2010 Lexus Is 350c on 2040-cars

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Lexus ES 350 vs. Lincoln MKZ

Despite a lineup of well-received crossovers on the Lexus showroom, the midsize Lexus ES 350 four-door continues to appeal to consumers. Many of those customers are older, so you won't see marketing budgets directed toward them; no one, other than the pharmaceutical companies, is spending money marketing to baby boomers. But a midsize, moderately expressive sedan with an easy buying experience and almost coddled ownership still has its fans, and the Lexus ES 350 delivers those attributes in spades. We'd like to say Lincoln's MKZ (pictured above) is hot on the Lexus' heels, but Lincoln's lineup remains a work in progress. The Fusion-based MKZ offers a nice mix of attributes, but Lincoln's dealer count has shrunk, and many Lincoln outlets are located within – or immediately adjacent to – Ford stores. If a Fusion-based Lincoln credibly aspires to Lexus-like attributes, the same won't be said for the Ford showrooms. Here are the offerings: The Lexus ES 350 team has, over the sedan's several variations, worked hard to separate the volume Lexus from Toyota's similar Camry, and in 2017 that separation might actually be quantifiable. To its credit, the ES 350 (pictured at left) comes with but one non-hybrid drivetrain, a 3.5 liter V6 connected to a six-speed automatic driving the front wheels. With it, the ES 350 delivers a motoring experience bordering on the sublime. With the exception of its now-predictable big mouth grille, the balance of the ES sheetmetal is responsibly muted, inoffensive to the eye and should wear well through the typical payment cycle. Access to its moderately upscale interior is easy, and once inside you'll find expansive room (some 100 cubic feet) for four, along with adequate space for the occasional fifth. With a curb weight of just 3,600 pounds, the V6's 268 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque is responsive, and that's evident in the four-door's 7-second sprint to 60. This isn't a track day or autocross weapon, but if part of your day is a stressful commute, this will make it less so. With a base – albeit well appointed – spec, the ES 350 retails for just under $40,000. We would order ours in Atomic Silver, even if "atomic" seems so last-century. If you can forget – for a minute – the Matthew McConaughey connection, know that Lincoln's MKZ is fully credible as a midsize, mid-fashion sedan. If you like your Fords with more expressive interiors and additional driving refinement, there's a lot to like in Lincoln's MKZ.

2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible gets an $8K base price increase

When the 2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible arrives in dealers this summer, it will carry a price tag starting at $102,025, including the $1,025 destination charge. That's $8,050 more than the base 2021 LC 500 Coupe.  As we learned when the droptop LC was revealed at the L.A. Auto Show last year, Lexus did more than simply saw off the roof. Engineers improved chassis rigidity by adding, reshaping and/or relocating structural braces, including the rear suspension brace tower. To counter this, weight is reduced at the rear by using a die-cast aluminum suspension brace, and a unique dampener is used to ensure comparable ride quality as the coupe. Unsprung weight at the front suspension was also reduced. In total, only 217 total pounds were added for the convertible over the 2019 LC 500 coupe. The new soft-top has four layers, and Lexus says its fabric was selected to make sure that it would stay tight and prevent wrinkling. Excellent sound insulation is promised, but Active Noise Control is also employed, whether the roof is raised or lowered, to further suppress noise. The roof is lowered in 15 seconds and raised in 16. A rigid tonneau cover is employed when the roof is lowered. Design changes for the convertible include a trunk lip that's been raised slightly and widened. The center brake light is integrated into it ͖ it's normally above the back window. The beltline and rear molding were also reshaped to suppress wind, while a transparent plastic wind deflector is integrated neatly behind the back seat. Should that not sufficiently keep the chill out, an available neck-level heater has been added to the seats similar to what you'd find in various Mercedes convertibles.  Other feature updates include the addition of Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa connectivity, but the LC's version of Remote Touch does not get the RX's touchscreen functionality.  Now, should you really be digging the Structural Blue paint job pictured here, along with the very Santorini-like complementary white interior, know that it's exclusive to the Inspiration Series. It'll be restricted to only 100 units and costs $18,800. Besides the unique paint and interior, the LC's other options are included along with a two-piece set of Zero Halliburton Pursuit Aluminum luggage designed specially for Lexus. Swank.

2019 Lexus IS 300 F Sport gets Black Line treatment

Lexus is making the Black Line Special Edition treatment available again, this time offering it on the F Sport version of the 2019 IS 300 sports sedan. The package adds 18-inch, split-spoke wheels with the "black vapor chrome" finish that also appear on the flagship LS sedan, plus back side mirrors. Inside, you get black Nuluxe seats with red accents and contrasting red stitching, which also appears on the center console and armrests, plus red accent panels flanking the center stack. There's also a heated, black wood-trimmed steering wheel highlighted by what Lexus says is "distinctive shades of black that were created by a Japanese calligraphy shop dedicated to perfecting ink for more than 200 years." All Black Line versions are equipped with navigation and triple-beam LED headlights. The Black Line Special Edition will be available on both rear- and all-wheel-drive versions, with choice of three exterior colors: ultra white, obsidian and atomic silver. Rear-wheel-drive versions use a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 241 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque and comes with an eight-speed automatic, while AWD versions are powered by a 3.5-liter V6 that generates 260 hp and 236 lb-ft mated to a six-speed automatic. Black Line versions of the former will run you $45,825 including destination, while AWD versions will cost $47,875. Lexus earlier this month showed an NX F Sport Black Line edition at the Chicago Auto Show. For the IS 300 F Sport, Lexus will cap Black Line edition production at 900 units for 2019 and make it available in dealerships starting in March. Related Video: