford 276

Nissan 280

Chrysler 285

Mazda 285

Subaru 288

Plymouth 289

Audi 295

Pontiac 297

Dodge 298

Jaguar 310

Jeep 314

Oldsmobile 314

Mercedes-Benz 327

Mitsubishi 327

Volvo 346

Suzuki 365

Hyundai 375

Volkswagen 386

Isuzu 393

Daewoo 411

Kia 432

Land Rover 472

LexFather

From ChuH
Didn't notice anyone posting about it. Thought some of the race fans would be interested. With the not so great results with the Formula 1 circuits. At least Lexus are winning on other type of races. The race happened several weeks ago. For those not familiar with this race car it is using a Lexus 4.3L V8 engine producing 500 horsepower at 8,000 rpm.

Here is a reference to the Feb. thread I posted.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...threadid=109103

For more pictures of the Glen 2004 race:
http://www.wieck.com/public/*wieck_...&URL=index.html



https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...highlight=news

LexFather

Lexus plans its own AMG shop
Car and Driver, July 2004

"Eager to rid itself of the perception that Lexus is not a driver's brand, Toyota's luxury division will set up an in-house performace shop much in the fashion of BMW's M division and Mercedes-Benz's well known AMG tuning arm. The first three models to get the GT treatment will be the next generation IS350, GS350, and LS500.

The new LS500GT will borrow styling cues from the Lexus LF-S concept seen last fall at the Tokyo autoshow. Like the concept, the production LS500GT will have a hybrid system providing all-wheel drive by sending electric power to the front wheels. The total output is expected to reach an incredible 600 horsepower, 200 of which will be provided by the hybrid system. Intended to offer the performance of Mercedes-Benz's 12-cylinder cars with better fuel economy, the LS500GT is expected to top $100,000 when it goes on sale in the fall of 2006.

Like its more powerful stable mate, the GS350GT will employ a hybrid system to provide all-wheel drive and boost power. With the hybrid motor delivering 170 horsepower and the new 3.5 liter V6 producing 300 horsepower, the GS350GT is poised to take on the likes of Mercedes-Benz's E55 AMG. The GT version is expected to go on sale in 2006.

One Lexus that will receive the GT treatment but not the hybrid drive will be the forthcoming IS350. It will borrow styling form the LF-C concept shown in New York and the 300hp V6 from the GS350. The 85 extra horses will surely provide some needed moxie (?WTF is that? metrosexual term??) when the GT hits showrooms sometime in 2006."

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...highlight=news

LexFather

Lexus says its growth won't hurt brand's cachet

Mark Rechtin of Automotive News, whose recent article on the next Lexus IS appears here just a couple of stories down, has written a fascinating, thought-provoking piece on Lexus' success and where it's headed.
The article, titled Lexus says its growth won't hurt brand's cachet, also appears on AutoWeek's website.

Read on for the full text of the article:




Sales at Toyota's 15-year-old Lexus Division reached the 2 million mark this month, a milestone that is triggering concern about diminishing exclusivity for the luxury brand.

It took Lexus more than 10 years to sell its first million units in the United States but only four years and four months to sell its second million. And Denny Clements, Lexus Division general manager, projects that the third million will take just three years and six months.

Lexus is taking steps to protect its dealership service standards as its volumes increase. But executives say they aren't worried about becoming less exclusive and won't cap Lexus' growth.

Executives say buyer conquest and loyalty rates are rising simultaneously, a rare combination that they say accounts for the luxury brand's growth spurt.

Lexus sales have risen from 97,593 vehicles in 1997 to 259,755 units last year. Sales jumped 25.3 percent in the first quarter of this year compared with the same period in 2003.

But some analysts warn that Lexus is in danger of losing its cachet.

"There is always a risk that if everyone at the shopping center has a Lexus, then it's no longer of interest," says Todd Turner, analyst with Car Concepts in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

But Yuki Funo, CEO of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc., says Lexus should sell as many vehicles as customers demand and not restrict volume.

"Luxury is not always because the product is rare," Funo says. "We are appealing to the luxury market by the strength of our product, franchise and customer service. Lexus has been successful in keeping the integrity of its franchise despite the volume growth."

Funo says there is more danger in failing to maintain customer service standards with a larger owner base than losing exclusivity.

Clements says Lexus dealers have invested $750 million to upgrade or expand their stores in the last 20 months.

The brand has grown in both loyalty and conquest rates over the past three years, according to consumer purchase data tracked by the Power Information Network.

Last year, 44 percent of all Lexus vehicles that were traded were done so to purchase another new Lexus vehicle, the Power data show. That compared with 31 percent in 2002. The figure in the first quarter of 2004 was 48 percent.

