2007 Lexus Es Sedan 4-door 3.5l on 2040-cars

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2021 Lexus LC gets modest updates including less weight, new colors

The Lexus LC is already one of our favorite cars, and the 2021 Lexus LC aims to be even a little better. The luxury automaker has made a number of minor changes to the suspension, infotainment and color schemes. Starting under the skin, Lexus found some weight savings in the wheels and suspension. In fact, the new LC has 22 fewer pounds of unsprung weight thanks to lighter rear wheels, aluminum lower control arms, high-strength steel springs, and tubular anti-roll bars rather than solid ones. Lexus says that these improvements along with retuned shocks should give the new LC a softer, smoother ride. That's not all, as Lexus is now including its Active Cornering Assist technology to the stability control system, which brakes the inside wheels in turns to improve cornering ability. Lexus also adjusted the shift logic for the transmissions in both the V8 LC 500 and hybrid LC 500h to be smoother and more responsive. Users of Android phones will also be pleased to know that Android Auto will be standard equipment on the 2021 LC. Apple CarPlay and Amazon Alexa integration will also continue to be standard. So however you like to interact with your phone and media, you'll be covered. There are a few color updates, too. Cadmium Orange and Nori Green Pearl have been added as exterior colors. The latter you may remember from the limited edition 2020 Lexus Inspiration Series model. Inside, black and tan interiors stick around, while the Rioja Red option is replaced by Flare Red. Sadly, the Bespoke White interior, which featured indigo and orange leather and suede has been discontinued. Pricing and availability for the 2021 Lexus LC has not yet been announced.

Lexus RC F GT3 Racing Concept threatens to go racing

In case you needed more proof that the Lexus RC F is a statement car intended to scream "This is not your father's brand" (yes, we're paraphrasing the tagline of another automaker), here it is: the Lexus RC F GT3 Racing Concept. Lexus introduced a GT500-spec version of the RC F at the Tokyo Auto Salon last month, but this GT3-spec entrant and its Reading Rainbow paint job will get to show off at the Geneva Motor Show to whet the appetites of European racing outfits.
Although referred to as a concept, it will shake that name off when it completes a season of testing this year. Next year, Lexus will make it available to paying customers, and says the car will be cleared to race in the Occident and in Japan's Super GT series alongside its GT500 cousin.

Lexus ES 350 vs. Lincoln MKZ

Despite a lineup of well-received crossovers on the Lexus showroom, the midsize Lexus ES 350 four-door continues to appeal to consumers. Many of those customers are older, so you won't see marketing budgets directed toward them; no one, other than the pharmaceutical companies, is spending money marketing to baby boomers. But a midsize, moderately expressive sedan with an easy buying experience and almost coddled ownership still has its fans, and the Lexus ES 350 delivers those attributes in spades. We'd like to say Lincoln's MKZ (pictured above) is hot on the Lexus' heels, but Lincoln's lineup remains a work in progress. The Fusion-based MKZ offers a nice mix of attributes, but Lincoln's dealer count has shrunk, and many Lincoln outlets are located within – or immediately adjacent to – Ford stores. If a Fusion-based Lincoln credibly aspires to Lexus-like attributes, the same won't be said for the Ford showrooms. Here are the offerings: The Lexus ES 350 team has, over the sedan's several variations, worked hard to separate the volume Lexus from Toyota's similar Camry, and in 2017 that separation might actually be quantifiable. To its credit, the ES 350 (pictured at left) comes with but one non-hybrid drivetrain, a 3.5 liter V6 connected to a six-speed automatic driving the front wheels. With it, the ES 350 delivers a motoring experience bordering on the sublime. With the exception of its now-predictable big mouth grille, the balance of the ES sheetmetal is responsibly muted, inoffensive to the eye and should wear well through the typical payment cycle. Access to its moderately upscale interior is easy, and once inside you'll find expansive room (some 100 cubic feet) for four, along with adequate space for the occasional fifth. With a curb weight of just 3,600 pounds, the V6's 268 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque is responsive, and that's evident in the four-door's 7-second sprint to 60. This isn't a track day or autocross weapon, but if part of your day is a stressful commute, this will make it less so. With a base – albeit well appointed – spec, the ES 350 retails for just under $40,000. We would order ours in Atomic Silver, even if "atomic" seems so last-century. If you can forget – for a minute – the Matthew McConaughey connection, know that Lincoln's MKZ is fully credible as a midsize, mid-fashion sedan. If you like your Fords with more expressive interiors and additional driving refinement, there's a lot to like in Lincoln's MKZ.