0 - 10,000 hits in 2.5 months! All Lexus hits readership high in crazy short time!

Plus, AllLexus.Blogspot.com top 10 most popular articles and a breakdown of our readership by country! 

Hooray! We crossed the 5-digit mark today. All Lexus hits 10,000 hits today 31 January 2016. In that time, I've published about 95 articles on everything under the sun where Lexus is concerned. Considering this simple blog only began on 17 November 2015, that's not bad for a specialist website, is it? 

Here are some things you might want to know:

• Where do All Lexus readers come from?
• Which are the most popular articles?

Presented below is a short analysis of audience statistics for AllLexus.Blogspot.com

Where do All Lexus readers come from?

All Lexus attracts readers from over 35 countries, but between them, there are two nations that take up the lion's share of visitors. 

Malaysia      72.8 %

USA             15.4 %

Japan            7.0 %

UK                 4.3 %

R.O.W.           0.5 %

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Cool Lexus ad spotted! Jeb Corliss straps on this wingsuit and hijacks a Lexus RX on the move!

Lexus invited Jeb Corliss, a wingsuit pioneer, to get behind the wheel of the all-new Lexus RX in Australia and the result is nothing less than an amazing ad

A high-stakes car jacking appears to be the focus of a well-crafted new Lexus ad starring one of the world's foremost wingsuit pilos, Jeb Corliss.

Created by M&C Saatchi, it is supposed to represent the Lexus' "belief in a confident new mindset", with the ad following Corliss as he jumps from 12,000 feet in his wingsuit before landing on the back of a flatbed trailer carrying the new Lexus RX.

While his accomplice lands in front of the truck forcing it to stop, Corliss lands on the back, jumps in the RX and drives it off. The ad can be viewed in full here:

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Konichiwa from Japan! Part 2 pictures from Lexus Yokohamatotsuka showroom

This time, the Wow! factor doesn't come from a Lexus car

Konichiwa from Japan again! All Lexus is delighted to bring you more pictures from Lexus Yokohamatotsuka, courtesy of a reader in Japan. In Part 1 of this series, we saw the Lexus HS 250h, the highly successful hybrid which is sold only in Japan. 

Today, in Part 2 we bring you a Lexus equally as special. But it's not a Lexus as how we've come to know; no, this is the Lexus F Sport Road Bike, that retails at US$10,000, or RM41,430! Next time you see a brand new Perodua Myvi on the road, think about it for a second: This bike costs as much as the popular Malaysian hatchback.

Why does this bike cost an arm and a leg? The first clue comes from Lexus' supercar, the highly-revered Lexus LFA. Let's take a closer look.

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Lexus issues recall of 2016 Lexus RX 350 and RX 450h for faulty airbag issue!

Over 5,000 owners notified to return cars to the factory for airbag replacement as Takata-gate continues

Lexus has just issued a recall for the 2016 Lexus RX 350 and Lexus RX 450h for faulty airbag. Lexus USA, that is (no word yet from Lexus Malaysia). In the US, over 5,000 owners have been affected and Lexus USA has been in touch with them, through an official press release.

According to the press release:

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Konichiwa from Japan! Part 1 pictures from Lexus Yokohamatotsuka showroom, courtesy of a reader in Japan.

Plus, the amazing Lexus model that will never appear on our shores... sob sob!

For those of you like me who love to browse around the Lexus showroom in KL (dreaming of the day you get the shiny new keys to your brand new car) and then, in the midst of wondering what a Lexus showroom in Japan looks like, boy do we have a treat for you. 

A reader from Japan recently sent me these awesome pictures of the Lexus Yokohamatotsuka showroom in Japan. The name itself implies the showroom is located in the Yokohama Prefecture, less than an hour south of Tokyo. 

Having visited a few Lexus showrooms here myself, but never one in Japan - the home country of Lexus, I'm very grateful for the chance to see how things are done differently in the Land of the Rising Sun.

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Lexus overtakes Audi as the third top-selling luxury car in Malaysia!

Lexus 2015 sales boosted by NX and new RX models

For the first time in Malaysia, Lexus vehicle sales have topped Audi to be the third best-selling luxury car! Congratulations, Lexus!

