2001 Lexus Gs300 Base Sedan 4-door 3.0l on 2040-cars

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Toyota reveals latest autonomous tech test bed

Toyota revealed its latest autonomous technology effort Friday, a sophisticated Lexus LS 600hL prototype that showcases its plans to advance in the emerging field. The Lexus is the first developed entirely by the company's in-house Toyota Research Institute and it will focus on the car's ability to learn and see behavior on the road. Toyota is showing the car at the Prius Challenge event at Sonoma Raceway. The Lexus uses Lidar, radar, and sensors, which potentially reduce reliance on mapping. The prototype advances Toyota's last concept vehicle shown at the Consumer Electronics Show in 2013. This one is said to be more flexible and it will focus on Toyota's two autonomous tech pillars, called Guardian and Chauffeur. Guardian is meant to improve safety features, while Chauffeur moves toward full autonomy. "We believe Guardian can probably be deployed sooner and more widely than Chauffeur, providing high-level driver-assist features capable of helping mitigate collisions and save lives, sooner rather than later," Toyota Research Institute Gill Pratt said in a statement. Related Video: Green Lexus Toyota Autonomous Vehicles Luxury Sedan lexus ls

Consumer Reports no longer recommends Honda Civic

Consumer Reports annual Car Reliability Survey is out, and yes, there are some big surprises. First and foremost? The venerable publication no longer recommends the Honda Civic. In fact, aside from the walking-dead CR-Z and limited-release Clarity fuel-cell car, the Civic is the only Honda to miss out on CR's prestigious nod. At the opposite end there's a surprise as well – Toyota and Lexus remain the most reliable brands on the market, but Buick cracked the top three. That's up from seventh last year, and the first time for an American brand to stand on the Consumer Reports podium. Mazda's entire lineup earned Recommended checks as well. Consumer Reports dinged the Civic for its "infuriating" touch-screen radio, lack of driver lumbar adjustability, the limited selection of cars on dealer lots fitted with Honda's popular Sensing system, and the company's decision to offer LaneWatch instead of a full-tilt blind-spot monitoring system. Its score? A lowly 58. The Civic isn't the only surprise drop from CR's Recommended ranks. The Audi A3, Ford F-150, Subaru WRX/STI, and Volkswagen Jetta, GTI, and Passat all lost the Consumer Reports' checkmark. On the flipside, a number of popular vehicles graduated to the Recommended ranks, including the BMW X5, Chevrolet Camaro, Corvette, and Cruze, Hyundai Santa Fe, Porsche Macan, and Tesla Model S. Perhaps the biggest surprise is the hilariously recall-prone Ford Escape getting a Recommended check – considering the popularity of Ford's small crossover, this is likely a coup for the brand, as it puts the Escape on a level playing field with the Recommended Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Nissan Rogue. While Ford is probably happy to see CR promote the Escape, the list wasn't as kind for every brand. For example, of the entire Fiat Chrysler Automobiles catalog, the ancient Chrysler 300 was the only car to score a check – there wasn't a single Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, or Ram on the list. That hurts. FCA isn't alone at the low end, either. GMC, Jaguar Land Rover, Mini, and Mitsubishi don't have a vehicle on CR's list between them, while brands like Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Nissan, Lincoln, Infiniti, and Cadillac only have a few models each. You can check out Consumer Reports entire reliability roundup, even without a subscription, here.

Lexus LC convertible could appear in 18 months, LC F to follow

Auto Express reports that Lexus has a approved a convertible version of the LC, and is close to green-lighting a high-performance LC F trim. The Detroit Bureau reported that the same two models were in development one year ago, citing Lexus sources at the Detroit Auto Show who told the outlet "a number of additional variants" would follow the coupe's launch. The timeline's been stretched a bit between then and now; instead of getting the convertible this year, Auto Express says the "done deal" droptop should arrive in 18 months to two years. It's harder to read what we might get in an LC F. Gossip is that the naturally aspirated, 467-horsepower, 5.0-liter V8 wouldn't be the right motor for a hot LC. That V8 serves in lower-tier F models. so word is that Lexus engineers are considering a 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V8 with around 600 hp. Lexus chose the BMW 650i, Mercedes-Benz S-class coupe, and Jaguar F-Type as competitors to the LC, all of which have convertibles and high-performance trims. Among the specially-tuned challengers, the Jaguar F-Type R comes in with the lowest power figure at 550 hp. Both models would return Lexus to a small, exclusive end of the market where it hasn't held a membership since 2010. Rejoining that soiree — a party hosted by the Germans, because these matters always come back to the Germans — is another huge, and costly, step toward shedding Lexus' somnolent image. Akio Toyoda said the goal for his luxury arm was "that the words 'Lexus' and 'boring' never appear in the same sentence again." A three-model lineup would give the LC a genuine chance to contribute to that aim. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Lexus LC 500 First Drive View 44 Photos News Source: Auto Express Rumormill Lexus Convertible Coupe Luxury Performance lexus lc 500