With a 27% decrease overall, September was the worst month-to-month percentage drop in US automotive sales since 1991. Lexus certainly wasn't exempt from the ill effects, with sales down 33.4%. Here's the model-by-model breakdown:

The LX 570's success isn't just the anomaly at Lexus, but across the entire industry. In fact, by my quick scanning, the only comparable vehicles out there are the Audi A5/S5 with a 525.2% increase and the Nissan Rogue with 507.5%. However, neither of those vehicles weigh over 8,000lbs. and get a combined city/highway of 14MPG.

Lexus has launched an online entertainment "channel" today called L Studio, which looks to be a continuation of the company's movement towards becoming a true lifestyle brand. From Reuters:

The carmaker is launching an Internet-only branded channel Tuesday (September 23) stocked with a full slate of original programing headlined by [Lisa] Kudrow [from Friends] in a shortform comedy series in which she plays a nutty shrink.

In an effort to keep the buzz going for the project, Lexus plans to recruit more celebrity contributors in the coming months. For now, the rest of L Studio is an eclectic mix of high-toned nonfiction programing that concerns everything from art to architecture to science. Some notable figures who are profiled on the site include the Doors' Ray Manzarek and designer Patricia Field.

Taken together, the connective thread between the programing mix and the Lexus brand, Blanchard said, is the theme of innovation. "We kind of look at ourselves as a broadband HBO," she said. "Being on broadband in and of itself is innovative for a lot of these artists."

One of the videos posted is a tour of the Hybrid Living Suites, a joint project by Fairmont Hotels & Lexus -- and while the site offers embedded video, I've been unable to get it working. There was also mention of a series featuring artists repurposing old Lexus', similar to what Kelly LaPlante did with the hotel room. I'll be on the lookout for that, stay tuned!

Update: Here's a promo video from Youtube:

[Source: Reuters]

It's only nine years old, but this 1999 Lexus RX commercial featuring Jeannie from I Dream of Jeannie really feels like it's from another era entirely:

Lexus' current phase of emotionally-driven advertising is interesting and all, but there's definitely something to be said for some straight forward throwaway humor.

With four modified Lexus IS-Fs expected at SEMA this year, it's only a matter of time before each and every one of them makes an Internet appearance. We've already seen the Fox Marketing/Artisan Performance IS-F, and now Import Tuner Magazine has posted some work-in-progress photos of their project car, including the shot above of an entirely gutted interior.

They also outlined their goals for the car, and included a digital mockup:

...reliability is key. We’re going to go light on the engine mods (it does come stuffed with a V-8...stock) and heavy on the chassis and suspension. Cue Tein. A lot of our efforts will also be spent on lightening the vehicle to improve its power-to-weight ratio and tuning the suspension components.

To test the capabilities of our IS F, after SEMA, our Lexus will compete in the Street Class of the Super Lap Battle time attack finals at Buttonwillow Raceway, CA.

There's been some new(ish) details released regarding the Fox Marketing/Artisan Lexus IS-F that's scheduled to be shown at SEMA. As is my tendency these last couple days, let's outline the mods in convenient bullet-points:

• The engine will be pumping out an abundant 600hp (estimated) due to a twin-turbo setup using compressed air, JE pistons, Crower rods, a Mishimoto radiator, and an exhaust made by Artisan themeselves.
• The one-off bodykit includes custom front/rear bumpers and new side skirting.
• The rims are by iForged, with 20x9.5" in front and 20x11.5" in the rear. The rubber is Toyo T1R tires.
• The orange paint is Glasurit Sunset, and made by BASF.

The plan is for the Artisan exhaust to go on sale in October, followed by this car to make its appearance at SEMA in November. More custom IS-Fs are expected as well, stay tuned!

[Source: Autoblog]

The remaining 2009 Lexus model updates & US price changes are small, so let's just put them all together:

• ES 350: Unchanged for 2009, the ES 350 will see a fractional price increase of $200, bringing the base MSRP to $34,320.
• GS 350/460: All versions of the gas engine GS will have a $300 price increase, bringing the base price of the GS 350 RWD to $44,850, the GS 350 AWD to $46,800, and the GS 460 up to $53,320.
• GS 450h: This made me raise my eyebrows -- the GS hybrid is getting a 40+% increase in trunk space, making the 1.1% price increase of $600 seem entirely justified.
• LS 460/L: The LS 460/L will now have front-passenger seat memory installed, with the LS 460 price increasing $775 to $63,675 and the LS 460L jumping to $73,585.
• LS 460/L AWD: The new AWD versions of the LS 460s will cost an additional $3525 over RWD. This brings the LS 460 AWD to $67,200 and the LS 460L to $77,110, respectively.
• LS 600hL: The LS 600hL also gets front-passenger seat memory, and gets a bump of $985, bringing the base MSRP to $105,885

Very interested in how the 40% increase in trunk space was achieved with the GS, and even more curious why it wasn't applied to the LS 600hL as well.

[Source: Lexus]