This achievement is all the more deserved given tough conditions car manufacturers had to contend with in the Malaysian auto industry.

Firstly, the weakening Ringgit had an adverse impact on the prices of cars. Secondly, the roll out of GST in April 2015 added a further unwelcome burden onto already tight wallets. Together, these factors dampened consumer sentiments to an all-time low of 70.2 points in Q3 2015.

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We've hit 9,000 readers! It's all down to you guys! And I've lost my cat and need a HUGE help from you!

This is such an honour: 9,000 readers in about 2 months and my mind shooting fireworks! Sadly, this news coincides with the loss of my cat, and I need your help.

BIG BIG thank you to all of you awesome readers. All Lexus has crossed 9,000 readers in about 2 months!

Thank you so much for your support, people. I'm excited about crossing this milestone but sadly, I just lost my cat.

I lost her in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, near Lorong Aminuddin Baki 3. She has a few distinctive features: A black jaw, (uncommon for a tuxedo cat), lovely green eyes and white furry markings in the shape of a 3-pointed star on the bridge of her nose and whiskers. not so common from afar but it's there. So I'm appealing to my readers, if you see her in the streets, please follow these instructions:

1. Shout 'Oi!!' and tell her off for wandering away from home
2. Mimic cat sounds 'mew-mew' to get her to come over. Depending on her mood, she may or may not respond to her name, Lea. She's very friendly with people (not so with other cats)
3. Call me on 010-2334456 and I'll come to you.

I'm giving a big reward for the return of my cat (actually the reward is more for the return of my sanity).

Cheers guys!

Imran

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Unknown to the rest of the world, this Lexus is sold only in Japan - what is it?

This mid-size Lexus falls right in between the ES and CT models - but you'll never see it if you live outside Japan

Unknown to the rest of the world, Lexus quietly sells a family-sized vehicle exclusively in Japan. 
  

This model was introduced in 2009 and has since gone under the surgeon's knife for a nip and tuck to update its appearance in keeping with family DNA worn by the rest of the models in the Lexus line up. Size-wise, it falls right in between the entry model CT and the larger IS. Engine-wise though, things are slightly different.

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What does luxury look like from inside? Interiors of the entire Lexus line up compared

When luxury comes as standard, the only thing left to ask is, which model would you choose?

When a name confers an image, evokes a meaning or creates a perception, the associative imagery demonstrates the power of the company's branding. Companies work very hard to pursue a singular brand identity because the human brain can only create, retain and recall one meaning at a time. The stronger the recollection of that meaning, the more successful that brand has been at creating consumer awareness. 

In the cluster of Australasian countries, Lexus has kept to just one branding statement. You'll find it on billboards, advertisement insertions and even on the back of the business cards handed out by the sales consultants. The statement reads: Only Lexus promises the true luxury.

True to their word, every Lexus since the inaugural and iconic LS 400 of 1989 has lived up to the promise of peerless luxury. Every Lexus cabin is a silent chamber on wheels, affording occupants unequalled isolation from the world outside. And every Lexus brims with technology which operates quietly in the background, but works to an astonishing degree of intelligence to keep you safe at all speeds the vehicle is driven at. 

What can you expect when you step inside the cabin of a Lexus? That's what I decided to find out. What follows next is an invitation into the cabin of every Lexus from the base line CT to the top of the line LS.

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Lexus LS 600h F Sport takes on the world's greatest road: Italy's Stelvio Pass

Lexus flagship driven hard on the Stelvio Pass, triggers mind-bending shift on what a large Lexus can do

Paul McCartney's ride, it seems, isn't just made for a leisurely drive down the shops. It's also made for some of the world's finest roads. To prove this point, Polish motoring journalist Michal Sztorc took Lexus' flagship, the LS 600h F-Sport barrelling down one of the most demanding roads in all of Europe, the Stelvio Pass. 

