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Lexus ranked best luxury auto brand
Lexus ranked best luxury auto brand
Oct. 25 (Bloomberg) -- Toyota Motor Corp.'s Lexus brand took back the top spot among luxury brands in Consumer Reports' reliability ranking, beating BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche, which fell the most of any vehicle line.
"Toyota has always made a pretty good car," David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports' Automotive Test Center, said in a phone interview. "They have fixed a lot of the problems that they had. The recall situation was totally overblown."
Lexus's key rivals, Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz and Bayerische Motoren Werke AG's BMW, both improved this year, while still finishing in the bottom half of the survey among all vehicle types. Mercedes ranked 18th and BMW was 19th. Volkswagen AG's Audi ranked 26th, and Jaguar, owned by India's Tata Motors Ltd., ranked last.
Fortunes have moved in the opposite direction for Stuttgart, Germany-based Porsche SE. The brand ranked second last year and tumbled in the latest report because of complaints about the new Cayenne sport-utility vehicle. Consumers griped that controls failed for the heat, air conditioning, stereo and navigation system, Champion said.
For Lexus, a top reliability ranking for the CT 200h from Consumer Reports will counter some criticism that the magazine levied against the car in a review.
"Lexuses are famed for their soft rides and quiet cabins, but you won't find either one here," Consumer Reports wrote in its October issue. "Road bumps punch through as hard, rubbery kicks, and frequent, quick ride motions persist even on a smooth highway. Lots of road noise enters the cabin, and the engine sounds loud when revved high, which happens often."
Improved survey results can also help overcome the reputational damage Toyota incurred two years ago, Champion said.
"Consumer Reports has tremendous credibility with consumers because of the way they test vehicles," Brian Smith, vice president of U.S. marketing for Lexus, said in an interview. "To have the CT do so well in its category -- a brand-new car in its first year -- is indicative of the brand."
A renewed commitment to quality helped Toyota and Lexus brands regain their pre-recall rankings in J.D. Power & Associates annual new-car quality study. In the report released in June, Lexus was again the top-ranked brand, a position it lost in the 2010 review, while the Toyota brand jumped to seventh place from a year earlier.
"They said they were going to focus on the customer," said Jim Hall, principal of 2953 Analytics Inc., an automotive consulting firm in Birmingham, Michigan. "Looks like it paid off."
source: San Francisco Chronicle
"Toyota has always made a pretty good car," David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports' Automotive Test Center, said in a phone interview. "They have fixed a lot of the problems that they had. The recall situation was totally overblown."
Lexus's key rivals, Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz and Bayerische Motoren Werke AG's BMW, both improved this year, while still finishing in the bottom half of the survey among all vehicle types. Mercedes ranked 18th and BMW was 19th. Volkswagen AG's Audi ranked 26th, and Jaguar, owned by India's Tata Motors Ltd., ranked last.
Fortunes have moved in the opposite direction for Stuttgart, Germany-based Porsche SE. The brand ranked second last year and tumbled in the latest report because of complaints about the new Cayenne sport-utility vehicle. Consumers griped that controls failed for the heat, air conditioning, stereo and navigation system, Champion said.
For Lexus, a top reliability ranking for the CT 200h from Consumer Reports will counter some criticism that the magazine levied against the car in a review.
"Lexuses are famed for their soft rides and quiet cabins, but you won't find either one here," Consumer Reports wrote in its October issue. "Road bumps punch through as hard, rubbery kicks, and frequent, quick ride motions persist even on a smooth highway. Lots of road noise enters the cabin, and the engine sounds loud when revved high, which happens often."
Improved survey results can also help overcome the reputational damage Toyota incurred two years ago, Champion said.
"Consumer Reports has tremendous credibility with consumers because of the way they test vehicles," Brian Smith, vice president of U.S. marketing for Lexus, said in an interview. "To have the CT do so well in its category -- a brand-new car in its first year -- is indicative of the brand."
