Luxury loving drivers beware: About 270,000 vehicles sold worldwide, including as many as seven Lexus models (and one Toyota), have faulty engines that could stall while in motion.

Sure, no accidents have yet been linked to the problem. In fact, Toyota has not even revealed how they know there's a problem. But for undisclosed reasons, Japan's chief business daily, Nikkei, reported that Toyota may recall tens of thousands of the Lexus LS 460 model. Other stalling suspects include the GS 350, GS 450h, GS 460, IS 350, LS 600h and LS 600h L, plus the Toyota Crown.

So far, Toyota has decided to recall all 90,000 of the 270,000 vehicles in question sold in Japan, but not the 137,000 sold in the U.S. yet, saying that each country has different regulatory processes.

The potential number of recalled Lexi pales in comparison to the roughly eight million Toyota vehicles recalled because of the possibility of sudden, unintended acceleration.

Still, Toyota has taken to touting its Star Safety System: Five driver aids that now come standard on all Toyotas including Vehicle Stability Control, Traction Control, Anti-lock Brake System, Electronic Brake-force Distribution and Brake Assist.

The company's released two commercials publicizing the new standards, featuring hip families and an ethnic medley of young professionals. It's a lot of fancy footwork to put out on the media market.

Translation? "Desperate."