Located in Northern Italy, at an elevation of 2,527 metres (9,045 feet) above sea level, the Stelvio Pass earns two distinctions: firstly being the highest paved road in Eastern Europe, and secondly being the second-highest road in the Alps - with France's Col de L'iseran nipping it by a mere 13 metres (43 feet) to claim the No. 1 title. Petrolheads would recall how this road was crowned the 'World's Greatest Road' by Top Gear trio Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond. No doubt, its 75 hairpin turns, laid out (coincidentally) to incorporate some of the best twists of the greatest racetracks around the world, are partly why it has earned fans from around the world. It's not unusual to see exotic GTs, cabriolets and lightweight supercars plying this famed highway, rewarding drivers with orgasmic highs. 

And that's why, a Lexus LS 600h F-Sport is an unusual choice. Or perhaps that's because drivers, even Lexus owners, need a paradigm shift about what Lexus' flagship can and cannot do. Could it be we got the Lexus LS 600h F-Sport all wrong? Based on his trip report, it seems so.  

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Paul McCartney loves his Lexus LS 600h L and gives wife Nancy Shevell a ticket to ride

Beatle Legend's association with Lexus spans over a decade, frequently spotted around town in his Lexus limo

It's obvious from these pictures Paul McCartney has a thing for Lexus. The Beatle legend has owned a few Lexus', most of which are hybrids such as the Lexus RX 400h and this stunning Lexus LS 600h L, the range-topping vehicle in Lexus' fleet.

So when he got married to Nancy Shevell in 2011, there was only one car he would pick to take him and his bride to the Westminster Register Office. Sir Paul's daughter, Beatrice, served as their flower girl.

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Lexus RC 300h: The world's most stylish coupe is also a planet-hugging hybrid

The Lexus RC 300h: The only way to drive an eco car and look sexy doing it

Forget everything you know about hybrid vehicles that ape the Hunchback of Notredame. The Lexus RC 300h rewrites the rule books on what an eco-friendly car can and should look like. 

I've always been a huge fan of the RC: Lexus penned the proportions with aesthetically-pleasing ratios and unlike the Mercedes C class coupe, which looks penguin-rotund at the back, or the BMW 4 Series which is an engineering marvel but has no design flair, the Lexus RC 300h just looks right.  

Here in Malaysia, reception of Lexus hybrids has been rather lukewarm because the days when hybrid incentives made luxury car ownership a worthy proposition are gone. But if all goes well and the Government reintroduces these incentives, boy are we in for a cracker because the Lexus RC 300h, the most stunning hybrid you can get today, will be affordable (I use the word affordable loosely). 

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All Lexus hits 8,000 readers! BIG BIG thank you to all of you!

Wow! We've hit 8,000 readers! Can you believe it? 

We're only two months old but already we've crossed this huge milestone. And I have you guys to thank for coming to All Lexus!

Hard to believe, isn't it? All Lexus is a specialist site - I'm not competing against the big boys who review all and sundry and everything under the sun. My focus remains squarely on just one car manufacturer and that's the best marque in the world - Lexus! And yet, we can make it to the 8,000 readers mark, and it's a moment that I'm happy to share with you, my awesome readers!

My love and gratitude are yours always, and I still get a buzz seeing readers coming from more countries. I think at the last tally, All Lexus attracts readers from over 40 countries - I just wish I could visit all of you personally to thank you, but I'm broke and this is perhaps the cheapest alternative. :-D

Love you all, you awesome 8,000 readers!

Cheers!
All Lexus

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The Lexus LF-C2 Concept: RC convertible will offer all the power, pantomime and panache as RC but with open top frills!

Beautiful sunshine, warm weather, and winding roads are the perfect complements to the Lexus LC-C2 concept

The LF-C2 concept is a design study in the form of a 2+2 roadster and explores key styling themes involved in the Lexus brand's future, bolder styling direction. It is also a luxury Grand Touring concept inspired by the brand's passion for driving.

"The LF-C2 concept shows what's in store for our brand's future design direction," said Jeff Bracken Lexus Group Vice President and General Manager. "This concept shows consumers around the world Lexus' devotion to emotional design as well as our passion for an exceptional driving experience."

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Lexus RX 450h prices compared in 12 countries - Proof you need to be filthy rich to get a Lexus in some countries!

Cheapest to most expensive: In which country do you pay nearly 5 times the retail price for a Lexus RX 450h?

