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Lexus parts prices cut in China amidst antitrust fears

It's been a topsy-turvy summer for foreign businesses in China ever since that country's National Development and Reform Commission and State Administration for Industry & Commerce launched a horde of investigations into anti-monopoly practices. When the law outlining monopolistic behavior was passed in 2008 foreign companies appreciated it, expecting it to illuminate some of the more opaque corners of Chinese government enforcement. That hasn't exactly been the case, and now as more than 1,000 auto-sector firms get investigated and pay huge fines to settle the nebulous charge of having prices that are too high, that hoped-for clarity is all but gone.
A recent news report said Audi, Chrysler and Daimler "would be punished for unspecified violations" concerning the prices of spare parts. Earlier this month Toyota said that Lexus China was being looked at, and before there's been any public notification of punishment Lexus has decided to lower the price of its replacement parts. From next month, customers will save an average of 26 percent on roughly 15,000 parts. It's unknown whether the move will appease authorities enough to end the investigation, which outside analysts have said targets foreign firms in China over domestic industry.

2015 Lexus LS gets tighter turning radius, new infotainment

Go back a couple of decades and the thought of a Japanese automaker challenging the German limousines would have seemed laughable, but 25 years later the Lexus LS is a mainstay of the luxury sedan market. And it didn't get there by sitting on its laurels, so it should come as little surprise that Lexus is offering some small tweaks as it enters the 2015 model year.
This time around the upgrades are rather minor, consisting primarily of a new multimedia system. It's got an updated navigation system with 12.3-inch display, revised backup camera imagery with dynamic gridlines, and an enhanced Lexus Enform App Suite that can control the locks, ignition, climate control and more, remotely.
While they were at it, Toyota's engineers also reduced the turning circle by four inches (on cars fitted with 18-inch wheels), and enhanced the F Sport package as well. Otherwise, it's essentially the same LS we've always known.

Lexus GS F coming in 2016 with 500 hp

The Lexus GS F has been one of those cars that's been rumored and whispered about for years, but has never come to fruition. The last time we spoke of the Lexus-badged BMW M5-killer was in a crop of spy photos, posted one year ago yesterday. So what's behind this latest rekindled round of rumors?
Well, according to Autocar, sources have claimed that the GS F will hit markets in 2016, and that it will make use of a more potent version of the Lexus RC F's 5.0-liter V8 that will sing to the tune of 500 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission from ZF will be included, as will a Torsen limited-slip diff. Taken as a whole, the executive sedan should get to 60 in the mid-four-second range and accelerate to a top speed of 170 miles per hour.
Prices in the UK will start at 80,000 pounds ($130,000 at today's rates, but as we know, translating British prices to American prices is an inexact science), and right away, we run into a big issue.