2022 Lexus Rx 350 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2019 Lexus ES gets new F Sport trim, Amazon Alexa and Apple CarPlay

"Alexa," I say out loud. A chime goes off in the all-new 2019 Lexus ES acknowledging the wake word. I ask what the weather is going to be like tomorrow, and after a brief pause, the voice made famous from Amazon's Super Bowl campaign replies, informing me of the cloud conditions and the temperatures for the next day based on my current GPS location. Although the ability to order paper towels from the comfort of a car wasn't quite ready for prime time (I tried), the future is nigh. While Lexus was unveiling the seventh-generation ES on the global stage that is the Beijing Motor Show, simultaneously in Los Angeles, a more intimate gathering of journalists was held and the wraps were pulled off an ES 350 and the ES F Sport. Not present was the ES 300h hybrid variant. In all, 2,000 components are either new or have been revised on the 2019 ES, which utilizes the larger GA-K chassis variation of Toyota's new global TNGA platform. Utilized on the 2018 Toyota Camry and 2019 Avalon, it's the first time the luxury brand has put the new front-wheel-drive platform to use. Standing 2.6 inches longer, 0.2 inches lower, 1.8 inches wider with wider tracks (0.4-inch front, 1.5 inch rear), and having a 2-inch longer wheelbase than the model it replaces, Lexus says the dimensions have been stretched to improve handling(for some reference, you can see how the similarly sized new Avalon compares to the last-generation ES). Another benefit is rear seat legroom, which is actually greater than that of the flagship LS sedan. All new ES models will roll out of Toyota's Kentucky plant with aluminum hoods and front fenders, and high-tensile steel to save on weight. Thanks to efforts such as those, the preliminary curb weight for the new, larger ES 350 is 3,649 pounds, a 78-pound increase from the current. The ES models on display both employ a new 8-speed automatic transmission mated to the same 3.5-liter V6 found in the Camry and Avalon. In the ES it produces 302 hp and 267 lb-ft of torque, a jump in 34 hp and 19 lb-ft of torque from the current ES 350. Preliminary fuel economy figures are 26 mpg combined (22 city / 33 highway), a bump up from 24 combined (21 city / 30 highway). The ES 300h will also share its hybrid powertrain with the Avalon, consisting of a 2.5-liter four-cylinder aided by two electric motors (one for propulsion and another that serves as a motor generator). The current ES only has one electric motor. Total system output is 215 horsepower.

2021 Lexus LX 570 gets an Inspiration Series run of 500 units

The 2021 Lexus LX 570 will haul its 13-year-old bones into the 2021 model year with the enticements of the Sport Package, along with an Inspiration Series model produced in a run of 500 examples. New features and options for 2021 are Amazon Alexa capability, Nori Green exterior paint, and interior leather colored Glazed Caramel. The Sport Package dials up bodykit add-ons for the front and rear fascias, a sport grille, body-colored side mirrors with chrome accents, and forged 21-inch wheels outside. A black headliner inside broods over semi-aniline leather trim offset with leather in black, Cabernet, or that new Glazed Caramel hue.  The LX Inspiration Series can be had in either Black Onyx or the $425 White Pearl exterior. Outside, it goes heavy on the sinister. A black grille features a black chrome surround, there are black headlamps and taillights with smoked lenses to go with black fog lamps, black trim around the windows and black chrome garnish elsewhere, black roof rails and door handles, and black badges on the back of tailgate. The rolling stock is a set of 21-inch black wheels with black center caps. The limited-edition spent all its fun money on the exterior, the interior left with unique floor and cargo mats, and unique key gloves.  All models come with the Lexus Safety System+ that groups features like Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, Panoramic View Monitor, Multi-Terrain Monitor, and Intuitive Parking Assist. The engine bay retains its 5.7-liter V8 throwing 383 horsepower and 403 pound-feet of torque, shifting through an eight-speed automatic and sending power to all four wheels through a Torsen limited-slip differential. If an LX 570 ever sees an unpaved road, it will have nothing to fear, equipped standard with its Crawl Control system that comes with Turn Assist and Hill-start Assist Control. On sale as of now, prices on the two-row, five-seat LX 570 and the three-row, seven-seat model have gone up by $100. The two-row starts at $86,580 and gets a $1,025 destination charge, totaling $87,605. The three-row starts at $91,580 and gets a $1,295 destination charge, so it starts at $92,875. Lexus didn't mention pricing for the Sport Package or the Inspiration model, both of which are exclusive to the three-row, and they're not on the Lexus configurator as of writing, so speak to your dealer about those if they speak to you. Related Video:    

Toyota, Lexus to build more CUVs to meet surging demand

What was the biggest takeaway from the auto industry's 2014? Besides the fact that recalls are now a sad and mostly unremarkable part of a vehicle's life, it's that you can't be a competitive, mainstream brand in the US without a really strong line of crossovers, SUVs or pickups. We saw evidence of this as recently as Monday, when Hyundai unveiled its HCD-15 Santa Cruz Concept, and now we're seeing it again with Toyota. The company already has a comprehensive lineup of both mainstream and luxury CUVs and SUVs, although surging demand – sales were up 16 percent last year, Bloomberg reports – has led the company to increase its production tempo at the plants responsible for the RAV4 and Lexus RX. "The freeze is still in place until the end of March of 2016," Toyota's Jim Lentz told Bloomberg during this week's Detroit Auto Show, referencing the production bump at the Japanese and Canadian factories responsible for the models. "That hasn't changed. All indications are that it will lift, but right now it has not lifted." The increased sales are even spurring the brand to consider additional CUVs, including a compact that would slot in below the RAV4, Lentz told the business publication. Such a move would give Toyota a player in an increasingly competitive and important segment. In 2014 alone, mainstream brands, including Honda, Mazda, Chevrolet and Jeep, have announced brand new products destined for the compact CUV market. "We're going to have to look at how the market under RAV4 develops," Lentz told Bloomberg. "There's no question that it's going to. That's going to be the next growth spurt." Related Video: