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How Lexus, Infiniti plan to win back luxury buyers from Germans, Tesla

DETROIT — Japanese luxury auto brands Lexus and Infiniti have used the Detroit Auto Show to test new ways to regain momentum against Germany's prestige automakers and Tesla. The Japanese are fighting to gain ground in the U.S. luxury market as Audi and Mercedes-Benz have expanded sales and Tesla has provided a fresh alternative to established brands. Last year, Lexus suffered a 7.6 percent slide in U.S. sales. Acura's 2017 sales fell 3.9 percent from 2016. Infiniti pushed up sales by 11.3 percent — but by selling almost twice as many sport utility vehicles as cars. However, Infiniti's total 2017 sales of 153,415 vehicles put it behind the leading Germany luxury car brands, as well as Acura, Lexus and Cadillac. The Lexus LF-1 Limitless concept SUV model, with its futuristic looks and "Chauffeur mode" semi-autonomous hands-off driving capabilities, signals that Toyota's luxury brand may start to focus more on SUVs than traditional large sedans. The LF-1 also previews a futuristic navigation technology that anticipates where the driver is going based on driving habits and history, and provides hotel recommendations or other concierge services. View 13 Photos "We don't want to be the 'race car' brand; we don't want to be the 'quiet ride' brand. We want to be the brand which is emotionally connected with the customer," said Cooper Ericksen, vice president of U.S. marketing for Lexus. Lexus, Infiniti and Acura launched in the U.S. market in the late 1980s and took advantage of quality problems at Audi and a lack of innovation at the then-leading luxury brands, Cadillac and Lincoln. Now, the structure of the U.S. luxury market has changed. Four brands — Mercedes, BMW, Audi and Lexus — dominate. Tesla delivered 103,000 vehicles in 2017, its best year ever, though that total is still a small fraction of the overall luxury market. Tesla, meanwhile, is trying to overcome "production hell" and increase output of its more affordable compact Model 3 sedan. The highly anticipated car is just starting to reach customers — but with 400,000 preorders, 2018 could be a breakthrough year for Tesla. View 19 Photos In Detroit, Infiniti showed the Q Inspiration Concept sedan powered by a unique, high-efficiency variable-compression gasoline engine. While the prototype is not electric, its exterior might appeal to customers of the Tesla Model S.

Lexus fans vote Solar Flare for new RC F hue

What's in a name? When it comes to model nameplates, quite a lot, and automakers go to considerable lengths to find just the right one. Same goes for the names of the colors in the catalog (save for maybe the Rape Yellow in the extensive Bugatti palette), but every once in a while, an automaker will open it up for suggestions from the public.
SRT did that when it introduced a new shade of blue for its Viper, as did Chevy for the pale green on the Volt. And last month, Lexus followed a similar path when it asked fans on Facebook to come up with a name for the new shade of orange for the RC F.
Fans suggested names like Tangerine Flame, Outrageous Orange and Fiery Orange, but ultimately the winning submission that Lexus selected was Solar Flare. The name was suggested by five individuals and will now enter the catalog of colors for the new luxury muscle coupe with its 450-horsepower 5.0-liter V8.

Lexus UX crossover photo and video released ahead of Geneva

At long last, we have eyes on the production version of the Lexus UX compact crossover that will debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month. The retail-ready model was previewed by the UX concept shown at the 2016 Paris Motor Show, which looked like Batman's loaner vehicle while his Tumbler was in the shop. As one would expect, the UX that customers will be able to buy has filtered out all of the bizarro, leaving what looks like a little Lexus NX sprinkled with unique design cues, such as the upright vents in front and the full-width taillight. Lexus calls the UX its "first urban crossover," for reasons we can't imagine; even the Lexus LX, which could probably drive from Boston to Reykjavik if given a long-enough snorkel, only gets dirty in Jackson Hole or at Whole Foods. More reasonably, Lexus promises "exceptional body rigidity," a low center of gravity thanks to a hunkered-down platform borrowed from the Toyota C-HR, and handling that "will be as agile as a hatchback." This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Engine specifics will likely wait until Geneva, but we do know that Lexus trademarked UX 200, UX 250, and UX 250h a couple of years ago. The big-brother NX comes in 300, 300 F Sport, and 350h guises, but is equipped with a 2.0-liter turbo putting out 235 hp in standard spec. Lexus will need room between the UX and NX, but UX competitors like the Audi A3 pump out 200 hp, and the BMW X1 serves up 228 hp. The teaser video above reveals the instrument panel, topped by a widescreen infotainment center that looks like a minimalist rework of the Lexus RX interior. The gauge cluster has physical dividers but appears to be completely digital. You can watch Lexus' livestream from Geneva for all the details we don't have now, or just check back here on March 6 for the particulars and the photos. Related Video: Motorsports Geneva Motor Show Lexus Crossover Luxury Videos lexus ux