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Autoblog Podcast #318

Toyota back on top, Barrett Jackson, Crowdsourcing your Dodge Dart payments, Nissan and Toyota double down on pickups
Episode #318 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth, Zach Bowman and Michael Harley talk about Toyota regaining the No. 1 sales crown, getting your friends and family to buy you a Dodge Dart, Barrett-Jackson, and Toyota and Nissan remaining committed to their pickup trucs. We wrap with your questions, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. Keep reading for our Q&A module for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #318:

Forget LCD displays, the Lexus UX concept has hologram orbs

Two weeks ago, Lexus revealed the UX concept for the Paris Motor Show. The company only showed one photo of the exterior, but did give a generic description of the interior, saying it would have "imaginative technologies for an immersive driver experience." Now we know what that means: holograms! Yes, Lexus has done about the only thing that can impress in this world of high-resolution automotive displays – it brought instruments and infotainment into the third dimension. In the process it has somewhat reimagined the way occupants interact with the car as well. We're guessing the name UX, which stands for user experience in the tech world, was intentional. The large crystal-shaped box in the center console stands out immediately. The company says the box will display climate control and infotainment options in full 3D for the driver and passenger. The instrument cluster gets the hologram treatment as well with an orb floating in the middle and the ability to display both analog and digital information. No word on whether a small, blue Princess Leia will appear in the console asking for help. The UX's interior has a few other nifty surprises. The windows are electrochromic, so they can be darkened as needed (similar tech is already in use on some car roofs). The passenger side of the dashboard has a large, finned sound bar that can be removed. We're not entirely sure the thinking behind that feature, but we suppose it would be nice as a stereo for a picnic or a day at the beach. To cap things off, Lexus included the concept car staples of touch-sensitive buttons and side-view mirror cameras. As for when you'll see hologram displays in future Lexus models, we have no idea but wouldn't count on them coming anytime soon. We have a more optimistic view of the Lexus UX concept itself. With crossovers as popular as ever, we expect to see an attractive production model with these bulging fenders and a steeply raked windshield in a year or so. Related Video: Image Credit: Lexus Design/Style Paris Motor Show Lexus Technology Emerging Technologies Infotainment Crossover 2016 paris motor show interior design lexus ux concept

Lexus apologizes for anti-EV ad, Plug In America calls it 'outdated'

Anyone who's spent any time learning about the alternatives to the standard fossil fuel-burning internal combustion engine knows that there are arguments to be made for and against all of the main options. They also know that there is barely any refueling infrastructure for hydrogen fuel cell cars in the US, aside form a handful of H2 stations in California and one in South Carolina. Somehow, though Lexus, recently said there was an "established infrastructure" in 20 states in an online video ad on the company's official site. Another part of that site also made unfair negative comments about battery-powered electric vehicles, saying that it takes too long to charge the cars. Read our original post on the matter here. In the ongoing discussion about how the US moves away from inefficient gas and diesel engines, this was seen as a real muck up of the facts. Upon seeing the videos, pro-electric vehicle group Plug In America released a statement to AutoblogGreen (Lexus is owned by Toyota): Hey, Toyota, the 1990s called. They want their outdated anti-EV attack ad back. Plug-in electric vehicles charge while you're sleeping at home, far more convenient than making a trip to a gas station and coming away smelling like carcinogens. Driving on electricity costs about one fifth what it costs to drive the average gas car and about a third what it costs to drive the most efficient hybrid. An electric drive has smooth, instant acceleration which can't be matched by any gasoline engine. If you don't believe me, just ask anyone driving a Toyota RAV4 EV. The videos were produced by Team One, Lexus' ad agency. Exactly where the information came from and how it made it to the website is unclear, but Lexus spokesman Moe Durand said that Lexus apologizes for offending anyone and has taken the incorrect videos down. The company will review all the materials and alter and adjust the campaign as necessary, he said.