2013 Lexus Is 350c on 2040-cars

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Chris Harris flogs the Lexus RC F

Chris Harris went to the Monticello race track in New York to sample the Lexus RC F, and, to be honest, he had to figure out how to love it on a circuit. Smitten with the luxury coupe's looks and cabin and naturally-aspirated V8 before taking the driver's seat, Harris found that four laps on track exposed its Achilles' heel: mass. Harris quoted the weight of his car at 1,860 kilograms, or 4,092 pounds, which is about one junior varsity athlete beyond the 3,958-pound curb weight of the coupe we drove. The 478 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque couldn't stoke the hustle Harris wanted, removing all the easy friskiness expected from the coveted FR setup, and leading to quick brake fade. He made note of the Lexus' lack of torque compared to the BMW M4, but in truth the RC F is only 15 lb-ft shy of its Munich nemesis. It is, however, at least 400 pounds heavier. On public roads, though, it's a different story. When not being pushed to prove itself in tight spaces, Harris thinks the Lexus is still a "curious blend of things," but a GT whose noise, styling and non-Germanness mean that it "certainly has a place," and might just take time to grow into. Related Video: News Source: Chris Harris on Cars via YouTube Lexus Coupe Luxury Performance Videos chris harris

Next-gen Toyota Tacoma to debut at Detroit Auto Show

Toyota's confirmation comes on the heels of General Motors' successful launch of its own midsize pickups. The next generation of the Toyota Tacoma pickup truck will be revealed in January at the Detroit Auto Show, a top executive confirmed Thursday. Bob Carter, senior vice president of automotive operations for Toyota, offered no other details, but the new version of the pickup is expected to have significant upgrades compared with the aging model on sale now. Our spy shooters caught a prototype testing this summer, and rumors of the new generation have been swirling for months. We've also previously reported that Toyota is planning to ramp up production next April at a factory in Mexico that builds the Tacoma. Toyota's confirmation comes on the heels of General Motors' successful launch of its own midsize pickups, the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon, which have garnered awards, positive reviews and solid sales since they arrived in showrooms this fall. It's unclear how large the new Tacoma will be, especially considering that the Canyon and Colorado flirt with fullsize territory. The Tacoma was last updated in 2012, and the segment has changed dramatically since then with the addition of the GM trucks. Another Tacoma competitor, Honda's aging Ridgeline, is also expected to re-launch in 2015, which would leave the Nissan Frontier as the oldest truck in the field. Tacoma sales have slipped 4.1 percent to 140,757 units this year, though they posted a 3.3-percent gain in November. Meanwhile, Carter also said Lexus will reveal two performance vehicles, though he didn't elaborate. "I'll leave it at that, but I promise you'll enjoy it," he said coyly. Lexus just showed the LF-C2 convertible concept at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Junkyard Gem: 2002 Lexus GS 300

Toyota finally killed off the Lexus GS last year, after nearly 20 years of earning respect but not nearly as many yen as the Toyota City overlords had hoped. American car buyers came to prefer truck-shaped machinery during the production life of the GS, and those who wanted sedans didn't see the advantages of the rear-wheel-drive GS over the similarly-sized-but-cheaper ES. From 1993 through 2005, American Lexus shoppers could buy a new GS with the magnificent 2JZ straight-six engine, which achieved international gearhead immortality thanks to a certain movie franchise, and these cars have been very difficult for me to find during my junkyard travels. Here is a rare example of the final generation of 2JZ-equipped GS 300s, found in a Northern California boneyard last summer. V8 versions of the GS (the 400 and, later, 430) could be bought here, equipped with the bulletproof-but-heavy 1UZ/3UZ V8 engine out of the LS. Those cars were quicker and faster than the GS 300 but handled in more ponderous fashion. This engine was rated at 220 horsepower, but you could get scary multiples of that amount with the addition of aftermarket boost. In Japan, this car's Aristo counterpart got 276 horses out of its turbocharged 2JZ. No manual transmission could be had in the 2002 GS (nor in the JDM Aristo and its Crown cousin), but at least the enforced automatic came with five forward speeds. This car looked and felt like a smaller LS 430 inside, but the rear-wheel-drive layout made the rear seat space smaller than that of the Camry-based ES 300. Finding the keys in a new-ish junkyard car means that it was most likely an insurance total or dealership trade-in. Maybe someone will rescue that 2JZ before The Crusher eats it. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. As always with Toyota products, the Japanese-market ads were more dramatic than those from elsewhere. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. The V8-equipped GS forces the BMW 540i to drive over a cliff, Wile E. Coyote-style.