This Lexus-produced video showing the manufacturing process of the IS is full-on fantastic:

I’ll admit to a soft spot when it comes to this type of behind-the-scenes video footage, and no matter how many times I read about it, it’s mind-boggling just how quality-obsessed Lexus really is. I was particularly impressed by the electronic tools that report every minute detail, which is used to build an entire build “history” of each car. Not only that, I don’t think I’ll ever look at wood in a luxury car the same way again, I had no idea just what lengths were taken to achieve the end result.

In order to stay on top of demand in Russia, China, and other emerging markets, Lexus will be ramping up their production capacity by a staggering 35%, from 600,000 to 850,000.

The Nikkei Business Daily reports:

Toyota now makes Lexuses at its Tahara plant, in Aichi Prefecture, and at Toyota Motor Kyushu Inc.’s Miyata facility, in Fukuoka Prefecture, for a combined output capacity of more than 600,000 units a year.

At the Tahara plant, Toyota will enable lines churning out Toyota brand sport utility vehicles and other offerings to also make Lexuses. Spending a few billion yen, the automaker will overhaul its painting line as well as install measuring equipment and other infrastructure to ensure high-quality production.

Meanwhile, at the Miyata plant — which produces such Lexuses as the RX — infrastructure will be added to the line that makes both the luxury cars and other Toyota vehicles. This year, Toyota aims to ramp up that line’s output capacity from 200,000 units to 230,000. In addition to a Lexus-only assembly line, production capacity at that facility will be lifted to a maximum of 460,000 units a year.

This is a colossal jump, although this is strictly related to output capacity and not to actual production numbers. While the two Lexus plants in Japan have the ability to build 600,000 vehicles currently, only (!!) 414,400 were produced last year.

Really, this is just future planning.

[Source: The Nikkei Business Daily (Subscription Required)]

(Thanks Davin!)

According to Winding Road, the new issue of Autocar is reporting that Lexus will be moving away from the L-Finesse design language used to style their cars over the last two years.

L-Finesse, which was created by Leonardo Fioravanti, first appeared in production form with the introduction of the 2006 GS model, and was meant to embody three essential qualities: Intriguing Elegance, Incisive Simplicity, and Seamless Anticipation. In practical terms, the vehicles using the L-Finesse language had some common features, including a fastback profile, a lower set grille and the use of both concave and convex surfaces.

There’s no mention of when L-Finesse will be discontinued, or what will come next, but I’m taking this news with some cautious optimism. I much preferred when the Lexus lineup didn’t all resemble one another, when it wasn’t just variations on the same theme. Still, there’s no saying that the future direction of the brand styling will be any different in that regard.

The Auto Network has served up another Lexus presentation, this time a full blown dissertation about the IS-F. This presentation, along with the previously noted LX 570 breakdown, took place in Point Clear, Alabama, and provided the automotive press with an opportunity to learn about the vehicles to an extraordinary level of detail.

The first IS-F video is an introduction, most notable due to its alternative viewpoint as to where the “F” designation started (the other version states the “F” comes from the Fuji Speedway) and its assertion that the IS-F shifts faster than a Ferrari F430:

The second part, presented by Charles Hubbard of Lexus College, is easily the most detailed technical breakdown of the IS-F that I’ve seen or read:

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The Auto Network has posted up the full LX 570 presentation given by Lexus to the press in late 2007, and it’s a incredible collection of facts and information, detailing every aspect of the vehicle, from its technical specifications to its marketing plan.

The first part is a general overview of the LX 570, presented by Nancy Fein, VP of Customer Service:

The second part is a presentation by Charles Hubbard, and is a highly detailed 20 minute technical breakdown of the new SUV, including a demonstration of the Crawl Control feature. (The sound’s a little low so be sure to turn up your speakers):

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Ward’s Auto had a chance to sit down with Toyota Design Chief Wahei Hirai to discuss the unfavorable reaction to the Lexus IS-F’s design:

Critics say the derivative does not distinguish itself enough from the current IS, especially with the interior, and that its bulbous nose is downright ugly.

Toyota Motor Corp. design chief Wahei Hirai is familiar with the complaints but says creating a unique feel for all F-performance models, more of which are said to be coming, is a bigger priority than tweaking the IS-F.

“We have to establish our own identity as a Lexus premium brand,” Hirai says at an event here during the Tokyo auto show. “Maybe we will put some flavor or dynamics, or more emotion, toward (F models) than the basic Lexus design.”

For one thing, Lexus can be more aggressive in designing its F cars than the German brands, Hirai says. “They appreciate consistency, or continuity, very much. We like to make (our vehicles) a different way.”

There’s a bit of circular logic in Hirai’s response, which almost sounds as though future F models will be uniquely designed. In a way, it makes sense, the GS may be the only other model that could pull off the IS-F design elements, and it sounds like there’s much more than a GS-F in the pipeline. Maybe we’ll actually see an RX-F!