When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Looks to me that the Russian brochure is the most thorough.
Wonder where to get that "GX 460" sign which goes on the front license plate? I think it will look good to break this chasm of a grille. Or perhaps a plate with Lexus logo "L"
Not sure they sell that plate. Most of the translations were talking about the grill design. You'd probably have to get it custom made and then use a license plate bracket from these Eurasian markets. My area requires license plates on front and rear so moot point for me. :-)
Originally Posted by cancruiser
Looks to me that the Russian brochure is the most thorough.
Wonder where to get that "GX 460" sign which goes on the front license plate? I think it will look good to break this chasm of a grille. Or perhaps a plate with Lexus logo "L"
I like having physical documentation as well so found a '12 GX 460 brochure for sale online.
Unrelated to brochures but found a good deal on an official & physical '12 wiring diagram book as well. I have heard there have been some discrepancies between existing electronic FSMs and TIS so want to see if the physical book is even more accurate.
I ran text through translation tool and came back with this:
"This is an automobile plant in Takhara, Aichi Prefecture — the cradle of
the Lexus GX luxury SUV, as well as all its predecessors. Today our
guide will be Kenji Suzuki, craftsman Takumi is retired, who
participated in the creation of the very first Lexus back in 1989. While
we were greeting and introducing ourselves to each other, I was simply
fascinated by his hands. The hands of a master. None of the modern
technologies that we will see at the most automated automobile plant in
Japan will be able to replace them. Four million square meters-factory
in Takhar, it is immense. And at the same time, Suzuki greets us as if
we have entered the master's studio. He is happy to talk not only about
the technological arsenal, but also about the skills of his colleagues.
On the way to the paint shop, we noticed a huge warehouse of steel rolls
waiting for double cleaning before stamping into the attractive body
panels that make up the Lexus GX. All this happens under the watchful
eye of master Takumi, who is constantly looking for the smallest flaws —
barely noticeable spots on the surface, almost indistinguishable errors
of tool processing. When we entered the paint shop, we saw how the
workers meticulously processed the paintwork with wet sanding by hand,
bringing it to an ideal state. Then everything around changes: RGB
lighting turns on, which helps to make sure that the result of the work
is, well, at least, perfection. A word that sounds often in these walls.
The workers of the assembly shop are a reflection of the harmony of man
and machine. While precision lasers guarantee that the error is
minimized, masters can distinguish the difference between the gap in 1
mm and 2 mm. They know what this one means a millimeter for dashboard
vibrations. Meanwhile, their colleagues are carefully installing
carefully selected leather fabrics and decorative mahogany panels that
emphasize the luxury style of the SUV. Suddenly, the rhythmic hum that
accompanied us disappears, and absolute silence reigns. But this silence
does not mean that the work is finished. Looking at Suzuki, I felt him
switch from tactile to acoustic senses. Now we are in a quiet room where
the masters Takumi uses her exceptional hearing and ultra-sensitive
microphones, scrupulously checking the smoothness of each Lexus GX.
Finally, we exchanged a few words with one of the test drivers of the
Lexus GX, who checks every car coming off the assembly line in road
conditions. He was very sorry that he could not show us the test stage,
in which he completely releases the steering wheel at a speed of 100
km/h. Maybe next time. Most of all , the harmonious union of high
technologies and human skill is impressive at the factory in Takhar, and
our guide is a vivid confirmation of this. I wanted to ask Suzuki about
how long ago he retired, because he does not communicate at all like a
pensioner. He plunges into the development process of the Lexus GX with
no less enthusiasm than when working on the first Lexus 30 years ago."
