Tag Archives: Lexus

Lexus Finally Gets Charged Up Over EVs

The first Lexus electric vehicle will be a rapid, five-passenger SUV with a dramatic shape that previews the future of the Japanese luxury brand. As The Detroit Bureau has previously noted, Lexus and its parent company, Toyota, have not always been enamored by EVs. Toyota’s President and CEO, Akio Toyoda, called BEVs overhyped late last year, and he’s questioned their environmental benefits as countries plan to phase out sales of gas and diesel-powered automobiles.

Akio Toyoda

While the debut of the Lexus LF-Z Concept and Toyota bZ4X show the two brands are moving ahead with full-electric models, their ambitions for EV models is far more muted than rivals like Volkswagen and General Motors. In total, Lexus will have 10 “electrified” vehicles in its lineup by 2025. 

Keep in mind that Toyota and Lexus count hybrid models, even those without any electric-only range, as falling into the electrified category. This being said, Lexus’ first dedicated EV will be part of this grouping and promises to have the performance to match competing model like the Audi e-tron, Jaguar I-Pace, and Tesla Model X.

What you see is what you’ll get

In terms of design, the production version of the LF-Z should remain close to the concept. This includes highly sculpted sides, tapering tail, and a grille-less version of Lexus’ signature (and still controversial) spindle grille. The gaping maw found on current Lexus vehicles has been blanked off on the LF-Z Concept – and arguably looks better for it. Similar to today’s Jaguar I-Pace, the LF-Z seeks to bridge the gap between swept-back sedan and high-riding 

2021 Lexus LF-Z concept rear

The 2021 LF-Z concept is just the latest LF concept car shown by Lexus.

The cabin of the LF-Z Concept offers fewer hints about what to expect when Lexus’ electric SUV rolls into dealerships within the next 3 years. The driver sits in a pod-like enclosure in which the right-side bottom of the seat sweeps upward and connects to the dash. 

No big surprise, the dashboard consists of touch screens, three of them to be exact. And true to concept car norms, the end result looks extremely futuristic, mostly unfeasible for production, and incredibly uncomfortable. Why do concept car seats never have cushions of any sort?

What we know so far

Details like pricing, performance, and range are still under lock and key. While the Lexus EV will be based on the same platform as the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra, very few specifics about these joint-venture-engineered vehicles has been released up till now. 

All three ride on versions of the jointly developed e-TNGA platform, and the Lexus variant will certainly have the upper hand when it comes to outright performance. While the LF-Z Concept boasted in excess of 500 horsepower and a range of nearly 400 miles, we expect those figures to float slightly back to Earth in the production model.

2021 Lexus LF-Z concept cockpit

The LF-Z’s battery-electric concept interior

A range of 250 to 350 miles sounds realistic, as does a 0-60 mph time of roughly 4.0 seconds – the LF-Z supposedly needed only 3.0 seconds for the same acceleration run. Lexus has stated its electric SUV will feature an advanced all-wheel drive system capable of shuttling power and grip extremely fast from wheel to wheel.

Lexus has said even less about pricing than it has any mechanical aspects of its first dedicated EV (the brand presently sells an electrified version of the UX crossover in Europe). An educated guess would put the production version of the LF-Z around $60,000-$70,000, which is right on point with rivals from Audi, Jaguar, and Tesla. 

A Lexus IS-F With A Twin-Turbo V-8? It Could Be A Thing

What Does The Patent Reveal?

A Lexus IS-F With A Twin-Turbo V-8? It Could Be A Thing - image 987595

A Lexus IS-F With A Twin-Turbo V-8? It Could Be A Thing - image 987595

According to the forum, the claim was filed in September 2020. This patent reveals drawings wherein both the turbochargers are placed between the cylinder banks. This design would lead to better throttle response and reduced turbo lag.

A single-turbo option is also a possibility as seen in the images, which means Toyota could offer the mill with single- and twin-turbo options.

Which Cars Could Get It?

