In our last Blog post, we told you about a couple of Charleston organizations whose fundraising events we sponsored in November. One was The Children’s  Museum of the Lowcountry, whose Gala on November 3 raised more than their goal of $100,000 to fund the museum’s many programs, including those for underserved neighborhood children and their families. Today, we’d like to highlight two of these programs funded, and hope you’ll share this info with friends and family who can benefit from them.

The first program, Super Stars, is held the first Sunday of each month from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM before the museum’s public hours. It is a unique program exclusively for families with special needs children who are invited to come and explore the museum free of charge. There’s plenty of room for wheelchairs and other needed equipment and it is a very comfortable atmosphere where the families and kids can relax, enjoy themselves and meet and mingle with other families. Last Sunday, Santa came and the children and families all had a wonderful time! Due to the New Year’s Holiday, the first Super Stars event of 2012 will be held on January 8th.

The second program is Baby Scholars. It is an enrichment program currently serving pregnant teens at the Florence Crittentom Home. Twice a month we bring these young women here to enjoy the atmosphere, get books and learn parenting skills. They also get a free family membership so they can come back with their child and help their child learn from our exhibits geared towards young children.

Santa's Super Star Sunday at CML

Do you have family and friends who could benefit from either of these programs? If so, we’d like to ask that you share this blog post with them. If you are a current participant, we’d love to hear about your experience.

This Fall has proven to be a very busy time here at Lexus of Charleston, and we could not be happier about that! We thought you might enjoy a more in depth look into what’s happening  both in terms of getting the latest key info on our brand, as well as highlighting our involvement in some local events.

First, the brand information you need to know. The 2012’s are here, so if you’ve been considering a new Lexus now is a great time to see what we have available. This article gives you a complete rundown of changes for the model year; here, we will highlight the three we’re most enthused about:

The CT200: There are now two F Sport packages available on the premium model. The standard package has retuned suspension, 17-inch wheels, a mesh front grille and a larger sport spoiler Interior upgrades are aluminum sport pedals, metallic dash trim, a leather-trimmed F Sport steering wheel, unique seat trim and a black headliner. The F Sport Special Edition packages adds its own special 17-inch wheel design, blue-trimmed seats, F Sport floor mats and, get this, a matching Tumi duffel bag.

The GS: We’ve talked and tweeted extensively about the All-New 2013 Lexus GS available in March of 2012. We’re excited because it ushers in the future of our design and performance as more bold, futuristic, and cutting edge than ever before. Want a GS? You’ll no doubt be able to get great closeout pricing (stay tuned for that) on the remaining 2011’s if you want to take advantage of that. Or, you can wait for this new model and be on the vanguard of Lexus ownership!

Lexus RX 350: One of our best selling models has some striking styling changes: Dark headlight surrounds and 19-inch wheels with a Superchrome finish.  One of the best changes for the RX line overall is the fact that all RX’s now run just fine on 87 octane. Finally, as with many other models this year, Smoky Granite Mica has been replaced by Nebula Gray Pearl.

On the local front, we recently sponsored two big fundraising events for two worthy local arts organizations. In October, we were a sponsor for the Charleston Symphony Orchestra League’s Black Tie Benefit Ball to benefit the Charleston Symphony Orchestra. In November, we were the premier sponsor of the 2011 Gala for the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry. This event raised money to fund the museum’s many programs, including those for underserved neighborhood children and their families.

Finally: Our halls are decked and ready for the holidays, and our annual December to Remember Sales Event kicked off on November 18 to give you even more time to take advantage of great year end pricing. Stay tuned to our Facebook,  Twitter, and YouTube presences for more details on specials and models available!

There’s a lot of buzz about the new 2013 Lexus GS that debuted at Pebble Beach on August 18. Last week, Mark Templin, General Manager of Lexus, took to the Lexus Twitter account (@Lexus) for a Tweet chat to answer questions and get feedback on this awesome new model. We took part in the conversation there as well, (@LexusChasSC) and thought we’d summarize the high points in a Q and A format:

How many versions of the GS will be available?  There will be several versions in addition to the one debuted at Pebble Beach. The Hybrid debuts in September in Frankfurt, and the F-Sport  edition will be shown in November at SEMA in Las Vegas.

