World Auto News & Reviews

Carmakers continue to roll out product announcements ahead of next month’s Paris Motor show. The latest is Lexus that revealed details on its revised for the 2011 model year, IS series for Europe, which benefits from some modest cosmetic tweaks, additional standard features and the introduction of a new diesel model.
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When Lexus brought out their famed LF-A supercar last year it came with a big but; customers in the U.S. would only be allowed to lease the supercar on a two year contractual lease plan. What’s more, the total amount ($300,000) had to be paid upfront as part of Lexus’ 1Pay Lease Program. This was done so Lexus could ensure no one could purchase Toyota’s ultimate hypercar and resell it for a profit within that two year lease period. A big ouch for those wealthy opportunists.
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For the last 10 years, luxury car buyers in the U.S. have flocked to Lexus dealers more than any other single luxury brand. But analysis of this year’s sales data shows that Lexus’ stronghold on the once-mighty U.S. market may be slipping to both of its German rivals.

As a report by Bloomberg points out, Lexus has managed to sell 107,430 cars in the U.S. so far in 2010 – compared to a nail-bitingly close 106,972 vehicles by its next biggest rival, Mercedes-Benz. As if that wasn’t enough for Lexus to worry about, BMW has managed to sell 100,632 cars in the U.S. through June, 2010.
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In Pursuit of the Perfect Pitch
In a new commercial, Lexus puts the LFA supercar to the “glass test”

TORRANCE, Calif. – It’s a dramatic moment. In an ultra-modern audio studio, a Pearl White Lexus LFA supercar faces its challenger: a lone crystal champagne flute on a pedestal alongside a sleek amplifier. The vehicle’s keyless ignition is engaged, and its rear wheels start spinning on a dynamometer. The engine roars louder and louder, the speedometer clicks past 150, 160, 170 mph. That’s when the glass quivers and shimmies until – kshhh! – the flute shatters in gorgeous slow motion.

In this latest commercial from Lexus, which begins airing today, the LFA’s signature engine sound achieves a feat reserved for virtuoso performers. The unique sound of 552-horsepower engine, which helps the vehicle reach top speeds in excess of 200 mph, shatters the glass without the use of CGI or camera tricks.

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Lexus is inviting customers to co-star in a new high-def interactive film called “Dark Ride,” which celebrates the U.S. launch of the new CT 200h. In the movie, the new hybrid hatchback from Lexus is piloted by Norman Reedus of the Boondock Saints.

While Reedus will be behind the wheels, he will be following the directions of the person riding shotgun… you.

“With ‘Dark Ride’ we are creating a unique virtual test drive opportunity so consumers can experience this hybrid, that is like no other, months before it is available at dealerships in early 2011,” said Dave Nordstrom, Lexus vice president of marketing. “In it, consumers play a co-starring role as the fun-to-drive Lexus CT 200h is put through its paces. By guiding the driver and the CT through a series of adventures, customers will be exposed to ‘The Darker Side of Green,’ which is completely different than the way hybrids are usually portrayed.”

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