I'll be darned if this isn't a quick money making scheme. It turns out that prices for a Lexus isn't about the same wherever in the world you go: The variance is so huge that from one country to another, you could end up paying nearly 5 times the price for the same car. Which country am I talking about?

Previously, I did a price comparison for the Lexus NX 300h in 10 countries, and found out that if you live in Singapore, you have to fork out four times the asking price Canadians pay! 

This time round, a price comparison was made for the Lexus RX 450h. This vehicle has been completely redesigned from the ground up for 2016. Replacing the smooth, flowy curves in the previous RX is an entirely new aesthetic flair chiselled from a metaphoric block of steel. The end result is a new vehicle determined to reinstate the Lexus RX's market dominance with angular sophistication and muscular boldness.

An Atkinson cycle 3.5-litre V6 gives the Lexus RX 450h its momentum. Mated to electric assist motors, regenerative brakes that recharges the vehicle's battery pack and an 8-speed automatic transmission, this mill produces 308 bhp and a 0-60mph time of 7.7 seconds. 

So why the need to compare the prices for the Lexus RX 450h? Firstly, it is expected to be a huge seller for Lexus, especially in the American continent, so it's an important model to consider and understand from an economics point of view. And secondly, in the Lexus NX 300h price comparison article before, I didn't include the Middle East, where gasoline prices are about as cheap as they are Stateside; for this comparison, countries in the United Arab Emirates should be included. At the same time, prices in Asia, as we saw last time, could yield some interesting results - and I didn't want to omit those either. This time round, though, Singapore couldn't be included. The Lexus RX 450h isn't officially sold there, so for this price comparison exercise, Singapore sits it out.

Altogether, to accommodate the Middle Eastern countries whilst having to retain a similar basket of countries as before, the price comparison has now been extended from 10 to 12 countries. For these two reasons, we need a price comparison for the Lexus RX 450h.

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This Saturday, I checked out the Lexus showroom at Gold Coast, Australia!

Plus, a visual journey of how the Lexus Southport dealership at Gold Coast came to be

Previously, I had checked out the showroom at Jalan Sultan Ismail and the dealership on Jalan Sungai Besi. Both are in Kuala Lumpur. 

So, for a change, let's do things a bit differently and look at a Lexus showroom outside Kuala Lumpur. In fact, let's get out of Malaysia and head Down Under to Australia. 

Lexus Southport in Gold Coast, Australia opened its doors in 2012 at 161 Ferry Road. For those of you familiar with Gold Coast, it's right beside the Southport Park Shopping Centre. You can't miss it.

The other thing you can't miss is the Orange Solar Flare Lexus RC F standing guard at the entrance. Under the pumped up bodywork is a 5.0-litre naturally aspirated V8 that kicks out 478 bhp for a 0-60mph time of under 4.5 seconds. Shod with 19" alloys, the RC F has an aggressive stance even at standstill and looks like it's about to leap off the glass railings that only stand between it and the road.

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Just days after launching the Lexus LC 500, Akio Toyoda resigns from the Tokyo Olympic committee

How does this affect Lexus? 

Just days after launching the hauntingly beautiful Lexus LC 500, Akio Toyoda, President of the Toyota Motor Corporation and Chief Branding Officer of Lexus International, is again making the headlines.

This time, for a different reason...

According to Associated Press reports, Akio Toyoda has stepped down as Vice President of the organising committee for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He is expected to be replaced by Kazuhiro Tsuga, the President of Panasonic. 

A Tokyo Olympic official told reporters Toyoda-san may have been concerned about a possible conflict of interest arising out of the fact he is also a current member of the Keidanren committee on the Olympics (Keidanren being Japan's biggest business lobby). As a result, he has decided to reorganise his roles to intensify efforts to encourage business support for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. 



Why is this important to Lexus? How does Toyoda-san's resignation from the organising committee for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics affect Lexus? A clue lies in something I wrote in December last year:

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Lexus LC 500 wins two awards including Best Production Car!

New Lexus LC 500 gets the nod from Eyes on Design Ceremony at the Detroit Auto Show 2016  

Just three days after the Lexus LC 500 made its debut at the Detroit Auto Show 2016, it has picked up two prestigious gongs!