2020 Lexus LC F Exterior Exclusive Renderings Computer Renderings and Photoshop - image 662619

2020 Lexus LC F Exterior Exclusive Renderings Computer Renderings and Photoshop - image 662619

While the claim is filed by Toyota, it goes unsaid that the engine will be shared across the automaker’s brands. Lexus is the most likely possibility at this point. With the launch of the 2022 IS 500 F Sport, Lexus marked the introduction of the ‘F Sport Performance Line’ Series. It features a naturally-aspirated V-8 engine that makes 472 horses and 395 pound-feet of torque. While it is good, these specs aren’t enough to sustain in the market for a marquee brand. Perhaps, this V-8 single- or twin-turbo engine could be offered here, too, thus marking a new flagship trim-engine combo.

The new engine could also be seen in the rumored LS F, LC F, and the IS F.

Motoring had reported a couple of months back that the IS F moniker will be resurrected and it will feature a new twin-turbo V-8. This new sits perfectly in line with the patent claim. According to the publication, the engine will be able to handle up to 670 horses and 516 pound-feet of torque. But, considering it will be available in many products, Lexus will offer it in different states of tune. In the IS F, for instance, we could have 535 horses and 445 pound-feet of torque.

Why Does Lexus Need This When It Already Has A Naturally Aspirated V-8?

The 2022 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance Takes Aim At the BMW M3 and Audi RS5 Exterior - image 972461

The 2022 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance Takes Aim At the BMW M3 and Audi RS5 Exterior - image 972461

There is still no definitive answer if turbocharged engines are better than naturally aspirated engines or not. A purist would pick the free-flowing, high-revving naturally aspirated engine as his or her pick, whereas folks who want outright straight-line performance and shove-in-the-seat feeling would prefer turbo-powered mills. The lack of a turbocharged engine would haunt Lexus and avoid it from being a genuine threat to the Germans.

With the resurrection of the IS F model and a twin-turbocharged V-8, Lexus will be able to take on the likes of the Mercedes-AMG C63 and the BMW M3 Competition, and perhaps, be better than both of them. Currently, the AMG C63 is the only one powered by a twin-turbo V-8, but makes less than 500 horses. The M3 Competition makes over 500 horses, but features a twin-turbo six-pot mill. The IS F, if revived, could offer the best of both worlds – a twin-turbo V-8 and over 500 horses. Doesn’t it already raise the stakes for Lexus?

A Lexus IS-F With A Twin-Turbo V-8? It Could Be A Thing Exterior - image 972426

A Lexus IS-F With A Twin-Turbo V-8? It Could Be A Thing Exterior - image 972426

With the resurrection of the IS F model and a twin-turbocharged V-8, Lexus will be able to take on the likes of the Mercedes-AMG C63 and the BMW M3 Competition

For your reference, the AMG C63 is powered by a 4.0-liter, V-8 bi-turbo engine that churns out 469 ponies and 479 pound-feet of twist. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a nine-speed automatic gearbox that helps that car sprint to 60 mph from a standstill in 3.9 seconds. The BMW M3 Competition features a six-cylinder engine, but with a twin-turbo setup. It dishes out 503 horses and 479 pound-feet of torque. Here, the engine is mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox. It takes 3.8 seconds to 60 mph from rest.

If you’re wondering about the price, the 2021 Mercedes-AMG C63 starts at $68,600 whereas the BMW M3 Competition starts at $72,800. You can expect the IS-F with this engine to be priced in this ballpark, too.

Any Toyota Product In The Reckoning For This Engine?

2022 Toyota Tundra - Everything You Need to Know - image 979405

2022 Toyota Tundra - Everything You Need to Know - image 979405

Contrary to the hushed talks about the Tundra ditching its 5.7-liter V-8 in favor of a downsized V-6, the automaker could come up with a performance version of the truck with this new engine powering it. This will add the Tundra to the performance truck mix which currently has the Ram 1500 TRX and the Ford F-150 Raptor R joining it soon.

Other than this, we could perhaps see it in some GR-branded products in the future. The automaker is also pumping in big money in its R&D. For instance, around $2.8 billion is being spent on developing its Shimoyama R&D center. It features a test track for now, but some more are being developed, which includes a high-speed circuit as well. It is expected to be completed by 2023. If you connect all these dots, we could be in for a new generation of high-powered turbocharged V-8s from Toyota in the next couple of years.