A renewed commitment to quality helped Toyota and Lexus brands regain their pre-recall rankings in J.D. Power & Associates annual new-car quality study. In the report released in June, Lexus was again the top-ranked brand, a position it lost in the 2010 review, while the Toyota brand jumped to seventh place from a year earlier.
"They said they were going to focus on the customer," said Jim Hall, principal of 2953 Analytics Inc., an automotive consulting firm in Birmingham, Michigan. "Looks like it paid off."
source: San Francisco Chronicle
Lexus Hybrids stand out in quality study
Lexus Hybrids stand out in quality study
LATHAM, NY -- It takes a lot to stand out in the increasingly crowded market of alternatively powered vehicles, but according to Automotive Lease Guide (ALG), Lexus hybrids are doing just that. In its fall 2011 Alternative Powertrain Vehicles Perceived Quality Study, ALG reports that the hybrids available at Lexus dealers are perceived to be of better quality than any other manufacturer's alternative-powertrain vehicles.
ALG surveys 3,000 to 4,000 consumers twice a year to compile research about automotive industry trends, and this is the second year that it has collected opinions about alternative-powertrain vehicles. Despite not appearing in ALG's alternative-powertrain survey last year, Lexus debuted with a strong showing in the newly released survey, achieving a leading Perceived Quality Score (PQS) of 89.8 out of 100. Helping to sway consumer opinions were five hybrid Lexus vehicles, including the new sporty Lexus CT 200h that went on sale earlier this year.
"Lexus hybrids defy consumers' perceptions that all alternative-powertrain vehicles are weak and boring," said Eric Rosen, general manager of New Country Lexus of Latham, an upstate New York Lexus dealer. "The CT 200h gets the most miles per gallon of any luxury vehicle, but it also offers four different drive modes so you can have the kind of fun you'd expect to have in a luxury car."
The 2012 Lexus CT 200h is capable of a combined 42 mpg in the city and on the highway thanks to its high-output, permanent-magnet, electric-drive motor. The hybrid hatchback adds a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine for a combined 135 horsepower that is distributed through an electronically controlled Continuously Variable Transmission. A popular vehicle with consumers and industry experts alike, the CT 200h was recently named to the NADAguides Must Consider List for Fall 2011 for its combination of quality engineering, design and features.
Last week, car enthusiasts witnessed the edgier side of the Lexus CT 200h at the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas. Aftermarket specialists Five Axis modified the hybrid, giving it a wide body conversion and upgrades like a TEIN flex coilover suspension system, high-performance brakes and a stealthy black paint job. Lexus also showed off its new 2012 CT 200h F Sport Special Edition trim at the show, which sported 17-inch alloy wheels, a new suspension, a larger rear spoiler, black interior trim and F Sport grille inserts and badges.
"Lexus proved at SEMA that hybrid vehicles can get performance-hungry consumers excited too thanks to the CT 200h's aftermarket capability," added Rosen. "Whether you're talking in terms of eco-friendly vehicles or tricked-out cars, Lexus' reputation precedes itself, and that is because its vehicles always live up to those high expectations."
In addition to having the highest score in ALG's fall 2011 alternative-powertrain survey, Lexus also had the highest PQS in ALG's most recent overall survey of all auto brands released last March.
source: Automotive Lease Guide
2013 Lexus GS 450h: 338 horses, 30% better fuel economy
2013 Lexus GS 450h: 338 horses, 30% better fuel economy
Twenty-odd years of fastidious engineering and unsurpassed quality have put Lexus in the pantheon of luxury automakers. But if there's been one gripe leveled at Toyota's luxury division over the years, it's that the company has played it safe in the design department. It's a complaint that hasn't fallen on deaf ears.
If the scintillating LFA supercar didn't revise the company's conservative reputation last year, the 2013 GS sedan surely will. With sensuous lines punctuated by dramatic details, the new GS is more compact and sportier than the flagship LS sedan but grander and more spacious than the IS sedan. And like its vaunted predecessor, the new car?particularly the GS 450h gasoline-electric hybrid?is brimming with cutting-edge technology.
