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Tesla says Model 3 is best-selling midsize premium sedan in America

Auto sales figures are sort of fuzzy numbers, no matter how you slice them and no matter which manufacturer you're talking about. Unless you're specifically tracking vehicle registrations, automakers generally self-report the figures. So, you have to trust that they aren't doing anything too tricky. Plus, not every sale is equal, as some are logged as dealership loaners or demo models, some go to fleets (like to a rental car agency), and still others are, of course, bought by traditional customers looking for a new daily driver. With that preamble out of the way, when we saw a tweet from Tesla claiming that the all-electric Model 3 is the best-selling midsize premium sedan in America, our interest was piqued. According to Tesla, market share of the Model 3 has just surpassed the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, which had up until now led the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, and Lexus IS as the best-selling sedan in its class. Note that the graph from Tesla below is, we think, specific to four-door models. So, is it true? Judging by the numbers we can find, including some from Bloomberg, which has a running chart to track Model 3 registrations, the answer is... probably. We don't know exactly how many Model 3 sedans Tesla is currently cranking out, but Bloomberg estimates production at about 2,560 units per week, and total sales for 2018 at 34,414. We know the number is increasing regularly, though, and Elon Musk has said most recently production sits around 500 units per day, which, on a seven-day cycle, would be 3,500 per week. We looked up Mercedes' sales figures for the month of May, 2018, and found that the German brand sold 5,419 C-Class models last month, for a total of 23,917 for the year (incidentally, that's down more than 30 percent from the year prior). While the bulk of those sales would surely be made up of sedans, it would also include a small percentage of coupes. Either way, it's likely that Tesla is currently producing and selling more Model 3s than Mercedes is C-Classes. Now, it's also worth considering if the C-Class is the only vehicle from Mercedes that directly competes with the Model 3. We'd guess customers may also cross-shop the CLA sedan with the Tesla, and if that's the case, you might decide it's worth adding in Mercedes' 2,527 CLA-Class sales last month and 9,622 so far for the year. The same argument could be made for certain versions of the BMW 2 and 4 Series.

2020 Lexus UX 200 F-Sport Drivers' Notes | The little Lexus

The 2020 Lexus UX 200 is moving into its second year on the market, and we decided it was time to take a spin in the F Sport model. Similar to other F Sport models from Lexus, this one amps up the handling and styling, but retains the same powertrain as the base vehicle. That means we’re working with a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 169 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque, which is then paired with a CVT. With a 3,307-pound curb weight, this Lexus crossover/hatchback isnÂ’t going to win many drag races in this segment. Lexus tried to improve the driving dynamics in other ways, though. F Sport models get revised springs and more aggressive stabilizer bars in an effort to reduce roll and improve handling. Lexus says the 18-inch F Sport alloys are more rigid than the standard wheels, also aiding in the handling department. If sound is your thing, the F Sport also uses something called Active Sound Control that simulates the sound of up- and down-shifts. You know, since the UX is only available with a CVT. Both the grille and front bumper design are F Sport exclusive fittings. Same goes for the rear bumper and rear moldings, further separating itself from the regular UX 200. There are even more sporty touches on the interior. Lexus installs high bolstered sport seats it says were originally designed for full-on F models. Paddle shifters are placed behind the leather-wrapped steering wheel, too, allowing you to toggle through the simulated gear ratios. Aluminum pedals, scuff plates and an aluminum footrest all try and convince you that youÂ’re in something sporty. Since the UX is the smallest of Lexus crossovers, itÂ’s also priced at the bottom of the Lexus barrel. Our F Sport model started at $35,025 after the $1,025 destination charge, but a few options brought the final price to $41,285. The most expensive of the extras was the upgraded 10.3-inch infotainment system with navigation and premium audio for $2,200. Ours also had the F Sport Premium package that added a moonroof, rain-sensing wipers and heated front seats. The head-up display was an extra $500; a power rear tailgate was $600, and the blind spot monitoring system added another $500. A few other accessories and cheaper options brought us to our over-$40,000 total. Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore: The UX is the style play in this segment. ItÂ’s certainly bolder than Jaguar, Audi, Mercedes, BMW and other small crossovers.

Lexus exploring PHEV, full EV and fuel cell versions of LS flagship

After four years of rumors about a Lexus LS powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, the chief engineer of the flagship sedan says the carmaker's working on even more options. Toshio Asahi told Australia's GoAuto that three alternative powertrains — plug-in hybrid, full electric, and hydrogen — are "all on the table" for consideration. Asahi wouldn't give any timeframes, but whenever they arrive, additional drive options would fill out the LS range to better contend with the Germans. Years of reports predicted this fifth-generation LS would get hydrogen power. A Motoring article at the end of 2014 forecast a fuel cell LS to arrive by 2017. In 2015 Japan's Nikkei newspaper reported that Lexus was considering a fuel cell option to arrive in 2020, around the time of the Tokyo Olympics. Later that year, at the Tokyo Motor Show, Lexus showed off the LF-FC concept, powered by a cell and stack arranged for "optimum front-rear weight distribution for a sporty saloon." GoAuto said that during that show, a Lexus executive said an FCEV powertrain would end up in production "sooner than you think." The following year, Autocar reported we'd see a production version of the LF-FC "on sale before 2020" as a replacement for the LS, and last year, Lexus trademarked the name "LF-FC Concept." The intel gets murkier regarding plug-in hybrid and full electric versions. We now know Lexus is working on a more powerful hybrid system. The current hybrid produces a total system 354 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque using the same 3.5-liter V6 in the standard car as a base, though the standard car adds two turbos for 415 hp and 442 lb-ft. The coming hybrid will likely use the twin-turbo setup and could achieve two important ends: Smoothing out noted issues of powertrain refinement, and at least matching the power specs of Mercedes-Benz and BMW flagship plug-in hybrids. That hybrid LS would still miss out on the all-electric driving of its rivals. If there really is an LF-FC coming in the next two years, it would seem a perfect time to retire the conventional hybrid and introduce a plug-in version embodying the velvet sophistication Lexus is known for. The battery electric LS is a big question mark outside of Lexus HQ. Last year Toyota announced a breakthrough in solid state battery technology, the carmaker announcing it wanted such batteries on the market by 2022.