How roomy is the GS compared to its previous generation?  The 2013 GS has more leg, shoulder and head room and 25% more trunk space than its predecessors.

Will the GS feature any new colors? The GS 350 will feature three exterior colors that are new to the Lexus color palette:  Riviera Red, Meteor Blue Metallic, and Liquid Platinum. You’ll have to wait to see what the other colors are – but we will say that black is also an exterior color. Interior  colors/trim will take their design cues from the CT200h.

Can the new remote touch on the GS be operated  at speeds above 5miles per hour? We have a new conversational voice recognition system so you won’t have to take your hands off the wheel.

What is the City/Highway MPG?  The MPG is: city 20 / 27 Highway / 23 combo.

Will it have Apple Products integration?  Yes, like our current cars, there will be iPod, iPhone & iPad connectivity.

When will it be at my dealership? Production begins in December the vehicles will begin arriving at dealerships in February 2012.

How much does it cost? Pricing will be made available closer to product launch. (We tried on this one, we really did. Mark just would not say.)

Certainly, there is a lot more to know about this amazing new car; we just wanted to give you a taste here of what we learned. You can go here to get more specifics, and we’ll keep you updated as more info is released. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @LexusChasSC, ‘Like’ us on Facebook, and check out our YouTube Channel!

Now it’s your turn:  Are you excited about the 2013 Lexus GS?  How about that spindle grill?

This year has been very eventful for us here at Lexus, and for and our sister company, Toyota. We’ve been challenged by the earthquake in Japan, heartened by the recent legal rulings in Toyota’s favor, and also energized by our increased presence in the hybrid market. If you like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter, you’ve doubtless seen our updates about these events. Still, with so much going on it’s nice to have a ready reference that has information all in one place, so here it is:

You can still donate to the relief efforts and get up up-to-date information about Japan by visiting the Red Cross Website. The situation continues to improve, but they still need our help.

North American vehicle production levels are expected to return to 100 percent in September, Toyota recently announced. On average, current production has improved to more than 80 percent through August. Eight of the company’s 12 North American-built models returned to 100 percent production on June 6. You can get more info on this good news here.

Lexus is committed to revolutionizing the hybrid market. This began with the the launch of the CT200h, the very first hybrid luxury compact. Next came the debut of the LF-Gh at the New York Auto Show, and our Engineering Amazing Campaign just kicked off. Lexus has already developed the technology of tomorrow–Lexus Hybrid DriveTechnology–which can power your vehicle regardless of the fuel. You’ll be hearing much more about this in the months ahead.

Here at Lexus of Charleston, we have some local news and events to share:

Our Customer Amenity Program from 6/1/11 – 8/1/11 is designed for customers whose new vehicle delivery is delayed more than 30 days due to production challenges in Japan. As a token of appreciation for their patience in awaiting their new vehicle delivery, Lexus will offer these customers one of the following two amenities for deliveries delayed more than 30 days:
 
XM Radio: Complimentary one year subscription extended (in addition to the initial complimentary 3 months)
OR
Safety Connect: Complimentary one year subscription extended (in addition to the initial complimentary year)
It’s our way of saying “thank you” for your patience and loyalty!

Our Summer Sales Event, 60 – 0, features our select Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles available at a great finance rate – 1.9% for up to 60 months with approved credit – now through August 1st.

The Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good campaign gives 100 worthy nonprofits the opportunity to win a car. Local organization Charleston Library Friends is one of the finalists. You can click on the link provided to vote for them. The day to do so is August 2, so mark your calendars!

Let us know of any questions you have. It’s always a pleasure to serve you.

Racing enthusiasts say there’s nothing in the world quite like it: the exhilaration you get from driving a performance car around a racetrack at death defying speeds.

