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2019 Lexus NX F Sport gets the Black Line treatment

Lexus is debuting a limited-production NX F Sport Black Line edition at the 2019 Chicago Auto Show. Set to be sold for the 2019 model year only, the Black Line is essentially an appearance package with some added equipment as well — Lexus previously made a Black Line version of the RC coupe with similar results. The package takes a normal NX 300 F Sport and jazzes it up a bit. The NX in this spec is equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder making 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Forged 19-inch chrome wheels and a faux carbon bodyside graphic are the main exterior changes. Only three colors will be available for the Black Line, including black, silver and the white you see here. The interior gets colors to complement the exterior, with two-tone white and black seats. A black headliner is standard, as are unique Black Line floor mats, cargo mats and key fob gloves. Extra equipment comes in the form of a new Mark Levinson 14-speaker, 835-watt audio system. This audio setup isn't available on any other version of the NX crossover. Beyond that, the Black Line is a fully-loaded NX with nearly all of the available option boxes checked. Notable upgrades include navigation, blind-spot monitoring, heated/cooled seats, an auto-dimming mirror and moonroof. Lexus is limiting production to 1,000 units for this special edition, which will be arriving in dealerships in February — as in, right about now. It's available in either front-wheel or all-wheel drive. The front-drive version goes for $49,600, while all-wheel drive will run you $51,000 including destination charges. Related video:

Lexus TX three-row SUV coming in about 18 months

When we drove the 2018 Lexus RX 350L for the first time, we called it "generally a far superior vehicle to the GX," but also a "seemingly quick-and-dirty solution" to address the chasm in the Lexus lineup: Lack of a large, three-row SUV on a unibody chassis to counter competition like the Mercedes-Benz GLS and BMW X7. Lexus die-hards were asked to accept the compromises of the silken RX L or parachute into the truckish LX (because the GX is shorter than the RX L). Automotive News reports there's a patch coming. Sources told the outlet a model called the Lexus TX will put three-row seating for adults on a unibody architecture, debuting about six months after the three-row Toyota Grand Highlander that's expected in the middle of 2023. Bolstering that report, Toyota applied to trademark the TX name in 2009, then suspected to be a Mercedes-Benz GLK fighter below the Lexus RX. Toyota followed that up with applications for TX 350 and TX 500h in 2020. The Grand Highlander is the key piece, the TX being Lexus' version of the Toyota. We don't know how much length either vehicle will bring to showroom floors. The 2022 Highlander is 194.9 inches long, the RX 350L stretches two inches beyond that to 196.9 inches. The 2022 Toyota Sequoia is 205.1 inches long, nearly five inches longer than the 2022 Lexus LX. That gives Toyota a hair over eight inches to play with — comparing the RX L with the Sequoia, and assuming the all-new 2023 Sequoia doesn't break the measuring tape — if it doesn't want to present the Grand Highlander as merely a unibody Sequoia. Both new three-row models will be built at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana, in the process of an $803 million makeover "in preparation to introduce two all-new, three-row SUVs." When the automaker announced the investment in the Princeton, IN facility, it said both models would offer seating for up to eight people, hybrid powertrains, "a semi-automated driving system — which will allow for hands-free driving in certain conditions — a remote parking system allowing the driver to park and unpark from outside the vehicle using a smartphone, and a digital key that turns a user's smartphone into their key and allows them to share it digitally." Lexus dealers no doubt have their calendars circled. The chairman of the brand's National Dealer Advisory Council told AN the TX "can't come fast enough." Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Ford barely edges surging Chrysler for Canadian sales crown in best year ever

The auto industry in the US showed strong results through much of 2014 with sales regularly growing year-over-year for many brands. That same trend carried over in the Great White North, as well. Canada posted its best numbers ever with 1.85 million units sold, up about 100,000 vehicles over 2013. The country nearly had a new market leader, too. The big winner among our neighbors to the north in 2014 was Ford with 291,951 vehicles sold, up 3 percent from 2013, according to Reuters. That success also handed the company the sales crown for the fifth consecutive year. In large part, the strong result came from the company's popular trucks, which represented about 80 percent of overall sales. "Ford moved into the number one position in September and didn't look back," said a note to clients by DesRosiers Automotive Consultants quoted by Reuters. However, the Blue Oval didn't exactly take an overwhelming lead for the year. The company nearly had to hand over the sales trophy to FCA after the company rallied in the latter part of the year. The Italian-American conglomerate had its best results ever to nip at the Ford's heels and move 290,004 units for 2014, a 12-percent improvement from last year. Jeep especially helped the bottom line with over 50-percent growth, according to Reuters. Only two other brands were able to break the 200,000-vehicle barrier in Canada for 2014. General Motors came in third place overall with 249,800 sales, up 6.3 percent. The combined Toyota and Lexus also barely jumped the hurdle with 200,851 units moved, a 2.8 percent improvement.