Lexus Chile has honored me by featuring my LS 400 in their history timeline:

My photo:

I'm not entirely sure why my '94 LS is filed under 2001, but you won't catch me complaining.

Today marks the first anniversary of The Passionate Pursuit! It's funny the way time works, at times it feels like I've only just started, and in another way, it seems like something I've always done. I've learned a lot over the past year, running this site is a very rewarding experience.

To mark the occasion, I asked the photographers of some of my favorite photos over the last year to contribute their images as wallpapers for my readers. The response was great, and I've very grateful to be able to share these images:

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Thanks to all my loyal readers, there's plenty in store for the next year and I'm happy to have you on board.

Kevin RE Watts,
Editor, The Passionate Pursuit

No matter how unsubtle my hints were, I have some real doubts that I'll be getting an Lexus LS 600hL for Christmas, December to Remember or no. Hopefully, some of you out there have better luck!

(Posting will resume on Boxing Day December 27th. Santa left me the flu for Christmas.)

It's been a long time coming, but tomorrow begins my search for a suitable car for my girlfriend, Karissa. Having driven a 1993 Toyota 4runner for the last five years, she's looking for an upgrade in comfort, gas mileage and safety. Of course, it's going to be a Lexus.

Now, there was talk of buying another brand, perhaps an Acura or a BMW, but nothing all that serious. It's certainly no secret which car company I was pushing. In the end, it was a process of elimination:

• No large sedans
• No V8s
• Nothing new/nearly-new (which she refuses to buy due to depreciation)

This left us with the RX, the IS, and the ES. In our test drives at the local dealer, the RX was too big and the IS too small, leaving us with a single choice. Only problem, Karissa doesn't like the ES 330 and its super-Camry look, meaning we're going a few years back, to the 1997-2001 ES 300.

I've arranged for us to test-drive eight ES 300s tomorrow, all in Toronto. Armed with days of research, a list of common problems and an eye for blue smoke from the exhausts, I'm looking forward to it.

If you're anything of a car buff, and I'm going to assume you are, you've probably already come across this week's site: Autopia. In a nutshell, it's the place to go when you want to get your car in tip-top shape, inside and out.

When I bought the Lexus last year, I spent days here, finding out the best way to take care of my new purchase. Several hundred dollars later, I had a machine buffer and so many different polishes and waxes my girlfriend thought I was going insane.

Of course, and I'm sure it happens to everyone who frequents this site, I debated becoming a professional detailer. Clients were easy to find, and within weeks I was polishing swirls from Jaguars and Range Rovers. It was then I learned a valuable lesson: It's never as much fun as taking care of your own car.

The best place to start, if you're a beginner, is with their amazing tutorial section. Then, once you're read up on the basics of detailing, dive into their extensive forums, spend some time admiring the Click & Brags, and search for any question that crosses your mind. Believe me, the answer is there. It always is.

It all started with the LS400.

I remember the first time I noticed one, admittedly mistaking it for a Mercedes, only to see that silver L and think I'd seen something rare, like a Ferrari or a Lamborgini.

Of course, that wasn't the case, but the truth impressed me even more, a Japanese Luxury brand, created by Toyota. I was and remain enamored with Japanese culture, and to me it seemed like the perfect vehicle. I knew what my first car purchase was going to be.

Fast forward nine years, finally in the position to buy a car, and there was only one choice -- My girlfriend and I bought a 1994 LS400 and my obsession was solidified:

Of course, buying the car was just the beginning. I started spending more and more time on the Lexus forums researching and reading up on every conceivable topic, following every single shred of news. It wasn't too long before my car and Lexus became an obsession.

This website is a result of that obsession. Welcome to The Passionate Pursuit, dedicated to bringing you all the most up-to-date and interesting news on all things Lexus.

My name is Kevin RE Watts and I can be contacted here.

Let's begin.