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Lexus LF-Z Electrified previews future Lexus hybrids and EVs

While the company has yet to release a fully electric car or even plug-in hybrid in the U.S., the company is adamant that it's ramping up electric plans. One way it's doing this is with concept cars, and the latest is the Lexus LF-Z Electrified, just in case you forgot what powers it before the middle of this sentence. It's not a specific preview of any particular model, but is meant as a hint of a series of, well, electrified Lexus models coming in the next few years. The LF-Z is a clear evolution of the LF-30 Electrified concept from the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show. Like that concept, the front of the car effectively inverts the current Lexus grille design, with the "spindle" section in the middle being solid, and the area on either side covered with dark translucent panels that evoke open areas. The whole body is more crisp and creased than the LF-30, and it looks a little more grounded in reality. It has four conventional doors with actual door handles, the proportions are closer to a sedan or fastback, and a seemingly conventional taillight bar. But getting up close reveals many intricate details such as the cubic shapes in the front fascia, the frilled edges of the front fender flares, and the narrow breaks in the lighting. The interior is ultra-minimalist, with all the display systems placed around the driver, and a simple dash that wraps around to the doors and the rear seats. The seats themselves have a similarly geometric design to the exterior, and the choice to highlight the driver seat in a contrasting upholstery is interesting. Likely because the LF-Z doesn't preview any specific upcoming model, Lexus offered nearly no details about what powers the concept beyond electricity. It has the batteries mounted in the floor, and it features dual motors, one for the front wheels and one for the rear wheels, which isn't particularly remarkable. No range or power numbers were given. Steering is done by-wire, kind of like what you'll find in certain modern Infinitis, and the car features other bits of technology that are already available or coming soon to production cars such as augmented reality displays, a smartphone key system, electrochromic roof glass and reclining rear seats. Still, we think it's a distinctive concept car that could spawn some similarly distinct production cars. Lexus announced that between now and 2025, it will launch more than 10 new electrified models as conventional hybrids, plug-in hybrids or fully electric cars.

Volvo S90 Recharge, Lexus RX 350 and spring beer picks | Autoblog Podcast #679

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski. They start off discussing the Volvo S90 Recharge and wonder out loud why the brand's plug-in technology isn't also offered with a wagon body style. They then discuss the Lexus RX350 and why it's likely an ideal premium crossover for a large percentage of buyers. From there, Greg and Jeremy cover some recent news items, including the current state of BMW's coupes and rumors that Toyota's next Land Cruiser will lose its V8 engine in favor of a turbocharged V6. Then it's time to go over some of our current favorite spring beers before turning to the mailbag and spending some listener's money. Autoblog Podcast #679 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars we're driving 2021 Volvo S90 Recharge 2021 Lexus RX 350 News BMW 2 Series preview Land Cruiser powertrain rumors Spring beers Mailbag Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related Video:

Toyota wants improved crash scores with midcycle facelifts

The performances of some Toyotas in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) regimen of crash tests leave something to be desired. Consider the small overlap frontal crash test: only six Toyota, Lexus and Scion vehicles have undergone the new test, yet all but one of them received a poor rating. Osama Nagata, CEO of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Inc., says midcycle vehicle updates are in the works to address the safety issues brought to light by the IIHS test, Automotive News reports. He confirmed that the RAV4 is getting safety updates following its crash test performance last month, but he didn't name any other models.
All three Toyotas that were tested - 2013 RAV4, 2012-2013 Prius V, 2012-2013 Camry - received poor ratings. The 2007-2012 Lexus ES 350 and 2006-2013 IS 250/350 also received poor ratings. The only other Toyota Motor Corp. vehicle to score better than poor is the 2014 Scion TC. It received an acceptable rating in the small overlap frontal crash test and is the only recent vehicle in Toyota's line-up to get the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating.
The small overlap front crash test measures the safety of a car when its front left corner is strikes an object during an accident, bypassing traditional crumple zones, which deform in a way to protect passengers. In 2009, automakers were alerted to the forthcoming addition of the test, which was first implemented last year, IIHS spokesman Russ Rader says. They responded with differing intensity, he says, pointing out that Subaru and Honda started incorporating design changes early on so their cars would perform well in the tests.