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Lexus sails the seas in luxury with its first-ever yacht

Lexus is taking its pursuit of luxury lifestyle offshore with a production version of its LY 650 yacht, revealed in Boca Raton last week. Now one can have an oceangoing Lexus to go with the LC 500 parked in the garage. Based on its Sport Yacht Concept revealed in 2017 and announced for production last year, the 65-foot yacht was developed with and built by Marquis Yachts LLC, which also adopted Toyota's latest manufacturing and quality assurance methods. The LY 650's styling was cooperatively penned with Nuvolari Lenard, which designs luxury yachts. Lexus and its partners designed the LY 650 with a high-tech hull that's a combination of lightweight but rigid CFRP (carbon fiber-reinforced plastic) and GFRP (glass fiber-reinforced plastic), to reduce weight without sacrificing structural integrity. The LY 650 is powered by dual Volvo Penta IPS1350 marine engines making 1,000 horsepower each, or buyers can choose 800 or 900 hp engines instead. The ship's master can even operate the LY 650 with a new LY-Link smartphone wireless connectivity system that controls the boat's functions and uses real-time information to assist navigation. Keeping seafarers entertained is an integrated Mark Levinson Surround Sound audio and entertainment system designed specifically for the LY 650 to offer "concert hall-like" acoustics in the main deck's salon. There are three decks: topside with secondary controls, salon on the main deck, and three cabins below that sleep six. "The LY 650 symbolizes the challenge taken by Lexus, which aspires to be a true luxury lifestyle brand, to venture beyond the automobile. A collaborative team between Toyota and Marquis Yachts introduced the Toyota Production System to the boat manufacturing facility to improve productivity and quality,” President Akio Toyoda said in a statement. “This allowed the Lexus "CRAFTED" philosophy of anticipatory hospitality and meticulous attention to detail to become a reality in the form of a luxury yacht. I am truly looking forward to seeing the advanced, high quality LY 650 display its beauty on the oceans across the globe. As a mobility company, we are pursuing new possibilities for mobility even on the sea." Lexus is not the only luxury automaker to hear the call of the sea: Porsche created a yacht, and there's a Bugatti Chiron sister ship along with the Mercedes Silver Arrow. Even Henrik Fisker has dabbled with yacht design.

Recharge Wrap-up: Lexus CT 200h is NWAPA's favorite hybrid, 'No Charge to Charge' in LA

The Northwest Automotive Press Association (NWAPA) has given the Lexus CT 200h its Favorite Hybrid title. It named the compact luxury hybrid its favorite of 2014 at its Drive Revolution in Portland (where it also named the new Volkswagen Golf TDI the Northwest Green Car of the Year). According to NWAPA president Nik Miles, the CT 200h earned the honor for "impressive combination of state-of-the-art small car luxury and hybrid technology." For 2014, the Lexus CT200h got an updated front end, including the spindle grille we've been seeing on new Lexus vehicles, plus a redesigned steering wheel and sliding sun visors. Read more in the press release below. Chevrolet credits the Malibu for helping make stop-start mainstream. Chevrolet started including stop-start technology standard in Malibus equipped with the four-cylinder engine. Chevy has sold about 83,000 of that model, so 97 percent of 2014 and 2015 Malibu sales include stop-start. Now, that technology has made its way into the 2015 Impala. With drivers idling an average of 16 minutes a day, stop-start can significantly reduce harmful emissions and save fuel. According to Navigant Research, we can expect annual sales of cars equipped with stop-start technology to surpass 55 million by 2022. Read more in the press release below. Nissan Leaf customers in Los Angeles will get access to free charging beginning August 15. Nissan is extending its "No Charge to Charge" promotion to LA, which will allow customers to charge at public charging stations at no cost. Leaf customers - including those who bought or leased their car from the participating dealerships on or after July 1 - will get an EZ-Charge card, allowing them to use ChargePoint, Blink, CarCharging, AeroVironment and NRG eVgo chargers for free. Rapid chargers can charge the Leaf's battery to 80 percent in 30 minutes. Nissan plans to offer the "No Charge to Charge" in at least 14 more markets in the US, bringing the total to 25, within the next year. See the press release below for more details. California will get six all-electric school buses for three school districts as part of a demonstration program. The California Energy Commission awarded a grant of $1.4 million for the program to National Strategies LLC; this is in addition to a $2.2-million grant from the South Coast Air Quality Management District. The EV buses use vehicle-to-grid technology, allowing them to sell energy back to the grid when it is needed.

2022 Lexus GX gets big infotainment update, Black Line Special Edition

The 2022 Lexus GX mostly soldiers on with the same old platform and powertrain as before. But it is finally getting a pretty major infotainment update to help modernize it. Not only that, but it's getting a Black Line edition like other Lexus models with the lovely Nori Green Pearl paint available. That infotainment upgrade is the addition of a 10.3-inch touchscreen. It should be much brighter, higher resolution and more pleasant to use than the quite-old existing unit. It's also accompanied by a revised center stack with more minimalist buttons and switches. The actual infotainment operating system also appears to be from other Lexus models, rather than the one shared with Toyotas. The evidence for this is in the inclusion of the unloved track pad, but you're unlikely to use it much with the prominent touchscreen. Besides the physical infotainment improvements, it also comes with a few feature upgrades. The new system comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, something that was sorely missing in the previous model year. Navigation is also now standard as are parking sensors and power folding and heated mirrors. Then there's the Black Line Special Edition pictured at the top. Like other Black Line Lexus models, it's mostly a color and trim package, but a fairly attractive one. It comes with gloss black 18-inch wheels, grille surround and roof rails. The door handles are body color, and the bumpers are slightly tweaked design-wise. The taillights are red, rather than clear, and the trim gets an exclusive available color in the aforementioned Nori Green paint. Inside, the GX Black Line has a black headliner, black and grey upholstery, and matte black Ash wood trim. Pricing and availability hasn't been announced yet, but we expect it to go on sale later this year. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.