Akio Toyoda and Mark Templin Named to 2013 Motor Trend Power List

Toyota president Akio Toyoda & Lexus general manager Mark Templin have been named to the 2013 Motor Trend Power List of the top 50 people in the automotive industry.

(Akio jumps from 26th to 3rd position, and Mark makes his first appearance on the list at 44.)

Courtesy of Lexus Enthusiast

BBC's Top Gear host, Jeremy Clarkson, calls the LFA, "...the best car I've ever driven."

In the latest issue of the hit show's magazine, Top Gear's most well recognized host said the LFA is the best car he's even driven; keep in mind, this man drives and reviews all sorts of cars for a living.  He's driven everything from the most basic of vehicles to ultra-rare hypercars, with price tags that exceed $1,000,000.  That sort of praise certainly carries quite a bit of weight!

Courtesy of Lexus Enthusiast

Thank you very much, Zhanna, for this excellent review! We love to hear back from our customers about their experiences!

(5) Star Review on Yelp

• "These guys know what they are doing!... I love this place!!! Top notch experience!" -Zhanna K.

Go Red with Lexus of Orlando!

This Friday (Feb. 1) marks the beginning of American Heart Month and the 10th year of the The American Heart Association's Go Red for Women movement!  Join us in participating in National Wear Red Day to show your support for this excellent cause!

For more information on the Go Red for Women movement, American Heart Month, and best practices for a healthy heart you can visit the American Heart Association’s website here!

Look Ma', No Subscription!

We love it when Lexus owners are the first to receive a new technology. This time, it’s the addition of real-time traffic and weather data in Lexus vehicles—with no service subscription necessary.
Lexus today announced this week that, thanks to its new partnership with iBiquity Digital Corporation, the developer of HD Radio™ Technology, it will be the first automotive brand to offer subscription-free, real-time traffic and weather information on its integrated audio systems.

The new Lexus IS sport sedan, which debuts at the North American International Auto Show on Jan. 15, will be the first Lexus vehicle to feature this technology when it arrives in dealerships this summer. However, Sandy Lobenstein, vice president, Connected Vehicle Technology and Planning, points out that the system will eventually roll out across the Lexus vehicle lineup.
Lexus will launch two systems integrating HD Radio, digital audio entertainment and real-time traffic and weather information.

For vehicles with available navigation, Lexus will provide a digital audio and navigation system driven by the first of its kind hybrid technology capable of receiving digital traffic and weather information from both HD Radio stations and the cell phone network, using the driver’s smartphone connected with the Lexus Enform system.

For vehicles without navigation, Lexus will offer a standard premium Display Audio system complete with subscription-free traffic maps and weather information, all delivered by HD Radio stations across the country.

Courtesy of Lexus Magazine

Lexus Trademarks "RC F"

Exciting news today — in a move that suggests a new high-performance coupe is in the works, Lexus has trademarked RC F in the USA & Europe.

The model designation RC was first discovered last November, when Lexus reserved RC 350 with the Australian Patent Office.

At the time, the speculation was that the RC would be a new mid-size coupe partially based on the LF-CC concept, and the filing of this new RC F trademark adds weight to the theory, as it fits the pattern established with current IS & IS F.

It’s still the early days, but the idea of a coupe built with the same performance focus as the current IS F feels like a match made in heaven and a perfect compliment to the Lexus lineup. Looking forward to learning more.

Courtesy of Lexus Enthusiast

Lexus Eco Challenge Second Round Winners Continue to Make Positive Impact on the Environment

Lexus and Scholastic are pleased to announce the second round winners in the 2012-2013 Lexus Eco Challenge, an educational program and contest that inspires and empowers young people to learn about the environment and take action to improve it.  Lexus will award a total of $500,000 in grants and scholarships throughout this year’s program.

Each winning high-school or middle-school team has earned $10,000 in scholarships and grants to be shared among the students, teacher and school.  Their win has secured each team an invitation to participate in the Final Challenge for a chance at one of two $30,000 grand prizes and eight $15,000 first-place awards. In addition, the winning action plans will be featured on a special Web page to inspire other students to take action in their communities at www.scholastic.com/lexus.  

”The commitment and devotion shown by the students through their projects is remarkable,” said Mark Templin, Lexus group vice president and general manager. “We’re thrilled at Lexus that we can continue to support the program and encourage young students to take action to better the environment.”

