Lexus CT 200h and GS 450H 2010

With just a week to go, Lexus disclosed that they will pull the cover off an entry level unit, the 2011 CT 200h during the Geneva Motor Show. A teaser shot was released just to keep everyone drooling.
The Lexus CT 200h will take the form of a hatchback and will use similar lines to the concept car Lexus LF-Ch which was just unveiled a few months ago.
Lexus explains that the CT 200h is a car designed for those who want to be more responsible and lower their emissions but who will not compromise their standards. The new member of the Lexus garage will be the first full hybrid compact to be offered in the premium market. The drive system of the car will take its cues from the set up utilized for the LS 600h, RX 450h, and the GS 450h.
Lexus formally unleashes to the public the revised 2010 GS 450h during the recent auto show in Frankfurt while competitors like BMW and Mercedes-Benz are tying to catch up with their own hybrid offerings. The GS 450h will soon hit car dealerships as a 2010 model.
The GS 450H 2010 model still sports the hybrid motor in combo with the V6 3.5L engine capable of giving out 340 horsepower. The fuel mileage is excellent with 25 mpg while on the highway and 22 mpg during city driving.
The new GS 450h gets some fine tuning for its exterior design lines and gives some color options available for car buyers. Lexus also injects some interior trim updates. Safety features like the Pre-Crash system also gets some tweaking. The navigation and entertainment system also received some upgrades.

The exterior aesthetics are not really that major. The designers changed the front grille and put emphasis on the hybrid blue logo. The tail lights are also now covered with clear lenses. The SE-L line has an option for an 18-inch alloy rim. The insides get a Venaro Grey leather treatment while the start-stop button gets the blue backlight to be consistent with the hybrid color concept.
The Pre-Crash system now makes the seatbelts tighter prior to an impending crash while the car implores brake assist to somehow slow the car down before a collision. Whiplash protection is also enhanced with the new headrests equipped with inflators.
The navigation upgrades includes a 40 Gigabyte hard drive that can store the navigation files and also store music for the entertainment system. Consumers can either opt for a 10-speaker set up of Lexus Premium or go for the Mark Levinson 14-speaker surround sound with USB, aux, and Bluetooth capabilities standard to both.
The sticker price for the new Lexus release is expected to stay close with the 2009 model at $56,550.

Lexus LF-A Concept wallpaper

Lexus LF-A Concept wallpaper

Toyota , the World's Largest Automaker. Fortunately, that finally means a return to building fun-to-drive cars after years of offering virtually nothing to tempt the enthusiast market. We can only hope that some of that sporting DNA finds its way into the rest of the automaker's staid lineup as well.

"The severe drop in the economy and auto market has created some of the most challenging times Toyota has ever faced," says new Toyota Prez Akio Toyoda. "I aim to take us back to what made Toyota successful for many years - making high-quality products at an affordable price."

According to Toyoda, two of the most eagerly anticipated (non-hybrid) vehicles from Toyota in years are moving ahead at full steam. First of all, the seemingly forever-delayed Lexus LF-A sportscar is back on track and headed Stateside. Secondly, Toyoda reconfirmed earlier reports that the planned affordable sportscar made in partnership with Subaru is on its way within the next few years. Finally, change we can believe in!

First Drive: 2010 Lexus LS 460 Sport

The LS, Lexus' competitor for the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Audi A8, and BMW 7 Series, always lagged behind its German rivals because driving it was a somewhat detached, uninvolved experience. However, for 2010, that may be changing: for the first time, Lexus is offering a sport package for the LS.

The package adds an extra $6185 to the bottom line, and is only offered on short-wheelbase, rear-drive LS models. That extra money gets you exterior visual cues, including body cladding; 19-inch, 10-split-spoke alloy wheels; summer tires; and a unique grille. There are also major differences inside. This is the first Lexus on the market where the wood (in this case dark brown ash burl wood) has a matte finish, a look that we'd like to see in more of the company's vehicles. There is only one interior color scheme in this car, and the matte wood goes with Black/Saddle Tan perforated leather with contrast stitching. Also unique are the sport seats in front, which are comfortable on the highway, yet provide terrific bolstering and support in turns.

But the Sport model is not just an appearance package. There are those telltale styling cues inside and out, but there's a lot more to it. What makes this the most exciting model in the LS line is the addition of a sportier transmission, new brakes, and a sport-tuned suspension. The 380-horsepower, 4.6-liter V-8 has always been backed by an eight-speed automatic transmission, but the Sport trans gets the IS F treatment: it comes with the IS F's paddle shifters and manual mode. Since both of these cars use the AA80E transmission (in the rear-drive LS), it would seem that this was a relatively logical step for the Sport. It brings the quick shifts that we love in the IS F, and the eight-speed won't automatically shift if the car hits redline. In addition, it provides rev-matching throttle blips when downshifting. The new trans provides the quick acceleration of the direct-injection V-8, plus the ability to manually control shifts with either paddles or the shifter-and really control them. Up front, there are 14.8-inch Brembo brakes (these are larger diameter rotors than on the IS F) with high-friction brake pads. And the difference is noticeable. Response is excellent, as braking is quick without being jarring.

Unlike the regular rear-drive LS coil-spring rear suspension, the Sport receives air suspension, providing a stiffer ride. The all-wheel-drive LS also has air suspension, but in the Sport, this setup has been retuned, and the shock rates were revised. Handling is noticeably better, and the suspension is much more responsive in turns. Yet the straight-line ride isn't rough, and for people who want the more traditional LS-quality ride or are on chauffeur duty while family is in town, there is also a comfort setting for the shocks.


The wonderful 380-horse V-8 finally gets the sport-sedan treatment it rightly deserves. The Sport package makes the vehicle more exciting, and a lot more fun to drive. Acceleration, handling, shifts, and braking are all crisper. That the driver is given more freedom to control what the car does makes this a much more involving experience on the road than in the rest of the LS line. It isn't cheap-the vehicle we drove had an MSRP of $76,014 (it also came with the comfort package with heated/cooled seats, park assist, and power rear sunshade, and the luxury value edition, with Mark Levinson 7.1 19-speaker DVD-audio and video, navigation, and XM NavTraffic, making this a very well-equipped car), and it isn't nearly as extreme as anything from AMG. But for those who want a little more sport sedan in their LS, the extra six grand is worth it.

2010 Lexus LS 460 Sport
Base price	$65,555
Vehicle layout	Front engine, RWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan
Engine	4.6L/380-hp/367-lb-ft DOHC 32-valve V-8
Transmission	8-speed automatic
Curb weight	4350 lb (mfr)
Wheelbase	116.9 in
Length x width x height	199.2 x 73.8 x 58.1 in
0-60 mph	5.4 sec (mfr est)
EPA city/hwy fuel econ	16/24 mpg (mfr est)
CO2 emissions	1.03 lb/mile (est)
On sale in the U.S.	Currently