UK’s Car Magazine has put in their video vote in the Lexus IS-f/BMW M3/Mercedes C63 race, and it’s probably the least qualitative comparison yet:

I’m all for a little character in car reviews, but not to this extent. The gimmicks and poor lap timing method detract from an otherwise enjoyable watch. Surely this isn’t how they actually test cars…

The mysterious Lexus IS spotted yesterday has made a video appearance, albeit rather brief and shaky:

The engine note is hard to read, though I would say it’s a V6. The hood bulge would indicate there’s something unusual going on, but whether it’s a hybrid system or even a supercharger is anyone’s guess.

[Via: Jalopnik]

(Thanks Jarrett!)

Motor Authority’s at it again, this time spotting a camouflaged Lexus IS running the track at Nürburgring.

The excessive tape & tarp are definitely hiding something, especially in the hood, where there’s a extra-large engine bulge:

Judging by the awkward rear stance and the presence of a roll cage, I’m thinking this is a mule for testing a new engine. Funny thing is, the paint job reminds me of the GS 450h that raced the Newfoundland Targa Rally:

I wonder, could this be a test of the engine destined for the upcoming dedicated hybrid?

(Check out Motor Authority for more pics.)

Motor Authority has scooped some new close-up photos of the LF-A prototypes currently zooming around Nürburgring, including the supercar’s carbon fiber roof (pictured above) and this interior pic (click on either for a larger image):

Testing equipment aside, the interior looks very close to the one seen in the LF-A Roadster concept, with the multi-level dash and sloping center console:

It’s always the same story though, there’s no telling what the final production model may look like.

(Thanks Jarrett & Shrawan!)

If you’re a regular visitor to this blog, you may remember the mention of a significant site redesign. This was not just an empty promise, development of the new version has been ongoing since that time and is only just wrapping up now.

If all goes according to plan, the new design will be launching sometime this week. There’s plenty still left to do, and new features will be added on a regular basis. More importantly, the new site is going to bring with it a new focus on original content to go along with the daily Lexus news coverage.

I’m very excited for the new site launch, and I look foward to sharing it with you (very shortly).

Lexus vehicles will see a bump in their prices by the end of this month, here’s a full table with the increases:

No doubt that this is a result of the slumping US dollar, but it’s still a little strange to see an eight-year-old model like the SC 430 jump $900.

At first, this video didn’t strike me as anything really, until it just kept going on and on:

Sure, the road surface is slicked down, but it was still good for 45 seconds of amusement.

It’s a simple equation: The more time the Lexus LF-A racing prototype spends on Nürburgring racetrack, the more video footage pops up. The proof: The folks over at Motor Authority have a lengthy video of the supercar making its rounds around the ‘ring (click on this image to visit the video):

My favorite part of the video has to be when it meets an Audi R8 on a side street on its way back to the Toyota building. Beep beep, move over!

(Thanks Jarrett!)

The month of April was not kind to Lexus, as sales dropped 17.1% since last year. Here is, as always, a breakdown:

The LX 570 was the lone bright spot, where sales have jumped 207.3% with the introduction of the SUV update. Everything else was down, including the LS, which saw a significant 42.2% drop.

Going over the age of the line-up, there’s definitely a lull. The IS-F was a step in the right direction, but its availability and market are both quite small, and it can’t really be expected to boost the sales numbers. One thing’s for sure, a drop like this brings change, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see some new product announcements in the very near future.

[Source: Toyota]

Road & Track has dared to compare the Lexus IS-F, BMW M3, the Mercedes C63 and the Audi RS4 in the latest of the super sedan shootouts. As has often been the case, the Lexus IS-F put in a good showing but was still relegated to last place:

Nobody likes to finish off the podium, but it’s not as bad as it might seem for the first Lexus to wear the stylized “F” — and the first Lexus capable of decidedly “non-Lexus” performance in the vein of the BMW M3. Its explosive 0–60 and quarter-mile times of 4.2 and 12.6 seconds put it second in the test, just a tick slower than the Mercedes. A slalom weave of 70.9 mph also puts it in second, behind the BMW.

So no flies in the ointment yet. Until you look at the IS F among the others. Said Dennis Simanaitis: “To me, the Lexus’ oddly pugnacious snout detracts from its otherwise stylish lines.” The tarted-up oval finishers for the exhaust do the car no aesthetic favors, and the side treatment makes the Lexus appear a little bottom-heavy. “It’s as if the bodywork additions were made of wax,” I wrote in my notes, “and then left under a heat lamp.” Bornhop added, “It looks a bit reptilian.”

Inside, the ergonomics and general layout are appealing, but the IS F deserves a much higher-quality dash pad; its contours are doughy, its surface texture indifferent and a gap was starting to appear between it and the top of the center-stack plastic.

The styling just isn’t going over well with the American mainstream automotive media. Mechanically, it’s more than keeping up, and the 8-speed auto transmission its getting a lot of positive attention.

[Source: Road & Track]