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Lexus RC F and GS F 10th Anniversary Editions are all black and blue

Lexus's F marque, the letter affixed to sport-tuned and performance models, debuted just over 10 years ago when the IS F hit dealer showrooms. The V8-powered sedan was a direct competitor to the tried and true BMW M3. The IS F was followed by the V10-powered LFA, RC F coupe and GS F sedan. In celebration of the F sub-brand's 10th anniversary, Lexus is rolling out two new limited edition variants of the RC F and GS F. In America, only 240 RC Fs and 100 GS Fs will be available. There is a price to pay for exclusivity. The RC F 10th Anniversary Edition starts at $80,810, a $16,160 premium over the standard model. It's not just special badging. The new model comes standard with the Performance Package, Triple Beam headlights and Intuitive Park Assist. Those three options will run you $7,160 on their own. At $89,350, the GS F 10th Anniversary Edition is only a $5,000 premium over the standard model. Both cars come with matte Nebula Grey paint, 19-inch black BBS wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires, and Brembo brakes with blue calipers. The RC F has blue leather seating with white accents up front as well as blue accents on the shift knob, steering wheel and instrument panel cover. The GS F gets blue leather seating both front and rear. There are blue carbon-fiber accents, blue suede on the dash and blue seat belts. Additionally, the GS F gets blue leather on the steering wheel, console and shift knob. The RC F and GS F are still powered by a 467 horsepower naturally-aspirated 5.0-liter V8. Power is sent to the rear wheels through an 8-speed automatic transmission. Both cars also pack a torque vectoring differential. Look for these special edition models later this year. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery Lexus RC F and GS F 10th Anniversary Edition cars View 15 Photos News Source: Lexus Design/Style Lexus Coupe Luxury Performance Sedan lexus rc f lexus gs f

Toyota aims to build autonomous car around 2020 [w/videos]

The race is on to get increasingly sophisticated forms of autonomous driving technology on the road, and brands like Tesla are bringing these solutions to some drivers now. But as one of the world's largest automakers, it's no surprise to see Toyota competing in the field, as well. By 2020, the company thinks a person could be largely unnecessary for freeway trips. With a suite of tech called the Highway Teammate, a modified Lexus GS is already showing what's possible. Using a combination of millimeter wave radar, LIDAR, and cameras, the GS gets a full view of the road, and software processes all of the info to make decisions. The result is a ride on the freeway without human interaction. The system can merge, change lanes, make passes, take curves, and maintain a safe distance from other vehicles. Accurate map data is a necessity to make this work, so the system currently only being tested on Tokyo's Shuto Expressway. While Highway Teammate might not be the best name, it accurately communicates the way Toyota thinks of the tech. The company is making big investments in artificial intelligence to assist drivers, not completely replace them. You can see the system in action in the video below, and the second clip's gravely serious narrator explains the company's idea of having a fully connected road someday. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. New Toyota Test Vehicle Paves the Way for Commercialization of Automated Highway Driving Technologies Toyota City, Japan, October 6, 2015-Toyota has been testing a new automated driving test vehicle called Highway Teammate, with the aim of launching related products by around 2020. In addition to demonstrating the capabilities of next-generation safety technologies, the vehicle represents Toyota's view of the evolving driver-car relationship in the age of artificial intelligence. Toyota believes that interactions between drivers and cars should mirror those between close friends who share a common purpose, sometimes watching over each other and sometimes helping each other out. Toyota refers to this approach as the Mobility Teammate Concept, and Highway Teammate represents an important first effort to give form to this concept.

Lexus IS named Esquire Car of the Year

Esquire holds an annual car of the year award, and for the past four years, only American or German autos, such as the Cadillac ATS and the Audi S4, have earned the publication's top pick. But for 2013, the top pick is from Japan: the 2014 Lexus IS350 F Sport. The publication calls the IS "thrilling first, responsible second."
Upon learning the top pick, we had to make sure we were still reading about a Lexus, though we admit the new IS350 F Sport is indeed a new breed, one that approaches BMW 3 Series levels of performance and handling while maintaining its Japanese identity.
Esquire appreciates the F Sport's new direction, but says, "Crucially, unlike everything else, it's not trying to be the BMW." It claims the 2013 car of the year is an "honest, gutsy, fast set of wheels."