The Year In Lexus

It was a very busy year for Lexus—there were new product launches and fresh new concepts nearly every month from January to December. In celebration of the year that was, here are my top moments from 2012, in chronological order.

1. The Lexus LF-LC concept: Perhaps the biggest story of the year happened in January when the stunning Lexus LF-LC sports coupe debuted at the Detroit Auto Show to near-universal acclaim. Designed by Calty Design Research in California, the LF-LC was created to showcase the new design direction of Lexus, and the strong public reaction has increased the possibility that a production model may be built in the future.

2. Lexus LX 570 Gets a Redesign: Also debuting at the Detroit Auto Show was the refreshed 2013 Lexus LX 570. Updated with Lexus’ new signature spindle grille design, the 2013 LX also received some interior updates and a new Multi-terrain Anti-lock Braking System (ABS).

3. Fourth Generation Lexus GS Arrives at Dealerships: Introduced at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in August of 2011, the all-new fourth generation Lexus GS started arriving in dealerships at the beginning of February. The new sports sedan went on to have a very successful year—as of November, the GS has sold 19,364 units in the U.S., a 443.2-percent increase over 2011.

4. A Redesigned Lexus ES: At the New York Auto Show in April, the all-new sixth generation Lexus ES 350 and ES 300h were introduced. The completely redesigned sedan boasts improved driving dynamics, extended rear seat room, and for the first time ever, is available with a hybrid powertrain.

5. A New Lexus RX: Alongside the all-new ES, the revised 2013 RX also made its debut at the New York Auto Show. Both the RX 350 and RX 450h were updated with the Lexus spindle grille, and the RX 350 is now offered in F SPORT trim for the first time. This performance SUV is equipped with an eight-speed transmission, sportier suspension and an exclusive interior color scheme.

6. The 2013 Lexus LS Debuts: The next Lexus model to be remade with the spindle grille was the 2013 LS, which debuted in August at an exclusive party in San Francisco. The LS received a significant upgrade with more than 2,000 new parts, and is now available as the LS 460 F SPORT, a performance-oriented version of the flagship sedan.

7. The Lexus LF-CC—Another Concept!: In September, Lexus surprised everyone with the LF-CC concept at the Paris Auto Show. The stunning coupe concept hinted at what the next-generation IS sedan may look like when it’s introduced in January.

8. LF-LC, the Sequel: The introduction of the LF-LC in January proved so successful that a second edition of the coupe concept was created and then revealed at the Australian International Motor Show in October—the LF-LC Blue. (Here’s an interesting fact about the Opal Blue exterior color choice: it was based on the opal stone, which is found in the Australian outback.

9. Big Love for the Lexus LFA: In the latter half of 2012, one of the automotive world’s most famous journalists expressed his affections for the Lexus LFA. In a review for the Sunday Times, Jeremy Clarkson described the Lexus supercar as “an intelligent car built by intelligent people”, and in Top Gear Magazine he reflected that the LFA was “so highbrow, so magnificent, so detailed, so perfect.” (By the way, the LFA will also make an appearance in a Top Gear special in February.)

10. The 500th Lexus LFA: The year ended with a milestone. On December 14, the final Lexus LFA was built at the Motomachi Plant in Japan, ending the supercar’s 500-unit run. The Whitest White LFA #500 was configured with the Nürburgring performance package, and it marks the completion of the most ambitious Lexus project since the original LS 400.
Personally, I can’t wait to see what comes next.

- Kevin Watts

Courtesy of Lexus Magazine