A panel of design leaders representing worldwide automotive manufacturers and transportation design chiefs from top design schools around the globe today selected the Lexus LC 500 to receive the following Eye on Design Award at the Detroit Auto Show:

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Behind-the-scenes VIDEO: The all-new Lexus LC 500 from concept to production car

We get behind-the-scenes to explore the development of Lexus' striking new grand coupe, the LC 500

The story of the Lexus LC 500 began in 2011, when Akio Toyoda strolled the grounds of Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and noticed not a single Lexus on display among the American and European classic cars. He decided at that moment, what Lexus needed was a revolution.

The man to lead that revolution was the Chief Engineer of the Lexus GS, Koji Sato, who conceptualised the Lexus LF LC grand coupe in time for the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. It had the sleek lines and distinguished styling Toyoda-san had envisioned; immediately, the President of the Toyota Motor Corporation decided this car had to be made into reality.

Early prototypes were handed over to a few lucky journalists and racing drivers; among these were Motor Trend's Ron Kiino and famed driver Randy Pobst, the latter who contributed valuable technical input into the final car's dynamic chassis, braking power and torque curve from the 5.0-litre V8 engine. 

See what he has to say about the development of the Lexus LC 500 in this exclusive behind-the-scenes video, courtesy of Motor Trend.

Video after the jump:

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All Lexus hits 7,000 readers! BIG BIG Thank you to all of you!

After the excitement of the launch of the Lexus LC 500 yesterday, now comes exciting news that All Lexus has hit 7,000 readers!

A big, big thank you to all my 7,000 readers! You've made it possible for this simple blog to cross yet another milestone and you guys did it in style - right after the launch of the all-new Lexus LC 500! Your support and encouragement makes a huuuuge difference to me - it gives me reason to wake up, research and write articles that you find of interest to read, worthy of sharing or simply 'like.' 

Please let me know if there's anything I can do to improve this site, or any particular part of the Lexus brand you wish to know about. Now, though, forwards as we go to the next milestone!

Cheers!

All Lexus

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Lexus LC 500 launch - Watch Akio Toyoda's presentation: "This is just the beginning"

President of the Toyota Motor Corporation and Chief Branding Executive of Lexus International, Akio Toyoda, presents the all-new Lexus LC 500 to the world's press!

For those of you who didn't catch the live premiere of the all-new Lexus LC 500 at the Detroit Auto Show earlier today, you can now watch Akio Toyoda, President of the Toyota Motor Corporation and Chief Branding Executive of Lexus International, give his live speech as he unveils the much anticipated high-performance Lexus to the world's press!

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First pictures of the all new Lexus LC 500! 5.0 litre V8, 467 bhp and a world's first 10-speed automatic transmission!

Finally, the wraps come off and isn't she a beauty! Ladies and Gentlemen, four years after the Lexus LF-LC first appeared in January 2012, the new Lexus LC 500 is here!

All Lexus is glad to share with you the first pictures from the launch:

President of the Toyota Motor Corporation and Chief Branding Officer of Lexus International, Akio Toyoda, just lifted the covers off the all-new Lexus LC 500 at the Detroit Auto Show at 12:45pm EST!

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Music Icon David Bowie Dies - What connection does David Bowie have with Lexus?

All Lexus pays tribute to the late David Bowie by looking back at his little-known association with Lexus

What a sad day... David Bowie has died after an 18-month long battle with cancer. If you were born in the 70s, you were an 80s kid growing up, and if you were an 80s kid, you knew Let's Dance. It was a breakthrough song that defied genres and had a universal appeal that perpetuated its popularity in bars, clubs, restaurants and movies - the most (in)famous one being Zoolander (as I write this, I'm listening to Under Pressure, his duet with Queen).

For what possible reason does he appear on All Lexus? Very few knew, the prolific singer and songwriter (and actor if you count his role as the goblin king in the 1986 movie Labyrinth) lent his name to a stop-motion animated series called Friendship All-Stars, produced by TV actor and comic Seth Green. And who did Seth Green produce the animated series for? Yes, Lexus.

Video after the jump:

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