For each of the challenges, teams are required to define an environmental issue that is important to them, develop an action plan to address the issue, implement the plan, and report on the results.  The Challenge #2 winning teams that best addressed environmental challenges associated with air and climate are:

High School Teams:

New York (McGraw) – “Environment/Recycling Outside of the Box” – McGraw High
               School-Collected non-traditional recyclable items and coordinated event for items to be
               recycled or reused so that items can find new life and reduce waste in landfills.
Massachusetts (Boston) – “Guardians of the Greenosphere” – Boston Latin School –
               Raised awareness of how the school community can reduce energy consumption and to use
               more efficient practices.
Florida (Newberry State) – “Climate Control Corps” – Newberry High School–
               Educated students and community on how to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere with
               information on climate change, solar energy, wind energy and reforestation.
North Carolina (Raleigh) – “Heat Busters” - Enloe High School– Developed awareness
about global warming and lowering carbon emissions via a Facebook page, online petition and a video.


Indiana (Munster) – “PCV Patchers” – Munster High School –Reduced emissions of
harmful gases released from cars by encouraging community members to change their PCV valves.
Missouri (St. Louis) – “Forever Eco” - Parkway North High School –Implemented a
               plan to save the school’s current composting program through education materials and
               posters.
California (La Crescenta) - “Riptides” - Clark Magnet School –Created a prototype
               carbon filter for exhaust pipes and built a Native Plant Garden, including a windmill with
               blades to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
California (Oak Park) – “Environmental Interconnectivity Team” – Oak Park High School –Educated the students and community on the use of alternative energy and solar
energy by holding a teaching event for students.


Middle School Teams:


New Jersey (Manahawkin) – “Breaking Wind” – All Saints Regional Catholic School –
               Created a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on foreign oil by
               creating electricity using a small 12-blade model wind turbine.
New Jersey (Wyckoff) – “CO2 Crew” – Dwight D. Eisenhower Middle School –
               Addressed the dangers of car idling within their school and asked parents to take a pledge;
               raised money to replace trees in the local wildlife that were devastated by Hurricane Sandy.
Texas (McKinney) – “Green Our School” – Evans Middle School –Created awareness of
               energy conservation with turning classrooms lights off when not in use and fundraising efforts
               for Pavegen energy tiles to be installed.
South Carolina (Hanahan) – “Eco Hawks” – Hanahan Middle School –Reduced carbon
               footprint by encouraging recycling at school and in the community
Kentucky (Lexington) – “The Green Freaks” – SCAPA –Reduced the amount of plastic
               throw-away used in the school by encouraging students and faculty to bring reusable bags.
Kentucky (Lexington) – “Eco Excitement” – School for the Creative and Performing
               Arts- Raised awareness of the environmental benefits of reducing meat consumption.
Utah (Holladay) – “Geothermal Awareness Team” – Olympus Jr. High– Researched and
               educated the community about Geothermal energy.
California (Lancaster) – “Renewable Ravens” – Endeavour Middle School –
               Coordinated a school-wide competition for students to think about renewable energy and
               challenged the students to carpool.

This year’s Lexus Eco Challenge launched this past September and concludes with the announcement of the first place and grand-prize-winning teams in spring 2013. The Final Challenge asks students to address an environmental topic that affects the world at large.

In addition to the ongoing contest, the Lexus Eco Challenge also includes educational materials created and distributed by Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education and media company, to encourage teachers to integrate creative lesson plans about the environment into their classrooms.  For each challenge, the Web site (www.scholastic.com/lexus) has lesson plans and teacher instructions, including questions to help guide a discussion about the current challenge topic, facts about the topic, and guidelines for a specific classroom project.

The Lexus Eco Challenge is part of The Lexus Pursuit of Potential, a philanthropic initiative that generates up to $3 million in donations each year for organizations that help build, shape and improve children’s lives.

Courtesy of Lexus USA Newsroom

Thanks to all who atteneded our New Owners Welcome event on the 24th!

