Tag Archives: Lexus

News

Toyota Teases a Trio of New Performance Machines Ahead of December 4 Reveal

Toyota has dropped a shadowy teaser for not one, not two, but three all-new sports models set to share the spotlight on December 4. The dimly lit preview hints at a bold future for both Toyota and Lexus performance, with what appear to be a new Lexus sports coupe and two flavors of Toyota’s upcoming GR GT supercar—one street-legal, the other track-hungry.

A New Era for Lexus Performance

On the teaser’s left side, a clean, sweeping silhouette looks suspiciously like the production evolution of the Lexus Sport Concept first shown in August. The two-door shape and futuristic light signature match the concept almost line for line, suggesting Lexus hasn’t strayed far from its show-car styling.

That original concept already bordered on production-ready, so expect the showroom model to retain most of its proportions while dialing back some of the wilder interior touches. The teaser hints at a textured rear glass panel, though there’s no confirmation yet on whether the concept’s more dramatic features—like roof-mounted fans, an illuminated fin, or the central F1-style brake light—will survive the transition.

While many expected this model to be fully electric, recent reports point instead to a GR-derived hybrid V8, developed specifically for Lexus. With an estimated arrival in 2026, the unnamed coupe appears aimed at replacing the long-serving LC, not resurrecting the legendary LFA nameplate.

Toyota’s GR GT Supercar Steps Into the Light

Front and center in the tease is Toyota’s new GR GT supercar, confirmed through a Japanese TV spot to be debuting at the same event. Compared to the Lexus, the Toyota wears a longer hood, conventional rear glass, and crisp full-width LED taillights.

A cherry on top: we’ve already seen its interior. Earlier previews showed a driver-focused cabin with a large infotainment display, tactile physical switches, and lightweight carbon-fiber bucket seats.

Under the skin lives something even more serious. Toyota says the GR GT will pack a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 paired with a self-charging hybrid system. Word is the combustion engine alone could produce around 800 horsepower, making this the most powerful Toyota ever—and, in many ways, a spiritual successor to the V10-powered Lexus LFA.

A GT3 Monster Joins the Family

Completing the trio is an all-out racecar that clearly shares DNA with the GR GT but takes the aggression up several notches. Spy shots and the prototype that stormed the hill at Goodwood match what we see here: vented fenders, a fixed rear wing, side-exit exhausts, a beefier diffuser, and a stance that sits inches closer to the pavement.

This is almost certainly Toyota’s upcoming GT3 competition variant, a follow-up to the 2022 GR GT3 Concept and built to take on premier GT3 series worldwide.

The Big Unveil

All three models will make their global debut on December 4 during a live-streamed reveal hosted by Toyota President Akio Toyoda and Chief Branding Officer Simon Humphries. If the teaser’s shadows are anything to go by, Toyota and Lexus are about to enter 2026 with a performance lineup that looks sharper—and meaner—than ever.

Source: Toyota

News

Britain’s Dealer Happiness Index: Who’s Winning, Who’s Losing, and Who Should Be Worried

If you really want the truth about a car brand, don’t ask the marketing department. Don’t ask the influencers. And definitely don’t ask the guy in the pub who once drove a diesel Passat “that pulled like a train.”

Ask the people who live and die by the product: the franchised dealers.

This year, Britain’s retail networks have spoken—loudly, candidly, and sometimes with a tone that suggests they’d rather be anywhere else. Their collective verdict paints a surprisingly dramatic picture of who’s thriving, who’s stumbling, and who might need to start thinking about pulling the eject handle.

The Big Winners: Lexus Leads, Kia Surges, BYD Impresses

According to the dealer rankings, Lexus, Kia, BYD, Omoda, Suzuki, and BMW top the leaderboard in that exact order. It’s a group that blends dependable luxury (Lexus), relentlessly consistent value (Kia), and China’s fast-moving electric juggernaut (BYD) with newer disruptors like Omoda.

These are the brands whose dealers sleep easier at night. They like the product. They like the margins. They like the customers walking through the door. And, crucially, they like the support they get from HQ.

The Basement Dwellers: DS Hits Rock Bottom

At the sharp end of misery, the worst-performing brands are Alfa Romeo, Fiat, SEAT, Abarth, Citroën, and at the absolute bottom—DS.

Dealer grumbling here covers everything from profit margins to warranties to product perception. The French premium experiment seems to be running out of goodwill. One could imagine Stellantis executives staring at these results and wondering how much longer DS can cling to the UK market.

Margin Madness: Kia, Mercedes, and Toyota Score; Land Rover Stumbles

Profit margins are the lifeblood of a dealer’s survival. According to the survey:

  • Best new-vehicle margins: Kia, Mercedes, Toyota
  • Worst: Audi, Ford, and dead-last Land Rover

Yes, you read that right—Audi dealers, purveyors of high-priced premium metal, say their profits are among the weakest in the country. That’s like a Michelin-star chef complaining the kitchen ran out of salt.

Something’s not adding up behind the four rings.

Product Value: Omoda and Dacia Thrill, Audi and DS Deflate

“Value” is often code for “Customers leave happy and we don’t have to beg them to buy.” Dealers claim:

  • Most satisfied with product value: Omoda, Kia, Dacia
  • Least satisfied: DS, SEAT, Audi

Again, Audi finds itself on the wrong side of dealer sentiment. The brand moves high volumes and commands premium prices, yet retailers insist the value proposition isn’t landing. Whether that’s pricing, equipment, or perceived quality, the frontline feedback is unambiguous.