When the GS 450h debuted for the 2007 model year, it did so as the first hybrid-powered luxury sport sedan, merging V-8-level performance with better-than-V-6-level fuel efficiency. The 2013 edition builds on those promises?it is quicker, faster, and a startling 30 percent more fuel-efficient?and does so with genuine style.
The overall length of the new GS is unchanged, but the car is wider and slightly taller. Lexus engineers have worked hard to keep weight down while optimizing passenger space and cargo capacity. The trunk has been enlarged, which helps offset the under-floor presence of a high-capacity nickel-metal hydride battery pack. The interior, no surprise, remains a bastion of fine materials and artisan-level craftsmanship.
Behind that LFA-inspired front end, a highly efficient yet silky smooth 3.5-liter Atkinson cycle V-6 gasoline engine meets a compact, water-cooled electric permanent-magnet electric motor. With a combined output of 338 hp, the system drives the rear wheels through a state-of-the-art continuously variable transmission, seamlessly alternating between gasoline power, electric power, and a combination of the two, depending on load and speed.
Particularly enticing from a performance standpoint is the GS hybrid's Sport mode, which gooses the electric motor for additional acceleration. In Eco mode, during normal driving the electric motor operates at an efficient (and battery-charge-saving) 500 volts; press the Sport button and voltage jumps to 650 volts?enough to launch this 4,200-pound luxury sedan to 60 mph in an impressive 5.6 seconds.
source: Robb Report
Lexus rebuilds the hybrid for performance
Redesigned Lexus GS450h will power past the pumps
The current Lexus GS 450h hybrid sedan has surprised many with its ability to provide faster acceleration than its gas-only equivalent, the Lexus GS 350. While the GS 450h already uses its hybrid technology to achieve high performance without much penalty at the pump, its revamped 2013 model will set a new bar for hybrid performance when it arrives at Lexus dealerships early next year.
Debuting at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the 2013 Lexus GS 450h has the same aggressive exterior styling as the new GS 350, which Lexus says is a sign of things to come as it takes an aggressive look at its designs, according to a story published by Automotive News. That bolder design is put in motion by the GS 450h's heavily revised hybrid drive system, which promises to provide the power Lexus owners expect as well as further improvements in fuel economy.
When people think of hybrids, they typically think of great gas mileage with golf cart acceleration. But Lexus has never bought into the idea that a hybrid has to be sluggish. Its hybrid systems provide acceleration on par with gas engines and the fuel savings hybrid owners demand. The 2013 GS 450h will score high marks with owners for its fuel consumption and its handling.
The 2013 GS 450h features several tweaks to the sporty drivetrain of its predecessor, working with a 3.5-liter V6 engine, an electric motor and a generator. Lexus increased the engine's compression ratio from 10.5:1 to 13.0:1 and adapted it to run on a more-efficient Atkinson valve timing schedule. Combined with a reduced-friction electric motor and a regenerative braking system that delivers more power, Lexus expects the drivetrain to deliver V8-like acceleration and a fuel economy increase of 30 percent over the current model, which gets 25 mpg on the highway.
As the first-ever rear-wheel-drive full hybrid, the GS 450h adds to the hybrid choices available at Lexus dealerships, where it joins four other hybrids that run the gamut in size and capability. The Lexus CT 200h is the brand's smallest vehicle and the most fuel-efficient luxury car on the market, achieving 43 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway. The front-wheel-drive CT 200h borrows some styling cues from the 2013 GS 450h, including a sharper front end with a spool-shaped grille.
Those looking for a hybrid with regal style should consider the Lexus LS 600h L, which took center stage this summer when a modified model ferried Prince Albert and his wife Charlene Wittstock through Monaco after their July 2 wedding.
Lexus committed to the hybrid at a time when other automakers dismissed it as a passing fad. Now other automakers are rushing to catch up, and Lexus is using its head start to develop the widest selection of hybrid choices available to car buyers.
