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2021 Lexus NX 300h F Sport Black Line adds flair and luggage

At the beginning of the year, Lexus introduced a Black Line Special Edition trim on the NX 300 F Sport, produced in a run of just 1,000 examples. In April, the Japanese luxury maker showed the GS 350 Black Line Special Edition that came with a pair of Zero Halliburton cases as a last hurrah for the GS line, the sedan even more exclusive with just 250 units made. The 2021 NX 300h F Sport is next to pick up the baton, earning F Sport upgrades and snagging a set of that Halliburton luggage, too. Three colors are available: the brand-new deep blue of Grecian Water and the familiar Ultra White and Obsidian. Unlike the NX Black Line shown earlier, the hybrid paints its black wheel arch liners in body color and omits the faux carbon fiber side graphic, and the 19-inch chrome wheels replaced by 18-inch rims in "dark sputter" finish. Inside, blue stitching on the seats, door panels, armrest, center console. and floor mats accents the black interior. The F Sport treatment includes headlights, a larger mesh grille to replace the standard spindle grille with horizontal slats, a tuned suspension and sharper body kit. Lexus has made normally optional features like park assist and the foot-operated tailgate standard for the Black Line. Under the skin, the 2.5-liter four-cylinder assisted by an electric motor sends its 194 horsepower to all four wheels. The Lexus Black Line Zero Halliburton luggage duo starts with Halliburton's Edge Lightweight Collection. The 22-inch Continental Carry-on and 26-inch Medium Travel Case feature linings embroidered with Intersect by Lexus spindle grille art, interior compression panels with a Lexus embossed leather logo badge, and chrome badges laser-etched with "Zero Halliburton for Lexus" outside. Naturally, they come in black. Lexus will build 1,000 examples of the NX 300h Black Line Special Edition over the next 90 days, with availability as of now. Pricing starts at $47,835 after destination, $300 more than the standard top trim, the NX 300h Luxury AWD. Related Video:    

Lexus pushing upmarket as others move down, LF-LC production hinted [w/video]

Jeff Bracken, Lexus' US group vice president and general manager, knows his company lost its position as America's biggest luxury brand back in 2011, and it's a mantle that his employer probably won't be getting back any time soon. That's because Lexus is electing not to follow the luxury segment's downmarket trend any more than its $32,500 CT 200h hybrid hatchback. "Since we won't be going down below $30,000, it will be very difficult for us to ever regain luxury leadership," Bracken admitted on Autoline After Hours late last week.
Rivals Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi all have new low-end entries on sale or in the wings to entice new buyers and fortify their CAFE scores, but Lexus has Toyota and Scion to capture sales underneath its lineup. Instead, Bracken hints that Lexus is going upmarket and higher-performance, fueling ongoing rumors of a LFA successor, or perhaps a new offering based on the lauded 2012 LF-LC coupe concept shown above, a production version of which could also slot in where the unloved SC convertible left off. "We need to begin bringing to market luxury performance... higher performance vehicles. IS-F certainly was the beginning of that, maybe on the lower end," says Bracken.
Later in the online video interview show, Bracken gets even more candid:

Toyota will roll out solid-state battery EVs globally in a couple of years

GANDHINAGAR, India — Japan's Toyota Motor will in a couple of years globally launch vehicles with solid-state batteries that charge faster and last longer, an executive said on Thursday at an investment summit in India. Solid-state batteries promise to dramatically improve the driving range of electric vehicles (EVs), a key element of a strategic pivot Toyota unveiled in June to make up ground lost to Tesla and Chinese rivals, such as BYD, in the EV race. Last year, Toyota and oil refiner Idemitsu Kosan said they would tie up to develop and mass produce all-solid-state batteries, which they aim to commercialize in 2027 and 2028, followed by full-scale mass production. "We will be rolling out our electric vehicles with solid state batteries in a couple of years from now," said Vikram Gulati, the India head of Toyota Kirloskar Motor. It "will be a vehicle which will be charging in 10 minutes, giving a range of 1,200 kms (750 miles) and life expectancy will be very good". Gulati was speaking at the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit where one focus of the Indian government is attracting more investments to scale up EV manufacturing capacity in the world's third largest auto market. At the start of the summit on Wednesday, Japan's Suzuki Motor said its Indian subsidiary and Toyota partner Maruti Suzuki would export the group's first battery EV to Japan and Europe — marking the first time for Maruti to export to its parent company's home country. Electric models made up around 2% of India's car sales last year, but the government is targeting 30% by 2030 and India's road transport minister said at the summit he sees annual EV sales in India reaching 10 million vehicles by 2030. On Toyota's plans for solid-state batteries in India, Gulati said the carmaker had various sustainable technology options that would differ based on the country, market and customer preferences. "Right now, for India, flex fuel and ethanol can be a no-brainer right away," he added India's trade department has backed lowering taxes on hybrid vehicles to help the transition to cleaner energy sources, following demands by Japanese carmakers, Reuters has reported. Gulati said the Indian government should consider a carbon-based tax structure for cars, which would make it technologically agnostic and more equitable.  Green Lexus Suzuki Toyota Electric