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Lexus launching new Crafted Line special editions at Pebble Beach

Over the course of the past 25 years, Lexus has done one heck of a job winding its way into the luxury automobile market previously dominated by the Germans. And now it aims to take another step into the luxury arena with The Crafted Line by Lexus.
Set to debut at Pebble Beach later this month, the Crafted line offers the Storm Trooper treatment with high-contrast white paint and black trim. The interiors are done up in two-tone black and red, and Tumi has done up a special set of luggage to match.
The special edition will be available on the ES350 as well as the F Sport versions of the LS460, GS350, IS250 (in both rear- and all-wheel drive) and RX350 AWD. Each will be limited to around 1,000 examples (give or take, depending on the model), with pricing set to start at around $42,000 for the ES pictured above. Scope out the full details in the press release below.

Lexus F performance SUV could be in the works

Amid the wave of SUVs and crossovers that has crashed down on the industry, several high-performance sporting SUVs have washed up and started to fill a separate growing niche. It's an idea that Lexus is contemplating, according to a new report, with a possible F-branded utility vehicle focusing on either on- or off-road specialties. At the Rolex 24 in Daytona, Florida, Motor1 learned that incorporating a crossover or SUV into Lexus' F performance division has been under "active discussion." That doesn't necessarily mean a hotted-up utility vehicle, however. According to the report, F could translate to a different type of performance on the SUV, specifically for off-road capabilities. Using the F badge in this way would be a huge departure from what it has meant during the brand's 10-year history. Lexus currently offers the sport-focused RC F and the GS F, with an LC F expected soon. Should Lexus decide to lean further into the sport performance methodology with its utility vehicles, the newly released UX and the NX would likely be the top candidates. That said, Lexus does have two highly competent off-road vehicles in the Lexus GX and LX. Plus, Toyota, Lexus' parent brand, has been producing some of the best off-road vehicles on the market for years. As of now, this is just talk, but the way SUV and crossover sales have been going, we'd expect an F-branded Lexus SUV in the near future. Which kind of enthusiast it's for remains to be seen. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Toyota reveals latest autonomous tech test bed

Toyota revealed its latest autonomous technology effort Friday, a sophisticated Lexus LS 600hL prototype that showcases its plans to advance in the emerging field. The Lexus is the first developed entirely by the company's in-house Toyota Research Institute and it will focus on the car's ability to learn and see behavior on the road. Toyota is showing the car at the Prius Challenge event at Sonoma Raceway. The Lexus uses Lidar, radar, and sensors, which potentially reduce reliance on mapping. The prototype advances Toyota's last concept vehicle shown at the Consumer Electronics Show in 2013. This one is said to be more flexible and it will focus on Toyota's two autonomous tech pillars, called Guardian and Chauffeur. Guardian is meant to improve safety features, while Chauffeur moves toward full autonomy. "We believe Guardian can probably be deployed sooner and more widely than Chauffeur, providing high-level driver-assist features capable of helping mitigate collisions and save lives, sooner rather than later," Toyota Research Institute Gill Pratt said in a statement. Related Video: Green Lexus Toyota Autonomous Vehicles Luxury Sedan lexus ls