The Lexus LS 600hL has been named the UK Chauffeur Car of the Year by The Chauffeur Magazine (no, really):

Key factors behind the judges’ decision included the Lexus hybrid system which allowed for lower emission and competitive fuel economy, build quality, and the reclining and massaging rear seats which can adapt for shiatsu back and shoulder massages with varying intensity.

Also contributing to the award was the Lexus Chauffeur programme which offers unique finance packages, designated staff within the Lexus Centre network for sales and service, plus access to the loan of a PCO (Public Carriage Office) licenced Lexus enabling chauffeurs to continue working in the event of their own vehicle being off the road for any reason.

Paul Gibson, Editor of The Chauffeur magazine commented: “I am delighted to present this prestigious award to Lexus for its excellent LS 600h L, which easily fought off its rivals in this sector of the competition. The vehicle represents true luxury and gives the chauffeur everything he needs to carry out his job successfully.”

The win was in the highly competitive £50,000 - £100,000 category, with competition provided by the Mercedes S-Class LWB, BMW 730d LWB and Audi A8 3.0 TDi LWB.

[Via: 4Wheels Car Blog]

Consumer Reports has released its top picks for 2008, and among the ten winners, the Lexus LS 460L was chosen as the #1 luxury sedan:

With a score of 99 out of 100 in CR’s road test, the LS 460L ($77,000) is CR’s highest-rated vehicle. It provides a no-compromise environment of comfort and roominess, coupled with an isolating quietness. It also delivers quick acceleration and relatively good fuel economy. While it’s brimming with electronic amenities, its controls are easy to use.

A score of 99/100 is, quite frankly, extraordinary, and I doubt a reputable publication like Consumer Reports handed it out lightly. Yet, it’s a little surprising that any car could hit such a high number, CR is essentially calling the LS 460L perfect.

[Source: Consumer Reports]

The 3.5L DOHC V-6 engine found in the Lexus IS 350 has been named as one of 2008’s top engines by Wards:

As it earns its third consecutive 10 Best Engines award, Associate Editor Byron Pope sums up the Lexus-exclusive engine’s execution: “Good luck beating this in any category.”

…where the IS 350 application really nudges the needle is that engineers seem to have deliberately let a little more emotion edge out the near-clinical refinement.

“Sounds fabulous when pushed,” says Editor Drew Winter, and all judges agree this unquestionably is Lexus’ most emotive engine.

That may be the most important marker set by Lexus’ scintillating 3.5L DOHC V-6 as the company experiments with the formula. If Lexus is able to combine its laboratory-grade levels of noise, vibration and harshness with the correct proportions of emotion that excite car junkies, even BMW needs to take heed.

Among the other winners was the BMW 335i’s V-6 and new hybrid engine found in the GMC Yukon.

I’m not sure how much stock you can put in an award given to an unreleased vehicle, but that didn’t stop WealthTV viewers from awarding the 2008 Lexus LX 570 “The Most Luxurious SUV” award. There wouldn’t be much to see here if the Lexus spokesman Paul Williamsen hadn’t pull the engine cover off :

The award given at the end is a hoot, as well. I can’t say I’d ever heard of WealthTV before this, but one thing’s for sure, they don’t skimp on their trophies.

The GS 450h was also recognized in the Most Advanced Use of Hybrid Technology category, but really, what kind of category is that?

[Source: The Automotive]

Lexus has ranked second in JD Power’s 2007 Customer Retention Study, retaining 63% of its new car buyers. This was only topped by Toyota, Lexus’ parent company, with 64.6%. This doesn’t surprise me at all, reliability and customer service holds a lot of weight in the minds of most car buyers, and Lexus has excelled at both since its inception.

What does surprise me is this:

Customer retention may become even more important to automakers in the coming years, as new-vehicle sales between 2007 and 2014 are expected to increase by only 8 percent, or about 1.2 million units.

“Competition for a dwindling number of new-vehicle buyers will likely intensify in the next seven years, meaning that brands will need to retain more of their existing customers in order to increase, or even maintain, market share,” said Oddes. “In addition, it is approximately four times more costly to attain a new customer than it is to retain an existing one, so in the face of a very competitive new-vehicle market, a strong focus on customer retention becomes particularly important.”

I imagine this small industry increase of 8% is for the United States only, but there isn’t a lot of room for error in such a tight market. Retaining customers is going to be all the more important, and Lexus’ rate of return only speaks well for its continued success.

[Via: The Truth About Cars]

The winners of Australia’s 2007 Best Car Awards have been announced, and Lexus was well represented, taking first place in two categories.

For the second year in a row, the IS 250 was named the Best Prestige Car. The GS 450h placed first in the Best Luxury Car category, also for the second time in as many years.

The GS 450h went up against some stiff competition, with the Audi A6 TDI Quattro and another Lexus, the LS 460, taking second and third spots, respectively. The reasoning? :

Lexus GS450h is the future: a high performance luxury car whose green credentials are second to none. It has set a benchmark for other manufacturers. This is especially true as those corporate leaders who are cashed up enough to be able to afford a $100K+ vehicle are increasingly being looked at to set an example in responsible motoring.

In comparison, the IS 250 went up against the Honda Legend (the Acura RL in North America) and the Suburu Liberty (Legacy).

The awards, which are handed out by a panel of the continent’s top motoring experts, was started as a joint initiative in 2000 by Australia’s Auto Clubs.

[Via: The Australian]

Not exactly sure how it happened, but for the 15th Annual L’Automobile più Bella del Mondo (Most Beautiful Cars in the World) Awards, Lexus managed to snag first and second place in the Limousine (Large Sedan) category, with the LS 600h taking top spot and the LS 460 taking second.

I’m surprised they didn’t just judge the cars as a single entity. The differences between the LS 600h & 460 are technical for the most part, and as far as I can tell, the awards are based strictly on looks. Still, a dominant performance by the LS all round.

[Via: Autoblog]

Lexus sure knows how to treat their customers, at least according to JD Power. On top of a first place finish in the JD Power Sales Satisfaction Index, Lexus dominated the Japanese Customer Service Index as well:

Now in its sixth year, the study identifies five factors that measure customer satisfaction with service performed at manufacturer-authorized dealer facilities. In order of importance, they are: service representative; service costs and timing; service quality; service initiation; and service accessibility.

Included in the ranking for the first time in 2007, Lexus leads with an overall CSI score of 125 points, performing particularly well in each of the five factors that determine overall satisfaction.

Toyota, as you may know, only started selling Lexus branded vehicles in 2005, so this was their first year of eligibility in the Index, which makes the result even more impressive.

(Conversely, they ranked third in USA’s CSI, behind Jaguar & Buick.)

[Source: JD Power]

According to the latest JD Power Sales Satisfaction Index Survey, when it comes to selling cars, Lexus is tops:

“Lexus improves by four rank positions from 2006, which is a gain driven primarily by increased customer delight with the dealership facility, salesperson performance and vehicle price,” said Tom Gauer, senior director of automotive retail research at J.D. Power and Associates. “For example, Lexus salespeople show particular concern for helping customers stay within their budgets, choosing the right vehicle for their needs, as well as for making the negotiation process clear and understandable.”

This marks the first time in three years Lexus has placed first in the survey, which was more an indication of the climbing quality of competitors rather than a decline on Lexus’ part. The industry on a whole hit an all time high this year, averaging 852 points.

(This video from JD Power explains the survey and its results quite well.)

The news today is that the AWD versions of the Lexus GS, along with two Toyotas, have been dropped from Consumer Reports’ 2007 Recommended list. The net result, Toyota as a whole (including Lexus and Scion) has dropped from first overall to third, behind Honda and Subaru.

What were the problems with the AWD GS, which now ranks Below-Average? Consumer Reports asserts that the drop is due to the “accessories and audio system in the all-wheel-drive Lexus GS sedan”, which makes very little sense, as the AWD and RWD both share the same components. For some background, the prevailing complaint among Club Lexus GS owners is of creaks and rattles, as well as overall interior material quality, but nothing to add any weight to CR’s reasoning.

What I found startling is that Consumer Reports was essentially giving all Toyota models a free-pass to their Recommended list until now:

Still, because of these findings, CR will no longer recommend any new or redesigned Toyota-built models without reliability data on a specific design. Previously, new and redesigned Toyota models were recommended because of the automaker’s excellent track record, even if CR didn’t have sufficient reliability data on the new model. If Toyota returns to its previous record of outstanding overall reliability, CR may resume this practice. Typically, CR will only recommend a vehicle if the magazine has at least one year of reliability data for that specific model.

Seems like a bad practice to me, recommending any car on reputation alone, and I’m glad to see them discontinue this behavior.

[Source: Consumer Reports]