Pebble Beach Edition

Lexus announced plans at the Chicago auto show to expand its line of Pebble Beach Edition vehicles. Until now only a SC 430 has worn the Pebble Beach badge each year since 2003.

Production is limited to 6000 units per model with sales beginning for the RX this February and the ES in March.

Pebble Beach Edition customers also get to select items from three personalization packages. The Callaway Golf Experience comes with the choice of various golf clubs and balls. A Travel Package includes a luggage set and personalized luggage tags. And the Epicurean Encounter give customers a Viking cutlery set, cookware set and $200 Viking cooking school gift card.

pebblebeach

Lexus pondering smaller, cheaper SUV, should they do it?

Toyota is contemplating a compact Lexus SUV that could go head-to-head pricewise against the Acura RDX and Infiniti EX35, according to an Automotive News report. Currently, Lexus lacks a small crossover SUV that competes in a similar pricepoint with premium Japanese competition.

The Lexus RX 350, Lexus’ smallest SUV, currently rivals the BMW X3 with its base price of $38,165. Acura and Infiniti’s offerings come in cheaper by thousands of dollars, but Toyota executives worry that Lexus-standard luxury features and build quality cannot be maintained at a lower price point. Reportedly, another concern for Toyota the dilution of the Lexus brand and overlap with Toyota models — both of which could result in a possible loss of prestige for the luxury automaker.

Lexus