Unveiling the new LF-LC 2+2 sports coupe concept, Lexus will reveal a new clean line design and a distinctive and futuristic look.

LF-LC was conceived as an exercise to explore the future of Lexus design and was created at Lexus’s Calty design studio in Newport Beach, California.

NAIAS, also known as the Detroit Motor Show runs between January 9-22, 2012 at the Cobo Center in Detroit. When the show opens we will bring you all the news.

Kylie who fronts the Lexus ‘ Quiet Revolution’ advertising campaign for the CT 200h luxury compact hybrid, used the car as her day-to-day transport and this special association was marked by the addition of personalised headrests with Kylie’s signature picked out in the upholstery stitching.

The CT 200h went under the hammer at the City of London Christmas Dinner at the Savoy Hotel last week, an event which raised more than £177,000 for the NSPCC Helpline.

Kylie, who is an NSPCC ambassador, said: "I would just like to say a huge thank you to the generous bidder who bought my personalised Lexus CT 200h, which I have been driving around for the past year."

Richard Balshaw, Lexus Director, said: "We were delighted to team up with Kylie Minogue to donate a Lexus CT 200h to the auction. Kylie, who is the face of the Lexus CT 200h, has been driving the car throughout 2011 so it really is a unique prize, and I’m delighted it has raised so much money for the NSPCC.

Unveiled at the Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition, the new GS 250h is powered by a 2.5 litre V6 petrol engine  with D-4S direct port injection and Dual VVT-i intelligent valve timing. Maximum output is 206bhp at 6,400rpm and peak torque of 253Nm is delivered at 4,800rpm, giving the car 0 to 62mph acceleration in 8.6 seconds and a top speed of 142mph. Combined cycle fuel consumption is 31.7mpg and CO₂ emissions are 207g/km.

The engine is teamed with Lexus’ ECT-i close-ratio intelligent six-speed automatic transmission, with a sequential manual shift function. The system has been engineered to deliver faster shift speeds, earlier torque converter lock-up and downshift throttle blips, complimenting a range of different drive modes available through the GS 250’s Drive Mode Select System.

Compared the current GS, the new model has a more spacious interior,  more head and legroom for rear seat passengers. It will be offered with a range of new technology features, including a 12.3-inch multimedia screen – the largest on the market. It will be available with a new S-flow air conditioning system with nanoe air purifying technology, and a new Mark Levinson audio system with up to 17 speakers.

What’s more the new GS is expected to offer improved driving dynamics thanks to a bodyshell that has been rendered 14 per cent more rigid; front and rear suspension revisions; and an optimised seating position for the driver. The driver can also adjust vehicle behaviour to suit road conditions and driving preferences using the Drive Mode Select. This gives the option of Eco, Normal and Sport S modes, while versions equipped with Adaptive Variable Suspension offer a further Sport S+ mode for even more dynamic performance.

Safety provisions will include Lexus’s advanced Pre-Crash Safety system, combined with Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management, and a series of other systems designed to reduce the risk of an accident, including Lane Keep Assist, Blind Spot Monitor and Lexus Night View.

The new GS range will arrive in the UK in June 2012; with the range including the performance-themed F Sport version. Further details are expected to be announced nearer the time of launch.

Lexus has announced that it has been awarded a royal warrant as an official supplier to H.S.H the Sovereign Prince of Monaco. Furthermore, Lexus’ cars will be used in a different royal wedding, the marriage of His Serene Highness of Monaco to Miss Charlene Wittstock on Saturday July 2, 2011. Confirming his commitment to more environmentally friendly solutions, His Serene Highness will use a Lexus hybrid car as part of the wedding ceremony.

The Prince has taken a keen interest in the past in encouraging greener solutions and sustainable development, founding the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation in 2006. His Foundation supports more than 150 projects monitoring environmental evolution and protecting species endangered by climate change. It also provides assistance in water management in developing regions. 

More recently, His Serene Highness has defined the Principality’s strategic direction in terms of sustainable mobility and asked his government to develop a plan putting a clear focus on mobility means with lower environmental impact. This plan will be deployed over the next decade.