Lexus builds the luxury-auto world?s biggest multi-display screen?and even goes high-def
Lexus builds the luxury-auto world's biggest multi-display screen?and even goes high-def
We're talking about Lexus' new 12.3-inch high-resolution multimedia display, which becomes available with the optional navigation system in the 2013 GS. To give you an idea of the screen's size, picture an iPad 2 held horizontally, and then lengthen the iPad about three inches.
Functionally speaking, though, the screen's industry-first breadth serves a purpose?several of them, actually.
For starters, it allows for a higher resolution?Lexus' best yet?which makes the screen's content extremely sharp. It also allowed Lexus to introduce high-definition graphics that are much more advanced than what you're used to seeing on a typical navigation display.
The large 8-inch-wide screen that we introduced on the CT was as close to high definition as we could get. But this one goes even further.
Additionally, the GS screen is wide enough to redefine how a driver interacts with multi-display functions, which is to say, it allows for more info to be shown at one time via a split-screen format.
In other words, picture your navigation screen on one side, taking up about eight inches as it normally does on a Lexus display screen, with other multi-display functionality on the other side, such as climate control and audio. With this setup, the driver and front passenger have a better, quicker view of more screen-operated functions.
Here's another benefit: Many drivers would agree that it's an axiom of life that the moment they most need the navigation will be the exact same moment the front passenger wants to access a different playlist on the iPod®. Now two screen views can co-exist in harmony, and for that matter, so can the driver and passenger.
If you're a veteran Lexus GS owner, one of the first things you'll notice when you test-drive the 2013 model (it arrives in the Spring of 2012) is that the navigation screen has been relocated; it's now positioned higher on the dash, making it easier to view.
The wider screen, of course, works in conjunction with the vehicle's standard next-generation Remote Touch system, Lexus' computer-mouse-style control device situated in the center console. The new version, among its other upgrades, allows the driver to control more functions, like climate, control, audio, and the optional navigation, without having to tap menu items in the display screen.
The higher screen positioning also looks good: the location is optimized for the driver, with an asymmetrical elegance that seems, at least to me, inspired by modern aviation design. Contributing to the aviation vibe are such additional touches as machined aluminum audio dials.
And realize this: For all that this new wide-screen provides, including the ability to simultaneously view navigation and adjust controls, you may just want it for the thrill it provides every morning when you get in and start the car.
When you press the info button and fire this thing up, it just lights up across the dash. The wow-factor is huge and to us, a big thing about it is aesthetics; this is just a neat, neat looking screen.
Canadian specifications and features may differ from what is shown
source: lexus.com
Buying a luxury car? Steer toward Lexus for highest value retention.
Buying a luxury car ? Steer toward Lexus for highest value retention.
CAMBRIDGE, MA, (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- A recent study by auto research and shopping website CarGurus found that Lexus ranks as the premium car brand with the best overall value retention, while Lincoln, Cadillac and Acura are among the biggest value losers. CarGurus examined the current market prices of comparable 2008 luxury vehicles with 36,000 miles in each of three segments (midsize sedans, full-size sedans and SUVs) to determine value retention since original purchase.
The Lexus models studied consistently held their value well, with current market values holding at an average of 80% of the original manufacturer's suggested retail prices (MSRP). Mercedes-Benz (75% average value retention), BMW (74%) and Infiniti (74%) models also showed strong value retention overall. In contrast, current market values for the 2008 Cadillac, Lincoln and Acura models studied were on average just 68% or less of original MSRP.
source: marketwire.com
Lexus takes top honors in Kelley Blue Book
2012 Winner of Best Resale Value Award for Luxury Brand
TORRANCE, Calif.- Lexus earned top honors tonight in the Luxury Brand category as Kelley Blue Book announced the winners of its 2012 Best Resale Value Awards.
In addition to the brand award, two Lexus models won in their categories: the IS sport sedan in the Near-Luxury Car category, and the RX 450h in the Hybrid SUV category. Also, the Lexus RX was in the Top 10 overall for 2012 Best Resale Value.
