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Junkyard Gem: 1991 Lexus ES 250

When the Lexus LS 400 first appeared here in late 1989 (as a 1990 model), sellers of German-made luxury sedans broke out in the shaky sweats and car shoppers flocked to see — and buy — this well-built statusmobile that retailed for about 60% of the price of the cheapest S-Class. Not attracting nearly as much attention at the time was the other introductory vehicle of the Lexus brand: the ES 250. Sold here for just the 1990 and 1991 model years, the first-generation ES was the most Camry-like of its kind and the hardest to find today. Here's a '91 in a San Francisco Bay Area yard. All of the ESs for the model's first couple of decades were based on the Camry, so they benefited from the Camry's famous reliability while suffering from its not-so-exciting image. Toyota made a good effort to make the 1990-1991 cars look something like their LS big brothers, but their Camry origins are quite obvious from most angles. Later ESs got more distinctive body panels and sales got stronger when that happened. Power came from this 2.5-liter V6, which was the hairiest engine available in the 1991 US-market Camry. 159 horsepower, which was pretty good for a car like this in the early 1990s. A five-speed manual transmission could be had in the ES 250 and ES 300 through the 1993 model year, but those early-1990s American car shoppers wishing for a midsize luxury sedan with three pedals generally opted for an Audi or BMW, with most of the rest settling on the Acura Legend. I'll keep looking out for a five-speed ES in a car graveyard, of course, but finding any first-gen ES has been a tough challenge in itself. This one got within 252 miles of the 200,000 mark, not bad for a typical 1991 car but also not especially impressive for a member of the Camry family. The interior was much nicer than what you got in any Camry, but junkyard shoppers have hit this one hard and its opulence no longer shines through. Toyotas had some variation of this switch from the late 1970s and into our current century. This version comes straight out of the Cressida. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. That Lexus noise-testing room sure is impressive! This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Good in the rain, too. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Lexus dumps RC F Super GT in favor of stunning LC 500 racer

Japan's Super GT series remains a favorite at the Autoblog office, because like British Touring Cars and Germany's DTM, the cars look vaguely like the ones you can actually buy, and the racing is close and intense. And next year, Japan's wildest racing will include the Lexus LC 500. Toyota and Gazoo Racing are phasing out the old RC F – which will continue racing here in the US GT3 ranks since it's barely a year old – in favor of Lexus' bigger, cushier two-door coupe. The racer depends on a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder – just like every other car in the GT500 ranks – but unlike the 5.0-liter V8 or a 3.5-liter hybrid V6 in the LC 500s folks could actually buy. But let's ignore the mechanicals, because look at this monstrous racer. The LC is already the best looking car to wear Lexus' polarizing design language, but the aggressive cuts, angles, and oddly shaped headlights look great when paired with a Super GT car's aerodynamic appendages. Monstrous, flared wheel arches, a mammoth rear wing, and side skirts big enough to serve drinks on are just a few of the aero improvements for the LC 500 racer. Then, there's the really cool stuff, like the exhaust exit in the passenger side door. All cars should have side-exit exhausts in the door. According to Toyota and Gazoo's Google Translated website, the new LC 500 Super GT500 will campaign in the 2017 season. We can't wait to see it hit the track. Related Video:

May Mobility announces A2GO autonomous shuttle in Ann Arbor, Mich.

PONTIAC, Mich. — Today, at the Motor Bella auto show, May Mobility announced it would launch its A2GO autonomous shuttle service in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where the company is headquartered. The free service launches on October 11, and users can hail a ride through an app. The program will employ four Lexus RX 450h vehicles, servicing Ann ArborÂ’s downtown, Kerrytown district, the University of MichiganÂ’s Central Campus, and the State Street Corridor, covering a service area of 2.64 square miles. Each car will have a supervisor in the driverÂ’s seat to intervene if needed. The on-demand service keeps accessibility in mind with a wheelchair-accessible vehicle in the fleet. May Mobility and its partners will collect anonymous data to “help the city identify the weak and less safe zones in order to better plan infrastructures,” according to Bastien Beauchamp, CEO of !important Safety Technologies, a partner of the A2GO pilot. “Our vision is to transform cities through autonomous mobile to change the way people get around,” said May Mobility CEO Edwin Olson. “ItÂ’s especially exciting to be launching in our hometown. Ann Arbor is the eighth city to host a May Mobility shuttle service. So far, May Mobility has provided more than 285,000 autonomous rides globally. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Green Detroit Auto Show Misc. Auto Shows Lexus Transportation Alternatives Emerging Technologies Crossover SUV Autonomous Vehicles Hybrid