With its pioneering state-of-the-art full hybrid technology delivering class-leading CO₂ efficiency and environmental performances, Lexus cars offer the low emission and yet luxury status that should appeal to the Prince and help Monaco to become leader in sustainable mobility.

Available in three model grades: SE-I, SE-L and SE-L Premier, the new model is priced from £23,485 on-the-road. As you would expect, the car also benefits from a high equipment specification. Across the board, all version of the CT 200h are fitted with alloy wheels – 16 or 17-inch according to customer preference – dual-zone climate control, a USB port and Aux socket for connecting portable music players, Bluetooth for mobile phone connection and audio streaming, front fog lights, automatic wipers and dark-tinted rear privacy glass. The top spec car adds some great extras including

Convenience Pack (cruise control and electrochromic rear view mirror, Smart Entry and Start, rear parking monitor and Remote Touch control.

The CT 200h’s also benefits from a class-leading cost of ownership profile, underpinned by its low emissions performance, which qualifies it for a zero annual Vehicle Excise duty (road tax) charge, plus the bonus of exemption from the London congestion charge.

The benefits extend to company car drivers, who enjoy the lowest, 10 per cent rating for benefit-in-kind company car tax, and for fleet operators, who earn the advantage of a first-year 100 per cent write down allowance against corporation tax. Factor in the CT 200h’s impressive fuel economy (68.9mpg official combined cycle figure), and designed-in low service, maintenance and repair costs, and you have a package that offers a clear cost advantage over its segment rivals.

Lexus CT200h car leasing deals 

Lexus CT200h used car deals

Service intervals are annually or at every 10,000 miles, which helps maximise component lifetime. The Lexus Hybrid Drive system is engineered for low maintenance requirements and the hybrid battery is designed to last the lifetime of the car.

That is the kind of options tick-list that should come at a hefty premium, but the new Advance IS 250 costs just an extra £340 compared to its SE equivalent (£26,495 on the road) with the IS 200D coming in at an additional £130 (£24,995).

Even more appealing is the fact that, comparing like for like specifications, the V6 petrol-powered IS 250 is more keenly priced than the BMW 320i and 325i SE, with the IS 200d diesel – returning an official 134g/km CO2 emissions and 55.4mpg combined cycle fuel economy – offering better specification than the BMW 318d SE and the Audi A4 2.0 TDI 140 Technik.

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Lexus IS road test reports 

Factor in reputation for comfort, quality and refinement and the new IS Advance models become an even stronger proposition.  The Lexus IS 250 and 200d Advance are on sale now.

Lexus has revealed the full pricing and specification of its new hybrid saloon model as it becomes available to order. First deliveries of the new hybrid, based on Toyota’s Prius model, are set to start in early 2011. Priced from £23,485, the range includes a choice of three equipment grades, SE-1, SE-L and SE-L Premier.

Using hybrid drivetrain technology the new CT-200h is super fuel efficient, with emissions of just 94g/km of CO2 emissions and 68.9mpg on a combined cycle. This means that the car qualifies for road tax band A  (£0 annual charge) and fits into the 10 per cent Benefit-in-Kind company car tax rating.

High equipment specifications are across all three model grades. The base grade SE-1 alone includes 16in or 17in alloy wheels, six-speaker audio system, USB port, Bluetooth, active brake lights, dual-zone climate control, push button start, LED daytime running lights, rear privacy glass and rain-sensing wipers. 

The SE-L Premier priced at £30,635 adds LED headlights with cleaning system, Cruise control, Electrochromic auto-dimming rear view mirror, smart entry system, electrically adjustable front seats with lumbar support, retractable auto-dimming door mirrors, 13-speaker Mark Levinson audio system, HDD satellite navigation, rear parking monitor (in rear view mirror) and Remote Touch control. 

Options also include front and rear parking sensors, full Map Navigation Package (satellite navigation,10-speaker audio system with in dash 6-CD changer and Remote Touch control), Convenience Pack (cruise control, rear parking monitor, electrochromic rear view mirror), Pre-Crash Safety (PCS) system with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and lateral performance damper system.