This is the second time since the Best Resale Value: Luxury Brand award was initiated in 2009 that Lexus has won, having earned the honor for the 2010 model year as well.
"We are proud that Lexus has won the highly respected Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com 2012 Best Resale Value Award in the Luxury Brand category," said Mark Templin, Lexus group vice president and general manager.
"Lexus customers appreciate the importance of resale value as part of the overall ownership experience, and that's something we strive to deliver better than anyone else." Kelley Blue Book's Best Resale Value Awards are based on projections from the Kelley Blue Book® Official Residual Value Guide, determined by a skilled staff of automotive analysts.
These prestigious awards honor vehicles expected to maintain the greatest proportion of their original list price after five years of ownership.
In addition to the brand award, two Lexus models won in their categories: the IS sport sedan in the Near-Luxury Car category, and the RX 450h in the Hybrid SUV category. Also, the Lexus RX was in the Top 10 overall for 2012 Best Resale Value.
This is the second time since the Best Resale Value: Luxury Brand award was initiated in 2009 that Lexus has won, having earned the honor for the 2010 model year as well.
"We are proud that Lexus has won the highly respected Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com 2012 Best Resale Value Award in the Luxury Brand category," said Mark Templin, Lexus group vice president and general manager.
"Lexus customers appreciate the importance of resale value as part of the overall ownership experience, and that's something we strive to deliver better than anyone else." Kelley Blue Book's Best Resale Value Awards are based on projections from the Kelley Blue Book® Official Residual Value Guide, determined by a skilled staff of automotive analysts.
These prestigious awards honor vehicles expected to maintain the greatest proportion of their original list price after five years of ownership.
source: 3d-car-shows.com
Lexus tops on Twitter thanks to interaction, innovation
Lexus tops on Twitter thanks to interaction, innovation
German automakers like BMW and Audi aren't shy about tooting their own horn when it comes to Facebook followers. BMW has long lead the pack and currently lists almost seven million fans on the "social network".
But Facebook isn't the only social media in town and increasingly Twitter is attracting new users. Here's it's not the Germans that lead the way, though Audi has a strong presence with 174,000 followers. Nor is it mainstream automakers with companies like Chevrolet, Toyota and Ford tallying 46,000; 69,000 and 95,000 followers respectively. Rather, the automaker most active in the 140 character or less format is luxury brand Lexus, with over 288,000 followers.
To find out why that is, AutoGuide spoke with Lexus Prestige Communications Manager, Nancy Hubbell. "Lexus is committed to engaging with our fans," she says. "We tweet regularly, respond to tweets and do things like trivia contests and live tweets from special events."
Experts will tell you the key to success in social media is interaction. A one-way stream of information won't do much for your brand. "Perhaps the most important thing that happens through Twitter is that we solve any customer issues that may arise," says Hubbell, who explains that Lexus has a dedicated team of customer service reps whose job it is to track down problems and solve them.
"Lexus believes in exceeding customers' expectations and, to do that, we need to be where they are," continues Hubbell, "Now, more than even, that's on social media sites."
Easily the most original of Lexus' social media activities is tied into a more face-to-face social interaction program where Lexus hosts a dinner party at a customer's house. "Lexus' Covenant says we will treat each customer as a guest in our home," Says Hubbell. "With these dinners we treat customers as guests in THEIR homes." Lexus brings in a "top-notch chef" and all the party requirements, and just asks that the individual takes care of inviting the guests. Lexus General Manager Mark Templin acts as host and Hubbell comes along, live-tweeting the evening ? with discussion often revolving around Lexus products, or cars in general. Hubbell starts the online portion of the evening with a "Bon Appetweet" tweet, "then I relay the conversation at the dinner and reply to people who tweet back, so we get an online conversation going."
source: autoguide.com
Recycled Lexus Parts as Couture
Recycled Lexus Parts as Couture
The Valve Collection, designed by jewelry creator Eddie Borgo, features valve lifters, crank bearings and hose clamps.
