2007 Lexus Es350 Base Sedan 4-door 3.5l $19,750 on 2040-cars

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Toyota might stop importing certain models if tariffs imposed

In case you hadn't heard, the entire automotive industry, both domestic and foreign, is very much against the automotive tariffs proposed by the Trump administration. And while the industry is lobbying hard against such tariffs, companies are also having to consider what to do in the event they are passed. CEO of Toyota's North American operations, Jim Lentz, told Bloomberg that the company will certainly be reconsidering its strategy in the event of tariffs between 10 and 25 percent the cost of the car. He told the news outlet that, depending on how high the tariffs are, Toyota might just increase the price of some models, or stop importing them altogether. Toyota does build a large number of its cars here in the United States. The Toyota Camry, Avalon, Tundra, Highlander, Sequoia, Sienna models are all built here, as well as some Tacomas, Corolla sedans, and Lexus ES sedans. Many of those vehicles are big sellers for Toyota, too, so that's good for the company. But many other Toyotas are built outside the country. The Toyota RAV4, Prius range, C-HR, Corolla hatchback, Land Cruiser, 86, Yaris, Yaris sedan, Mirai, 4Runner, and the entire Lexus line are built in other countries. Some of these imports we're sure are safe no matter how high the tariffs might be. The RAV4 is the company's biggest seller, and the Prius sells well, too. Even if the Prius wasn't selling so well, the company would probably still sell it simply because it's an image builder. Somewhat related, we imagine Toyota would continue offering a handful of Mirais. The 4Runner, C-HR and Corolla hatchback would probably be safe, too. If these models stick around after potential tariffs are imposed, expect their prices to increase. But in the Toyota line, anything that's not selling well and has tight margins is probably doomed. Chief among them are the French-built Yaris hatchback and the Mexican-built Yaris iA sedan. Both cars have terrible sales, and being low-end cheap cars, they'll only sell worse with higher prices, and Toyota will lose money if it has to eat the tariff. The 86 is a similar situation in which it's a niche vehicle that has had weak sales and is being sold at a relatively low price. The Land Cruiser could go either way. It sells in small numbers, but it's already extremely expensive and continues to sell. Buyers might not be put off by spending some more.

Recharge Wrap-up: 1M Lexus hybrids, Best Buy Geekmobile goes Prius

Cummins is developing a plug-in hybrid system for heavy trucks. Its plug-in system for Class 6 trucks (those with a gross vehicle weight between 19,000 and 26,000 pounds) is expected to improve fuel economy by 50 percent. Funded in part by a $4.5-million grant from the US Department of Energy (DOE), the system will use a battery pack and some form of range extending internal combustion engine. The system will employ various drive cycles in order to help commercial fleets save fuel based on their needs. Read more at Gas2. German automaker Borgward, LG Chem, Bosch, and software firm SAP have joined forces to form an electric mobility partnership. Borgward recently revived its brand with a new model, the BX7. Borgward has also announced that two other models, the BX5 and BX6, will be available as plug-in hybrids. SAP will provide software services, and LG Chem will supply battery technology to Borgward. Bosch will supply and help develop a number of components for Borgward cars. Read more at Inside EVs. Lexus has sold its millionth hybrid. The luxury automaker began selling hybrids with the electrified RX in 2005, and the millionth hybrid was a NX 300h sold to a customer in Milan, Italy. "This is my first Lexus," says the customer of that vehicle in a Lexus release, Aldo Pirronello. "... and I am honored to celebrate this important milestone with Lexus!" Lexus currently sells 10 hybrid models worldwide. Read more from Lexus. Best Buy's Geek Squad is switching from Volkswagen Beetle Geekmobiles to the Toyota Prius C. As part of an update to the home electronics chain's house call service, the Geeks will be driving more eco-friendly cars with a refreshed logo. More than 1,000 Prius C Geekmobiles are being deployed nationwide. With the Geek Squad answering more than 5 million house calls a year, the fuel savings from switching to a more efficient hybrid cars means reduced emissions over the 12.6 million miles they'll drive per year. Read more in the press release below. Vehicle of Choice for Geeks? Toyota Prius c An armada of agents is about to roll out in Toyota Prius c. Their mission: to help people across America get the most from their technology. Starting today, Best Buy's Geek Squad will dispatch more than 1,000 of the vehicles – fully decked out as the new Geekmobile – nationwide.

2021 Lexus ES adds AWD and Black Line Special Edition to lineup

Toyota engineered a Camry with all-wheel drive, so transferring it over to the Lexus only makes sense. The 2021 Lexus ES 250 AWD debuts today, adding all-wheel power to the ES for the first time. Lexus teased the possibility of an all-wheel-drive model at this generation’s launch, but it hasnÂ’t been officially announced until now. Just like the newly-available Camry AWD, this one is exclusively paired with a four-cylinder engine. Besides the Hybrid model, the ES was only offered with a naturally aspirated V6. Now the 2.5-liter four-cylinder migrates to the Lexus with 203 horsepower and 182 pound-feet of torque. ItÂ’s a shame that Lexus hasnÂ’t paired the all-wheel-drive system with the more powerful V6, but it was a task and a half to re-work the Camry with this system already.  You can read all about the engineering behind it in our Camry AWD First Drive. The Lexus uses the same “Dynamic Torque Control” system thatÂ’s found in the Camry to dole out the power rearward. ItÂ’s scanning for front wheel slippage, driver steering input and throttle input, then sending up to 50 percent of the power rearward when needed. The “Torque Control” part of it is not true torque vectoring, but ToyotaÂ’s system can pinch the brakes of the inner wheel when cornering to create the sensation of torque vectoring. Lexus says the ES 250 AWD has the same legroom, trunk room, ride comfort, cabin quietness and vehicle agility as any other Lexus ES. The Camry AWD has its rear seats raised by 10 mm, but thatÂ’s not the case for the ES, as Lexus claims it has the same rear hip point as the front-wheel-drive car. ThereÂ’s a small benefit in fuel economy dropping down to the slower four-cylinder, as the 250 AWD gets 28 mpg combined, whereas the 350 returns 26 mpg combined. If you want more performance, Lexus is making an F Sport version of the ES 250 AWD. 2021 Lexus ES 350 Black Line Special Edition View 8 Photos The 2021 Lexus ES 350 Black Line Special Edition also debuts today. ItÂ’s a limited-run ES based on the F Sport model that essentially amounts to a fancy appearance package. Lexus adds black F Sport wheels with black lug nuts, a black rear lip spoiler and blacked-out side mirrors. There are three exterior colors to choose from: Ultrasonic Blue Mica 2.0, Obsidian and Ultra White. Pictured in the gallery above is the Blue Mica and Ultra White. We like the blue. You also get a two-tone interior, mixing Obsidian and Ultra White with gray stitching.