Autoblog trolled the Nürburgring and dug up some murky information on the Lexus LF-A:

...members of the testing and development crew who have been putting the car though its paces in Germany, as well as test drivers from rival Honda and Nissan crews, have told Autoblog that the LF-A is not destined for the showroom, and will remain only a development platform.

No reasons were given, but we can think of a couple. How many people are willing to part with nigh on a quarter of a million bucks for a Toyota/Lexus?

Actually, one 'Ring test driver didn't mind going on the record with his opinion. Former Nissan racer, NSX development driver and Nurburgring legend Motoharu "Gan-san" Kurosawa reckons, "Toyota are good at making money, but they're no good at making sports cars."

True or not, this doesn't really push me in either direction. I'm not really swayed by anonymous sources that could just be talking out their necks. Still, with the massive upheaval of the US auto industry, there has to be some trepidation in any new car release, especially something so extravagant as the LF-A. In the three years since it was first introduced, a lot has changed, and I'm sure there's a number of initiatives being reevaluated.

But really, "How many people are willing to part with nigh on a quarter of a million bucks for a Toyota/Lexus?" How tired is that? There may be some issues, but I doubt sales are one of them.

It may not be a Lexus supercar prototype, but the Italdesign Quaranta concept is powered by a Lexus engine, namely the....RX 400h?

Massage the right button, and the rear decklid opens to reveal a powertrain cribbed from what we know as the Lexus RX 400h. Italdesign and Toyota have an ongoing relationship; their first project, the Toyota Volta concept of 2004, laid the groundwork for this far more outrageous interpretation of the green exotic. Although the Toyota sport/utility provides its 3.3-liter DOHC V-6 engine, electric-motor assist hardware, continuously variable transmission, all-wheel-drive system, and a bucketload of electronics (including the IP-mounted display that shows when the power is flowing to and from the motors and battery pack), the rest of the Quaranta was designed, engineered, and built by hand from the ground up at Italdesign's Moncalieri, Italy, facilities.

That's a quote from a great Motor Trend article about driving this eco-supercar from Italdesign, which they debuted at this year's Geneva Auto Show. It's a great read, and strangely enough, it's the RXh engine that makes the difference. It usually isn't possible to drive a concept down public roads, nevermind taking it up to 200kph on a racetrack.

I particularly liked the solar panel hood and trunk pattern, and just take a look at this from a bird's eye view:

(Thanks Shukul!)

There isn't much in the way of new information in Motor Trend's article about the upcoming Lexus hybrid, but it did include this beauty of a mockup sketch:

There were a few new points covered, though they seem entirely speculative:

The difference between the Lexus variant and the Prius itself -- as is generally the case for Lexus models with Toyota underpinnings -- is not expected to be much more than skin deep. The as-yet-unnamed Lexus will have its own body panels and may get a convertible variant, but both vehicles will be fitted with roof-mounted solar panels and nickel-metal hydride batteries upon launch.

I have to say, if the new Lexus hybrid looks anything like this sketch, it's going to be hugely successful. There's certainly a hint of Prius in the shape, but the more aggressive front-end and huge wheels remind me of the new VW Scirocco, only bigger and with two more doors. And that's no bad thing.

Swedish automotive design student Jon Rådbrink has created a wild, Batmanish Lexus concept called the Nuaero. Rakish and impractical as it may be, it wasn't just a case of loading up 3D Studio Max and going for gold. Rådbrink tried to reinvent from every angle:

The spacious interior is centered around a multi-point touch screen dashboard where you can re-arrange the controls and information as you like it. The drive-by-wire steering pad is designed to focus on your hands. Its form controls the way you interact with it; to improve safety when driving. Your fine motor skills are far more advanced in your hands than in your feet, so all controls are located in the steering wheel. Since the car is powered by electrical motors, there is no transmission and you break intuitively by pushing the steering wheel away from your body.

Also, a video:

It would be easy to point out all the impracticalities, but it's undoubtably creative and has great flair. From some angles, it's almost possible to see it driving down the road of the future.

[Source: De Zeen via Gizmodo] (Thanks Mr. Chang!)

UK Magazine AutoCar claims to have the inside scoop on the oft-mentioned Lexus hybrid debuting at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show:

The new model is known internally as SAI but will be renamed before it goes on sale and will be based on the next generation Prius, also being shown for the first time in Detroit. The Lexus though will be a plusher, more comfort orientated model with unique and sleeker styling.

According to company sources it will bear some similarities to Toyota’s Concept X shown at the Geneva motor show last March. Most commentators wrongly believed this heralded the design of the next Prius but our sources indicated that it was really designed to showcase themes for the junior Lexus hybrid.

The SAI is likely to get a more powerful version of the Prius’ hybrid powertrain, which will be mated to either a 2.0 or 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. At launch it will probably have a nickel-hydride battery, but be upgraded to lithium-ion technology by the end of 2010.

I'm not sure I see the logic in Toyota to mixing concepts with Lexus, especially when it concerns the Prius. Really, that's what I find so confusing with the idea of a Lexus "Prius" -- the hybrid is practically a brand all on its own, why risk diluting it?

Lexus may be on the verge of releasing a Prius-sized sedan using an identical powertrain, but I have strong doubts there will be any more than a slight resemblance between the two cars.

High Dynamic Range Imaging, or HDR Photography, is the process of layering multiple images with different exposures, which creates a vivid and otherworldly image.

It's all the rage with digital photographers, including Flickr user NikonNikk, who applied the process to the Lexus LF-A (Be sure to click through and see it full-size):

It always amazes me just how creative people can be taking photos in such a controlled space. Fantastic.