2007 Lexus Es350 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Lexus comes to SEMA with a wine-dispensing crossover

While some manufacturers are going neck-deep into the tuner car world for SEMA this year, Lexus is keeping it classy with a restrained lineup of cars with lighter modifications. It made sure to hit all of them though, even the tiny UX subcompact crossover. Here's the rundown: 2019 Lexus RC 350 F Sport Cross Country Custom The idea on this one was to pick up a few different modifications from different shops as it's driven across the country. Along the route it's picked up some RS-R USA springs, Vossen forged wheels with Nitto performance tires, Apexi N1-X muffler, a satin wrap and blue underglow. There's not a whole lot to it now, but Lexus says there are still more modifications to come before it hits Los Angeles. 2019 Lexus UX 250h It's still a funky-looking crossover, but Lexus tried hard to make it stand out from the rest of the bland boxes on the road. The light blue wrap combined with an Apexi N1 suspension does the trick. These subcompact crossovers tend to look even more like hatchbacks once manufacturers lower them a couple inches — all that's left is to get rid of the unsightly black plastic cladding. This one has an Apexi N1 catback exhaust too. We can't imagine that sounds too hot with the CVT transmission in the UX though. 2019 Lexus ES 350 F Sport Wine lovers, here is the car for you. Lexus used the trunk area of this ES 350 to put a wine refrigerator, wine rack and glass holder. It did that, then made the flooring of the trunk out of oak barrel wood. To keep it upscale-feeling Lexus added a subtle Artisan Spirit aero kit and Rays Engineering 20-inch wheels. The Rolls-Royce Cullinan better watch out. 2018 Lexus LS F Sport The long Lexus looks a lot racier in this gray paint and 22-inch Work wheels. An aero kit brings it all closer to the ground without actually lowering it. Gigantic six-piston Brembo brakes in front and four-piston rears are painted in yellow, and look menacing within the big wheels. Related video:

Mazda and Lexus crowned with KBB 5-Year Cost To Own awards

We report on a lot of awards, some of which are given out based on more solid criteria than others. This one, the Kelley Blue Book 5-Year Cost to Own awards, seems like one that new car shoppers should pay attention to.
The cost of a car goes far beyond what you pay for the actual metal, leather and rubber at the point of purchase. Fuel, insurance, maintenance and repair costs, and the cost of fees from the state and financing will all weigh on your wallet while you own the car. That's not even taking into account the biggest cost: depreciation, or the amount of money you lose based on what your car is worth years from now versus the day you bought it.
KBB tracks these sorts of things, and they've compiled a list of winners for 2013 models. On the brand level, Mazda and Lexus earn the 5-Year Cost to Own award for having the lowest overall projected five-year totals (though, curiously, we note that Mazda and Lexus each had only one segment winner). There are lots of winners for all the various segments, so we'll just pick out a few surprising ones to share and you can view the rest here.

Fresh-faced Lexus NX crossover set to debut in Shanghai

The updated Lexus NX compact crossover is set to show its revised face at Auto Shanghai 2017. The NX debuted back in 2014, which means the time is prime for a mid-cycle refresh. While this won't be an all-new model, expect fresh styling both inside and out. The single teaser images shows a new headlight design and possibly a reworked grille. We don't know much beyond that. The NX, which shares a platform with the Toyota RAV4, comes with the choice of two powertrains and the option of front or all-wheel drive. The NX 200t is powered by a 235 horsepower turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine. The 300h is the requisite hybrid model. Its total system output is 194 horsepower. In addition to the updated NX, Lexus is rolling out the LS 500h for an Asian audience. The car debuted earlier this month in Geneva. Look for more photos and info after the debut on either April 19 or 20. Related Video: Image Credit: Lexus Design/Style Auto Shanghai Lexus Crossover Luxury lexus nx refresh lexus nx 200t lexus nx 300h