2011 Lexus Ct200h - Hybrid on 2040-cars

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10 most memorable cars and SUVs of 2019

It's no surprise that a car reviewer will drive a large number of cars over the course of a year. Indeed, when the clock strikes midnight on Dec 31, I will have driven 75 new cars, trucks and SUV this year (and one old Peugeot) over the course of weekly evaluation loans and first drive events. That sure seems like a lot. Some definitely got more attention than others, and some came and went without leaving much of an impression – I completely forgot I drove a Kia Forte. Yet in the spirit of this day, I thought I'd pick the 10 that I would love to see under the Christmas tree tomorrow morning. You know, just in case you were looking to get me something. I'll also throw in a couple disappointments that were memorable for the wrong reasons. They'd get sent back to the store on Boxing Day. Lexus LC 500 Pictured below and resplendent in its Flare Yellow metallic paint, the car that would reach highest on my list is the divine Lexus LC 500. As a devout lover of GT cars, the LC ticks all the boxes. Muscular and characterful engine? V8, check. Beautifully made and memorable interior? It's gorgeous, to hell with Remote Touch. Check. Comfortable and reasonably practical? Superb seats and, uh, yeah. Makes me want to stand there and stare at it? You bet. Though I long figured my heart would say LC but my head "Porsche 911," after this go-around, that's no longer the case. LC, pretty please. 2020-lexus-lc500-f34-2 View 19 Photos Polestar 1 I actually feel lucky that I got to drive the Polestar 1. Only 150 will be produced each year, and it's a far more special thing than it would initially appear. And that's despite initially appearing to be a beautiful, classic two-door GT car with a roof so rakish it's only possible because it's made of carbon fiber. That itÂ’s a massively powerful plug-in hybrid with more all-electric range than any other PHEV is a thick dollop of whipped cream on a slice of Toscakaka. You know, Swedish dessert, Swedish car. Fine, I'll stick to Ikea references.  Polestar1_Launch_SanFrancisco-0014 View 44 Photos Volvo V60 Cross Country Speaking of Sweden, did I drive this car off the road there? Sure did! And despite this, the V60 Cross Country scratches that certain wagon itch and looks sensational to boot. I wish it were available with the T8 plug-in hybrid powertrain, but it's best not to get greedy at Christmas.

2015 Lexus RC 350 F Sport snarls in Switzerland with darkened demeanor

Lexus is finally ready to return to the coupe market with the new RC, and while we already saw it in Detroit, it brought the new RC 350 F Sport version for the Geneva Motor Show.
The car packs 306 horsepower and 277 pound-feet from its 3.5-liter V6 and is meant to sit between the standard RC 350 Sport Coupe and the full bore RC F.
Most obvious when you glimpse the coupe is the more aggressive spindle grille with a new mesh treatment and dark, 19-inch F Sport wheels. The interior also receives a host of upgrades with Rioja Red leather and Silver Performance trim, plus perforated leather trim on the steering wheel and shift knob. There is a bit of LFA inspiration as well with the F Sport getting its moving center ring instrument display. It is not all about better style though because the coupe also gets adaptive dampers and an optional four-wheel steering system.

Lexus GS production and sales halted in Europe

We last wrote about the Lexus GS one year ago to editorialize about the rumored death of the luxury brand's sports sedan. Now, Dutch outlet AutoRAI claims to have gotten confirmation from Lexus Europe that the automaker stopped taking orders for the GS in March, and will cease production of the Euro-spec model in April. In keeping with last year's speculation, AutoRAI reports the next-generation, front-wheel-drive ES will fill the role of the rear-wheel-drive GS there. What this means for the GS in the States? We sill don't know. But we do know that the ES moved 51,398 units here last year, compared to GS sales of 7,773. Those numbers represent double-digit declines compared to 2016, when the sold ES sold 51,398 units and the GS sold 14,878. In August 2017, spy photographers caught the 2019 ES testing with the Audi A6 and Mercedes-Benz E-Class, hinting the coming ES has grander aspirations than being a florid Toyota Avalon. That still wouldn't make the ES a pure replacement for a sporty rear-drive sedan, but are there enough GS buyers for Lexus to care? Last October, Car and Driver reported that Toyota's Gazoo Racing brand was working on a new GS F, but C/D couldn't tell if Gazoo meant a new model or the current one. Last June, Lexus Australia head Peter McGregor refuted the death of the GS. When asked if dealers were interested in both the ES and GS, McGregor responded, "I think what dealers like is a full line-up... that meets the market requirement in every key segment." Making clear that he couldn't speak on future product, McGregor also commented, "I think [a new GS] would still be a four-door sedan in terms of its application, but the exterior styling may appear to be more liftback." The third-gen GS struck a fastback profile, and you could see the new LS as a modern evolution of that old GS design. A member at the Lexus Enthusiast fan forum has found that the the next GS, internally codenamed 300B, still shows up in industry databases alongside the date "SOP [Start of Production] Q2 2019." Throwing money at an updated GS F wouldn't make sense for a doomed sedan. Could the GS reappear as a four-door coupe? Certainly, if for no other reason than that Lexus needs something to fill the slot between the $38,950 ES and the $75,000 LS.