2003 Lexus Rx300 Base Sport Utility 4-door 3.0l on 2040-cars

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Lexus GS F points its gaping grille at the BMW M5

A mere trio of weeks after the latest report in the slow-moving Lexus GS F rumor cycle, we have a brand new batch of spy photos of the BMW M5-fighting sedan. Looking more and more production ready - notice the more finished exhausts compared to our last round of photos - the GS F can be seen poking around what we imagine is Germany.
If the RC and RC F Coupes are any indication, it looks like Lexus will start fitting its high-performance models with a new, single-frame version of the spindle grille while a dual-frame grille will be reserved for lesser trims. Backing up that suspicion is the new single-frame grille found on this prototype, marking the first time the suspected F line styling piece has been seen on a GS F prototype.
The aforementioned staggered quad exhausts look good on the GS' rear end, while a none-too-subtle rear spoiler ups the rear's visual flair. The low-profile rubber and the multi-spoke, black wheels are nice touches that work well with the front fascia features, in addition to the new, camo'd grille and substantial brake cooling ducts.

Toyota, Lexus to build more CUVs to meet surging demand

What was the biggest takeaway from the auto industry's 2014? Besides the fact that recalls are now a sad and mostly unremarkable part of a vehicle's life, it's that you can't be a competitive, mainstream brand in the US without a really strong line of crossovers, SUVs or pickups. We saw evidence of this as recently as Monday, when Hyundai unveiled its HCD-15 Santa Cruz Concept, and now we're seeing it again with Toyota. The company already has a comprehensive lineup of both mainstream and luxury CUVs and SUVs, although surging demand – sales were up 16 percent last year, Bloomberg reports – has led the company to increase its production tempo at the plants responsible for the RAV4 and Lexus RX. "The freeze is still in place until the end of March of 2016," Toyota's Jim Lentz told Bloomberg during this week's Detroit Auto Show, referencing the production bump at the Japanese and Canadian factories responsible for the models. "That hasn't changed. All indications are that it will lift, but right now it has not lifted." The increased sales are even spurring the brand to consider additional CUVs, including a compact that would slot in below the RAV4, Lentz told the business publication. Such a move would give Toyota a player in an increasingly competitive and important segment. In 2014 alone, mainstream brands, including Honda, Mazda, Chevrolet and Jeep, have announced brand new products destined for the compact CUV market. "We're going to have to look at how the market under RAV4 develops," Lentz told Bloomberg. "There's no question that it's going to. That's going to be the next growth spurt." Related Video:

2021 Lexus NX 300 and NX 300h stick to the formula

After placing the limited-run NX 300h F Sport Black Line Special Edition at the top of the range, Lexus has announced few changes for the rest of the NX lineup going into 2021. For its sixth year on the market, on the exterior of the compact luxury crossover, Blue Vortex Metallic slips off the color wheel, replaced by Nori Green Pearl. The deep forest hue dazzled recently on the 2020 Lexus LC 500 Inspiration Series. Less visible to outsiders, NX models get low-profile windshield wiper blades, and power-folding, auto-dimming, reverse-tilt mirrors. Revisions to the standard interior have been confined to a revised horn pad, and a slightly different red zone on the tachometer, but Lexus didn't clarify what that last point means. Among the feature set, every NX will include blind spot monitor with rear cross traffic alert in the driver safety technology that's grouped under the Lexus Safety System+ 2.0 banner. Turning to the options sheet, ordering the Navigation package will include the HomeLink garage door opening system, and the Mark Levinson audio system comes with an updated amplifier.   After that, what we're already familiar with from the NX lineup carries on. That means three trims, the NX 300, NX 300 F Sport, and NX 300h, plus the NX 300h F Sport Black Line until they're all sold. Engine choices are a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque on the non-hybrid models, and a 2.5-liter Atkinson cycle four-cylinder engine in the NX 300h that works with three electric motors to produce a total combined output of 194 horsepower. The non-hybrid NX trims get a six-speed transmission, the hybrid employs a CVT. Related Video: