1996 Lexus Ls 400 *california Ls400* *all Original* *super Clean* on 2040-cars

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Construction of Lexus' first US assembly line underway

The ES is Lexus' top-selling sedan, but the Japanese luxury marque has never manufactured it outside of Japan. In fact, Lexus has never made any cars in the United States, one of its largest markets worldwide. But that's about to change.
Yesterday, construction began in Georgetown, Kentucky, on the first Lexus assembly line in America, the first concrete (or steel) step in a $360-million expansion of Toyota's plant in the Bluegrass state that will create 750 new jobs. The expansion was announced last April by chief executive Akio Toyoda at the New York Auto Show.
Once the new assembly line gets online in the fall of next year, Toyota plans on building some 50,000 units of the ES each year. Lexus sold a record 72,581 examples of the ES in the United States last year - 30 percent more than the previous year - so Lexus will either have to import some more from overseas or leave some buyers disappointed.

2022 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance Launch Edition inaugurates the revived V8

Lexus is kicking off its V8 revival with a limited-run Launch Edition model of the 2022 IS 500 F Sport Performance. Painted in "Incognito" grey and exclusive to the North American market, the Launch Edition will be constrained to just 500 units, each boasting a serialized plaque and other unique elements.  In addition to the aforementioned paint finish (and it is indeed the only option for Launch Edition), you also get a set of 19-inch BBS wheels borrowed from the standard IS 350 F Sport's dynamic handling package, shown here in a nice gunmetal finish. As an added bonus, Lexus says they weigh about four pounds less per corner than the regular F Performance wheels. Not bad.  2022 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance Launch Edition View 33 Photos Inside, you get a handful of unique interior bits, headlined by the serial number plaque on the center console. Other nice touches include a (heated) silver ash wood steering wheel with faux suede inserts (which you'll also find on the seats, door accents and center console) and a "Launch Edition" animation in the instrument cluster.  Despite the lack of strict mechanical upgrades (unless you consider wheels to be in that category), the F Sport Performance Launch Edition's performance qualifications are pretty sound. You get the same 472-horsepower, 5.0-liter V8 with 395 pound-feet of torque, which is the same V8 Lexus has utilized elsewhere in recent F models. It currently powers the RC F coupe and, until last year, was also found under the hood of the larger GS F sedan. Like the BMW M3 it matches for power, the Lexus will come standard with rear-wheel drive and a limited-slip differential, making it a convincing performance offering, but Lexus cautions that while it is certainly more potent under the hood than the original IS F, the F Sport Performance will not represent the pinnacle of its "F" brand. Power will go to the rear end by way of the same eight-speed automatic that Lexus uses elsewhere. Just 500 examples of the Launch Edition will be built, and it will be exclusive to North America. Pricing will be announced a little closer to the IS 500 F Sport Performance's on-sale date, which Lexus has not yet shared.  Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

2014 Lexus IS 250 AWD F Sport

"Ooh, this looks fun!" my otherwise car-ignorant friend said as we walked up to the 2014 Lexus IS 250 F Sport. And yeah, it does look fun. In fact, despite my initial strong negative reaction to the design, I've really warmed up to this new IS, especially with the flashier F Sport package found on this test car (unique front fascia, 18-inch dark alloy wheels and appropriate badging). Even though that rear end still looks a bit Droopy Dog to me (stop frowning, Lexus), the IS is sharp, though I'm not entirely sure that such a bold design will age well.
"Looks can be deceiving," I told my friend, and we hit the road... slowly. You see, despite looking like a fresh, modern sport sedan, the IS 250 still uses what is, quite frankly, a dog of an engine. And that, combined with dynamics that are just so-so at best, makes for a sedan that's all show and no go. Say hello to Jennifer Slowpez.
Driving Notes