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Lexus Eco Challenge rewards schools for clean water, briquette press projects

Teams from one New Jersey high school and one Michigan middle school reversed the old adage by thinking locally and acting globally. And that strategy won them the grand prizes in the most recent edition of the Lexus Eco Challenge. The future is indeed bright. The Toyota luxury-vehicle division gave out a half-million dollars in this year's contest. One $30,000 grand prize was awarded to the Pinelands Eco Scienteers from Little Egg Harbor, NJ, which produced and distributed low-cost briquette presses to rural villages beset by deforestation. The other grand prize went to the E.T. Electrical Team from Byron Center West Middle School in Michigan. That middle-school group raised money to send water filters to Haiti, Kenya and the Philippines. Lexus also awarded eight $15,000 first-place awards, with the winners including high schools from California, Florida, Missouri and Pennsylvania as well as middle schools from Arizona, Michigan, North Carolina and Texas. A special shout out goes to Daniel Boone Area High School in Birdsboro, PA, where students created an educational and public-relations campaign to publicize algae-based biofuels. In all, Lexus has doled out more than $4 million in Eco Challenge awards in seven years. Check out Lexus's press release below. Students Get Dollars and Sense in Lexus Eco Challenge - $500,000 Awarded to Teams Who Learn About Environment and Community Empowerment Two Grand Prize Teams Earn $30,000 Eight $15,000 First Place Awards Given to Innovative High School and Middle School Teams Students Bring Ideas to a Larger Audience and Make a Positive Impact on the World TORRANCE, Calif., (Feb. 24, 2014) – It's a win, win situation! Communities become a better place, and students, teachers and schools have the chance to share $500,000 in scholarships and grants through the Lexus Eco Challenge. This year, the $30,000 Grand Prize winners are the Pinelands Eco Scienteers from Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey, and the E.T. Electrical Team from Byron Center, Michigan. The Lexus Eco Challenge is an educational program and contest that inspires and empowers young people to learn about the environment and take action to improve it. High school and middle school teams nationwide define an environmental issue that is important to them, develop an action plan to address the issue, implement the plan, and report on the results.

2022 Lexus RX Review | Smooth, quiet and well-built for mass appeal

The 2022 Lexus RX has been a long-running and well-liked premium crossover. Currently in its fourth generation, the design has gotten considerably more avant-garde in its styling, though we’ve now had plenty of time to accustom ourselves to design cues like the "spindle grille" (an aesthetic shared across the Lexus lineup). While it may not be the newest, flashiest or most powerful midsize crossover on the market, it has broad appeal thanks to its standard V6 and optional hybrid powertrains, two- or three-row formats, attractive interior, comfortable ride and reliable Toyota underpinnings. ItÂ’s not superlative in any way compared to the competition, but it strikes a fine balance that will make it the right crossover for a wide range of customers. Interior & Technology   |   Passenger & Cargo Space   |   Performance & Fuel Economy What it's like to drive   |   Pricing & Features   |   Crash Ratings & Safety Features What's new for 2022? While there are no significant changes for the 2022 model year, the RX does offer new paint colors, and now offers fog lights as a standalone option on any trim. What are the RXÂ’s interior and in-car technology like? The RX interior is a fine place to spend time. With excellent interior design, high-quality materials and attention to detail, youÂ’ll never forget that this is a premium vehicle. The cabin isnÂ’t just stylish, attractive and comfortable; itÂ’s also clearly well-built with good fit and finish, sturdy touchpoints, soft plastics, smooth faux leather and textures that are pleasing to both the eye and the fingertip. If youÂ’ve had nightmares about weird infotainment interfaces of Lexuses, including bizarre joysticks and frustrating touchpads, you can sleep well knowing the RX began using an actual touchscreen for the 2020 model year. We like the higher-end 12.3-inch units (part of the Navigation Package) more than the standard 8-inch screen, as itÂ’s simply easier to use, and can put more information on display. If you had already gotten used to LexusÂ’ kooky interfaces, youÂ’re in luck — thereÂ’s still a touchpad down below you can use. You can also use voice recognition if you want to keep your hands on the wheel. The RX also provides Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Alexa compatibility as standard. A head-up display and wireless phone charger are available as options. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Lexus teases its fourth flagship model

Out of nowhere, Lexus has dropped a teaser for a new vehicle to be revealed very soon. And it sounds like it's not just any model addition. The company describes it in press releases as its fourth flagship and as a "one-of-a-kind." The other flagships the company refers to are the LS sedan, LC coupe and LX SUV. Unfortunately for us, it's darn difficult to tell what the teaser is of. All we can really make out are the colors of a dark bronze and piano black. There's also a silver cylinder just standing at the edge of the image. There aren't any lights or door handles or other visible vehicle parts. Still, since Lexus refers to it as a new flagship, we presume this teaser is of a new vehicle. While the brand may seem to have a full flagship lineup among the three aforementioned models, one of them is increasingly an outlier: the LX. While it is indeed a top-rung SUV, its body-on-frame construction and off-road capabilities make it less of a real on-road competitor to new flagship crossovers such as the new Audi Q8 and upcoming BMW X7. As such, we have a feeling the teaser could be to a flagship crossover, and it will probably be based on the LF-1 Limitless concept shown at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show. The company has already expressed a strong desire to produce something like it. It seems like a pretty safe bet unless this all turns out to be a corny branding exercise in which Lexus launches a cologne or stereo system inspired by its flagship cars. At least we won't have long to learn what the mystery product is, since the company said more information would come 24 hours after the teaser dropped. Related Video: Image Credit: Lexus Lexus Luxury lexus lf-1 limitless