: Toyota-Lexus

New spy video of the Lexus LF-A outside the Nurburgring

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:26:01 GMT

The full open throttle says it all: the LF-A is "savage"!

And, interestingly, the white car is apparently a full production-dress LF-A. Note the differences from the flat-black prototype we've seen so many times before.

And remember, when in Nurburgring, hang out at the gas station. This is where you'll be able to get up close and personal to all the good stuff. And it's where test drivers like to show off their engines!

1983 Toyota Celica Supra ad from Japan

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 09:56:31 GMT

Toyota reports lithium-ion production in 2009... is this the key to the next Supra?

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:38:10 GMT

Toyota announced this week that litium-ion battery production would begin in 2009, and that 2 brand new hybrids (all-new cars, additions to the line) would be announced next year in addition to the on top of the already announced next-gen Prius. One of the 2 is a Lexus, the other a Toyota.

You'll remember that in August of 2007, AutoWeek reviewed it's understanding of Toyota's plans for the next few years and said that production of the next-gen Supra, based on the FT-HS hybrid sports car concept from the 2007 Detroit show, would go into production in the summer of 2009. While nothing in the way of prototypes has been spotted yet, and while it's not confirmed that the car will be named Supra (but the statements of several Toyota Executives confirm that a response to the 350Z is very desirable), production of a new generation of high-energy batteries would be a key and necessary step in the production of a sporting hybrid.

The concept is shown below, it is roughly 350Z-sized and is powered by a combination of a hybrid powertrain and a 3.5 liter V-6. The net yield is 400 HP.

Lexus LF-A competes at the 2008 24 Hours of the Nurburgring

Sat, 24 May 2008 12:16:08 GMT

Lexis is running the LF-A prototype at the 24 hour event to gather test data before an introduction of the car into production in ~2010.

This will be interesting to watch - the car is already doing 7:24 in development laps at the track, bettering the Porsche GT-2 and matching the Nissan GT-R. Note how the car is painted flat black to keep prying eyes away from the details... few of the technical details of the car are known at this early point other than that it is powered by a V-10 engine mounted in the front.

We'll have to keep an eye on this one over the weekend. Kudos to Lexus engineers for having the confidence in their work to run a development prototype in a tough race like this! A conventional manufacturer might chose to enter a car after a year of production... Lexus is clearly not a conventional car company!

A completely unconfirmed rumor in the web this past week claimed that the car would retail for $225,000 US when it debuts. If true, that would take it well away from the GT-R in market competition, leaving it above Aston Martin territory and in Ferrari territory.

New website section and blogs honor Toyota

Fri, 23 May 2008 22:51:13 GMT

No enthusiast website and blog would be complete without acknowledging Toyota - a name synonymous with great cars for driving enthusiasts.

Therefore, we've added a new section specific to Toyota and Lexus - featuring the Supra and FT-HS Concept to get us started.

Our Toyota-Lexus blog has already been running for a few years, and we've got specific category blogs covering the Supra, 2000GT, Concepts, and the Lexus F Series. Our purpose in creating these new features is to make sure material and documentation of these great cars is available for years to come.

The Toyota-Lexus section is still under construction, and there is a long way to go yet. Stay tuned as we research and post more material...

Follow the links on the DrivingEnthusiast.net site to the new Toyota-Lexus section and blogs.

How to get real Best Motorings from Japan

Tue, 01 Jan 2008 17:12:06 GMT

Best Motorings are one of the greatest aspects of the hobby for Japanese car enthusiasts, but also one of the most frustrating. Why? Because it's been almost impossible to get original copies of them, and even harder to get them when they come out in Japan.

In case you're not familiar with Best Motoring, it's a monthly Japanese "car magazine" - in video form. The emphasis is on performance cars. There is usually a "battle" comparing several cars on a roadrace track. There is also testing on winding roads, on the Touge course, with drifting, and on occasion special tests such as a notable 0-300 KPH test. All the latest Japanese performance cars are tested, and occasionally they are tested against similar performance cars from Europe and North America. There is extensive in-car multiple-camera video and analysis; it's very clear which cars work better and why.

It comes in DVD form only, and that's one problem: it's region code is not compatible with 99.9%of DVD players sold in North America. DVDs worldwide are not all compatible, each geographic region has it's own "region code" and players sold in those regions can only play DVDs of the same region. So, if you want to play a DVD from Japan, you need to buy a region-free DVD player. That's not hard to do, nor is it expensive: you can get one from JList.com here in the United States. By coincidence, I bought a $30 dollar DVD player in my local food store that was unlocked. You can also find sites on the web showing how to unlock some models of players.

The drivers speak in Japanese, most of the text is in Japanese, but the performance numbers and most of the specs are all in English. Have patience and you'll learn a lot about your favorite cars.l

I've made it easier for my readers to get the real Best Motorings, as well as other videos such as Option and Hot Version as well as a large selection of Japanese magazines and books. Look at the top of my site for an Amazon store button and follow the link:

See my links for the items relevant to your particular area of interest
Read my special "how to" section about how to order on the Japanese website of Amazon (with screen-by-screen examples)
Follow the links to order.

Amazon makes it easy for you by handling the transaction - ordering is the same process as it is with any other Amazon site in the world.

Start your collection today! In my collection, I've got over 40 Best Motorings going back 10 years, as well as a large sampling of Option, Hot Version, and a number of special edition videos. My first Best Motoring was from 1998, which featured a 0-300 KPH battle of several tuner cars including Supras and GT-Rs. It was won by an 800-HP GT-R. Needless to say, I was hooked.

More classic Celicas

Sat, 29 Sep 2007 10:43:56 GMT

A site dedicated to classic Celicas. Nice write-ups on several build-ups and an extensive gallery (where I learned for the first time about V-8 swaps).

Continue at link.

Japanese Nostalgic Car: Top Secret Celica

Sat, 29 Sep 2007 10:23:43 GMT

Japanese Nostalgic Car is one of those really fine - and rare - sites that the owners have put a lot of original work into. It's worth reading from start to finish.

I recently came across this article about a restoration and buildup of a classic Celica. It's exactly what I'd do if I could find one.

And just as interesting is the story of it's owner: "Smoky" Nagata. He is also a very rare and original type. Very good reading!

Continue at link.

Ebay has several early model Celicas, both fastbacks and coupes.

Lexus IS-F at Leguna Seca - video

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 13:39:58 GMT

A very clear message from this video: the IS-F has plenty of power and is built battleship tough. This is official Lexus video from the Taste of Lexus Event in California. There is still one T.O.L. event left in 2007: http://tasteoflexus.com

And, in case you missed it originally, here's a replay of the video that made this event famous:

Toyota 2000GT website

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 20:38:37 GMT

It's in Japanese....

..... but is full of very nice pictures.

Why doesn't Toyota bring back this car? It'd be insanely popular!!

[continue at link]

(note the additional two links after the pictures - the second one points to dozens of additional pictures)

AutoWeek says Toyota FT-HS in summer 2009

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 16:19:57 GMT

AutoWeek says the Toyota FT-HS ( http://www.drivingenthusiast.net/sec-blog/2006/12/27.html#a1930 will go into production in the summer of 2009. The car will feature a hybrid drivetrain with a 3.5 liter V-6 and 400 HP.

The concept is pictured to the right. The FT-HS is the spiritual successor to the Supra. If this type of car goes into production, it will be smaller, lighter, better handling, and more powerful than the last Supra, although of course it won't have the ultimate HP potential of the infamous Supra TT. Nonetheless, it will truly move the state of the art forward. Art being both performance and hybrid.

Continue at source: http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070822/FREE/70820009/1528/newsletter01

New Supra coming together?

Tue, 29 May 2007 17:09:29 GMT

There is a lot of discussion on various websites and in magazines worldwide about what might be a new Supra, thought to be announced at the Tokyo Auto Show this year. Enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting - or hoping - for a new Supra.