Lexus CT200h car leasing deals

Lexus CT200h road test reports 

As well as commanding an advantage in terms of fuel economy and low emissions, the Lexus CT 200h offers motorists a competitive price advantage, when like-for-like specifications are compared. For example, to meet the equipment features of the CT 200h SE-I – the model expected to account for the majority of sales – BMW 118d SE drivers would need to find almost an extra £1,700.

The Japanese luxury carmaker is working with the Vehicle and Operator Service Agency (VOSA) to contact the owners of affected vehicles which includes cars within the IS, GS and RX models. Cars built between February 2003 and November 2005 will be recalled after the car maker identified that a seal between the brake master cylinder and the brake booster may turn in its seat, causing brake fluid to leak into the brake booster. The manufacturer says in the unlikely event that this happens, the drive will be alerted to the problem by the low brake fluid warning light. The brakes, the car maker says, will continue to function normally for a significant time – over 200 miles of regular driving. So far, no accidents caused by this issue have been reported to Lexus.

The repair involves the replacement of the small seal and a check for any fluid contamination in the brake booster. If any contamination is found, the brake booster will be replaced. The job will take approximately two hours to complete, at no cost to the customer. Around 15,400 UK registered vehicles are affected by the recall.

The bad news for Lexus doesn’t stop there, either, a second recall concerning the fuel pump on GS 300 models built between September 2004 and February 2006 is also being issued. Expansion and contraction of the fuel tank may stretch the fuel pump’s electrical harness. This may lead to a break in the circuit, causing the fuel pump, and so the engine, to stop without warning. Affecting around 2,081 UK registered cars, no accidents at this time have been reported to the manufacturer so the recall is being treated as merely a precaution.

The repair involves replacement of the fuel pump wiring harness, a job that takes about three hours. Likewise the work will be done at no cost to the customer. 

Belinda Poole, Lexus Director, said: “We apologise for any inconvenience or concern these recalls may cause our customers. Our Lexus Centres will be liaising with our customers to carry out the recall repair procedures as promptly as possible, with all work undertaken by expertly trained Lexus service personnel.”

The new model is expected to build on the success of Lexus’ previous hybrid models such as the RX450h and the GS450h, and introduces the carmaker’s hybrid technology onto a compact car for the first time. The small saloon model will offer four selectable driving modes to tailor performance to the driver’s requirements. A full  hybrid, the CT 200h will also be able to drive by electric power alone up to speeds of 30mph, for zero tailpipe emissions.

The Lexus CT 200h has two distinct driving “moods” – Dynamic and Relaxing – which it adopts in line with the driver’s choice of selectable drive modes for the full hybrid system, which comprises a 1.8-litre VVT-i petrol engine, an electric motor and an electrically controlled continuously variable transmission (E-CVT).

EV (electric vehicle), ECO and NORMAL modes place the emphasis on ride comfort, smooth acceleration and low NVH levels in the cabin for a relaxing drive.

Being a full hybrid, CT 200h can operate automatically in EV mode. Ideal for smooth, silent progress in slow urban traffic, it can reduce tailpipe emissions to zero, with driving range determined by the level of battery charge and local conditions. EV mode can also be selected manually by the driver.

Switch to ECO mode and the car’s systems are automatically adjusted to deliver maximum efficiency. Throttle responses are moderated when the driver presses hard on the accelerator and air conditioning performance is altered to reduce its impact on fuel consumption.

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Lexus new and nearly new car deals

SPORT mode lets the driver exploit the full potential of the CT 200h’s dynamic qualities, increasing power delivery from the electric motor and maximising performance and agility. The Power Control Unit (PCU) in the Lexus Hybrid Drive system boosts the power supply voltage to 650v, increasing overall system output, and engine revs are held higher as the driver accelerates. Settings for the throttle and Electric Power Steering (EPS) are also adjusted to give sharper response to driver inputs.

Even the look of the instrument panel changes to reflect the move to more dynamic performance: the instrument backlighting automatically shifts from hybrid blue to red and the hybrid power meter is replaced by a tachometer display.

The new model will be up against some stiff competition, targeting the same small executive car sector as the Audi A3 and BMW 1 series.

