2010 Lexus Rx 450h-53k-nav-premium Pkg-hid-wood & Leather Steering Wheel on 2040-cars

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Lexus LX 600 first impressions, a $485k Rolls and old Dodge Vipers | Autoblog Podcast #718

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Associate Editor Byron Hurd for a packed hour of Rolls-Royce, Infiniti, Lexus and early Dodge Viper content. The two start by talking about what they've been driving, kicking off with the 2022 Toyota Land Cruiser Lexus LX 600, followed by stores from Greg's road trip in an Infiniti QX55. From there, it's on to the $485,000 Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge that Byron was loaned for a weekend lake cottage getaway. After that, they celebrate Autoblog Podcast #718 with some Porsche Cayman and Boxster anecdotes, followed by Byron's used vehicle spotlight on the early Dodge Viper.  Autoblog Podcast #718 Get The Podcast Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars we're driving 2022 Lexus LX 600 2022 Infiniti QX55 2022 Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge Used Vehicle Spotlight1992-2002 Dodge Viper Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. 2022 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS at the 2021 LA Auto Show

Lexus LS mid-cycle refresh to restore V8-powered LS 600h hybrid?

When Lexus launched the fifth-generation LS at the end of 2017, the Japanese luxury maker predicted its once-brand-defining sedan would sell 12,000 units per year in the U.S., a threshold the model hadn't reached since 2010. The LS managed 9,301 transactions here in 2018, its first full year on sale, falling back to 5,528 units in 2019. Through the first three coronavirus-affected months of this year, Lexus dealers have sold 801 LS sedans, compared to 1,404 units in Q1 2019. There's a mid-cycle refresh supposedly due for release in the fall of 2021, and the June issue of Japanese magazine Mag-X (translated), via Lexus Enthusiast, claims we're due for a couple of big surprises that could jolt the sales figures. The first shock is that Lexus is supposedly bringing back the LS 600h moniker for an LS with a V8 hybrid powertrain.  Lexus debuted the LS 600h L in 2007 for the 2008 model year, retiring the hybrid trim in 2016. Its heart was a 5.0-liter naturally aspirated V8, and when combined with an electric motor, combined output came to 439 horsepower and 385 pound-feet of torque. The fifth generation introduced the LS 500h that switched to a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6, producing a combined 354 hp and 369 lb-ft., taking second place in output to the twin-turbo V6 in the non-hybrid LS 500 with 416 hp and 442 lb-ft. If Lexus were to double back to a V8 after experimenting with a V6 hybrid for four years, some question which V8 would get the nod. The old V8, codenamed 2UR-FSE and still in use in the Lexus LC as the 2UR-GSE, dates back 14 years and is scheduled to retire in two years when the LC-F introduces Lexus' new twin-turbo V8. According to leaked dealer information, that's the same year Toyota and Lexus will stop offering V8 engines in any model with an MSRP under $90,000. Toyota has shied away from turbocharged hybrids, but the next-generation Tundra could change that if rumors of the 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 i-Force Max engine come true. A twin-turbo V8 LS hybrid would rocket the model back to the top of the range in performance and price, and we could see it breaking the "F" seal on the LS lineup, since it would run counter to everything the German competitors are doing with their standard flagship sedans. Or Lexus could remove the turbos for a better compromise of potency and frugality.

2014 Lexus IS 250 AWD F Sport

"Ooh, this looks fun!" my otherwise car-ignorant friend said as we walked up to the 2014 Lexus IS 250 F Sport. And yeah, it does look fun. In fact, despite my initial strong negative reaction to the design, I've really warmed up to this new IS, especially with the flashier F Sport package found on this test car (unique front fascia, 18-inch dark alloy wheels and appropriate badging). Even though that rear end still looks a bit Droopy Dog to me (stop frowning, Lexus), the IS is sharp, though I'm not entirely sure that such a bold design will age well.
"Looks can be deceiving," I told my friend, and we hit the road... slowly. You see, despite looking like a fresh, modern sport sedan, the IS 250 still uses what is, quite frankly, a dog of an engine. And that, combined with dynamics that are just so-so at best, makes for a sedan that's all show and no go. Say hello to Jennifer Slowpez.
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