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MT digs deep, learns more about hot Lexus RC coupe

As we patiently wait for the all-new Lexus RC to be unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in November, Motor Trend has dug up some tasty info on the Japanese automaker's new coupe for us to discuss. While we already knew some speculative, but credible, details on the upcoming two-door Lexus, MT reportedly has the dish on some details of the hotter RC F coupe (shown in the spy shots above).
The article says that the F will carry a six-figure MSRP and use a 455-horsepower, 5.0-liter V8 with cylinder deactivation, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Carbon fiber body components will help reduce curb weight, and the scooped hood is said to optimize aerodynamics as the car will reach a top speed of around 186 miles per hour. Specific high-speed handling improvements include specially developed Brembo brakes, a beefed-up suspension, Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tires and an automatic decklid spoiler.
As for other RC models, MT mentions the hybrid and V6 variants we already heard about, but it also says that the car could get a 2.0-liter turbo engine. This will probably be the engine used in the base model, which is expected to start at around $40,000. Head on over to Motor Trend for the full article, including a rendered image of the RC F.

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

2019 Lexus ES 350 F Sport Quick Spin Review | Yet another Lexus surprise

The 2019 Lexus ES 350 F Sport truly cements that "driving like a Lexus" now means something far different than it ever did before. It's not dull, it's not anonymous and old ladies probably won't like it. It should not be painted pearlescent white. Instead, the new ES is genuinely engaging to drive, feeling every bit like it was spawned from the same gene pool as the lustworthy LC coupe and surprisingly sharp LS flagship sedan. I actually enjoyed driving it more than the BMW M550i, and I liked driving that car quite a bit. Seriously. No one is as surprised by that statement as the guy who typed it. It really comes down to what you feel through that F Sport steering wheel, through your heels planted in the floor below, and the seat of your pants that's now placed lower in a sportier driving position. The 2019 ES 350 is one of those cars that manages to shrink around you as you hustle it along, feeling much smaller than its full-size sedan dimensions would indicate. It may be based on the Avalon, but that car never felt as lithe and responsive as its Lexus cousin. The extra structural rigidity of the ES is part of the equation. Now, to be fair, the ES in question is the F Sport model fitted with the optional Adaptive Variable Suspension derived from the divine LC, which no doubt helps the dynamics compared to lesser ES trims. But judging by the impressions of others, plus the rest of Lexus' redone lineup, lower-trim ESs seem to drive well. Even the base cars come with novel swing-valve shock absorbers designed to ably soak up bumps while keeping things level around corners. The electric power steering motor has also migrated from the column to the rack – a sure fire way to improve steering feel. And that it does, plus Lexus has a knack of tuning the various steering settings (Normal, Sport and Sport+) to be subtle in their increase of effort. There's no overly stiff weighting to satisfy the notion that "sporty" steering equals "stiff" steering, as is often the case in cars with variable drive settings. Appropriately, I drove in Normal around town and in Sport+ on my mountain road evaluation route. The differences aren't night and day -- it still feels like you're driving the same car -- it's just been tweaked slightly for ideal performance. These drive settings also adjust the adaptive suspension, if so equipped.