Other excerpts in brochure:
"Combining Lexus design elements with stunning off-road advantages, the
Lexus GX is distinguished by the spaciousness that you expect from a
large car. In the front part, the attention is immediately attracted by
the Lexus branded radiator grille, surrounded by ultra-compact triple
LED headlights that emphasize the bold appearance of Lexus. It took
months of hard work to create the branded Lexus GX radiator grille . It
took hundreds of sketches and several prototypes before the general
concept was approved. In its final form, the upper and lower parts of
the grid form a single expressive whole, and the matte finish of the
surrounding surfaces accentuates the bright visual solution. The shape
and location of each element of the grid are thought out to the smallest
detail, perfectly matching the overall design of the car. The low-lying
radiator grille gives the Lexus GX a confident look on the road, and its
trapezoidal shape contributes to air cooling of the engine compartment.
"We went into the smallest nuances to preserve the expressive
appearance, as well as to ensure maximum safety of pedestrians", -
explains Tatsuya Hattori from the Lexus Product development division.
His team was responsible for creating the final concept of the radiator
grille. New Lexus radiator grille The GX is a masterpiece of Takumi
masters and the embodiment of the genuine spirit of Lexus. Its complex
design, created according to a thoroughly thought -out plan with the
help of molding technology, suggests the delightful impressions that
await you when driving this special SUV."
"Fluctuations in winter temperatures in the city of Timmins, Ontario,
usually range from -10 to -40 degrees Celsius. No one wants to stay here
without a really good reason. Previously, such a reason was gold. The
city was founded during the Gold Rush in the early XX centuries and
continues to exist because the mines are still profitable. However,
employees Lexus was attracted here not by gold, but by the cold.
Meter-high snowdrifts are just one of the features of a cold climate. As
a result of the alternation of thaw and frost, ice accumulates where it
is it shouldn't be. It damages the windscreen wipers. it penetrates the
door locks and freezes the windows to such a state that they cannot be
opened. At a temperature of -20 °C, minor troubles like these can put a
car, including a luxury Lexus GX SUV, out of order, which is why Lexus
has built a winter testing center in Timmins. The average number of the
first groups of test engineers was twelve people-mostly Japanese.
Currently, the teams consist of about eight specialists, mostly North
Americans, two of whom are we were working on Saturday when I arrived at
the center. They were Ken Ziesemer, manager of the department for
assessing the environmental friendliness and reliability of cars, and
Jim Shuker, his colleague and chief technician — not local or even
Canadians. Like all other employees of the Cisemera Group, their
permanent place of work is the city of Phoenix, the state of Arizona,
where they test cars in tiring, hot desert conditions. The employees of
the Cisemer group come to Timmins in shifts of two. Thus, there are
always two specialists in the test center. Winter season it starts in
November with tests in Fairbanks, the state of Alaska, and in January,
when it gets too cold in Alaska, the team moves again to Timmins, where
he stays until the end of February. Most of the test drives take place
on public roads around Timmins. Both Tsisemer and Shuker - careful and
attentive people are a characteristic feature of many engineers. The
period of their joint work is already 16 years, they understand each
other perfectly from a half-word. Driving a Lexus GX they listen for
strange noises in the suspension or gearbox, identify cases non-standard
braking, pay attention to other factors that may make the driver nervous
or indicate problems. Long-term tests can take a whole day or even more.
Various types of vibrations are noted using Japanese phrases that Lexus
engineers around the world know and understand. For example, the
onomatopoeic expressions "gotsu gotsu" (shaking) and "buru buru"
(vibrations). On the day of my arrival , the pines and birches were
covered with a dense layer of snow, but the sun was shining brightly,
the temperature was moderate. During our SUV ride Lexus GX nothing
happened. Neither "gotsu gotsu" nor "buru buru". Then Zisemer took one
of a dozen Lexus GX SUVs undergoing testing to do a lap around the test
center track. On a specialized track, he accelerated the car faster to
check for sudden braking, deviation, acceleration and deceleration in
sharp turns. But the luxury SUV always obeyed the steering wheel. No
sliding. No drifts. I was especially impressed by the emergency braking,
when the car was moving smoothly to a complete stop. It was possible to
notice only a slight vibration in the anti-lock system the brake system
(ABS)."