Changes to the model for the 2011 model year will be formally revealed at the forthcoming Paris motor show at the end of the month. Central to the changes made, the new IS range introduces a new IS 200d, which delivers improved fuel economy, lower emissions and reduced tax bills. Replacing the previous IS 220d, it is available to order now, priced from £24,350 (IS 200d SE) on the road.

The V6 petrol engine featured in the IS 250 and IS 250C coupe-convertible with six-speed automatic transmission has also been revised to meet future Euro5 emissions standards, achieving better fuel economy and CO₂ emissions with no penalty in performance.

Focus of the styling changes is the F-Sport grade, which now echoes even more loudly the looks of its ultra-high-performance sister, the IS F, to strengthen its appeal among younger drivers. Meanwhile all IS models equipped with high-intensity discharge (HID) headlights gain LED daytime running lights and across the range there are new wheel designs, new rear light designs and a revised choice of exterior colours.

New IS 200d with enhanced driving quality
Replacing the previous IS 220d, the new IS 200d delivers stronger fuel economy, lower CO₂ emissions and a more refined and smoother drive.

The new 148bhp version of the 2.2-litre diesel engine benefits from detailed engineering revisions and is equipped with a diesel particulate filter (DPF) to meet Euro 5 emissions standards and enhance the engine’s driving quality.

The changes include a re-shaped combustion chamber and the use of new-generation piezoelectric fuel injectors to give a more efficient, cleaner and complete fuel burn. Pressure in the common rail injection system has been increased. a higher flow exhaust gas recirculation valve has been introduced and the adoption of a new oil-cooled, variable nozzle turbocharger improves torque performance at low speeds and cuts overall engine noise.

Maximum power of 148bhp is delivered at 3,600rpm, with peak torque of 340Nm on tap from 2,000rpm, allowing for nought to 62mph acceleration in 10.2 seconds. Combined cycle fuel consumption is 55.4mpg and CO₂ emissions are 134g/km, compared to 50.4mpg and 148g/km for the IS 220d.

As well as saving money at the pumps, owners enjoy a lower annual road tax charge – Band E rather than F for Vehicle Excise Duty. For company car tax payers there is a further bonus in the reduction of the Benefit-in-Kind tax rating from 21 to 18 per cent for the new model.

IS 250 automatic and IS 250C
For the 2011 model year the IS 250 becomes and automatic-only model, with revisions to the powertrain that ensure compliance with Euro 5 emissions standards.

Power and torque are unchanged from the super-smooth V6 are unchanged at 205bhp and 252Nm, but combined cycle fuel consumption improves from 31.7 to 33.6mpg, with a concurrent fall in CO₂ output from 209 to 194g/km. As a result the model’s BiK tax rating is cut from 30 to 27 per cent.

Similarly, the improved engine is also under the bonnet of the 2011 IS 250C coupe-cabriolet, with an improvement in combined cycle performance to 30.7mpg and a 6g/km reduction in CO₂ emissions to 213g/km.

Revised IS F-Sport
Changes to the IS 250 and 220d F-Sport models’ exterior and interior make them even more of a stand-out choice, heavily influenced by the styling of the ultra-high-performance IS F.

For 2011 F-Sport specification includes a new deep front spoiler with faired-in fog lights, new grille design and a rear spoiler with integrated stop light. The new-design 18-inch alloy wheels have a dark silver finish and black centre Lexus roundel, directly inspired by the IS F.

Lexus IS car leasing deals 

Lexus IS new and nearly new car deals

Lexus IS road test reports 

Inside the sports factor continues with F-Sport steering wheel, gear lever and sports pedals and front seats finished in leather and Alcantara. Extra touches of titanium-effect trim and a dark, anthracite roof liner are also introduced.

New specifications and options
Revisions elsewhere in the IS range included improvements to the SE-I specification to introduce rain-sensing wipers, an auto-dimming electrochromic rear view mirror and a new leather upholstery with heated front seats. There is a modest change to the rear light clusters and on IS 250 the exhaust tailpipe has a bolder circular profile in place of the previous ellipse.

New-look 17 and 18-inch wheels are available and the choice of exterior colours has been adjusted, with Ultra Blue metallic making its debut in the range.