With about 2,000 parts to choose from, four designers created high-fashion clothing and accessories from a disassembled Lexus CT 200h.
The Lexus Fashion Workshop highlights not only the talents of fashion designers Moss Lipow, Eddie Borgo, John Patrick, and Alejandro Ingelmo, but also the Lexus CT hybrid as a 90 percent recyclable vehicle.
The fashions created from the car parts push the idea of recycling and are part of an upcoming advertising campaign for Vogue.
The collection will be on display at Art Basel Miami Beach. The pieces will also be available through a private auction, with proceeds benefiting the Council of Fashion Designers of America/Vogue Fashion Fund (CFDA), the automaker said in a press release.
"Merging the worlds of luxury automobiles, art and fashion is another example of how Lexus is 'Engineering Amazing' or maybe more appropriately, 'Engineering Unexpected,'" said Brian Smith, vice president of marketing for Lexus, in a press release.
"We were able to challenge four designers to turn one of our most progressive hybrid vehicles into innovative fashion pieces, inspiring the designers, and the world, to see things differently."
source: cnet.com
The 2013 GS is Full of New Lexus Technologies - These are the Ones You Haven't Heard About
The 2013 GS is Full of New Lexus Technologies - These are the Ones You Haven't Heard About
Much has been said, posted, and blogged about the new front-end on the 2013 Lexus GS?particularly its new spindle-shaped grille.
However, true to Lexus style with any major new-vehicle launch, the car also comes chock full of intriguing new?and enhanced?technologies:
S-FLOW
If you're a solo driver, you don't necessarily need the entire vehicle air-conditioned to be comfortable.
The S-FLOW energy-saving airflow system uses occupant-detection sensors to automatically air-condition only the occupied front seat in the 2013 GS. That's impressive in itself, but also consider this: Under normal use, this "smart" air-conditioning system could improve fuel economy by as much as three percent.
PAINTING ADVANCEMENTS
Two of the vehicle's optional colors are high-tech in new ways. Riviera Red actually contains glass flakes in the coating that, as one would expect, creates a shimmering brilliance to the exterior. Another color, the silvery Liquid Platinum, has been purposefully engineered to accentuate body-curves?as well as shine in different lighting conditions, whether it's dull and cloudy or bright and sunny.
GREENEDGE AUDIO
The 2013 GS includes, as an option, Mark Levinson's new GreenEdge audio components.
(GreenEdge technologies are basically the LED lights of the audio world in that they produce more while using less.)
The 2013 GS offers a new 835-watt Mark Levinson Premium audio system (optional) with speakers that are lighter, more energy-efficient (there's less load on the alternator), and have less distortion?and this optional sound system produces almost twice as many watts per channel over the previous generation's system.
DIGITAL ACCESS
Lexus also ramped up the Lexus Enform[U.S.] mobile telematics system in big ways. From inside the car, 2013 GS owners will be able to search for driving destinations via Bing, as well as use apps to make restaurant reservations through OpenTable, buy movie tickets via MovieTickets.com, and access internet radio providers like Pandora or iHeartRadio. They can also access Facebook Places in the car, and search for restaurant reviews on Yelp. Bonus: this also shows up on the car's giant 12.3-inch multi-media split screen, the first of its size in a production automobile.
UPGRADED REMOTE TOUCH
Lexus' Remote Touch system, the mouse-like hand controller for audio, climate control, and navigation, feels and acts even more like a computer mouse.
The second-generation version, standard in the 2013 GS, actually slides, whereas the first generation?a technical wonder in itself?toggles more like a joystick.
BAMBOO STEERING WHEEL
The GS offers all sorts of systems that make driving the car a pleasure, like the Night Vision System and Lexus IS F-influenced suspension system, but we especially like the GS Hybrid's aesthetic "technology" you can put your hands on?an elegant, light-but-strong bamboo steering wheel, which Lexus Drive Meister Shuichi Ozaki helped fine-tune as part of the vehicle's extensive driving-sensory development.
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