We recently had our New Owners Welcome event and we're incredibly proud to announce that this was our biggest N.O.W. event yet!  We had a total of 114 of our wonderful customers in attendance!  Here are some of the guest survey comments:

•    Event was great!
•    Appreciate the info handed out for the Nav and Radio Operations!
•    Awesome customer service, that is why I come here!
•    Well worth the 1 hour drive to attend, excellent!
•    I always feel welcome here, all staff are professional and courteous!
•    Awesome, Dealership, Service Dept, Salesmen and Super vehicle!
•    Nice event, glad we came and won the $50.00 Brio's Gift Card. Thanks Lexus of Orlando!
•    Nice event, Thank you!
•    This is our third Lexus-would not buy anything else.  Love your Service Department. In the future possibly break down the event to be by vehicle type would be even more useful.

We would like to offer our sincerest thanks to all of those who came!  We genuinely appreciate your patronage and hope to see you all again soon!

Our sincerest thanks to Chris D. for this outstanding review!

 

(5) Star Review on Yelp

• "WOW, my first luxury car, and talk about service.  From start to finish, these guys were professional and efficient." -Chris D.

Turbo Fours and IS F Considered, No Wagon

Lexus IS chief engineer, Junichi Furuyama , has confirmed that small capacity turbocharged four-cylinder engines are being considered for the new sedan, while a wagon variant has been rejected.

Speaking at the Detroit auto show, where the third-generation Lexus IS made its official debut, the chassis chief said that Lexus “still have some time to consider” whether the existing 2.5-litre naturally aspirated V6 would be replaced by a smaller, boosted engine.

“Turbocharged downsizing engine is something that we keep as one of the options,” added Furuyama-san.

“Currently we are considering whether or not we should maintain the current naturally aspirated V6 engine, or we should shift to turbocharged downsizing.”

Courtesy of House of Japan

Lexus Bringing Small SUV Concept to 2013 Tokyo Motor Show

Lexus is preparing a small SUV concept for the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show, a model that will slot in underneath its existing RX SUV.

At the recent 2013 Detroit Motor Show, executive vice president of Lexus International, Kazuo Ohara, confirmed that the Japanese automaker is working on a small SUV and feels that it’s a necessity to continue expanding the brand internationally.

The exec also confirmed that a concept will debut later this year Lexus is hoping that it’ll be at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show which kicks off in late November.

Courtesy of House of Japan

February 3rd is coming up soon, and we all know what that means... awesome commercials! Oh, and the Super Bowl too of course. :) Check out this teaser of what Toyota will be bringing to the big game!

Lexus Design Direction Will Be on Full Display in Chicago

Don’t call it a comeback.  After Lexus saw its 2012 sales jump 31 percent over the previous year, the luxury car manufacturer expects an even brighter 2013.  This confidence will be on display at the Chicago Auto Show, as Lexus showcases a heavily revamped lineup and special vehicles evoking a new direction in design.

This past year saw Lexus introduce new versions of the ES and LS sedans, and RX and LX sport utility vehicles – all brandishing the new signature spindle grille. These vehicles will all be on display in Chicago.  They will be accompanied by the all-new 2014 Lexus IS F Sport, which made its world debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.  The IS now sports superior exterior and interior styling as well as greatly enhanced driving dynamics.     

Lexus’ super car – the LFA – returns to the Windy City.  This Nurburgring Edition of the LFA packs 562 horsepower in a 4.8 liter, V10 engine.  Since coming to market nearly two years ago, the LFA has quickly established itself as one of the world’s great performance vehicles.

The LF-LC, which won Best Concept honors at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show, based on public polling, is also coming back to Chicago.  However, show goers may notice that it’s not the ruby red marvel they saw last year.  This vehicle is the LF-LC Blue Concept, which debuted at the Australian Motor Show last October.  It’s the second iteration of the LF-LC Concept which Chicagoans saw last year.  

Other specially-made Lexus products on display include an LS modified for the SEMA Show, as well as the orange and black Lexus IS F CCS-R, a one-of-a-kind IS F which conquered the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb last summer.

Courtesy of Lexus USA Newsroom

How about one more? What do you think of this tuned '09 IS F? Do you have any modifications done to your Lexus? If so, what are they?

We know how much you all like a customized Lexus! So check out this CT 200h by Wald International!

Lexus LF-CC Expected to Reach Showrooms in 2015

The Lexus LF-CC coupe is likely to reach showroom floors in 2015 according to recent reports. Work on a production model is set to start this month with the model likely to come in both coupe and convertible form. Official information isn’t available, but the car is widely expected to run on the same platform as the new IS and GS models.

