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Lexus: No plans for LFA replacement anytime soon

Supercars are fantastic in terms of their raw performance, sound and ability to inspire interest in an automaker. They aren't so good at actually making money, even for giant, global automakers like Toyota. And if you are holding out hope that Lexus might be fibbing about there being no plans for an LFA successor, we have some bad news. "I think you will see us do some incredible things in the future, but probably not a $375,000 supercar anytime soon," Lexus Executive Vice President Mark Templin told Automotive News. The issue comes down to the LFA's cost to develop and massive price. Lexus built just 500 of the V10 supercars from 2010 through 2012. Templin said that the plan was originally for a much more modest vehicle with a steel body. However, that intention changed to plans for an aluminum exterior and eventually evolved further to carbon fiber during the course of its engineering. Templin is clear that Lexus isn't giving up on more accessible performance with its F sub-brand models, but more supercars aren't coming, at least not anytime soon. He previously suggested that the LFA was a generational model with a 30-year wait for the next one. These days, the workshop that built the LFA has been converted for a much less powerful but perhaps more important vehicle. Toyota now uses it to build the Mirai with the company's hydrogen fuel cell powertrain. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2012 Lexus LFA: Review View 30 Photos News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Copyright 2015 Drew Phillips / AOL Plants/Manufacturing Lexus Toyota Coupe Performance Supercars supercar lexus lfa

2019 Lexus ES350 F Sport Drivers' Notes | Some F, more luxury

The 2019 Lexus ES 350 is a big step in the right direction for the Camry-sized sedan. It looks eons better than the last ES, and it has the Lexus ride and luxury to back it up. Lexus redesigned the mid-size sedan for the 2019 model year, putting it on Toyota’s TNGA platform. ItÂ’s a good place to be, as every new Toyota that has come out on this architecture is more dynamic and comfortable than the last. Lexus even went so far as to add optional adaptive shocks to the equation, which stiffens up the ride in Sport mode. Our first tester was this gorgeous, blue F Sport model, which is comparable to the one West Coast Editor James Riswick drove last year. Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski tested an ES 350 with Lexus' top Ultra Luxury package. Our blue test car came with the aforementioned adaptive suspension, but the F Sport also gains 19-inch wheels and trim-exclusive sport seats. A Sport+ driving mode is added with the adaptive suspension, as well, joining the existing Sport, Normal and Eco modes. Without options, the ES 350 F Sport is a $45,160 car. All our tester's extras brought the final price to $54,450. The most expensive addition was the Mark Levinson audio system, combined with navigation for a hefty $2,900. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert costs $1,065; triple-beam LED headlights are $1,515, and the adaptive suspension is $750. A swath of unnecessary accessories balloon the price even higher, but itÂ’s still cheaper than many of the German sedans. A generously equipped car could come in right around $50,000 if youÂ’re willing to compromise on a few amenities. Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore: IÂ’m going to zero-in on the infotainment system's touchpad, which sits to the right of the driver. ItÂ’s tricky to use, especially while driving. To be fair, I didnÂ’t spend a ton of time in this otherwise enjoyable ES 350 F Sport, but tuning the radio and toggling through the different sources (FM, XM, etc.) shouldnÂ’t require all that much education. There are redundant controls for some of the functionality, but this still isn't great. You can do a lot of things with this touchpad -- flick, zoom, scroll -- itÂ’s good in theory. But in practice, I find it annoying, and in traffic it can be distracting. There are simpler solutions that are better. Toyota has plenty of good tech hardware. The next day I drove an Avalon hybrid and had no issues with the touchscreen-operated infotainment. There was almost no adjustment period.

Toyota investing $200M in Southern manufacturing

Over the past two years, Toyota has invested more than $2 billion at its North American production facilities, and it apparently doesn't plan on stopping there. To keep up with recent strong sales, Toyota is investing an additional $200 million at its engine plants in the Southern US to increase production capacity of its V6 engines.
The bulk of this money ($150 million) will go to expand Toyota's engine plant in Huntsville, AL, which is currently responsible for supplying engines - four-cylinder, V6 and V8 - to eight of Toyota's 12 domestically produced vehicles. That includes the best-selling Toyota Camry (shown above).
Toyota didn't say exactly what improvements are being made to the plant, but this follows last year's $80 million investment in the plant that is set to be completed by next year raising the engine capacity to 750,000 annual units including 362,000 V6s. The remaining $50 million will go to the casting plants of Toyota-owned Bodine Aluminum in Missouri and Tennessee, which supply engine blocks and cylinder heads to the Huntsville engine plant as well as others in Kentucky and West Virginia. Scroll down below for the official press release.