Recently, our very own Jennifer Lane has just such an experience at the LFA Supercar event held at the Palm Beach International Raceway in Jupiter, Florida in March. Since there are just 500 LFA’s being produced and sold worldwide by special order only, this was a rare chance for one of our employees to experience Lexus’ unique combination of luxury and pure performance. Here’s what Jennifer had to say about it, along with a video clip where she is behind the wheel:

“We did two full laps around the track and reached a top speed of about 170mph! I was going about 120mph, but reached a top speed of 155mph myself. Each guest at the event was able to do a “hot lap” with the professional driver after your initial turn driving the LFA. You were in the passenger’s side of the vehicle and the professional driver drove the LFA the way it was meant to be driven! Also, provided was a continental breakfast along with coffee, juices, bottled water and sodas, memorabilia of the LFA and special LFA name badges. It was an amazing experience and would go again in a heartbeat! Well worth the 16 hour drive!!!

If you had the opportunity to put a Supercar through its’ paces, would you do it?

The recent earthquake in Japan is a sobering reminder of how lives can be devastated in the blink of an eye by the sheer force of Mother Nature. We extend our deepest sympathy to all affected by this tragedy.

We thought you’d like to know what we, and our sister company Toyota, are doing to assist in the relief efforts, as well as insure that the disaster’s impact is minimal for our customers:

• As reported last week, Toyota will be donating 3.75 Million to the relief effort. “We continue to place priority on supporting the relief efforts in the regions affected and ensuring that our team members, the employees at subsidiary vehicle manufacturers and at our suppliers — and all their respective family members — are safe,” Toyota said in a prepared statement.

• Toyota has created a unique website through the American Red
  Cross for all Toyota and Lexus employees to contribute in one location. This will enable tracking of the aggregate donations being made on behalf of both companies, and from dealers and suppliers.  The website went live on March 15, and we anticipate future updates to share on how much is donated. The Red Cross is the key aid organization collecting donations for relief efforts; you can make individual donations as well.

• This morning, March 22, Toyota announced the decision to continue the halt in production of new vehicles until March 26. Japan resumed production of replacement parts for vehicles already on the market on March 17, and resumed the production of parts for overseas production on March 21. We’ll keep you apprised of further developments there as information becomes available.

Of course, the business side of the equation is secondary to the immediate relief needs, and Toyota is committed to playing a key role in these efforts. Here is a great site that offers other worthy organizations assisting in the effort that you may wish to support.

We’d love to know from you of any other efforts underway you’ve supported or plan to support, so please leave these suggestions in our comments area!

We’re not going to sugar coat it: 2010 was not an easy year for the automotive industry.  The number of recalls undertaken by our parent company, Toyota, with the most recent happening last week, is unprecedented in our industry. But recalls are a fact of life for all automakers, and force everyone in our industry to continually reevaluate and improve our process to make cars safer. In the grand scheme of things, that’s a good development for all car buyers. Doubt that? Read our earlier post about the inherent value of the current proactive recall environment, and why it’s important to keep it all in perspective.

We’re quite optimistic about 2011 for many reasons: First, overall U.S. auto sales rose by 6% in January over the same period last year, with some makers experiencing significant increases, some showing slight decreases, and others more or less holding their own, as Lexus did.  U.S. auto sales rose more than 20 percent in February, with Toyota experiencing a whopping 42% increase! This surpassed all predictions and says a great deal about customer satisfaction and loyalty. And certainly, the recent report by NASA and the NHTSA which found that the sudden acceleration was not caused by the electrical system bolstered consumer confidence.

Specific to Lexus, how have we risen to the challenges present? We’re proud and humbled to have maintained our position at the top of luxury sales for the eleventh straight year in 2010 by doing what we’ve always done: Providing a dynamic and varied product line with safety, luxury, and performance at the forefront. People know they can trust us, and that we’ll take care of them when problems arise. We’re also very excited to meet an emerging market demand for hybrid with the addition to our hybrid line of the CT200h, the world’s very first luxury hybrid compact. This car breaks new ground as the first to successfully combine the elements of performance, luxury, compact size, fuel efficiency, and a starting price point ($29, 120.00) that crosses demographic divisions, as no other car before.

So yes, challenges have come to our industry before and will undoubtedly arise again. But, bumps in the road only make us stronger and better able to respond to the needs and wants of our customers.  Not to mention remind us all that we’re human.