Courtesy of House of Japan

Tuning company Skipper Design has released their body kit for the LS series. Do you like it? Let us know what you think!

The 2nd to last LFA arrives in the United States!

Lexus LFA #489 is second-to-last LFA to arrive in the USA and the only one in the country with a Steel Blue exterior.  Just thought we'd share this beautiful car with you all!

Courtesy of Lexus Enthusiast

We hope you're all having a very wonderful Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!

“If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” –Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

A very big "thank you" to the author of this excellent review! We truly appreciate hearing back from our customers!

(5) Star Review on DealerRater

• "What a great experience!!! It was my first time servicing my car in this Lexus Dealer. Luis Jurado made my kids and I feel very comfortable while we were waiting for my car." -Rchancay

Toyota and Cincinnati Children’s to Donate 10,000 Child Car Seats to Families In Need as Part of Child Passenger Safety Education Campaign

Did you know that three out of every four child car seats in the United States are not used or installed correctly?  Or that almost 50 percent of children who are fatally injured in motor vehicle crashes were unrestrained?  To address this alarming public health issue and encourage greater safety for child passengers, Toyota and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center have teamed up to launch a national, online education campaign on Causes.com.

The campaign invites people to take action online: 

• Watch a short video with tips to properly install a child car seat
• Share the video with your friends and family

The campaign builds on the success of Toyota’s and Cincinnati Children’s groundbreaking Buckle Up for Life child safety program in communities.

In recognition of everyone who participates in the campaign, Toyota will donate 10,000 child car seats to families in need.

“While cars and trucks today are safer than they’ve ever been, motor vehicle crashes are still the leading cause of death in the United States for children between the ages of one and 12,” said Patricia Salas Pineda, group vice president of National Philanthropy and the Toyota USA Foundation at Toyota Motor North America.  “Tragically, so many of these deaths and injuries could be avoided through the proper use of child car seats and seat belts.  We are pleased to be working with the visionary medical experts at Cincinnati Children’s to help empower parents and caregivers to make an even bigger difference in protecting young passengers, while also bringing thousands of new child car seats to families in need.”

“The goal of our partnership with Toyota has been to help keep as many children safe as possible and to educate families on the importance of properly buckling children up during every ride,” said Dr. Victor Garcia, founding director of Trauma Services at Cincinnati Children’s, professor of pediatric surgery and a co-founder of Buckle Up for Life.  “The campaign on Causes.com expands our ability to fulfill this vital mission and to reach even more people across America with information that saves lives.”

Toyota and Causes will host a live Twitter chat to help parents learn valuable tips about child passenger safety. The event will start on Jan. 22 at 2:00 p.m., ET, with certified child passenger safety technicians from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.  The technicians will be available to answer questions, in English and Spanish, about proper car seat installation and other ways to keep child passengers safe.  The chat will be hosted by Corinne McDermott, family travel expert, Huffington Post contributor, and founder of Have Baby Will Travel, a leading website offering travel tips for busy parents, which regularly addresses child safety issues.

Courtesy of Toyota USA Newsroom

Toyota/Lexus Financial Services Kicks Off 2nd Annual 'GoGreen' Campaign, and Pledges Up To $100,000 for Boys & Girls Clubs of America

 
Toyota Financial Services (TFS) / Lexus Financial Services (LFS) is continuing to do its part for the environment, all while supporting the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) and improving the overall experience of its own customers.

TFS/LFS is kicking off its second annual “GoGreen” campaign, encouraging customers to sign up for paperless billing statements; allowing them to receive monthly emails when their bill is due, rather than traditional paper statements sent through the mail.  Between Jan. 15 and March 31, 2013, for every customer that signs up to “GoGreen,” TFS/LFS will donate $5 to the BGCA (up to a total of $100,000).

Every day, BGCA members across the nation participate in numerous “green” activities, such as recycling projects and community clean-ups.  By choosing to “GoGreen,” TFS/LFS customers are not only helping provide much needed funds to BGCA, they are helping to greatly reduce the volume of paper statements that TFS/LFS sends each month.  The “GoGreen” campaign protects the environment, while supporting after-school and life-skills programs that teach young people how to better care for their neighborhoods… and for their planet.
 