Which Toyota or Lexus product would you like to see powered by a turbocharged V-8 engine? Let us know in the comments section below.

Source: GR86.org

Lexus Ready to Rock with New IS Sedan

2021 Lexus IS teaser, coming June 9

Lexus provide a little tease of what its new IS model will look like. It debuts June 9.

Sometimes we need to go back and check our notes, as was the case when we learned Lexus was getting ready to reveal the next-generation IS sedan June 9. Yep, it turns out, it’s been a full seven years since the last version rolled into showrooms so, if anything, it’s almost late by the normally fast pace by which the Japanese luxury brand operates.

What’s all the more unusual is that Lexus has been quite good at keeping a complete lid on the project, with the usual Internet sources coming up with no spy shots or photo leaks. And, at least for the moment, Toyota’s upscale division is saying little more than promising that the 2021 IS will be bringing “the thrill of driving to the compact luxury sports car segment.”

That said, we’ve still been able to track down some useful insights – and a few reasonably believable rumors – about the 2021 Lexus IS.

(Lexus producing Black Line Edition of GS 350 F-Sport.)

To start with, it appears likely Lexus has decided not to base the new sedan on the TNGA-L platform, a luxury variant of the Toyota Next Generation Architecture that was expected to anchor much of the brand’s product line.

Instead, it is believed to remain on the old New-N platform as the outgoing model, albeit with a number of upgrades to enhance performance and handling. Several reports we’ve seen indicate those tweaks were made at the Shimoyama facility near Toyota City, Japan that will be overseeing future performance projects.

The 2019 Lexus IS 350 F-Sport offers luxury in a powerful performance package.

What we see with the teaser image here is the back end. It reveals an all-new, arching taillight teasing that flips to vertical at either corner. There also appear to be some minor revisions to the rear diffuser. While we have nothing visual to go by, indications are that Lexus will tone down the controversial spindle grille design that has overwhelmed the faces of its latest-generation products, reaching an apogee with the LC line.

In early incarnations, the Lexus IS was, to be blunt, intentionally boring. We’re confident the new model will feature a markedly more aggressive makeover. For one thing, it will now have to cover a broader space, what with the demise of the Lexus GS line. And, in a market where sedans are continuing to lose ground, the new model has to really play up the “Wow!” factor or risk being overlooked in favor of the expanded Lexus crossover line-up.

The sedan did punch up the Lexus image when the IS F made its debut for the 2008 model year, punching up performance with a 417 horsepower 5.0-liter V8 and the world’s first eight-speed automatic transmission.

(Lexus makes changes to LC 500 for 2021.)

The terse tease suggests we’ll continue to see some real muscle available, though recent rumors seem to suggest there’ll be no new IS F in the line-up. Whether that’s a long-term decision, or just a program set back a year or two is not clear. We hope to find out more next week.

No word yet on what kind of updates – if any – will be coming for the IS F Sport.

Even so, some form of performance package very well seems to be in the offing, whether in the form of the familiar, naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V-8 or a version of the twin-turbo 416 hp V-6 found in the LS 500.

There had been some rumors floating that the IS might even get a version of the six-banger from Toyota’s new Supra – an inline package borrowed from BMW. That appears to be highly unlikely at this point.

For less sporty buyers, the base option will be a 2.0-liter turbo-four making a reasonable 241 hp. Other options may include a 260 hp 3.5-liter V-6, and a high-performance version of that engine punching things up to a more sporty 311 hp.

We’re expecting all powertrain packages to rely on the Lexus eight-speed automatic. All-wheel-drive, we’re advised, will be available only with V-6s, other variants continuing to push power to the back wheels.

(Lexus lifts the covers on updates RX line in bid to retain CUV dominance.)

The sedan was originally due to be unveiled in April at the New York International Auto Show – which was first postponed to August due to the coronavirus pandemic and then canceled entirely. The decision to unveil it now suggests that the 2021 Lexus IS will be making it to U.S. fairly close to the original fall target.