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2023 Lexus LS gets Lexus Interface infotainment and more USBs

The 2023 Lexus LS is headed to dealers shortly, bringing one very important update as well as a few detail touch-ups. The headliner is the Lexus Interface infotainment system replacing the trackpad-based setup noted for being fiddly at best. Lexus Interface is the luxury brand's version of the Toyota Audio Multimedia system that debuted at the end of 2021 before moving to the nicer part of town with its arrival in the refreshed Lexus NX last year. The high-res, anti-glare 12.3-inch touchscreen atop the instrument panel can be awakened with voice commands like "Hey Lexus." The detail revisions include wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and more USB ports around the cabin — six in total. Sign up for a Drive Connect subscription and get cloud-based navigation with stress-relieving tech like live traffic and points-of-interest. The LS 500h alone comes with Lexus Teammate, the brand's Level 2 autonomous driving system. Teammate's Advanced Drive component will manage steering, braking, lane changes, traffic jams, and certain interchanges on limited-access highways, while Advanced Park can put the sedan into a chosen spot at the destination. Engines and trims don't change, but the steering, braking, 10-speed automatic, and suspension have been tweaked to provide an even more poised and compelling ride. The suspension's front and rear anti-roll bars are "optimized" in a way that tamps body roll in corners, so we'll guess the bars have been stiffened in some mysterious fashion. As for mills, every LS 500 is pulled along by a 3.4-liter twin-turbo V6 with 416 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque. The LS 500h uses a 3.5-liter V6 assisted by two electric motors and a lithium-ion battery pack, combined output coming to 354 hp. It's not as quick as the twin-turbo V6, but it gets around 20% better fuel economy. Comparing AWD models to keep it like-for-like, the LS 500 AWD gets 17 miles per gallon in the city, 27 on the highway, and 21 combined. The LS 500h AWD returns 22 miles per gallon in the city, 29 on the highway, and 25 combined. MSRPs are up a meager $285 over the 2022 figures. Sticker prices for the lineup after the $1,150 destination charge are: LS 500: $78,685 LS 500 F Sport: $82,285 LS 500 AWD: $81,835 LS 500 F Sport AWD: $85,535 LS 500h AWD: $114,585 Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. 2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Walkaround

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.

2019 BMW M850i xDrive: How it compares on paper with other GT coupes

Although the hot new vehicles for the rich seem to mainly comprise SUVs and supercars, the neglected luxury GT coupe segment is starting to see some life again. The latest to add a spark to this set is the 2019 BMW M850i xDrive. It goes on sale later this year, and revives the 8 Series that's been dead since the 1990s. The first version available to Americans will be one with a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8, with other versions likely following. Before it launches, we wanted to get a lay of the grand-touring land and see how the new BMW stacks up to the competition in performance, practicality and price. While some of these models have higher-performance or more-affordable iterations, we picked the versions that would be the closest match to this 8 Series model. They include the 2019 Lexus LC 500, 2018 Mercedes-Benz SL 550, 2018 Mercedes-Benz S 560 Coupe and the 2018 Maserati GranTurismo. We will also provide some short summaries on our experiences with these cars, but to get a full picture of each model, be sure to check out their full reviews. And if you want to compare any of these cars with models you don't see here, be sure to try out our car comparison tool. Engines, transmissions and performance On paper, the BMW M850i xDrive is clearly the performer of the group. It has the most power and torque at 523 horsepower and 553 pound-feet. Coupled with all-wheel-drive and an eight-speed automatic, the car is able to overcome its relatively portly 4,478-pound curb weight to hit 60 mph in a scant 3.6 seconds. That's more than half a second quicker than the lightest car in the group, the Mercedes-Benz SL550, which weighs 4,012 pounds. The other three vehicles are in the low- to mid-4-second range to 60 mph. Though the Maserati is the slowest to 60 mph, it does boast the highest top speed of 186 mph. The M850i and SL 550 are electronically limited to 155 mph, while the Lexus is limited to 168 mph. The Mercedes S 560 has the lowest top speed at an electronically limited 130 mph. View 52 Photos Of interest is that there's a 50/50 split among these cars between using a pair of turbos, and having none at all. The BMW and Mercedes resort to forced induction, whereas the Lexus and Maserati choose to stay naturally aspirated. This is likely why the Germans break 500 pound-feet of torque, while the others don't make it to 400. Also interesting is the spread of gear quantity. The Maserati has just six ratios to choose from, and the Lexus has a whopping 10.