“Last year’s ‘GoGreen’ campaign was a great success,” says Karen Ideno, vice president of Product & Marketing.  “It took place less than a year after TFS/LFS launched paperless billing, and a record 239,450 customers signed up for the program during this first drive.  The environment-friendly campaign helped the company surpass its targeted goal.”

Courtesy of Toyota USA Newsroom

Toyota Corolla Furia Concept Revealed at 2013 NAIAS

As the number one retail brand, Toyota is already going places, and it’s just going to get better as we invite our customers along for the ride with more exciting and innovative products and services.

Good afternoon everyone, and thanks for joining us today.  Attending the North American International Auto Show is always something to look forward to especially when there’s a great concept car like we have today.

The Detroit show comes right in the middle of an automotive dream come true.  Toyota and the rest of the industry enter 2013 with a great deal of excitement.  Business was great in 2012 as the industry came in at 14.5 million units, the best since the landmark year of 2007.

With anticipated improvements in consumer confidence, unemployment, the housing market, interest rates and an avalanche of pent-up demand, we see the market expanding again this year.

Looking back on 2012, Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealers sold more than 2 million units for the first time since 2008, with an increase of 430,000 over the previous year, which is the largest of any manufacturer in the last 20 years.

The Toyota Division sold over 1.8 million, up 27 percent, for the best year since ’08, and our position as the number-one retail brand reflects consumer confidence in Toyota.

Camry topped 400,000 sales for the first time in four years, and it remained the best-selling car in America for the 11th straight year and 15 out of the last 16 years.  Corolla was our second best-seller, and the Prius Family was third, with a growth of more than 100,000 units.

Best of all, we’re off to good start in 2013 with dramatic new products and more on the way.

While we expect to see the new Avalon and RAV4 grow significantly in their segments, we also see an opportunity for growth in the compact segment one that has always been a major part of Toyota’s product strategy.  Over the years, Toyota has sold 40 million Corollas worldwide, making it the best-selling nameplate on the planet.

Closer to home, 2013 marks the 45th anniversary of Corolla in the U.S., where we’ve sold more than nine million since 1968. That’s more than the total individual population in 40 of the 50 states, with over four-and-a-half million still on the road today.  Or you can look at it this way Toyota Division has sold 24 million passenger cars since 1968 and about 38 percent of those have been Corollas.

Through 10 generations, Corolla has always been a popular choice for car buyers.  Not only was the  current model – introduced in 2008 – the second best-selling car for Toyota last year, it was also number two in the compact segment, which has grown significantly with many all-new entries.  Last year, there were 2.1 million compacts sold in the U.S., and Corolla accounted for nearly 300,000, a 13.5 percent segment share.

I was talking the other day with Greg Penske and Tom Rudnai, the guys who make Longo Toyota our biggest and most successful dealership every day.   They mentioned how extremely important Corolla is for their dealership.  It represents over 22-percent of their passenger car sales, second only to Camry.  And it brings in a lot of first-time and pre-owned buyers.

Corolla’s importance to Toyota isn’t just about sales…it’s also about jobs and investment.   Corolla has been built in the U.S. since 1984, when it was the first vehicle off the line at the NUMMI plant in California.  Today, more than 97 percent of the Corollas sold in America are built at our plant in Cambridge, Canada and our new dedicated plant in Blue Springs, Mississippi, which opened in the fall of 2011.  By the end of the year, 100 percent of the Corollas sold here will be built in North America.

Compact buyers expect good fuel economy, quality and value for the money, which Corolla has provided U.S. consumers for 44 years.  Today’s younger buyers value those things… but they also want more dramatic styling and new technologies, like we’re providing with Camry, FR-S, Avalon and RAV4.

For example, the Camry SE – with expressive styling, a sporty interior and a sport-tuned suspension – now accounts for 40 percent of sales with a media age of 44, dropping overall Camry age by nearly 10 years.

Because young buyers are returning to the market at a faster rate than any generation, the next Corolla must have expressive appeal with improved styling that elicits surprise and excitement.
What might that car look like?  For an idea, let’s take a look into the future.
Ladies and gentlemen… the Corolla Furia Concept…

(REVEAL)

As the name “Furia” suggests, this concept vehicle has a “ferocious” look and a “fury” of energetic design elements.

