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A car writer's year in new vehicles [w/video]

Christmas is only a week away. The New Year is just around the corner. As 2014 draws to a close, I'm not the only one taking stock of the year that's we're almost shut of. Depending on who you are or what you do, the end of the year can bring to mind tax bills, school semesters or scheduling dental appointments. For me, for the last eight or nine years, at least a small part of this transitory time is occupied with recalling the cars I've driven over the preceding 12 months. Since I started writing about and reviewing cars in 2006, I've done an uneven job of tracking every vehicle I've been in, each year. Last year I made a resolution to be better about it, and the result is a spreadsheet with model names, dates, notes and some basic facts and figures. Armed with this basic data and a yen for year-end stories, I figured it would be interesting to parse the figures and quantify my year in cars in a way I'd never done before. The results are, well, they're a little bizarre, honestly. And I think they'll affect how I approach this gig in 2015. {C} My tally for the year is 68 cars, as of this writing. Before the calendar flips to 2015 it'll be as high as 73. Let me give you a tiny bit of background about how automotive journalists typically get cars to test. There are basically two pools of vehicles I drive on a regular basis: media fleet vehicles and those available on "first drive" programs. The latter group is pretty self-explanatory. Journalists are gathered in one location (sometimes local, sometimes far-flung) with a new model(s), there's usually a day of driving, then we report back to you with our impressions. Media fleet vehicles are different. These are distributed to publications and individual journalists far and wide, and the test period goes from a few days to a week or more. Whereas first drives almost always result in a piece of review content, fleet loans only sometimes do. Other times they serve to give context about brands, segments, technology and the like, to editors and writers. So, adding up the loans I've had out of the press fleet and things I've driven at events, my tally for the year is 68 cars, as of this writing. Before the calendar flips to 2015, it'll be as high as 73. At one of the buff books like Car and Driver or Motor Trend, reviewers might rotate through five cars a week, or more. I know that number sounds high, but as best I can tell, it's pretty average for the full-time professionals in this business.

2015 Lexus LS gets tiny tweaks to try to keep up in LA

The 2015 model-year updates for the LS are certainly minor, but at least Lexus isn't letting its flagship sedan languish completely. The biggest change for the revised model is an improved infotainment system with an updated navigation and dynamic guidelines for the backup camera. Lexus' Enform App Suite also allows owners to remotely control some of the vehicle's functions, including the door locks, ignition and climate control settings. Among the litany of incredibly small tweaks, the dome lights now use LEDs, and the F Sport model that includes features like a sport-tuned air suspension and 19-inch forged wheels gets an added badge at the rear. The changes have increased the turning circle by 3.9 inches for models with the standard suspension and 18-inch wheels. All of the changes are definitely minor, but hopefully they'll sustain the posh motor until its next iteration is ready. 2015 Lexus LS Shows Why This Luxury Flagship Became A Luxury Legend - New Multimedia System for 2015 - Lexus Enform App Suite Upgraded - Upgraded Backup Camera With Dynamic Gridlines - F SPORT Model With Special Suspension, 19-inch Wheels, Brembo Brakes October 16, 2014 History seems to be repeating itself. The Lexus LS upended the luxury segment a quarter-century ago, and one reason was that it made a powerful V8 engine standard when it was a very expensive extra-cost option in some European models and not even available in others. Just change the year to 2015, and the situation seems to be replaying. A supremely smooth, standard 386-horsepower 4.6-liter V8 teamed with an eight-speed automatic transmission is only one facet of the 2015 Lexus LS 460, though undeniably, it's the one whose benefit you feel quite strongly during a road test. Nearly silent acceleration remains a hallmark aspect of driving a Lexus LS, which also offers the option of a more engaging driving experience with the F SPORT Package. A wide range of model choices also make the Lexus LS a standout. The LS 460 comes in regular and long-wheelbase versions, each with the further choice of rear-wheel drive or all-weather drive (360 hp with AWD). The ultimate Lexus flagship sedan remains the LS 600h L hybrid with 438 total system horsepower from a 5-liter V8 paired with an electric motor and all-weather drive. New for 2015, the LS gains a new multimedia system. The multimedia system, accessed through the navigation screen, provides a multitude of capabilities.

Lexus LC convertible could appear in 18 months, LC F to follow

Auto Express reports that Lexus has a approved a convertible version of the LC, and is close to green-lighting a high-performance LC F trim. The Detroit Bureau reported that the same two models were in development one year ago, citing Lexus sources at the Detroit Auto Show who told the outlet "a number of additional variants" would follow the coupe's launch. The timeline's been stretched a bit between then and now; instead of getting the convertible this year, Auto Express says the "done deal" droptop should arrive in 18 months to two years. It's harder to read what we might get in an LC F. Gossip is that the naturally aspirated, 467-horsepower, 5.0-liter V8 wouldn't be the right motor for a hot LC. That V8 serves in lower-tier F models. so word is that Lexus engineers are considering a 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V8 with around 600 hp. Lexus chose the BMW 650i, Mercedes-Benz S-class coupe, and Jaguar F-Type as competitors to the LC, all of which have convertibles and high-performance trims. Among the specially-tuned challengers, the Jaguar F-Type R comes in with the lowest power figure at 550 hp. Both models would return Lexus to a small, exclusive end of the market where it hasn't held a membership since 2010. Rejoining that soiree — a party hosted by the Germans, because these matters always come back to the Germans — is another huge, and costly, step toward shedding Lexus' somnolent image. Akio Toyoda said the goal for his luxury arm was "that the words 'Lexus' and 'boring' never appear in the same sentence again." A three-model lineup would give the LC a genuine chance to contribute to that aim. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Lexus LC 500 First Drive View 44 Photos News Source: Auto Express Rumormill Lexus Convertible Coupe Luxury Performance lexus lc 500