2008 Lexus Is250 Sunroof Nav Rear Cam Climate Seats 65k Texas Direct Auto on 2040-cars

Auto blog

10 most memorable cars and SUVs of 2019

It's no surprise that a car reviewer will drive a large number of cars over the course of a year. Indeed, when the clock strikes midnight on Dec 31, I will have driven 75 new cars, trucks and SUV this year (and one old Peugeot) over the course of weekly evaluation loans and first drive events. That sure seems like a lot. Some definitely got more attention than others, and some came and went without leaving much of an impression – I completely forgot I drove a Kia Forte. Yet in the spirit of this day, I thought I'd pick the 10 that I would love to see under the Christmas tree tomorrow morning. You know, just in case you were looking to get me something. I'll also throw in a couple disappointments that were memorable for the wrong reasons. They'd get sent back to the store on Boxing Day. Lexus LC 500 Pictured below and resplendent in its Flare Yellow metallic paint, the car that would reach highest on my list is the divine Lexus LC 500. As a devout lover of GT cars, the LC ticks all the boxes. Muscular and characterful engine? V8, check. Beautifully made and memorable interior? It's gorgeous, to hell with Remote Touch. Check. Comfortable and reasonably practical? Superb seats and, uh, yeah. Makes me want to stand there and stare at it? You bet. Though I long figured my heart would say LC but my head "Porsche 911," after this go-around, that's no longer the case. LC, pretty please. 2020-lexus-lc500-f34-2 View 19 Photos Polestar 1 I actually feel lucky that I got to drive the Polestar 1. Only 150 will be produced each year, and it's a far more special thing than it would initially appear. And that's despite initially appearing to be a beautiful, classic two-door GT car with a roof so rakish it's only possible because it's made of carbon fiber. That itÂ’s a massively powerful plug-in hybrid with more all-electric range than any other PHEV is a thick dollop of whipped cream on a slice of Toscakaka. You know, Swedish dessert, Swedish car. Fine, I'll stick to Ikea references.  Polestar1_Launch_SanFrancisco-0014 View 44 Photos Volvo V60 Cross Country Speaking of Sweden, did I drive this car off the road there? Sure did! And despite this, the V60 Cross Country scratches that certain wagon itch and looks sensational to boot. I wish it were available with the T8 plug-in hybrid powertrain, but it's best not to get greedy at Christmas.

Refreshed 'exciting' Lexus ES takes a bow in Shanghai along with RX 200t

We were expecting a refresh and that's what we got. The 2016 Lexus ES, taken to "the next level of elegance and progressive luxury." A new front fascia design goes even bolder on the spindle grille, hiding the crossmember that separated the upper and lower sections, and rimming the whole thing with satin chrome. It's flanked by new LED projector headlights with the brand's pronounced "arrowhead" DRLs, and new triangular foglights laid into a matching sharp-edged motif. In back you'll find new taillights and chrome-tipped rectangular exhaust tips. In between those two ends, the body has been stiffened and gotten more sound-deadening material. The list of exterior hues grows to ten with the addition of Amber, Nightfall Mica, Caviar, and Eminent White Pearl. A new 20-spoke wheel joins the options list for non-hybrid models, whereas hybrids get a 10-spoke design. The cabin also broadens its tonal range in a variety of materials, with seats available in Flaxen, Parchment, Stratus Gray, and Black, and trim pieces in a choice of Illustrious Piano Black, Linear Dark Mocha Wood, Espresso Bird's Eye Maple with Shimamoku ornamentation, and matte Bamboo. Other touches include a new steering wheel, an embossed pattern on the seats, a leather boot for the gearshift, and a larger TFT display in the gauge cluster. Our engine options here won't change, but China, Russia, and Taiwan will be offered a 2.0-liter, direct-injected four-cylinder designed for China's emissions scheme. A new engine was also the news with the Lexus RX 200t rocking the dais at the Shanghai Motor Show, unveiled to the world next to its ES sibling. Available in certain international markets but not in the US, the RX 200t is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder working through a six-speed automatic transmission. Lexus hasn't released its official horsepower number, but says it's going for more than 228 horsepower; in the NX 200t it gets 235 horsepower 258 pound-feet of torque. You can check out the press release below for more details. Related Video: Refreshed 2016 Lexus ES Fuses Striking Design with Refinement and Safety at Shanghai International Motor Show Lexus RX 200t Also Makes Global Debut Active Safety Technology Integrated Into Lexus Safety System+ April 19, 2015 SHANGHAI, China (April 20, 2015) - As the best-selling sedan model in Lexus' impressive stable, the ES has come to define the very essence of near luxury sedan.

Lexus files to copyright LC 500 nameplates [UPDATE]

UPDATE: Reached for comment, Lexus told Autoblog that it "cannot offer comment on the potential naming of a production version of the LF-LC concept" and pointed out that automakers trademark nameplates as a matter of course. Some automakers already slap a production-ready name on their concepts, but not Lexus. The Japanese automaker typically labels its show cars with the letters LF-XX. So when we heard that Toyota had green-lit the LF-LC concept for production, we naturally started wondering what name the production version would carry. But if the latest intel is any indication, we can stop wondering. According to Lexus Enthusiast, the automaker has filed to trademark the names LC 500 and LC 500h in a variety of markets – including the United States, Canada and Australia. The application tells us a number of things: first of all, that the LF-LC will retain that second set of letters along the road to production (like the NX but unlike other recent Lexus concepts). And secondly, it indicates what engines we can expect to find under the hood. The 500 designation would seem to suggest that the base version of Lexus' upcoming halo sports car will pack the 5.0-liter V8 from the RC F. The bigger question mark is over the hybrid version. Current gasoline-electric models in the company's lineup include the RX 450h (based on a 3.5-liter V6) and the LS 600h (with a 5.0-liter V8). For the LC 500h, Lexus could be planning a more potent electric motor to mate to the 3.5L V6, or planning a new powertrain altogether.