2011 Lexus IS Receives Minor Facelift and New F-Sport Grade in Japan

Thanks to some leaked brochure shots, we can show you the first pictures of the Japanese domestic market (JDM) version of the subtly refreshed 2011 Lexus IS 250 / 350 sedan.

The most notable exterior changes include the new headlamps that incorporate LED daytime running lights and the redesigned lower part of the front bumper with round foglamps. Though not visible from these photos, the interior is said to benefit from some minor trim upgrades.

Also new for the JDM Lexus IS is the addition of an F-Sport grade, similar to the one offered on the UK market 2010 IS 250 and 220d models. However, in Japan, the F-Sport grade also gets a unique front bumper as well as what Lexus describes as, a sport suspension developed by the LFA team.

Stay tuned for more information as soon as Lexus releases the official details on the updated JDM Lexus IS sedan.

Source: Ameblo

Lexus CT 200h Official Brochure Spills Online, FWD with 1.8-liter Hybrid Powertrain

Either Lexus has a leakage problem on its hands (less likely) or the company is following unconventional methods (more likely...) to drum up interest on its new CT 200h hybrid premium hatchback before its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show.

Following a trio of 'spy shots' that were sent to Carscoop and other sites in January and a teaser shot earlier this month, our friends over at World Car Fans today received the official brochure of the CT 200h in their mailbox.

The brochure pictures confirm what most of us suspected upon seeing last year's LF-Ch concept - that the styling of the production version would be severely toned down. The result is a much less aggressive looking C-segment hatch.

At 4,320mm long, 1,765mm wide and 1,430mm tall, the five-door model is more compact that the Toyota Prius but slightly longer than the Audi A3 Sportback (4,238mm x 1,765 x 1,421mm respectively).

The BMW 1-Series rivaling Lexus hatchback is powered by a hybrid drivetrain that couples a 1.8-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with an electric-drive motor-generator for an unspecified output.

Energy is stored in a nickel-metal hybride battery pack while power is delivered to the front wheels through an electrically controlled continuously variable transmission (E-CVT).

As a "full hybrid", the Lexus CT 200h can be driven exclusively in all-electric mode.

That's about all we have for now on the Japanese firm's first attempt to enter the lucrative European C-Segment category, but in less than a week's time, we'll have the Full Monty on the CT 200h.

Via: Worldcarfans