2005 Lexus Es330 Leather Moon Roof Heated Seats 136,370 Miles Front Wheel Drive on 2040-cars

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Toyota tops Kelley Blue Book's Resale Value Awards

Kelley Blue Book announced its annual Best Resale Value Award winners, and we weren't too surprised to see the list dominated by Japanese automakers - mainly Toyota and Honda. KBB hands out the awards based on the projected residual value of mostly all 2013 model year vehicles, and Toyota skated home with a number of awards including 10 of the 22 overall categories and having five of its products in the top 10 for models with best resale value. KBB's Best Resale Value Awards were announced in the same week as the ALG Residual Value Awards, and there were many similarities between both lists, especially when it came to Toyota.
To come up with its winners, KBB measures depreciation over the first five years of ownership, and looks for the cars it expects to hold its value the best after this time; on average, the report says the 2013 model year vehicles will lose 61.8 percent of its value in five years. Of the 22 categories, 15 slots were filled by Toyota, Honda and Nissan products, while the Camaro and Porsche (Cayenne and Panamera) each took home a pair of awards. If Toyota has anything to be upset about in this list of cars, it's that categories for Hybrid/Alternative Energy Car and Electric Vehicle went to the Ford Fusion and Chevrolet Volt, respectively.
The overall top 10 models for the best resale value in 2013 are, in alphabetical order:

2015 Lexus LS gets tighter turning radius, new infotainment

Go back a couple of decades and the thought of a Japanese automaker challenging the German limousines would have seemed laughable, but 25 years later the Lexus LS is a mainstay of the luxury sedan market. And it didn't get there by sitting on its laurels, so it should come as little surprise that Lexus is offering some small tweaks as it enters the 2015 model year.
This time around the upgrades are rather minor, consisting primarily of a new multimedia system. It's got an updated navigation system with 12.3-inch display, revised backup camera imagery with dynamic gridlines, and an enhanced Lexus Enform App Suite that can control the locks, ignition, climate control and more, remotely.
While they were at it, Toyota's engineers also reduced the turning circle by four inches (on cars fitted with 18-inch wheels), and enhanced the F Sport package as well. Otherwise, it's essentially the same LS we've always known.

2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible gets an $8K base price increase

When the 2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible arrives in dealers this summer, it will carry a price tag starting at $102,025, including the $1,025 destination charge. That's $8,050 more than the base 2021 LC 500 Coupe.  As we learned when the droptop LC was revealed at the L.A. Auto Show last year, Lexus did more than simply saw off the roof. Engineers improved chassis rigidity by adding, reshaping and/or relocating structural braces, including the rear suspension brace tower. To counter this, weight is reduced at the rear by using a die-cast aluminum suspension brace, and a unique dampener is used to ensure comparable ride quality as the coupe. Unsprung weight at the front suspension was also reduced. In total, only 217 total pounds were added for the convertible over the 2019 LC 500 coupe. The new soft-top has four layers, and Lexus says its fabric was selected to make sure that it would stay tight and prevent wrinkling. Excellent sound insulation is promised, but Active Noise Control is also employed, whether the roof is raised or lowered, to further suppress noise. The roof is lowered in 15 seconds and raised in 16. A rigid tonneau cover is employed when the roof is lowered. Design changes for the convertible include a trunk lip that's been raised slightly and widened. The center brake light is integrated into it ͖ it's normally above the back window. The beltline and rear molding were also reshaped to suppress wind, while a transparent plastic wind deflector is integrated neatly behind the back seat. Should that not sufficiently keep the chill out, an available neck-level heater has been added to the seats similar to what you'd find in various Mercedes convertibles.  Other feature updates include the addition of Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa connectivity, but the LC's version of Remote Touch does not get the RX's touchscreen functionality.  Now, should you really be digging the Structural Blue paint job pictured here, along with the very Santorini-like complementary white interior, know that it's exclusive to the Inspiration Series. It'll be restricted to only 100 units and costs $18,800. Besides the unique paint and interior, the LC's other options are included along with a two-piece set of Zero Halliburton Pursuit Aluminum luggage designed specially for Lexus. Swank.