2014 Gx460 Luxury Pkg Only 5k Miles! Dvd Navi Levinson Call Greg 888-696-0646 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Lexus RC F takes star turn in 'Men in Black: International' blockbuster

Here's a little car candy for the holidays. There have been three :Men in Black" films, the last one in 2012 (even though it seems a lot longer ago, doesn't it?). "Men in Black: International," due for release on June 14, looks like it will showcase its vehicles in a way the previous movies didn't, starting with getting the Lexus RC F ready for its close-up. This will be Lexus' second blockbuster turn in two years, after putting an LC in the line of fire in this year's "Black Panther". And if "MIB: International" gives off the whiff of petrol, that's at last partly because F. Gary Gray directs, the man behind 2003's "The Italian Job " and 2017's " The Fate of the Furious." This is the first "MIB" to give the agents a whiz-bang modern car. The most modern vehicle previously was a "new hotness" 2003 Mercedes-Benz E550 in the 2002 sequel, but that was primarily a joke referring to the 1986 Ford LTD, referred to as a "Ford P.O.S.," in the first movie. The third film, which took place in the sixties, used a 1964 Ford Galaxie. "MIB: International" includes a few throwbacks to the movies and the television series. The RC F goes airborne with the help of a big red button, just like that '86 LTD. A bigger and better hovercycle ties into the hovercycle from the TV show. The all-new move comes with a mid-seventies Jaguar XJ; whereas the first agents merely retrieved their weapons from the trunk, the XJ not only holds weapons, it disassembles into weapons systems. As Jalopnik noted, in many ways this movie " looks just like 'Thor: Ragnarok' but set in a different universe." Should go well enough with a bucket of popcorn and pail of Coca-Cola, though. Related Video:

Ever wonder how to really pronounce Japanese automaker names?

People tend to get very set in their ways when it comes to the pronunciation of words. Just look at the endless debates over whether or not to say the final 'e' in Porsche (which you should in terms of correct German enunciation). Or the argument about whether to follow the British convention and give the 'u' in Jaguar a special delivery or to say the 'ua' diphthong as more of a 'w' sound, as usually happens in the US.
This short video doesn't answer either of those automotive questions, but it does allow a native Japanese speaker to demonstrate the accepted pronunciations for several, major automakers from the country. One benefit is that it clears up the occasional debate over whether Nissan should be said with a long or short 'i' sound. Also, listen closely to how the female host says Mazda as Matsuda, the way it's actually said in the language. Even if this doesn't change the way you enunciate these brands, at least now you know the accurate way in Japanese.

The greenest cars of 2024: Vehicles that use the least fuel and cost less to operate

All-electric vehicles may make headlines for environmental friendliness and fuel efficiency, but the “greenest” car in America in 2024 has a gasoline engine. According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy's annual GreenerCars ratings of the most environmentally friendly cars, the latest Toyota Prius Prime SE plug-in hybrid tops the list of greenest cars, although it's something of an anomaly, because battery-electric EVs follow it in spots two to five. Of the top 10 vehicles in the ratings, six are electric and four are hybrids: Rank Make & Model Powertrain Green Score MSRP Estimated Annual Fuel Cost* 1 Toyota Prius Prime SE PHEV 71 $32,975 $529 2 Lexus RZ 300e EV 67 $55,150 $651 3 Mini Cooper SE EV 67 $30,900 $747 4 Nissan Leaf EV 66 $28,140 $741 5 Toyota bZ4X EV 66 $43,070 $689 6 Toyota RAV4 Prime PHEV 64 $43,690 $741 7 Hyundai Elantra Blue Gas Hybrid 64 $26,250 $864 8 Hyundai Kona Electric EV 63 $34,050 $695 9 Toyota Camry LE Gas Hybrid 63 $28,855 $907 10 Kia EV6 EV 63 $43,975 $689 11 Toyota Corolla Gas Hybrid 62 $23,500 $944 12 Hyundai Ioniq 5 EV 62 $41,650 $737 *ACEEE analysis using EIA data of annual cost—from gasoline, electricity, or a combination—of driving 15,000 miles The ACEEE also compiled two other vehicle rankings: the so-called “Greener Choices” and the “Meanest List.” The Greener Choices list includes a variety of high-scoring conventional vehicles, and the Meanest List identifies the worst-performing mass-market models. Finishing first in the “greener” list — which the organization says is about cars “available nationwide with among the lowest environmental impacts” — is the Honda Accord Hybrid. As far as the “worst-performing mass market” vehicle, that dubious distinction goes to the $184,000 Mercedes-Benz AMG G63. “ItÂ’s important for automakers to keep expanding affordable EV options rapidly so that the benefits of EVs are available to drivers across a wider spectrum of incomes as we transition away from cars that burn gasoline,” said Peter Huether, ACEEEÂ’s senior transportation research associate and lead researcher for the GreenerCars rankings. “For drivers whose needs are not met by todayÂ’s charging infrastructure, many efficient and affordable hybrid options are available.” Just over half the cars on the 2024 Greenest List start at under $35,000, including four EVs and three gas hybrids.