2015 Lexus Ls on 2040-cars

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Lexus and Fender build a gleaming blue Stratocaster guitar

Car-themed guitars are nothing new, but they can sometimes be a little corny. They can look odd, having been shaped to be reminiscent of the car they're related to, or just have too much branding. But this Lexus LC Fender Stratocaster uses its automotive inspiration to its advantage and is a stylish instrument, regardless of whether you care about cars. Right off the bat, the guitar is refreshingly free of Lexus branding, save for the plaque on the back that also bears the instrument's serial number. But most every part of the guitar is based on the Lexus LC. Most prominent is the blue paint, which is the same Structural Blue that was offered on the LC. It gets its name from the fact that there are no blue pigments in the paint, but the materials used reflect blue light, giving it its hue. It's used on the body as well as the head of the guitar. The body also features a carbon fiber pick guard with a weave that matches the carbon fiber used on an LC spoiler. Even the knobs were machined to look like those used on the LC's sound system. It all comes in a case wrapped in carbon-fiber-patterned vinyl with leather ends. There are other elements that aren't specifically automotive. The neck is a light-stained flame maple with a dark blue fret board Fender used to complement the colors of the guitar. The fret board also features cool white inlays that glow blue in the dark. Only 100 of these LC Stratocasters will be made. Each is priced at $6,000. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

2022 Lexus LS pricing up by a little and a lot

In October of last year, Lexus announced its 2022 LS lineup with a sprinkling of finespun tweaks. There were retuned spring and damper rates for a more comfortable ride, larger anti-roll bars, an "enhanced" adjustable-ride-height function to improve passenger ingress and egress, reshaped piston tops for quieter engine operation and updated transmission calibration for more motoring in the meat of the power band. Plus, Lexus Safety System+ 2.5 came standard on every model in the range, a traditional Japanese foil treatment called Haku was available for the Luxury and Executive Packages, and the swish, 23-speaker Mark Levinson audio could be be optioned on the entry-level LS for the first time. At the time, prices weren't changed from 2021. Now they have. The entry-level LS 500 starts at $77,175 after the $1,075 destination charge, a $100 bump. The LS 500 F Sport also climbs just $100, to $80,775. Sending power to the front axle on either trim requires another $3,250. The LS 500h AWD hybrid now starts at $113,075, which reflects two price increases. Lexus removed the rear-wheel drive LS 500h from the lineup, so getting into the electrified LS stratum costs $21,500 more than it did for the 2021 model year. But Lexus also added more standard equipment to the AWD hybrid and boosted the price of the 2022 LS 500h AWD by $18,025 compared to the 2021 LS 500h AWD. The flagship sedan now gets Lexus Teammate Level 2 autonomy capability with Advanced Drive and Advanced Park standard. Advanced Drive invests the executive transport with the power to execute maneuvers like acceleration and braking to follow other vehicles, change lanes, pass slower vehicles and get through certain intersections. Advanced Park does just that. The Luxury Package is also standard, its features costing at least $17,000 to add on the entry-level LS.  The non-hybrid LS will offer a nine-strong exterior color palette, some of them a $500 or $595 upcharge: Atomic Silver, Caviar, Eminent White Pearl, Iridium, Manganese Luster, Matador Red Mica, Nightfall Mica, Obsidian and Ultra White. Ultra White isn't available on the LS hybrid. The 2022 LS is expected to reach dealers in late spring.   Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Lexus' LFA Works now making carbon fiber bicycles... kind of

The LFA Works that produced the Lexus LFA hasn't had too much to do since the 500th example of the V10 supercar left the plant on December 15, 2012. So what are a bunch of carbon fiber experts meant to do with their time when they have some of the world's most advanced CFRP machinery but no engine to wrap it with? Why, make a bicycle, of course - and not just any bicycle, but the kind that costs one million Japanese yen ($10,000 US) and of which only 100 will be made.
Only they didn't really "make" it - the carbon fiber frame was sourced from Takumi, in Taiwan. On the face of it that's a shame, but it makes sense; when you've got a company like McLaren assisting bike manufacturer Specialized produce a road bike, it's clear that 'pushies' have got so advanced that a company can't just hop in and mold a $10K bike in six months. Beyond that frame it's got a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 group with electronic shifters, and it weighs 15 pounds.
However, the Lexus crafstmen did polish each frame for three hours, and the bike is said to embody the "principles and philosophy" of the supercar, while the brochure for the bike says it represents "a new chapter in Lexus history." That chapter is still all about rarity, though, since there's only one bike headed for Canada and two for the US.