What's more, every luxury brand except Saab is seeing a greater percentage of its customers depart to Lexus than they were three years ago, according to Power.

Lexus says it had a conquest rate of nearly 70 percent in the 2003 model year, representing buyers who came to Lexus from another brand. The rate of buyers replacing a Lexus purchased new with another new Lexus was 54 percent in the 2003 model year.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...highlight=news

LexFather

From gsfour, Concerning Lexus Launch in Japan
By Chang-Ran Kim, Asia auto correspondent
NAGOYA, Japan (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp. aims to oust its German rivals as the top sellers of luxury cars in Japan with plans to bring its Lexus brand, already the top U.S. luxury car, to Japanese drivers next year.

With a 43 percent share of Japan's car market, the world's second largest, Toyota is by far the dominant force on its home turf, but it has lagged in the luxury sector.

The world's number-two auto maker said on Wednesday it initially aimed to sell 50,000 to 60,000 Lexus cars a year in Japan and would eventually raise that to 100,000 -- or one-third of Japan's luxury car market.

"Lexus has been very well-received in the United States, but when we look at Toyota's place in the domestic luxury car market, it's unsatisfactory," Toyota Executive Vice President Kazushi Iwatsuki told a news conference.

"In order to become a global brand, we need it to succeed in Japan."

Toyota will launch the Lexus in Japan in August 2005 and roll out four new models in the first year, each bearing a design concept distinct from existing Lexus cars, which are currently sold in Japan under the Toyota brand.

The new models will eventually replace the Lexus LS, GS and IS sedans and the SC coupe already sold in most markets outside Japan.

"We intend to build the Lexus into the new global premium brand for the 21st century," Iwatsuki said.

But foreign marques, led by Mercedes-Benz and BMW, account for one-third of Japan's full-sized car market, selling 244,000 units last year.

Toyota's sales of high-end large sedans, meanwhile, fell below 8,000 units a month in 2003, from about 12,000 in 2000.


Read rest of article at this link: By Chang-Ran Kim, Asia auto correspondent
NAGOYA, Japan (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp. aims to oust its German rivals as the top sellers of luxury cars in Japan with plans to bring its Lexus brand, already the top U.S. luxury car, to Japanese drivers next year.

With a 43 percent share of Japan's car market, the world's second largest, Toyota is by far the dominant force on its home turf, but it has lagged in the luxury sector.

The world's number-two auto maker said on Wednesday it initially aimed to sell 50,000 to 60,000 Lexus cars a year in Japan and would eventually raise that to 100,000 -- or one-third of Japan's luxury car market.

"Lexus has been very well-received in the United States, but when we look at Toyota's place in the domestic luxury car market, it's unsatisfactory," Toyota Executive Vice President Kazushi Iwatsuki told a news conference.

"In order to become a global brand, we need it to succeed in Japan."

Toyota will launch the Lexus in Japan in August 2005 and roll out four new models in the first year, each bearing a design concept distinct from existing Lexus cars, which are currently sold in Japan under the Toyota brand.

The new models will eventually replace the Lexus LS, GS and IS sedans and the SC coupe already sold in most markets outside Japan.

"We intend to build the Lexus into the new global premium brand for the 21st century," Iwatsuki said.

But foreign marques, led by Mercedes-Benz and BMW, account for one-third of Japan's full-sized car market, selling 244,000 units last year.

Toyota's sales of high-end large sedans, meanwhile, fell below 8,000 units a month in 2003, from about 12,000 in 2000.

Read rest of article at this link: http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtm...storyID=5263290

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LexFather

Lexus LF-C info
The LF-C concept is powered by a high-output, front-mounted V8 engine...
* delivering robust power to the rear wheels...
* via a six-speed sequential automatic transmission.
It sits on a low-slung chassis that is significantly longer, lower and wider than the current IS and BMW 3-series,...offering extraordinary interior accommodations for four adult passengers.

The fully independent suspension features double wishbones front and rear with massive Brembo disc brakes.

Aluminum alloy wheels...
* 20-by-nine in the front...
* and 21-by-10.5 in the rear...
* are mounted to Dunlop...ZR-rated...Sport 9000 tires

The four-position fully retractable hard-top immerses the occupants into a variety of driving moods that connect them with the outside environment for a personal and pleasurable experience.

As you see, the LF-C can be configured as a coupe,...targa,...speedster,...and fully-open convertible. The powered top stows neatly into the trunk through a surprisingly minimal rear-deck opening.

The full-open position expresses elegant sports car qualities...
* in a four-passenger/bucket-seat arrangement...
* that provides roominess along with a snug and secure feeling.

