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2016 Lexus ES shows updated, US-spec face

Lexus debuted the refreshed style for the ES at the Shanghai Motor Show with a much more prominent take on the company's spindle grille. If you hoped the conspicuous schnoz might be toned down for the US version of the luxury sedan, we have some bad news. The US-spec 2016 Lexus ES looks exactly the same. The spindle grille stands as one of the most polarizing styling features on new vehicles today. Rather than soften things, Lexus' designers make the shape even more pronounced for the refreshed ES. The latest take removes the crossbar from the center and outlines the whole thing in chrome. More angular, standard LED headlights make the edges appear even sharper, as do the triangular foglight surrounds at the lower corners. At the back, the taillights feature a more conspicuous L-shape and chrome-tipped, rectangular exhaust tips finish things off on the ES 350. The company also adds some evocatively named colors, including Autumn Shimmer, Nightfall Mica, Caviar, and Eminent White Pearl. Beyond the updated looks, the other major change for the ES is the availability of the Lexus Safety System+ suite of tech. It includes a Pre-Collision System, Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist, Intelligent High Beam, and High-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control. If all that isn't enough to make you feel more secure behind the wheel, a blind spot monitor with rear cross traffic alert is an additional option. The improvements to the interior aren't quite as drastic as the outside. There's a redesigned steering wheel, shift knob with a leather boot, and more soft-touch materials around the console. New trim colors include Linear Dark Mocha, Illustrious Piano Black, and matte-finish Bamboo. Both ES 350 and ES 300h models are unchanged in terms of powertrains. For a starting price of $38,940, after the $940 destination charge, buyers can get the ES 350 with a 268-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 and six-speed automatic. For $41,860, customers can order an ES 300h with a hybrid, 2.5-liter four-cylinder making a total output of 200 hp. Luxury, Emboldened: Lexus ES 350 Revs Up Style and Luxury for 2016 Refreshed Look with Bolder Rendition of Lexus Spindle Grille Standard LED Headlights and Other Premium Design Features New Lexus Safety System+ Suite of Driver Assist Technologies Upgraded Interior Finishes Mark Levinson Audio and Panoramic Roof Available with All Packages July 10, 2015 Maintaining luxury leadership requires a relentless pursuit.

2017 LC 500 is the future of Lexus [w/video]

The 2017 LC 500 shows where Lexus is headed. In this case it's not just a flashy grille and a big engine like earlier Lexus efforts. This time every facet of the engineering went into making the car handle better, and the styling and engineering were developed hand in hand. It won't set any sales records, but it will win a lot of eyeballs. Why is Lexus making another coupe? That's a fair question, as slow-selling two doors don't do much to improve market share. The reason for the LC is to make a statement, both in terms of style and engineering. It looks remarkably close to the 2012 LF-LC concept. And underpinning the taut styling is a new global architecture that will underpin future cars like the LS. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. The LC 500 is Toyota's way of saying, yet again, that it's serious about reforming the Lexus reputation into one that include performance and style. On paper the 467-horsepower, 5.0-liter V8 (the same as in the RC F and GS F) performance claim looks like sloppy handwriting, but Lexus claims a 0-60 time of less than 4.5 seconds. Rumors abound that more power will come to the LC lineup in a few years, most likely in some kind of turbocharged form. Backing up the engine is a ten-speed transmission. Yes, ten. Lexus claims the gearbox is nearly as fast as a dual-clutch automatic, and that the overall size is smaller than some eight speed 'boxes. Underpinning the LC is an all new structure that includes carbon fiber reinforced plastic, aluminum, and high-strength steel. Torsional rigidity is said to be better than the all-carbon fiber LF A supercar. We're worried the ride could be on the stiff side, with run flat tires on both standard 20-inch wheel and the optional 21-inch wheels seen on the show car. All hope for retaining a pleasant ride lies with the suspension, which is nearly all aluminum. But as we mentioned, this car is skewed towards performance, and Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires on show car promised new levels of lateral grip for a big Lexus. What's more promising is the claim that Lexus spend triple the standard time developing the steering feel and handling. This could be the best-handling Lexus ever, but don't expect the LC 500 to be a Porsche 911 competitor. Preconceptions aside, the LC is bigger than a Carrera and that alone dictates a different character. The Lexus is closer to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe and BMW 6 Series in size.

Toyota will bring Lexus-based Platform 3.0 autonomous vehicle to CES

The Toyota Research Institute says it will bring its next-generation Platform 3.0 automated driving vehicle to CES next week, an autonomous test car that is notable for incorporating the sensors and cameras into the body, rather than as ungainly attachments, and with the spinning LIDAR rooftop sensor replaced by a more sleek panel of sensors. Platform 3.0 is built on a Lexus LS600hL. Toyota Research Institute says it enlisted CALTY Design Research in Ann Arbor, Mich. and engineers at Toyota's nearby North America R&D center to conceal the equipment. As a result, Platform 3.0 gets a new rooftop weather and temperature proof panel, which it says was inspired by off-road motorcycle helmets, integrated into the available space in the sunroof compartment to minimize height. It's also embellished with chrome trim along the side, where it meets the roofline, and the rear swoops down to integrate with the LS's contour lines. The team also managed to consolidate computational electronics and wiring into a small box in the trunk. Toyota says the Platform 3.0 is one of the most perceptive autonomous test vehicles on the road today, with a design makes the test vehicle easy to build at scale. It gets a Luminar LIDAR system boasting a 200-meter, 360-degree range (the previous version only tracked the forward direction), enabled by four high-res LIDAR scanning heads that help it better see dark objects. Shorter-range LIDAR sensors feature low on all four sides of the vehicle, one on each front quarter panel and on the front and rear bumpers, to detect low-level and smaller objects, like children or road debris. Production begins this spring at the Toyota Motor North America R&D headquarters at low volumes to allow for flexibility, given the rapid rate of development of Toyota's autonomous test platforms. Some will be assembled using Toyota's Guardian dual-cockpit control layout to allow for transferring control between a human test driver and the automated system while keeping the driver as a backup, while the single-cockpit, fully autonomous Chauffeur mode will be shown at CES starting Jan. 9.Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Least favorite vehicles of 2017