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Toyota investing $750M, adding 600 jobs at 5 U.S. plants

BUFFALO, W.Va. — Toyota on Thursday announced it is investing an additional $750 million at five U.S. plants that will bring nearly 600 new jobs, including the production of two hybrid vehicles for the first time at its Kentucky facility. It marks yet another expansion of the Japanese automaker's U.S. presence, bringing to nearly $13 billion the amount it will spend by 2021. The latest investments are at facilities in Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee and West Virginia. Those same facilities were part of a 2017 announcement by Toyota for a $374 million investment to support production of its first American-made hybrid powertrain. Toyota Motor North America CEO Jim Lentz said the latest investments "represent even more examples of our long-term commitment to build where we sell. By boosting our U.S. manufacturing footprint, we can better serve our customers and dealers and position our manufacturing plants for future success with more domestic capacity." Toyota's Georgetown, Kentucky, facility will get a $238 million infusion to produce hybrid versions of Lexus ES 300 sedans starting in May and the Rav4 SUV starting in January 2020, the company announced. It also includes $288 million to increase annual engine capacity at Toyota's Huntsville, Alabama, facility. The plant will add 450 jobs to accommodate new four-cylinder and V6 engine production lines. Last year Toyota and Mazda announced plans to build a $1.6 billion joint-venture plant in Huntsville that will eventually employ about 4,000 people. Toyota also is spending $62 million on equipment to boost production of Toyota and Lexus cylinder heads at its Bodine Aluminum facility in Troy, Missouri, as part of its cost-saving New Global Architecture production strategy to share common parts and components among different vehicles. A $50 million expansion and equipment upgrade at its Bodine plant in Jackson, Tennessee, will add 13 jobs and produce engine blocks while doubling the capacity of hybrid transaxle cases and housings. And Toyota will add 123 jobs and spent $111 million to expand its plant and purchase equipment in Buffalo, West Virginia, to double the capacity of hybrid transaxles. Previously, Toyota also announced a $600 million investment at its Princeton, Indiana, plant to increase the capacity of its Highlander SUV and to incorporate the new production strategy, and $170 million to launch the 2020 Corolla on a new production line in Blue Springs, Mississippi.

Watch these Super Bowl car commercials [UPDATE]

On Sunday, February 3, the New England Patriots take on the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl 53 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Some will watch because of the storyline of the old-school dynasty facing off against the new-school wunderkinds, but a large chunk of people will solely be watching for the commercials. Lucky for those who slot into the latter category, many of the manufacturers release their super bowl ads ahead of time, or have simply opted to release the commercials only online. Scroll down to see what car companies have already shown their cards. Audi Audi goes the comedic route in its clip for the Big Game. It starts with a grandpa showing his grandson a gorgeous Audi e-tron GT tucked away in a garage before he's shaken awake. Turns out he was just choking on a cashew in his cubicle at his boring job. Dodge Dodge does what it knows: create enough smoke to punch more holes in the ozone layer. Set to "The Devil Went Down to Georgia (the Super Bowl is in Atlanta, get it!?), a Challenger SRT Hellcat widebody, Charger SRT Hellcat, and Durango SRT are seen ripping through a city, leaving a trail of rubber crumbs in their wakes. Genesis Genesis has not yet released a commercial prior to the Super Bowl, but it is the official luxury vehicle of the NFL. Because of this, Genesis is hosting a fan experience for 10 days before the game. It will showcase the brand's cars, offer games, and have photos opportunities and autograph days. Hyundai Jason Bateman alert! Hyundai is one of the few companies to hook a major celebrity for its advertisement, and the casting is perfect. Bateman plays a doorman who takes people to various terrible events in life, including root canals, the middle seat, and shopping for a car. The ad centers around Hyundai's Shopper Assurance, which is Hyundai's new method for car shopping. Jeep An old 1963 Jeep Gladiator finds its strength in the crusher and transforms into a a new 2020 Gladiator, with a firm declaration that the nameplate is officially back. Kia Through Kia's commercial, a young boy wonders out loud what it'd be like if the millions spent on Super Bowl commercials were used to help others.

Lexus compact crossover based on the UX could debut in Geneva

We have but one line to go on, from Car magazine's section on Lexus in the rundown of Geneva Motor Show reveals: "Baby SUV not yet confirmed, but word is that a Lexus small crossover based on UX concept is due." Actually, there's a tad more than hearsay to add to that line: Lexus International EVP Yoshihiro Sawa said one year ago that the carmaker already approved a production version of the UX, and that it is "not so far away." The trail goes cold there, though, when trying to divine what a civilian UX would look like. The production model should borrow its platform and some organs from the Toyota C-HR, which rides on the TNGA bones also shared with the Prius. Yet the UX concept, shown at the 2016 Paris Motor Show, warped so many dimensions it belongs in the coming Avatar sequels or a " Time Bandit" reboot. Chapeau to the designers for compressing so much action in so little space; at 173.2 inches long, 74.8 inches wide, and 59.8 inches tall, on a 103.9-inch wheelbase, the UX concept was a smidge larger than an Audi Q3, a smidge smaller than the Mercedes GLA. A retail crossover based on the concept would need to give up 93 percent of the UX's character, but that remaining 7 percent would still be powerful — especially when you add a big ol' spindle grille. We expect the Lexus baby CUV to come to America, but that's not confirmed. Lexus did trademark the names UX 200, UX 250, and UX 250h with U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in 2016, and Jeff Bracken, Lexus' North America group VP and GM, said, "Our dealers are all over us to produce that concept vehicle." And why not? Crossovers constitute the majority of Lexus' U.S. sales, and Lexus seriously seeks the younger buyers who can't get enough compact crossover bait. And the production UX would provide a new entry-level vehicle to challenge entrants in the GLA and BMW X1 class, where the Germans and other carmakers are minting money. Lexus has pledged not to sell a vehicle in the U.S. for under $30,000, but it's got room to play with between that floor and the $35,985 Lexus NX. Related Video: