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Lexus LFA successor with PHEV drivetrain in the works?

Reports out of Japan say that a successor to the Lexus LFA is in the works. While this news should come with a planet-sized grain of salt, there is a non-zero chance. And since the LFA is one of the best sports cars we've driven, it bears at least considering, so let's look at the mere possibility of a successor. Best Car magazine claims to have in their upcoming Dec. 10 issue a scoop about the new "super sports" car. They say that the successor is a plug-in hybrid with a front-midship layout (the heavy motor behind the front axle) under a carbon fiber body. The gas side of the equation is said to be a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 generating approximately 937 horsepower. It's supposedly scheduled for a 2025 debut. This seems to be a different car than the rumored Gazoo Racing Super Sport, which is based on the Toyota's entrant in the WEC's new Le Mans Hypercar class. That car would have to resemble the race car somewhat, and as such would have a twin-turbo hybrid V6. We find it highly unlikely that Toyota would build two super-expensive cars at the same time. Also, note the rumored engine is a 4.0-liter V8, a displacement that doesn't exist in any modern Lexus. Perhaps that could mean a replacement for the current 5.0-liter V8? Or maybe just a sign that this is all much ado about nothing.  However, we have seen an LFA prototype with modified bodywork lapping the Nurburgring in late 2018, some six years after the original ended production. The same car was spotted in summer of 2019 as well, the same year Lexus' then vice-president, now president Koji Sato told Autocar, "We need strong requests for a new LFA from the media. This can help us proceed.” Well, if that's what it takes then consider this another vote in the yes column, even though we've described its 4.8-liter V10's 552-horsepower output as not very impressive on paper by the time it came out and covered how it wasn't a hot seller, with new examples still being offered for sale as new in 2018. In the years since, though, it seems the collector market seems to have taken a liking to the LFA. At Monterey Car Week this year, a regular LFA sold for $819,000, more than doubling its original $375,000 sticker, while a 1 of 50 Nurburgring Edition sold for $1.6 million. If the GR Super Sport really is canceled as some rumors suggest, perhaps there is room in the Toyota family for another LFA. We still wouldn't hold our breaths, though.

2022 Lexus NX touchscreen infotainment review

The all-new 2022 Lexus NX’s most important change, improvement and missed opportunity is its equally new Human Machine Interface infotainment system. It also has implications for the entire Lexus brand, because it signals the demise of the unloved Remote Touch tech interface. That such an important development arrives on one of the brand's cheapest vehicles may seem surprising, but it's consistent with the brand's product cycle: Remote Touch's first major upgrade, the infernal touchpad, actually debuted on the original NX. We didn't like it 2014 and that never changed. The new "Human Machine Interface" touchscreen isn't perfect, but it's still a vast improvement. Or rather, both touchscreen choices are vast improvements: a 9.6 unit base unit and a 14-inch widescreen upgrade included in Luxury and F Sport trims. Both share a common, all-new interface developed in the United States that will spread throughout the Lexus lineup. Regardless of size, the screen's lowermost portion is devoted to the climate controls, with physical temperature knobs sticking around along with defroster buttons. The touch icons are large enough, don't omit frequently used choices and always remain on the screen. So does the row of menu icons on the screen's left side, making it easy to go back and forth between screens. Unusually, though, there is no home screen, nor the ability to split the screen to show two sources – for instance, Google Maps on the left and radio information on the right. This would be one of the aforementioned missed opportunities, especially on the 14-inch unit, as split-screen functionality is usually a key benefit of a widescreen format. Not only do rival brands like BMW and Genesis offer this, so do the widescreen displays of Lexus Remote Touch and some Toyotas. According to Technical Communications Lead Chris Pedregon, the decision to only show one thing at once was to highlight the new natural voice command functionality and to "minimize the touch-touch-touch" of using a touchscreen. She also noted that people did not like that the old Lexus NX only had a split screen. Another Lexus representative noted that secondary information, say that radio information, can be shown in the instrument panel. That's the argument, here's the refutation. First, saying "Hey Lexus" followed by a command can be just as frustrating and/or futile as it is with any other voice recognition system.

Ice driving at the Bridgestone Winter Driving School | AutoblogVR

We have two new VR episodes for you this week, both of which come from the Bridgestone Winter Driving School. In one, we get some instruction in the snow and then have a little fun sliding around. In the other, two instructors give a visual demonstration of how rear- and all-wheel-drive cars handle differently in the snow (which also includes lots of fun sliding). You get to experience it all from the passenger seat, with a view in every direction. The Bridgestone Winter Driving School is located just outside the town of Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Facilities include a couple of meticulously maintained ice/snow tracks and a snow skidpad – which, it happens, is the best kind of skidpad. We worked our way up from an all-wheel-drive Lexus NX crossover to a rear-drive Lexus IS, and then the staff gave their drifty demonstration in two similar Lexus IS sedans – one with rear drive and the other with all-wheel drive. There's a preview above, but for the full immersive experience, you'll need the AutoblogVR app for iOS or Android – you can download it for free from the App store and Google Play. Be sure to try it with a cardboard viewer, too! Lexus Driving Videos VR Original Video lexus is virtual reality lexus nx 360video