Have you seen it? Our latest commercial has five of our vehicles suspended by cable from a crane over our Supercar now in production – the LFA. It is driven under the suspended cars and the driver get out and calmly walks away – with over 29,000 pounds of steel and glass suspended but a few feet above his head.

Ok, you can let your breath out now. This feat brings attention to the painstaking attention to detail and high quality we put into the manufacture of each of our vehicles. It’s called The Hard Way, and in the weeks ahead, you’ll be hearing even more details about the amazingly high standards we apply to processes, craftsmanship, and testing.

But back to then commercial itself: You may be thinking: Well, that’s nice, and just what types of special effects were used to pull this off? The answer: None. Zero. Nada.

So, why in the world would Lexus do this? Lexus wanted to further test and quantify the tensile strength of our cars – an important component in determining their safety for you.  The results of this experiment are quite remarkable: The weight of four Lexus cars is actually being supported by the chassis of the fifth Lexus, the LS. The result demonstrates the unyielding strength of its chassis. Numerous testing was done to test the structural integrity of the vehicle, but no extra structural integrity was added to any of the vehicles.

Amazed? You can learn more about the background of this effort here. Also, check our Facebook page, and follow us on Twitter for more on how we at Lexus of Charleston pursue “The Hard Way” at the dealership level, too!

As 2010 draws to a close, we thought you’d like to know some of the great events ahead here at Lexus of Charleston, and with the Lexus brand.

December to Remember is still going strong, and offers you an opportunity to purchase a new 2010 or 2011 Lexus at wonderful savings. Head on over to our website to learn more.

Toyota recently announced an exciting new direction that Lexus is taking to chart a course in “Progressive Luxury.”  Think of it as smart luxury, where we increase our green credentials, with an emphasis on hybrids, without compromising luxury or performance. It’s a bold step which also includes more advanced telematics and sportier designs.  We’ll have more info to offer on this exciting new development in the months ahead.

We’ll be hosting our next New Owner’s Breakfast on two dates:  Saturday, January 8, and Saturday, February 5^th. These breakfasts are designed to occur after you’ve had some time to absorb the features and technological capabilities of your new Lexus.

On the day you take delivery of your new vehicle, we know the amount of information you receive is sometimes overwhelming. This casual hands-on session is for you to review the full capabilities of your navigation and Bluetooth systems and to answer questions you may have about them, or any other aspect of Lexus ownership, after you’ve had some time with your car. We’ll be sending out invitations to the first one soon, and ask that you RSVP to Jennifer Lane jennifer.lane@hendrickauto.com.

Don’t forget about our sponsorship of a brand new Lexus for the BB&T Wine and Food Festival. Sponsorships are still available at $100.00 apiece.

Finally, from our family to yours: We just can’t thank you enough for being one of our customers, and we wish you a safe and happy New Year!

Seasons Greetings! We’re closing out a great year with our annual December to Remember Sales Event.  We wanted to give you some of its details here, so you’ll have one place to retrieve this information.

First of all, why should you consider buying or leasing a Lexus at year end? In our last post we told you about new for 2011 vehicular control and braking features which make our cars more intuitive, and your driving experience even safer and better than before.   Another most noteworthy feature is Lexus Enform with Safety Connect, introduced for model year 2010 on select models only.  For 2011, it is available on all Lexus models. It has a mobile app available as well for the Android, Blackberry, and iPhone.

Finally, do you own or lease a 2000 or newer Mercedes, BMW, Acura, Audi, Lincoln, Cadillac, or Infiniti? Lexus is offering a $1000.00 reward toward the purchase or lease of any new 2010 or 2011 Lexus with your vehicle’s trade-in at the time of sale. Keep in mind also that if you trade every couple of years, you’ll get higher resale value for a 2011.

Over the past ten years, Lexus has sold more luxury cars in the United States than any other automaker. Why? Because we offer unparalleled safety, performance, value, luxury, and customer service. Go here to see specific offerings for our December to Remember Sales Event. And be sure to stop by our Dealership – we are in full holiday mode and ready to serve you.