Note that it's only discussion - other than the concept car shown to the right there has been zero official word from Toyota - and zero spy photos of running prorotypes (which there should be by now if production is indeed planned).

So take all of these reports from all of these sites for exactly what it is: speculation.

So now lets speculate.

SPECULATION MODE: ON

Toyota has taken a very brave step. This is a car that will be the same size as the current 350Z, and aimed at the same market. There will be a base engine of 3.5 liters that will directly compete with the 2009 370Z. That makes sense, and this would fill one of the holes in the traditional sporting Toyota (MR2, Celica, Supra) lineup.

The brave step is the optional hybrid engine - where Toyota is using technology to increase total available power rather than just build a car dedicated solely to fuel economy. The output of 400 HP is plenty for what will be a fairly small car. More importantly, it's the torque curve and drivability of that engine that would be of interest to enthusiasts. There will be lots of power and torque across the board, delivered nearly instantaneously. 0-60 MPH times will be fabulous.

Why do I like this idea? First, the bravado of Toyota in bringing it to market. But second the strategy: performance enthusiasts don't like hybrid cars currently because none of them have been built for enthusiasts. The current crop of hybrids is largely (and necessarily) econo-boxes or small SUVs - many with unusual or downright weird styling in our eyes. And all of them easily out-performaned by otherwise equivalent but conventionally-powered vehicles.

The market is absolutely moving towards hybrid or alternative powerplants. We all need to accept that fact. Toyota's forward-looking vision tells us that driving enthusiasts have something to look forward to - that performance is not dead under any circumstances and can indeed be improved. And that we can reduce our dependency on unreliable middle eastern countries and still have our fun.

This could be an autocross car: imagine the instantaneous torque of electric assist. The car would be well-balanced because a ground-up design could optimize the weight of the battery packs in the back and the electric motor in the front. Yes, it will be heavier than the base V-6 car, but the trade-off will be significantly increased performance.

This could be a track car: imagine seamless, smooth, and linear flow of power across a wide range of RPM, available for long blasts down the straight and at any point in a turn. Couple that with balance and it'd be a good car for events for people who want to drive their daily driver to the event and then back home again.

Everything that we know about suspensions and driving dynamics applies equally here as it does anywhere else. Optimizing springs, bushing, swaybars, damping, and tires applies just as much here as it does anywhere else. Likely - speculation again - the car uses the same double A-arm suspension and multi-link rear as does the IS series. That is a very well designed chassis that would make an excellent basis for the Supra (it's also an evolutionary offspring of the last Supra!).

Very possibly first true hybrid sports car wil be the start of something great. There will be issues with it, things not entirely mature, and it will be a bit heavy for it's mission (but still less than a V-8). All that will optimize as evolution proceeds and probably picks up the pace. But it's very clearly the future, very clearly a brave move, and the only question now is which of we enthusiasts will be brave enough to buy one?

SPECULATION MODE: OFF

References on this site:

Supra blog: http://www.drivingenthusiast.net/sec-blog/categories/toyotaSupra/index.html
Supra blog post index: http://www.drivingenthusiast.net/sec-blog/categories/toyotaSupra/posts.html
Supra blog RSS feed: http://www.drivingenthusiast.net/sec-blog/categories/toyotaSupra/rss.xml

Clean 74 Celica GT on eBay

Sun, 25 Feb 2007 21:59:00 GMT

Here's something you don't see every day - a nicely clean '74 Celica GT. Bids end on the 3rd, reserve is not yet clear.

I wish I had something to do with a car like this, I'd like to have it.

Follow the bidding here: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&;item=230096974389

Toyota FT-HS: what is it?

Thu, 28 Dec 2006 00:15:46 GMT

Road & Track has the full story on the FT-HS concept car in the February 2007 issue. Of course this raises the big question - what is the relationship of this to any kind of production car?

The enthusiast web is full of speculation that this is somehow a Supra replacement... even with the hybrid engine. Of course, everybody wants a new Supra. But we want solid evidence... not further speculation such as the last two years of outright guesses in Road and Tracks annual future prediction issues.

