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Lexus GS production and sales halted in Europe

We last wrote about the Lexus GS one year ago to editorialize about the rumored death of the luxury brand's sports sedan. Now, Dutch outlet AutoRAI claims to have gotten confirmation from Lexus Europe that the automaker stopped taking orders for the GS in March, and will cease production of the Euro-spec model in April. In keeping with last year's speculation, AutoRAI reports the next-generation, front-wheel-drive ES will fill the role of the rear-wheel-drive GS there. What this means for the GS in the States? We sill don't know. But we do know that the ES moved 51,398 units here last year, compared to GS sales of 7,773. Those numbers represent double-digit declines compared to 2016, when the sold ES sold 51,398 units and the GS sold 14,878. In August 2017, spy photographers caught the 2019 ES testing with the Audi A6 and Mercedes-Benz E-Class, hinting the coming ES has grander aspirations than being a florid Toyota Avalon. That still wouldn't make the ES a pure replacement for a sporty rear-drive sedan, but are there enough GS buyers for Lexus to care? Last October, Car and Driver reported that Toyota's Gazoo Racing brand was working on a new GS F, but C/D couldn't tell if Gazoo meant a new model or the current one. Last June, Lexus Australia head Peter McGregor refuted the death of the GS. When asked if dealers were interested in both the ES and GS, McGregor responded, "I think what dealers like is a full line-up... that meets the market requirement in every key segment." Making clear that he couldn't speak on future product, McGregor also commented, "I think [a new GS] would still be a four-door sedan in terms of its application, but the exterior styling may appear to be more liftback." The third-gen GS struck a fastback profile, and you could see the new LS as a modern evolution of that old GS design. A member at the Lexus Enthusiast fan forum has found that the the next GS, internally codenamed 300B, still shows up in industry databases alongside the date "SOP [Start of Production] Q2 2019." Throwing money at an updated GS F wouldn't make sense for a doomed sedan. Could the GS reappear as a four-door coupe? Certainly, if for no other reason than that Lexus needs something to fill the slot between the $38,950 ES and the $75,000 LS.

Here We Go Again: Lexus attacks EVs in new ad [UPDATE]

UPDATE: We got a comment from founding member of Plug In America Paul Scott on this ad. It's available below. The last time Lexus attacked plug-in battery vehicles in an ad, it had to apologize. The company is remaining on message, though, and has revisited a hybrid-vehicle advertising campaign that implies that driving a battery-electric vehicle is a big waste of time, because of all the charging you need to do. With the new spot, Lexus once again raised hackles of plug-in vehicle advocates because, once again, the accuracy is questioned. "The ad's message was that a consumer could [drive] a vehicle with advanced technology today, without sacrifice or change in habit." – Lexus spokesman Brian Bolain Lexus is running print ads (click to enlarge) in publications like Wired poking fun at EVs, the International Business Times says. Lexus highlights range anxiety in the spot, comparing the amount of time it takes to fully recharge an EV – and the idea that air conditioning and using the radio can shorten an EV's range – to the fun of just driving a Lexus. "The [print] ad was merely intended to paint a picture of life with a hybrid, which is basically no different from life with a traditional gas-powered vehicle, versus life with an EV, which can have challenges or at least uncertainties," Lexus spokesman Brian Bolain told AutoblogGreen. "In other words, at its core, the ad's message was that a consumer could participate in driving a vehicle with advanced technology today, without sacrifice or change in habit." The campaign picks up where Lexus's previous anti-EV campaign left off this spring. A website promoting Lexus's hybrids (and parent company Toyota's H2 vehicles) claimed that there was a hydrogen refueling infrastructure set up in 20 US states (not anywhere close to true). Plug-in advocates were also quick to note that higher-powered EV recharging systems can allow a plug-in to be recharged in far less than the four hours the Lexus site claimed. Of course, Toyota has a lot more skin in the game when it comes to hybrids and, starting next year, hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles than it does for plug-ins. Through August, the company sold just 842 RAV4 EVs and about 11,500 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrids in the US. That compares to almost 19,000 Nissan Leaf EVs and a Tesla Model S count that's likely close to that figure as well (Tesla breaks out neither monthly sales numbers nor US-only sales for the Model S).

April Fools' Day brings Jeep Sedan, Hyundai N Roadster, Toyota Yaris pickup and more

There is one day out of the year when public relations professionals have permission to lie to journalists and to the public: April Fools' Day. Manufacturers release details about wild, weird and wacky new technology, concept vehicles and services. Some take it to obvious outlandish extremes (Jeep Sedan anybody?), while others plot to mislead with products that are just outside the realm of possibility. Check out all the "jokes" below. BMW Motorrad BMW doesn't want to exclude anybody from experiencing the thrill of high-level racing, so it is introducing 'iRace" autonomous programming on its S 1000 RR sport bike. It includes beginner, sportsman, advanced and unlimited driving modes, and stores GPS information for all Superbike world championship tracks. Hyundai Hyundai is wrong for this. The Hyundai N Roadster is the work of South Korean designer Yeonjoon Park and features a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, rear-wheel drive and a hard convertible top. Hyundai says this is a "concept (for now)," but we think it'd make a seriously great Mazda Miata competitor. Honda Honda wins the award for the best interactive gimmick, as its press release for the '90s-inspired special-edition Pastport includes a live hotline number with a message from Fred Savage. Call 1-833-PASTPORT for more information. Jeep Put the Jeep Cherokee face on the Chrysler 300's body, and voila! The 2019 Jeep Sedan is born. We can't decide if the name or the rendering is better. Land Rover Accessibility to charging ports is of major concern to anybody with a plug-in vehicle. So, with the recent launch of the Range Rover P400e and Range Rover Sport P400e, Land Rover is putting forth an effort to install more stations around the globe. First up is Scotland's Isle of Skye. Adventurers need juice too! Lexus Australia Lexus expands its Encore service to include doggos. The new service, called Enpaw, will take pups to luxury boarding kennels in style. Toyota U.S. Toyota created the Yaris Adventure pickup for "those who want to tell their friends they own a truck but never veer off pavement." It's part Mazda 2, part RAV4, 100 percent ute and it looks ... great? Creating a new segment might be all fun and games to Toyota, but Ford is reportedly considering a Focus-based ute in a similar, albeit larger, style. Toyota Australia Toyota is launching a new HiAce van, and it's already getting a limited-edition variant called the PieAce.