Japanese tuner Asi has come up with a breathtaking package for the Lexus LX570, called the INVADER, which apart form its Sci-Fi looks has one big party piece and that’s the engine.

They have tuned the car’s nice and smooth 5.7-liter V-8 up to an insane 600 hp, and that enables this heavy SUV to hit the 100 km/h from standing still on just 5 seconds!

So, is this the world’s first cool Lexus?!

Lexus, like Infinity, is a clone of the Acura Japanese Luxury vehicle model started in 1989 by Toyota. They are sold in many different countries and as such have developed a reputation as a good luxury vehicle that is reliable and as such has sold many automobiles. Recently in a survey of owners of over fifty thousand cars the problems they reported were minimal and placed Lexus in the top spot of all the other car companies in the US for reliability.

As early as 1983 the chairman of Toyota had been planning something secretive and big, as he had planned to release luxury vehicles even then, however they kept it under wraps and called it the highly secretive F1 project. A group of researched flew out to the US to observe the upper class and see how they consumed, it was concluded that through their findings and of all other things – Toyota would need to make a new brand and a new network of dealers for it to be profitable.

They formed a super-marketing unit of crack advertisers to come up with a name and a way to market it effectively, and some of the early names were Alexis, Chaparel and a few others, however they decided on Lexus. In 89 they launched Lexus and had expended over a billion in investments, what followed next was the flagship LS 400 being rolled out into the dealerships.

The car fared well, with good reviews about its excellent fuel usage, noise performance, and overall design, and ability to compete with BMW and Benz. In its first year it racked up a sale count of 63k, followed by 70k the next year, and 320k last year. Thus far it has gained the title as the largest auto seller for luxury cars if going by the numbers and currently holds many of the awards for reliability and performance, and overall user ratings. There are four sedans, a convertible coupe, and three utes in the lineup for Lexus and plans for new performance vehicles have been announced, such as the new F-series along with the LF-Sh hybrid. Lexus has placed much of their fiscal investments in high quality engineering and luxury while keeping costs down in order to balance between the two, and many technologies they incorporate are considered cutting edge and very handy (such as on screen navigation, back seat screens for entertainment, and other gauge improvements). The future for Lexus looks very good indeed.

Under the Hood of the HS250h
While there is plenty of technology under the hoods, since this model is still being worked out, plenty of its final numbers haven’t been stated directly to the press.  However, you will find a very capable engine that delivers a total of 180 horsepower- which is surely enough to power the vehicle on the highway entrance ramps and around town.  The interior is finely done with plenty of touches to accent the “green” nature of the vehicle.  And for the most important number- the fuel economy, you can rest assured that the HS250h will please the many that are looking for an upscale Prius.  While final numbers aren’t in yet, the Lexus HS250h is expected to have a fuel economy of about 30 percent more than a traditional Lexus of this size.  Again, price details haven’t been offered as well, but expect it to be a very small premium above what the normal cars in this class cost.  However, once the info does become available, we will keep you updated.

Lots of Power and Performance

What’s under the hood?  How about a huge 5.0 liter V8 that creates an incredible 417 horsepower and over 371 lb ft of torque.  Pretty much this vehicle is a rocket and it will accelerate like one as well.  0 to 60 is mighty quick coming in at 4.8 seconds (we are in exotic sports car territory now) and a 13.2 second ¼ mile make this vehicle scream with performance.  Matched with this very powerful engine is an 8 speed automatic transmission.  It should be noted that a manual transmission is unavailable, however Lexus has stated that this transmission is able to up shift faster than even the best automatic-clutch shifts.  Regarding the suspension, those that like a nice supple ride will be severely disappointed.  This vehicle is easily the most rigid Lexus ever created and has an incredibly stiff ride.  While car tuning enthusiasts might like that, those that will use it for commuting might not find it practical.

Plenty of Features
With the Lexus IS F you will find plenty of features that are found in many luxury vehicles and more including stability control, pre-collison radar to monitor against a frontal collision, plenty of airbags and more.  While the cabin is extremely comfortable, the rear seat is cramped.  Finally, regarding cost, for the money, this vehicle is a decent buy.  The Lexus IS F starts at about $56K with decent features.

The Lexus SC430 is able to accelerate from 0-60 mph in only 6.3 s and reaches a top speed of 131 mph.

This beautiful exotic car uses a 5-Speed Automatic transmission and weights 3955 lbs.

Are you sure you want one of these? Well, you just need to put your hands on $59,840 and the Lexus SC430 is all yours… Drive carefully!

The Lexus LS460 is able to accelerate from 0-60 mph in only 5.4 s and reaches a top speed of 103 mph.

This beautiful exotic car uses a 8 Speed Automatic/Sequential Shift transmission and weights 4244 lbs.

Are you sure you want one of these? Well, you just need to put your hands on $71,000 and the Lexus LS460 is all yours… Drive carefully!