EV Satisfaction: BYD, Kia, Renault Shine; Nissan Tanks

This may be the most startling result of all.

  • Strongest approval for EV lineup: BYD, Kia, Renault
  • Weakest: SEAT, Nissan, Mazda

Nissan’s inclusion here is perplexing. This is the brand that practically invented the mainstream EV with the Leaf, pioneered affordable electrification, and is gearing up for a new British-built Leaf and Juke. And yet its retailers sound more apprehensive than enthusiastic.

BYD, meanwhile, earns praise not only for its EVs but also for the frequency of its new model introductions. In dealer-speak, that’s code for “We always have something fresh to sell.”

Support Matters: Lexus Dominates, Citroën Falters

Dealers say Lexus is unbeatable in tech support and parts availability—a reputation the brand has quietly cultivated for decades.
At the other end, Citroën sits last, a position no network wants to see next to its name.

Group Patterns: VW Group Chaos, Stellantis Struggles

There’s a pattern emerging that’s difficult to ignore:

  • VW and Skoda: Doing well
  • Audi, Cupra, SEAT: Lagging badly

This internal inconsistency mirrors the chaos of the wider Stellantis empire, where:

  • Jeep, Peugeot, Vauxhall dealers: Generally content
  • Fiat, Citroën, DS, Abarth: Deeply unhappy

For DS and Abarth in particular, the writing on the wall is getting hard to miss. The UK market may simply not be buying the dream.

So What Does This Mean for Buyers?

Behind every score is a signal: how easy a brand is to own, how well-supported its cars are, and how stable the buying experience will be over time.

If you want predictable satisfaction and a well-oiled dealership experience, Lexus, Kia, and BYD look like the safest bets.

If you prefer to avoid frustration, shrinking dealer faith, or slow support networks… well, the bottom of the list makes its own argument.

The dealers have spoken. Now it’s your move.

Source: Auto Express

NEW CARS

Lexus Goes Full Broadway with the Wicked-Themed Karaoke LX

On most Monday mornings, a Lexus LX rolling up to Lincoln Center wouldn’t raise an eyebrow—not in a city where G-Wagens prowl like alley cats and yellow cabs still demand lane supremacy. But this wasn’t most mornings. As New York City prepared for the premiere of Universal Pictures’ Wicked: For Good, Lexus arrived with something far more theatrical than a standard-issue luxury SUV: a full-blown, karaoke-ready, witch-themed rolling tribute to Oz.

Meet the Wicked: For Good Karaoke LX—a one-off, character-inspired LX that’s equal parts flagship SUV and Broadway stage on wheels.

A Two-Witch Paint Job That Refuses to Blend In

Lexus might as well have swapped its design studio for a spellbook. The wrap is a vivid duet of Glinda pink and Elphaba emerald green, divided across the LX’s vast bodywork with the precision of a Broadway set painter. Gold accents glint off the grille, wheels, and trim, catching the lights of the Lincoln Center plaza like costume jewelry under spotlights.

It’s flamboyant. It’s loud. It’s absolutely intentional.
From some angles it feels like Glinda herself waved a wand at a luxury SUV; from others, it channels the brooding power of the Wicked Witch mid-flight. Lexus says the design pulls inspiration from the film’s architecture and the witches’ evolving relationship. We say: mission accomplished.

A Cabin That Doubles as a Karaoke Lounge

Open the door and you’re met with a cabin that looks like Oz’s VIP room.

Pink and green upholstered seats face a bank of mood lighting zones that shift between the witches’ signature hues. Custom mats continue the film tie-ins, but the real star is the interactive sound system, engineered for what Lexus calls “group sing-alongs.”

Translation:
They built a karaoke stage into a six-figure SUV.

Microphones at the ready, passengers can belt out classics from the first film—“Defying Gravity,” “Popular,” “What Is This Feeling?,” and more. Lexus didn’t just make a themed car; they made a fan experience meant to turn any commute into a full-cast rehearsal.

Luxury, Power, and a Touch of Magic

Under the couture exterior, the LX remains every bit the modern flagship SUV:

  • a twin-turbo V-6 with more than enough muscle to whisk you to the Emerald City (or at least across Manhattan),
  • a plush, three-row cabin,
  • Lexus’ usual blend of whisper-quiet ride quality and bulletproof build.

What makes this LX different is how confidently it embraces whimsy. As Lisa McQueen, senior manager of Lexus marketing, puts it, Lexus wanted to create “more than a vehicle.” Instead, they created a driveable celebration of imagination and self-expression—one that wouldn’t look out of place on a theater marquee.

Final Curtain

The Wicked: For Good Karaoke LX debuts on the premiere’s green carpet at Lincoln Center on November 17, ahead of Wicked: For Good landing in theaters November 21, 2025.

Most special-edition cars lean on subtle trim pieces or a tasteful badge. This one? It invites you to grab a microphone, sing your heart out, and—yes—go full Oz.

It’s ridiculous in the best possible way.
It’s the kind of collaboration that shouldn’t work… until suddenly it does.

And in a city that never blinks, Lexus managed to make even New Yorkers stop and stare.

Source: Lexus