CHICAGO AUTO SHOW: Lexus Promised Performance But Was THIS What You Expected?

When I think of performance,  I have visions of something that takes the ordinary and makes it extraordinary.  Lowered suspensions and brakes are the staple, and of course the heart and soul of any machine is that heart pumping increase in power.  Street legal power makes it even better.

So was I the only one that expected a bit more with the Five Axis Project CT?  Yes it looks great, and probably corners and stops like it is on rails.  But what about the mojo? Why must every promise of performance lately from Lexus not come with a boost of street legal power? Why do they only showcase aftermarket performance in one off custom projects.  Where is the performance option I can actually buy from the factoy?

Check these shots of the very well executed Project CT and give me your vision of what performance hybrid should be about.



















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david999 - 2/9/2011 5:58:52 PM

+11 Boost

Why always the anti-Lexus rants? What do you expect street legal hot rods from Lexus? They are first and foremost about luxury. The is-f and LFA show they can do performance.

veyron1001 - 2/10/2011 11:55:55 AM

+3 Boost

Lexus made a fine supercar on their first try. I can only recall Honda with the NSX and Pagani Zonda ever doing this previously.

geoff448 - 2/9/2011 6:47:45 PM

-4 Boost

wtf is with ios on the console :S ?

1BadMan - 2/9/2011 8:06:51 PM

-5 Boost

So Toyota "Lexus" said there would be more performance. Which would mean the TuRD would work on these rides and they came up with this? This car is still a Euro market Toyota Avensis with a Camry hybrid drivetrain and nothing more. This is rolling bullsh*t!

atc98092 - 2/9/2011 8:53:17 PM

+2 Boost

Maybe I'm getting too old, or it's the angles of these pictures, but that is not an attractive car to me.

Might be the strange lighting on it, too.

Baby - 2/11/2011 12:00:24 AM

+1 Boost

'Five Axis' is the one to blame here not Lexus. Nice try 009.
I agree this is just too damn harsh and I didn't like the GS version either.

enthusiastx11 - 2/9/2011 9:16:31 PM

0 Boost

blech. it's 19 year old kid's wet dream.

Steve - 2/9/2011 11:03:47 PM

+2 Boost

Amen. +1.

enthusiastx11 - 2/10/2011 12:58:58 PM

-4 Boost

average age of a 3-series buyers is 40 and skews male. not sure what you're talking about....babbling on as usual.

Baby - 2/11/2011 12:09:54 AM

-1 Boost

'enthusiastx11' you are delusional. Any 40 year old buying a 3 series is either going through a mid life crisis or a tool.

enthusiastx11 - 2/11/2011 12:11:36 AM

+1 Boost

those are the facts. who, exactly do you think can afford $40-60k cars? high income professionals.

cohwang - 2/9/2011 11:19:31 PM

+4 Boost

This is not Lexus original modification. How could you relate a 3rd party performance company with Lexus? We know what the intention of your article is but it is too obvious.

uaw_lax - 2/9/2011 11:42:17 PM

-1 Boost

looks more Scion than Lexus and that's not a good thing.

Joe_Limon - 2/10/2011 12:35:48 AM

-3 Boost

Yes, this is what I expected.

Designer1 - 2/10/2011 1:09:02 AM

0 Boost

Hmmm, a hatchback!!! nope!! a real sport is a sport coupe and that's it.

Tilps5 - 2/10/2011 6:44:34 AM

+1 Boost

DI problem is it makes lot of carbon

enthusiastx11 - 2/10/2011 1:01:25 PM

-4 Boost

please explain why this car is attractive. and why there's not an engine upgrade or significant PERFORMANCE modifications. it's all just looks. i believe you're the blind lexus fanatic who can't admit that their last couple of new cars sold vastly less than expected.

enthusiastx11 - 2/11/2011 12:13:46 AM

-1 Boost

i like many, many cars....from audi to bmw to maserati to range rover to cadillac. i think highly of honda, hyundai, infiniti and a number of others. i think toyota and lexus make the most boring, overpriced and over-rated cars in almost every class in which they compete.

MorePower - 2/10/2011 10:32:41 PM

0 Boost

Unless you're driving a Carrera GT, WRC rally car or a classic red Italian Spider, the gear shift should not be on the dash or midway up the center console. It should be between the front two seats as the racing gods intended or on either side of the steering wheel.

Lexus - 2/11/2011 8:41:50 AM

+1 Boost

What Lexus really need a real good looking Lexus IS250/350 and offer a GS350/450 coupe version as well. That should help boost the sales and increases their fans base as well.

LACMAN - 2/11/2011 10:06:38 AM

+1 Boost

Omg, quit whining. Why dont you start your own website if you dont like the opinion of the person who runs this one. I dont agree with him on this one but whatever...