Due to an email I sent out far too late, I wasn't able to include Dougie Wand's great mirror image of the Lexus LF-A as part of my anniversary wallpaper collection, but all the better to offer it on a hot Friday afternoon. Here's the various desktop sizes, enjoy!

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Today marks the first anniversary of The Passionate Pursuit! It's funny the way time works, at times it feels like I've only just started, and in another way, it seems like something I've always done. I've learned a lot over the past year, running this site is a very rewarding experience.

To mark the occasion, I asked the photographers of some of my favorite photos over the last year to contribute their images as wallpapers for my readers. The response was great, and I've very grateful to be able to share these images:

Photo by AlieN
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Photo by Timetoy
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Photo by Scott Dukes
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Photo by j0rdi
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Thanks to all my loyal readers, there's plenty in store for the next year and I'm happy to have you on board.

Kevin RE Watts,
Editor, The Passionate Pursuit

Last week, when Edmund's Inside Line blog printed a rumor that the production version of the Lexus LF-A could cost upwards of $225,000 USD, the backlash was instant and ruthless. Auto enthusiasts everywhere bristled at the idea that Lexus would be pitting their new supercar against the likes of Ferrari and Lamborghini.

To be quite honest, it's not difficult to see some merit to the criticism. After all, the competition in this price range are truly aspirational cars, the kind of machines that fuel childhood dreams. Up against that, the LF-A is a hard sell. What's more, it's impossible to ignore the appeal of exclusivity, and having to share a badge with a $30,000 entry class model doesn't really mesh with that.

Looking at the uphill battle facing Lexus selling a supercar, maybe it's time to wonder about other motives. It could be that the brand wants to simply wants a halo car, but what if it's something else entirely? What if that wasn't the plan at all?

Over the past few months, I've had a growing suspicion that the LF-A is actually the next SC sports coupe, and that the only way it would come close to $225,000 is with a fully loaded V10 SC-F.

Click here to read the rest of this story >>

Team One, the company behind Lexus' advertising in the US, recently contacted me about a great opportunity for Lexus owners to show off their cars. Right now, they're looking for photos of you and your Lexus for an upcoming project, here are the details:

• The photo has to be of you with your Lexus, not just a photo of the Lexus by itself.
• The rule for image resolution, the bigger the better.
• If your image is chosen, you will be contacted and compensated.
• The deadline for this first wave is March 25th, 2008.

You can send the photos to mylexusimages@teamone-usa.com, and be sure to use a valid email address where you can be reached.

(Personally, I'm going to have to wait until the weather gets a little nicer, all of my current photos are of the car only.)

Right from the very start, 2007 was a year of controversy for Lexus.

In January, the Detroit Auto Show saw the introduction of the IS-F and the F-Sport line. The F-Division is meant to be Lexus' answer to Mercedes' AMG and BMW's M-Division, and it was a move that was criticized from all angles over the next eleven months.

There was some excellent news in April, when the LS 460 was named the World Car of the Year, beating out Audi TT and BMW Mini. The new LX 570 was introduced at the New York Auto Show, marking its first redesign in ten years.

Things were quiet until August, when spy shots were taken of a camouflaged RX, believed to be a precursor to a redesigned 2009 model. (Which has since been pushed back to 2010, the 2009 RX will remain the same.) It was late in the month when it was revealed that the GS would be receiving an engine upgrade and a minor facelift, and there was also some talk of a GS-F.

By September, the hybrid Lexus LS 600hL was arriving in North America showrooms, bringing with it a second wave of controversy with its lower-than-expected gas mileage and smaller-than-expected trunk space. Buyers didn't seem to notice though, and by December sale expectations were exceeded by 300%.

Sticking to sales figures, every month but November set a new record, and used Lexus' were in such demand, the head office had no choice but to revise their Certified Pre-Owned program.

And what about 2008? Well, the early months will see the release of the LX 570 and the IS-F, and there's bound to be a final version of the LF-A in the coming months. What else? The only way to find out is to stick around.

2007 is almost over, and having given myself up to a period of reflection, I thought a recap of the year's ten most popular stories would be in order. Without further ado:

10. Additional Footage of the Lexus LF-A at Nürburgring

This Youtube footage of the Lexus LF-A zooming around Nürburgring was one of my first posts to be picked up by the major auto websites, including Autoblog & Autoblog.it.

9. Two Tuned Lexus Models from the Upcoming SEMA 2007

I did some snooping around and managed to dig up two previews of the Lexus tuned models that were featured at SEMA this year. Too bad all the GS models were 430s, and not 460s.

8. Are we looking at the New Lexus JX?

When these spy shots of a camouflaged Lexus hit the Internet, there was a lot of speculation as to what it was exactly. Some opined that it was the next generation RX, but still others believe it was a new model, specifically the Lexus JX. After seeing the LF-Xh concept, it's still hard to say.

7. Spy Shots: 2010 Lexus GX 470/Toyota 4Runner?

The Lexus GX is definitely in need of a refresh, and this was the spy shot of what's in store. It was so well camouflaged that there wasn't really much to glean from the photos.

6. Wald International Body Kit for the Lexus LS 460

One thing I learned right quick after launching the site is that people love body kits, and no other molding brought in more traffic that Wald's Executive Line Body Kit for the LS 460.

5. Spy Shots of the Next Gen Lexus RX

This was one of the first spy shots of the next generation Lexus RX, though it's little more than a current model chopped and screwed to sit on a bigger platform.

4. Do Not Try This

Over the last year, I've seen my fair share of insane car videos, but driving an Lexus LX down a highway from the back seat while going over 150mph? That's one for the ages.

3. Insider Reveals 2009 Lexus RX Details (Including the RX-F?!)

2. 2009 Lexus RX in the Wild

1.More Information on the 2009 Lexus RX

Make no mistake, the Lexus RX is an incredibly popular vehicle, and nothing says it better than TPP's top three Lexus stories of 2007. People are trying to find out as much as they can about the next generation of the SUV, but it looks like all of these details will apply to the 2010 RX, rather than the 2009.

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There we have it -- I have to admit some surprise that not a single IS-F story made it to the top ten, but what it lacked in ranking it made up for in volume. The Lexus IS-F featured in 50 of my 350 posts on the year.