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Lexus teases its fourth flagship model

Out of nowhere, Lexus has dropped a teaser for a new vehicle to be revealed very soon. And it sounds like it's not just any model addition. The company describes it in press releases as its fourth flagship and as a "one-of-a-kind." The other flagships the company refers to are the LS sedan, LC coupe and LX SUV. Unfortunately for us, it's darn difficult to tell what the teaser is of. All we can really make out are the colors of a dark bronze and piano black. There's also a silver cylinder just standing at the edge of the image. There aren't any lights or door handles or other visible vehicle parts. Still, since Lexus refers to it as a new flagship, we presume this teaser is of a new vehicle. While the brand may seem to have a full flagship lineup among the three aforementioned models, one of them is increasingly an outlier: the LX. While it is indeed a top-rung SUV, its body-on-frame construction and off-road capabilities make it less of a real on-road competitor to new flagship crossovers such as the new Audi Q8 and upcoming BMW X7. As such, we have a feeling the teaser could be to a flagship crossover, and it will probably be based on the LF-1 Limitless concept shown at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show. The company has already expressed a strong desire to produce something like it. It seems like a pretty safe bet unless this all turns out to be a corny branding exercise in which Lexus launches a cologne or stereo system inspired by its flagship cars. At least we won't have long to learn what the mystery product is, since the company said more information would come 24 hours after the teaser dropped. Related Video: Image Credit: Lexus Lexus Luxury lexus lf-1 limitless

Amazon Alexa will become your co-pilot in Toyota, Lexus cars

A number of carmakers have introduced Amazon Alexa voice commands that can activate the locks and climate control on their cars, but Toyota is going a step further with Alexa integration by bringing Alexa into the car. Starting in 2018, Toyota will join the likes of BMW by offering the full Alexa voice-controlled app in Toyota and Lexus vehicles with either EnTune 3.0 or EnForm 2.0 infotainment systems. Though Toyota doesn't specifically say which models, we suspect the Camry and Sienna will be the first, since they're the only Toyotas with EnTune 3.0. With Lexus, the LC, NX, RC, and LS models all have available EnForm 2.0, so any or all of those could get Alexa this year. Toyota suggests a number of ways users could use Alexa in the car, such as for taking notes and setting reminders, activating apps, or for controlling other smart devices, such as the heating and cooling on your house. That suggestion rings strongly to those of us in the midst of the bomb-cyclone winter storm. We imagine you'll probably even be able to order goods from Amazon, too. One thing that is strange is that Toyota has made this leap in connectivity, and yet you still can't get Apple CarPlay or Android Auto on any Toyota or Lexus. This is especially odd as it's safe to assume more people own and use Apple and Android products on a daily basis and on the road than Amazon Alexa. Not to mention the fact that almost every other automaker offers both systems on their vehicles. Either way, mobile Alexa presents some interesting possibilities and is sure to be appealing to fans of the Amazon service. And while only a few models will be available with it in 2018, Toyota and Lexus will expand availability in 2019. Related Video:

2018 Lexus GX 460 Drivers' Notes Review | When dinosaurs roamed the earth

The 2018 Lexus GX 460 has been on sale since late 2009. There have been a few minor updates, but a 2018 model is essentially the same as one from 2010. It's based on the global Toyota Land Cruiser Prado and shares more than a little with the Toyota 4Runner. It slots between the Lexus RX and the big daddy Lexus LX. Despite its age, it's still a seller. Sales were up in 2017. In fact, the GX had its best year in the U.S. since 2005. Blame cheap gas all you want. Really, people just want SUVs. We have a base-spec model. The only option is navigation. There's no heated seats or upgraded audio or safety features like blind-spot monitoring or active cruise control. It's basic and honest, but it also highlights just how out of date the GX really is. Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore: The GX 460 is a body-on-frame, V8-powered, three-row grunt. It's comfortable and functional, but in a segment with more than a few options, this one struggles to stand out. The styling is polarizing yet somehow also vanilla. The spindle grille looks awkward and out of place — a dissonant interpretation of Lexus' latest design language — while the lightly flared fenders say almost nothing. The 4.6-liter V8 only puts out 301 horsepower but still slurps gas to the tune of 15 miles per gallon in the city and 18 mpg on the highway. Power delivery is fine via the six-speed automatic transmission, but the GX 460 feels sluggish from launches. The interior is nice enough with pleasing materials and an intuitive layout. Visibility is solid, you're certainly high enough up, so the command driving position is confidence-inducing. Not a fan of the eight-inch multimedia screen, which feels small and isn't the most informative system I've ever used. Overall, I'd give the GX 460 a C+ compared to other vehicles in this segment. Decent, but dated and lacking some compelling elements. That being said, if you're a Lexus loyalist and want a beastly three-row SUV, you will like this one. If you're more brand agnostic, there are better options out there. Associate Editor Reese Counts: Let's get one thing out of the way — the Lexus GX is old. Yes, it's been on sale essentially unchanged since late 2009, but that's not all there is to it. This is a traditional, body-on-frame SUV with a torquey V8 and a real four-wheel drive system. It's one of the last of its breed. Customers have shifted away from these behemoths, settling on more comfortable and more efficient car-based crossovers.