I think we need to get real here. This is clearly a concept. It has angles which cannot be punched out in sheetmetal. It has an engine and drivetrain which are a logical next step from the existing production GS450H. Nothing remotely like it has been spotted testing in Japan, or at the Nurburgring (unlike the upcoming Lexus 2-seat sports car - under test at the ring for the past two years) and the IS-500 (oops, IS-F) which has been shown testing at the 'ring for two years as well. The FT-HS has godawful aerodynamics and ergonomics. And it has all-but-blocked views out the sides to the back. Toyota couldn't build a car like this.

That's not to say there isn't a platform underneath which could be used to build a sporting Supra-type car. That car would likely use the same engines and drivetrain as the IS350, IS-F, and GS450H. That would present a wide range of powerplants, make the green necessary statement, and keep development costs down.

But what is wrong with Toyota over the past several years? Celica? Gone! MR-2? Gone! Supra? Gone! As of this moment there isn't a single sporting car in the entire lineup... and the upcoming IS-F will probably cost 60-70K USD. Thsi is the largest car company int he world... and they have nothing for enthusiasts - at the moment.

Lexus IS-F to debut at NAIAS

Sat, 16 Dec 2006 11:37:46 GMT

It's tough to wait! Still no definitive technical details, and no indication of when the car will actually go on sale.

New Lexus Performance Vehicles to Make World Debut at 2007 North American International Auto Show
Wednesday December 6, 2:56 pm ET

TORRANCE, Calif., Dec. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Lexus will stage the world premiere of the 2008 IS-F sport performance car and an exciting concept vehicle at a press conference at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The IS-F is an all-new high-performance version of the popular Lexus IS 250/350 sport sedans. It will feature unique styling and a substantial boost in power from a V8 powerplant that will captivate performance car enthusiasts when it goes on sale next year. In addition to the IS-F, Lexus will unveil an exotic sports concept.

The press conference will be held on Monday, January 8 at 11:25 a.m. EST in the Riverview Ballroom in COBO Center and simulcast live to the Lexus display area at the show. A video clip of the press conference will be available via the Lexus.com and pressroom.lexus.com Web sites immediately following the event.

Another view of the IS-F

Thu, 07 Dec 2006 09:06:28 GMT

Another view of the Lexus IS-F, and news that it will debut at the Detroit show this January!

Lexus video of IS-F at Nurburgring

Wed, 06 Dec 2006 12:53:28 GMT

AutoExpress has video of the IS-F circling the Nurburgring. While it identifies the car as the IS500, after the announcement earlier this week we know the car will be called the IS-F - "F" being the recent Lexus creation of an "M"-type division.

We also know the car is powered by a 5 liter V-8 with 425 HP and has Brembo brakes. And will cost in the $50s.

[Continue at link]

Lexas IS-F revealed

Tue, 05 Dec 2006 02:41:51 GMT

What we thought would be named the IS500 will actually be the IS-F instead. The "F" designation is the new performance designation for Lexus, as in the M division for BMW. The IS-F sedan will use a 425-HP 5 liter V-8 engine instead of the IS350's 306-HP V-6.

Bad news: the sticker wil be in the low 50s. Good news: it will debut at NAIAS in January! Yamaha is the head supplier, brakes are by Brembo.

IS300 in Canadian CASC Touring GT race

Tue, 31 Oct 2006 11:55:05 GMT

Just wrapping up another successful season, including an entry in the SPEED World Challenge.

The team has a well-done site, with technical details of the car.

AutoWeek: V-8 Lexus IS at Nurburgring

Tue, 15 Aug 2006 11:42:12 GMT

AutoWeek has a review of what they believe the product plan roadmap of Lexus looks like over the next few years.

Lexus is still hedging on a V-8 IS, although we know from spy shots at Nurburgring that such an animal is being or has been tested. But then there is also a spy shot of another IS test car with an enormous heat duct on the hood, ala Evo. Perhaps a tubo'd V-6?