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Final Lexus IS F rolls off assembly line in Japan, bound for US

We knew this day would come, but it's nonetheless a bit of a sad one for Lexus enthusiasts as the very last example of the IS F has rolled off the assembly line in Tahara, Japan. Decked out in its trademark bright blue, the final IS F is destined for a customer right here in the United States.
Far from just another now-defunct model in an endless succession, the IS F marked the first time that Lexus did a proper performance model, debuting in production guise at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show alongside the LFA concept long before the latter entered production and took the idea of the high-performance Lexus even further. The IS F may not have sold in huge numbers, but it definitely marked a milestone for Toyota's luxury division.
Don't cry too much, however, as the new RC F that effectively takes its place packs an even mightier punch. While both are powered by essentially the same 5.0-liter V8 engine mated to an eight-speed automatic driving the rear wheels, the outgoing sedan's 416 horsepower and 371 pound-feet of torque is easily outgunned by the new coupe's 450 hp and 383 lb-ft.

2019 Lexus GS F 10th Anniversary Edition Drivers' Notes Review | Nothing gray about this sedan

The Lexus GS F is an old-school performance sedan with a big, naturally aspirated engine up front. You won’t find the phrase twin-turbo anywhere in its press materials, and thatÂ’s completely fine. With 467 horsepower and 389 pound-feet of torque, the 5.0-liter V8 isnÂ’t going to outrun the high-powered Germans in a drag race. However, all of that power is usable on the street, right up to the glorious 7,300 rpm redline. A loud exhaust complements the loud styling on our particular test car. We had the honor of driving the 10th Anniversary Edition, which is limited to just 100 vehicles in the U.S. You pay extra for the special appearance, but man it looks good. Matte Nebula Gray paint wraps the exterior, while unique Fuji Blue leather trim covers the interior. Blue Brembo brake calipers behind BBS forged wheels keep the blue theme going on the outside. Michelin Pilot Sport tires come standard, providing an impressive amount of grip for the big sedan. Much of the magic to this anniversary car is thanks to the stunning blue interior — it even has blue carbon fiber and blue suede trim. Rear-wheel drive is the only way it comes — same goes for the eight-speed automatic transmission. The final price for our GS F 10th Anniversary Edition car comes out to $93,080. ThatÂ’s after the $5,000 anniversary package, $1,380 Mark Levinson audio and $900 head-up display. It still comes in under $100,000, which makes it cheaper than the M5 or Mercedes-AMG E 63 S sedan. Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder: I'm going to start off with something that might not be universal: I love this interior. I think the blue Lexus used here is to die for. The white stripes going down the center of the blue leather sport seats mirrors the blue steering wheel with white at top center. Those seats are actually pretty comfortable and super supportive, too. The blue microsuede-type liner on the dash is a little much, but in this case, a little much feels entirely appropriate. The blue stitching and even the blue-accented carbon fiber trim pop in this interior, mirroring the hint of blue spied on the brake calipers through the dark wheels outside. Finally, you might hate the mouse-type infotainment interface (this one managed to not piss me off entirely), but it looks cool inside this GS F. Lexus GS F 10th Anniversary Edition View 7 Photos Assistant Editor, Zac Palmer: I love that Lexus still uses big, naturally aspirated V8s in its performance cars.

Toyota sees profit slip but beat earlier forecasts

TOKYO — ToyotaÂ’s July-September profit fell 11% from a year earlier as the coronavirus pandemic slammed global demand, but JapanÂ’s top automaker appeared to be holding up better than weaker rivals that have sunk into the red. Toyota reported Friday a quarterly profit of 470.5 billion yen ($4.5 billion), down from 530 billion yen a year ago. Quarterly sales slipped to 6.77 trillion yen ($65 billion) from 7.64 trillion yen. Its president, Akio Toyoda, told reporters Toyota employees worked extremely hard, including making masks and face shields and boosting efficiency at factories to achieve results despite the pandemic. “Toyota has become gradually stronger,” he said, offering gratitude and praise for how resilient Toyota has proven itself to be. “This shows how each individual worked so hard,” said Toyoda, the grandson of the automakerÂ’s founder, vowing that each of its employees will keep thinking about contributing to a better world. Toyota raised its global sales forecast to 9.4 million vehicles for the fiscal year through March 2021, better than its earlier forecast for 9.1 million vehicles. ThatÂ’s still lagging behind the more than 10.5 million vehicles sold in the last fiscal year. Toyota, based in Toyota city in Aichi, central Japan, said it expects to record a 1.4 trillion yen ($13.5 billion) profit for the fiscal year. It earlier projected 730 billion yen ($7 billion) in profit. Toyota, which makes Lexus luxury models and the Prius hybrid, recorded 2 trillion yen ($19 billion) in profit the previous fiscal year. ToyotaÂ’s operating income fell in most regions, including Japan and other Asian markets, but improved in North America. Operating Officer Kenta Kon expressed caution about the U.S. outlook, given the rising coronavirus cases. But he said ToyotaÂ’s latest models were popular, and dealers were adjusting incentives to get good results. All the worldÂ’s automakers have been slammed by shrinking demand as COVID-19 squelches economic activity. Some nations, including Japan, have sunk into recession. Although uncertainties persist about further outbreaks and when a vaccine might be available, there are signs of recovery in some parts of the world. Japan has managed to keep pandemic-related deaths at fewer than 2,000. It has reported about 105,000 cases nationwide.