There are a lot of words designers use to describe it, but just let me say it’s a great looking car.  And I’m sure it will cause some surprise from those who may have preconceived notions about the future of Corolla.

The Furia is a dynamic compact-sedan interpretation, with short overhangs to emphasize a long wheelbase.  Furia is designed around a theme that uses pure and simple surface elements to create a confident, more decisive appearance.

It features a dramatically swept windshield, sloped roofline, pronounced fender flares, and a blazing custom color I call “Fuego Furioso.”

After the sizzling color catches your eye, the aggressive front fascia dominates with a blacked-out grille and carbon fiber lower spoiler.  The carbon fiber treatment extends down the rocker panels and rear valance, finishing with an attention-grabbing rear spoiler.  The ultramodern, yet aggressive, 19-inch alloy wheels are pushed out to the corners to enhance the Furia’s stable stance.

Sculpted front LED headlamps and rear composite LED taillights give the vehicle a technologically advanced image.

While Furia is clearly focused on the exterior, our designers are also pushing the envelope on interior styling that will surprise a lot of people, with roominess, comfort and premium materials.

It’s only a concept, but the Corolla Furia sends a clear message where we’re going in the future.
Not only will the styling be more expressive, but it will also reflect our overall approach to the compact segment in every way.

As the Furia name might imply, we’re “furiously” working on future products, so our customers can “go places” in style, comfort, safety and connected to their world.

Thanks again for joining us today.

I invite the photographers up first to take some additional images of the Corolla Furia Concept.
Enjoy the rest of the Detroit show.

Courtesy of Toyota USA Newsroom

All-New 2014 Lexus IS Sport Sedan Makes World Premiere at the North American International Auto Show

Lexus today unveiled the all-new 2014 IS sedan at the North American International Auto Show.  IS will be available in rear- and all-weather drive versions of the IS 250 and IS 350, a further evolution of F SPORT available across the entire model range, and for Europe, Japan, and select international markets, the IS 300h, the first IS to feature Lexus Hybrid Drive.

Driving performance isakey selling point in the sport sedan segment. In conjunction with a bold new design including the Lexus spindle grille, the all-new IS has been painstakingly engineered to have excellent dynamic capabilities to provide an exceptionaldriving experience.

“I adopted an entirely different approach to the development of the all-new IS,” said Junichi Furuyama, IS chief engineer. “Specifically, it was to make an entertaining driving experience a major premise behind all aspects of performance.

“The conventional approach involves developing each individual aspect in the hope that they will combine to offer an engaging driving experience. By contrast, development of the new IS flipped this process on its head, first establishing the pleasurable driving experience owners desire, and then developing the individual performance elements to support it.”

Every aspect of the IS has been engineered with a renewed focus on engaging performance, agile handling, accurate response to driver input and highly communicative feedback.

“The IS has always been precise and fun to drive,” said Mark Templin, Lexus group vice president and general manager. “The all-new IS kicks it up a notch with true sport sedan driving dynamics, state of the art onboard technologies, and an all-new design that makes it look fast even when it’s standing still.”

Incorporating several Lexus-first features and technical innovations, the IS showcases an interior design with all the refinement and quality expected of a Lexus, plus a focused driver’s environment, a significant improvement in rear seat comfort and spaciousness, and a larger, more convenient trunk.

Engine/Transmission
Rear- and all-weather drive versions of the IS 250 are powered by a 2.5 liter V6 gas engine.  The IS 350 features a 3.5 liter V6 gas engine.  The IS 300h, which will be available in Europe, Japan,and select international markets, will employ the Lexus Hybrid Drive powertrain, based on a newly developed 2.5L Atkinson-cycle engine.  

IS adopts the Drive Mode Select system which offers up to four switchable driving modes- ECO, NORMAL, SPORT and SPORT S+ (S+ available on IS 350 only) -  to optimize vehicle systems to suit the driver’s preferred combination of fuel economy, comfort, performance and handling characteristics.

The IS 350 RWD features the eight-speed, Sport Direct Shift (SPDS) automatic transmission from the IS F high performance sedan with quicker shifts, full torque converter lockup and throttle blips in manual mode. The new IS is the first Lexus model to adopt G force Artificial Intelligence (G-AI) control in Sport mode.  This system automatically selects the optimal gear and downshift pattern in response to G force, and maintains the selected gear through a corner.

Chassis/Body/Suspension/Brakes
Driving enjoyment was at the heart of the new IS development program, and every aspect of the new Lexus sedan’s driving dynamics has been carefully engineered to that end.

New, laser screw welding and adhesive body bonding techniques, along with additional spot welding, have increased overall body rigidity. This enhances stability and also allows for a more comfortable ride without compromising handling agility.

The double wishbone front suspension system has been revised, offering a twenty percent increase in sway rigidity. The rear adopts a new multi-link suspension system from the GS. Fine tuning has resulted in outstanding grip performance and excellent response to steering inputs. Separate mounting of the spring and shock absorber maximizes trunk space.

Steering feel and feedback is key to an enjoyable driving experience, and the new IS benefits from a steering gear box based on that of the GS sedan, incorporating a variety of tuning techniques. The structure and rigidity of each gear box component has been revised to create a smoother and more accurate steering feel with enhanced input response and greater driver feedback.

F SPORT
IS F SPORT models not only benefit from exclusive, exterior and interior design features, but also genuine dynamic enhancements. Both the front and rear suspension systems and the Electric Power Steering (EPS) are exclusively tuned for F SPORT, enhancing handling performance. An Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) system is tuned for F SPORT models, while Variable Gear Ratio Steering (VGRS) is also available on IS 350.

F SPORT models announce their presence with an exclusive spindle grille that incorporates a bolder insert design. The bottom corners of the front bumpers feature aerodynamic detailing to provide enhanced brake cooling. Unique 18-inch wheels feature a Y-spoke design inspired by the LFA.

On board, drivers will receive vehicle information from an innovative driver’s meter cluster with a moving center ring, inspired by the LFA. Interior trim detailing includes an F SPORT steering wheel and shift knob, and aluminum pedals and scuff plates that include the Lexus logo.

Exterior Design
The overall dynamic shape of the body emphasizes the wide flare of the wheel arches to give the new IS a broad, powerful stance.

In profile, the strong horizontal beltline shows off the large rear tires and its low center of gravity. The exterior design includes a new, powerfully articulated headlamp cluster design with Lexus’ trademark,L-shaped Daytime Running Lights (DRL) located independently below.

Interior Design
The clean, horizontal theme of the interior is bisected by the strong upward sweep of the center console, creating an ergonomically ideal environment.   The newly designed driver’s seat offers greater comfort and better lateral support. Both the seat hip point and the angle of the new, LFA-inspired steering wheel have been lowered and steering reach adjustment has been increased, creating a driver focused seating position.

To better accommodate passengers, the new IS wheelbase is nearly three inches longer, providing a more comfortable cabin and increased trunk capacity. The extended wheelbase and a thinner front seat design results in three inches more knee room for rear passengers.  New to the IS are standard, lockable 60:40 split/folding rear seats.

Refined materials throughout the cabin are complemented by a high quality analog clock with surface-emitting illumination. The climate control system incorporates Lexus-first electrostatic switches, which enable vehicle occupants to adjust temperature settings with the touch of a finger.

All IS models are equipped with the next generation, Lexus Display Audio or Remote Touch-controlled Navigation multimedia systems. Both multimedia systems provide industry-first complimentary real-time traffic and weather information delivered without a subscription through HD™ Radio Technology.  The new steering wheel is the first on a Lexus to coordinate multimedia system control with both the meter cluster and center console displays.
           
Safety/Security
The 2014 IS has 10 airbags standard, including rear seat side airbags.  Available safety and security features include an Automatic High Beam (AHB) headlamp system, a Lane Departure Alert (LDA) system, a Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) and a Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) system.

The AHB headlamp system maximizes visibility at night by automatically switching to low beams when its camera detects the lights of either an oncoming or preceding vehicle.

An LDA system helps prevent unintended lane changes by alerting the driver when the vehicle deviates from its lane without the operation of the turn signal.

The BSM uses rear mounted radar to detect vehicles in adjacent lanes that are not visible in the outer door mirrors.

The RCTA system employs the BSM radar to alert the driver to approaching vehicles when backing out of a parking space.

The all-new Lexus IS will go on sale in mid-2013.

Courtesy of Lexus USA Newsroom