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Lexus and Scott Pruett go racing with RC F GT3

Lexus will show what its RC F GT3 can do next year in the US when the racer will be hit the track with a newly formed team called F Performance Racing. Unfortunately, no one will say what series the coupe will compete in, but veteran racer Scott Pruett will be behind the wheel. As Lexus already teased, the RC F GT3 will feature a body with big flares and a huge wing. Under the heat extractors in the hood, there will be a production-derived 5.0-liter V8 with over 500 horsepower that will route through a six-speed sequential gearbox. Based on its current livery in eye-popping metallic blue, the coupe will also be one of the easiest cars to spot on the track. The sharply styled RC F might take too many checkered flags in its first season, though, because the team will keep the coupe to a limited schedule next year. Rather than scoring wins, the focus will be on developing the platform and gaining experience. However by the 2017 or 2018 season, there will be a multi-car effort with a full racing calendar. When taking on veteran teams fielding Porsches or Ferraris in the same class, a seasoned driver like Pruett will be an asset around a racecourse. He also already has close ties to the Japanese luxury brand after competing in Lexus-power prototypes in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Championship Series and helping to develop the LFA. "I could not be more ecstatic to be representing Lexus as a performance brand ambassador and on the track in the F Performance RC F GT3," he said in the announcement. We look forward to seeing what he can do with it next year. Related Video: Lexus Partners with F Performance Racing for 2016 and Beyond Scott Pruett and Paul Gentilozzi form new team Multi-year team agreement Upcoming season focuses on vehicle development LAS VEGAS (Nov. 2, 2015) - Lexus today announced its motorsports partnership with Paul Gentilozzi and newly formed F Performance Racing to field the RC F GT3 in a soon to be announced sports car series. This new racing venture is part of the Lexus' global motorsports effort that will see the Japanese luxury brand competing on tracks in the United States beginning in 2016. The new race vehicle is based upon the production Lexus RC F high performance coupe that went on sale at the end of 2014.

2019 Lexus ES350 F Sport Drivers' Notes | Some F, more luxury

The 2019 Lexus ES 350 is a big step in the right direction for the Camry-sized sedan. It looks eons better than the last ES, and it has the Lexus ride and luxury to back it up. Lexus redesigned the mid-size sedan for the 2019 model year, putting it on Toyota’s TNGA platform. ItÂ’s a good place to be, as every new Toyota that has come out on this architecture is more dynamic and comfortable than the last. Lexus even went so far as to add optional adaptive shocks to the equation, which stiffens up the ride in Sport mode. Our first tester was this gorgeous, blue F Sport model, which is comparable to the one West Coast Editor James Riswick drove last year. Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski tested an ES 350 with Lexus' top Ultra Luxury package. Our blue test car came with the aforementioned adaptive suspension, but the F Sport also gains 19-inch wheels and trim-exclusive sport seats. A Sport+ driving mode is added with the adaptive suspension, as well, joining the existing Sport, Normal and Eco modes. Without options, the ES 350 F Sport is a $45,160 car. All our tester's extras brought the final price to $54,450. The most expensive addition was the Mark Levinson audio system, combined with navigation for a hefty $2,900. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert costs $1,065; triple-beam LED headlights are $1,515, and the adaptive suspension is $750. A swath of unnecessary accessories balloon the price even higher, but itÂ’s still cheaper than many of the German sedans. A generously equipped car could come in right around $50,000 if youÂ’re willing to compromise on a few amenities. Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore: IÂ’m going to zero-in on the infotainment system's touchpad, which sits to the right of the driver. ItÂ’s tricky to use, especially while driving. To be fair, I didnÂ’t spend a ton of time in this otherwise enjoyable ES 350 F Sport, but tuning the radio and toggling through the different sources (FM, XM, etc.) shouldnÂ’t require all that much education. There are redundant controls for some of the functionality, but this still isn't great. You can do a lot of things with this touchpad -- flick, zoom, scroll -- itÂ’s good in theory. But in practice, I find it annoying, and in traffic it can be distracting. There are simpler solutions that are better. Toyota has plenty of good tech hardware. The next day I drove an Avalon hybrid and had no issues with the touchscreen-operated infotainment. There was almost no adjustment period.

NHTSA may investigate new Toyota unintended acceleration case

After paying a $1.2-billion settlement to the US government last year, Toyota largely put the unintended acceleration recall behind it. Although, there were still some civil lawsuits to handle. A new case where the owner of a 2009 Lexus ES350 is petitioning the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to open another analysis could draw the issue back to the forefront. Investigators are still deciding whether to research these claims further, though. According to this petition, the owner's wife was driving the ES350 in February 2015. While pulling into a parking space, the sedan allegedly surged forward, and there was a low-speed accident. The claim asserts there are at least two other similar cases in NHTSA's database: one in a 2009 Camry in 2009 and another in a 2010 Corolla in 2014. Specifically, this person wants an "investigation into low-speed surging in different models of Toyota automobiles in which the car starts accelerating and the engine RPM increases even when the accelerator pedal is not depressed," according to the agency. NHTSA will do further research into this person's claim and will decide whether to conduct a full investigation into the alleged issue. This won't be the first reappraisal of unintended acceleration in Toyotas by the agency in recent months, though. Between September 2014 and May 2015, NHTSA evaluated a similar petition with allegations covering 2006-2010 Corollas, and the government body decided to deny that one because the problem couldn't be replicated. Related Video: INVESTIGATION Subject : Low-speed surging Date Investigation Opened: JUL 09, 2015 Date Investigation Closed: Open NHTSA Action Number: DP15005 Component(s): VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL All Products Associated with this Investigation close Vehicle Make Model Model Year(s) LEXUS ES350 2009 Details Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation SUMMARY: In a letter dated June 19, 2015, a consumer petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for an "investigation into low-speed surging in different models of Toyota automobiles in which the car starts accelerating and the engine RPM increases even when the accelerator pedal is not depressed." The petition was prompted by a February 2015 crash involving a model year (MY) 2009 Lexus ES350, which allegedly surged as the petitioner's wife was pulling into a parking spot.