The interior communicates performance with drive-by-wire steering and Formula One inspired shifter and steering wheel. The instrumentation is simple with a sense of elegance and purpose, giving the driver a sensation of control and excitement.

It should probably come as no surprise...that the current IS has the lowest age demographic of any vehicle in our line-up. In fact,...at a mere 29-years-old...
* it's by-far, the lowest age-demographic in the near-luxury segment...
* and is actually lower than any Toyota or Scion-brand model.

Because they are young, aspirational-sport-buyers are not bound by tradition.
* Most are first-time Lexus buyers.
* More still are first-time luxury buyers.

They are drawn to that which is different and a little on-edge. They actively seek a car that makes a statement about themselves...
* anticipates their needs
* and delivers subtle surprises along the way.

Increasingly, we have found,...they have a deep-rooted trust in Lexus...
* drawn to the brand as the industry-benchmark in luxury, comfort and refinement...
* as well as an ownership experience that is the industry standard.

But frankly, that's not enough

We...and our competitors...have known for quite some time...that if Lexus ever prioritized styling and performance...the way it has product quality and technology...the luxury-car playing field would change...once again.

Lexus is changing.
The playing field is changing.
And the definition of what a luxury automobile must be...is changing.

Ladies and gentlemen...with the LF-C we've raised the bar once again.

Thank you all for joining us today...

LexFather

SPECS

April 8, 2004 -- New York, NY --
Lexus introduced its third new concept design within a year when it unveiled the LF-C luxury sports coupe concept car at the New York International Auto Show today. The LF series of concept vehicles is designed to define and launch an entirely new direction in styling for the Lexus brand. The LF-C provides a hint of the direction Lexus is considering for the next generation IS 300 sports car.
"Design is among the most important differentiating factors between any two products and the LF-C expands the current IS 300 sport sedan into a new category previously not addressed in the Lexus lineup," said Lexus Group Vice President and General Manager Denny Clements. "The LF-C concept is designed to target an extremely young, affluent buyer with a strong element of surprise."

The surprise is provided by stylists from the Calty Design Research Center in the form of a 4-position retractable hardtop in the LF-C. The unique hardtop design allows the car to transform itself at the touch of a button from a coupe to a convertible, to a targa or to a speedster, depending on the driver's mood. The powered top stows neatly into the trunk through a surprisingly minimal rear-deck opening.

A large rear wheel drive platform utilizes a high-output, front-mounted V8 engine with a six-speed sequential automatic transmission as the basis and motivating force for the LF-C. With an expanded wheelbase of 5.1 inches, the LF-C is only slightly longer overall than the current IS 300. Significantly, the LF-C sits about 2.0 inches lower and is nearly five inches wider than the current IS 300. The broad stance and short overhangs strike an aggressive pose with ample dimensions to comfortably accommodate four adult passengers.

"We used a combination of convex and concave surfaces to control the balance of light and shadow on the car which creates this beautiful contrast of having sharp lines within the sculpted exterior surfaces," said Kevin Hunter, vice president of Calty Design Research, Inc. "The idea was to create a sense of strength and softness at the same time, adding an air of mystery."

Calty used long, integrated lines to simplify the overall form of the LF-C. The distinctive roof rail tapers as it moves forward from the rear, mimicking the sculpted theme of the main body. The extreme tapering of the main body shape from front to rear, which is then wrapped and interlocked by the rear fenders, is designed to show strength and power from every angle.

The interior communicates performance with drive-by-wire steering and Formula One inspired shifter and steering wheel with the gauges stacked along the steering column axis, ascending toward the base of the windshield. The gauges are transparent, with needles moving from the ring, rather than the center.

A dynamic and flowing center console, in a solid tapered form, runs the length of the interior. Displays and controls are hidden beneath this transparent console surface that is multi-layered, which creates a sophisticated, high-tech look and feel. The console is flanked on each side by arched, wing-like instrument panels situated low in front of the driver and passenger to create a feeling of openness.

Four lightweight individual bucket seats use slender shapes inspired by modern stemware to create a contrast of sport and elegance. The effect provides roominess along with a snug and secure feeling.

"We've known for some time that if Lexus ever prioritized styling the way we have product quality and advanced technology, we would once again change the luxury car playing field," said Clements. "The LF-C is a stunning example of how Lexus will address the future and change it at the same time."

Specifications
Wheelbase: 110.0 in.
Length: 178.7 in.
Width: 73.0 in.
Height: 53.5 in.
Engine: High-Output Double Overhead Cam V8
Transmission: 6-Speed Sequential A/T
Layout: Front engine, rear drive
Tire - Front: 245/35 ZR20
Rear: 285/30 ZR21
Wheel Size - Front: 20 x 9 in.
Rear: 21 x 10.5 in.