In its newest video, the Japanese company summoned the help of former F1 driver and double Le Mans winner, Alex Wurz, who sat behind the steering wheel of the $375,000 carbon-fiber LFA and took it for a ride around the Autódromo do Estoril circuit in Portugal.
Follow the jump to find out how it went down.
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Surprisingly, casting aside some stickers on the alloy rims and a…craftily folded newspaper to hide the instrument binnacle and the steering wheel hub, the 2013 ES is virtually camouflage free.
And while this is probably the China market version, don't expect to see any noteworthy differences over the North American model that should follow later this year.
Like its predecessors, the sixth generation of Lexus' base luxury sedan is built upon the chassis of the Toyota Camry (the 2012 model in this case) featuring its own sheetmetal and interior designs.
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To understand the numbers you see listed below, the "overall dependability" is determined by the level of problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100), with a lower score translating to higher quality.
In this year's study, J.D. Powers found that overall vehicle dependability improved substantially as the industry average was 132 problems per 100 vehicles, representing a 13 percent improvement from last year (151 PP100), while it's also the lowest problem rate since the survey began in 1990.
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The range starts from £32,995 for the GS 250 while the full hybrid GS 450h starts from £44,995. The GS 250 is powered by a 2.5-liter V6 petrol engine delivering 206bhp while the GS 450h combines a 3.5-liter Atkinson-cycle V6 petrol engine with the Lexus Hybrid Drive for a total system output of 338bhp.
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As the official automotive marketing partner of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit property, the Japanese company is taking advantage (or so to speak…) of Praver and using her in a multi-faceted campaign called TORI 500, showcasing an actual racetrack designed around her body.
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Following in the footsteps of its bigger brother, the 2013 Lexus LX 570 that was introduced in January, the refreshed RX gains a new fascia featuring Lexus's new trademark spindle grille along with revised headlamps sporting LED daytime running lights and a redesigned front bumper.
Also new are the tail lamp graphics and the alloy wheel designs.
The interior gets a news steering wheel design and refreshed trim options while as Carscoop tipster Leopaul pointed out; Lexus will also be offering a new optional rear-seat entertainment system on high-range models.
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Therefore, when a report like the 2012 New Luxury Vehicle Loyalty Study comes out, you can bet automakers pay attention. Conducted by Polk and AutoTrader, the study examines the reasons why luxury car buyers stay loyal or “defect” to another brand.
“Understanding behaviors and attitudes is critical in helping automotive marketers to more effectively reach and influence luxury shoppers during their decision making process”, said vice president of automotive insights at AutoTrader, Rick Wainschel.
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However, you won't have to wait for the football match to see Lexus' first ever Super Bowl ad its entirety as the Japanese brand has just unleashed "The Beast", which is the name of the commercial featuring the 2013 GS saloon.
The 30-second long spot, which will run at the end of the first quarter of Super Bowl XLVI, shows the new executive model breaking free from a metal container. If you look at the back, you'll see four more boxes which Lexus says represent the additional new models it plans to reveal later this year.
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We'll remind you that the F Sport package for the new GS already includes an aero kit with different front and rear bumpers, a mesh front grille, side skirts and a rear spoiler along with 19-inch wheels and a tuned suspension.
So what does TRD's package add on top of that? Well, namely a pair of splats for the front bumper, an add-on part for the side skirts, a larger boot lid spoiler, a rear apron and quad tailpipes with a blue outline.
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Lexus says that its goal with the concept was to share its vision of what a premium sports coupe could look like with the public as well as to display the brand's evolved styling language and future technologies.
In this new video, the Japanese company's designers from its Calty Studio in California, which was responsible for the creation of the LF-LC, talk us through all the design details. Hop over the break to check it out.
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There's not a lot of information going around about the incident nor can we confirm that it's the first ever privately owned LFA to crash.
However, the buffs over at Club Lexus say that this is LFA No 142 that was originally delivered in Orlando, while the folks at Lexus Enthusiast add that according to the CarFax report, the accident occurred on October 8, 2011.
Now, if that's not the case, then the driver of the IS-F racer not only has a lot of explaining to do but he should probably also avoid making any public appearances for the near future…
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These include the all-new GS sedan and facelifted LX 570 SUV that arrive in February, followed later this year by refreshed versions of the ES, IS and LS
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Lexus Unveils Sleek Hybrid 2+2 Sport Coupe Design Concept at North American International Auto Show
Challenged by the Lexus Center in Japan to come up with a design for a future hybrid sport coupe concept, the company’s Calty design studio in Newport Beach, Calif., sought to advance the redefinition of Lexus with emotive, avant-garde beauty and advanced technology, yet remain within reach for premium buyers.
Framed by a deep aluminum surround, the mesh pattern of the spindle grille takes 3D sculpture form, and functional air intakes in the bottom corners of the grille show the fusion of distinctive style and engineering functionality.
The interior of the LF-LC concept vehicle contrasts the cool ambience of advanced technology with soft textures and organic shapes to create a driver-focused synergy of form and function. The cockpit expresses a feeling of both openness and security. The driver is enveloped by deeply scooped side panels and a high, curved console. The effect is to focus the driver zone on the controls and on the road.
Surfaces throughout the cabin are presented in a combination of smooth leather and suede, with brushed metal trim and wood accents. The lightweight, race-inspired front seats are formed of multiple layers and repeat the interlacing curves that define the cabin interior. The racing style steering wheel is also a lightweight design and contains integrated controls and start button. Beautiful stitch details emphasize organic movement throughout the interior.
Details remain extremely thin for now but we'll be searching for more information and pass it on as soon as we receive it. That said, we don't know yet if it's a one-off custom creation, a Lexus prototype or the first of a limited production series to be released onto the market.
The white-colored LFA convertible with the red interior featured a carbon fiber-dressed rollbar behind the front seats. It's a fully functional model as the unnamed driver demonstrated some drifting skills at the event.
More to come so stay tuned. For now, follow the jump to see the car in the video
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The 2013 LX 570 receives the new Lexus family look, which was introduced on the third-generation GS sedan. The styling revisions include a new “spindle” grille, redesigned headlights and larger fog lamp bezels, turn signals integrated in the side mirrors, revised bumpers on both ends, a new number plate surround and updated tail lamp graphics.
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The LF-LC concept's primary role is to showcase the future design direction for Lexus though we secretly hope that it could also lay the foundation for a production sports coupe.
While the Japanese company provides a ton of information on the styling details, the only piece of information we get about the concept's hardware is that it sports a front-mounted engine with an Advanced Lexus Hybrid Drive that powers the rear wheels.
“The concept we’re showing here in Detroit continues the Lexus design revolution started with the CT and GS,” said Mark Templin, Lexus group vice president and general manager. “The concept hybrid 2+2 liberates the idea of a sport coupe and pushes the boundaries of performance, style and technology," he added.
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What we didn’t know up until Thursday is which of two brands was going to win, since both were caught in a neck-to-neck sales race. Going into December the gap was so small - less than 1,600 cars- that the win could go either way.
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The owner of this gunmetal grey Lexus IS 350 sedan allegedly gave an overdose of NOS to his six-cylinder engine during a quarter mile drag race with another IS model and the results were disastrous, though the outcome could have been much, much worse if the other car didn't manage to slip away…
Head on past the break to see the video for yourself.
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