2007 Toyota Fj Cruiser Base Sport Utility 4-door 4.0l on 2040-cars

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Ford Fusion production scaled back just 3 months after it was accelerated

Three months after kicking off production of the Ford Fusion at its Flat Rock, MI factory, Ford Motor Company is taking steps to trim output in the face of heavily discounted competition from Toyota and a growing supply of vehicles.
The addition of Fusion production in Flat Rock - which also builds the Mustang - was meant to be what pushed the handsome mid-sizer past its arch-nemesis, the Toyota Camry. An extra facility building Fusions was also meant to curb the growing demand for Ford's highly profitable sedan.
But with word that Flat Rock would take "approximately" one extra week off for the holidays combined with an 88-day supply of Fusions - reportedly due in no small part to what Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas called "aggressive discounting of the Camry" - some analysts are now beginning to wonder if Ford may have overextended itself by adding a second Fusion facility to the mix.

Cosworth announces Power Packages for Subaru BRZ, Scion FR-S with up to 380 hp [w/video]

Cosworth stands on the list of the most famous engine tuners in the world with its DFV engine engine dominating Formula One for a time in the '70s. So when it teases plans to take on the FA20 engine from Subaru and Toyota found in the BRZ, Scion FR-S and Toyota GT86 abroad, our interest is indeed piqued. Cosworth is promising to take the 2.0-liter, four-cylinder boxer engine from its current 200 horsepower all the way to 325 hp and even 380 hp in a future track version through a series of staged Power Packages. At the moment, only the first stage is available that takes the mill to a potent 230 hp.
Cosworth says that its new strategy is to offer its upgrades in kits rather than individually so that it can be sure that everything works and fits when owners receive it. The Stage 1 Power Package emphasizes helping the FA20 breathe better and includes a nearly complete replacement for the stock exhaust system. There is a sports exhaust with four-inch, diagonally cut, polished tips and Y-shaped muffler, an overpipe front pipe with a spherical resonator and a new manifold header that is 22 percent lighter the standard unit. In addition to that, the kit comes with a software reflash, low temperature thermostat, Cosworth badge and plaque.
The stage one kit is available now, and stages two and three go on sale later this summer, according to its website. Autoblog contacted Cosworth for pricing information for the kits. We will update this story, if we hear back. The company also released a video showing off the exhaust upgrades. Scroll down to watch it and read the full release, below.

2022 Lexus LX 600 First Drive | A substantial, stylish soft-roader

The Toyota Land Cruiser is dead. Long live the Toyota Land Cruiser 2022 Lexus LX 600 — the flagship SUV brought kicking and screaming into the 21st century with a much-needed overhaul. Back with a new powertrain, new shell and new possibilities, the LX is aimed at the top of the luxury SUV segment, taking the fight back to the likes of the Cadillac Escalade and Mercedes-Benz GLS. The Land Cruiser isn't truly dead, mind you; we just don't get it here in the U.S. — at least not yet. Fortunately, much of that new SUVÂ’s engineering lurks beneath the LXÂ’s skin. The new twin-turbo V6, for example, provides 409 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque and serves here as a baseline V8 replacement; it's paired to Toyota's new 10-speed automatic. The hybrid engine offered in the new Toyota Tundra and Sequoia is rumored to be on the way to the LX in the coming model years.  But while the Land Cruiser is traditionally known for its off-road prowess, the LX we tested was most definitely not. In place of a robust 4x4 system with locking front and rear axles intended to conquer unexplored terrain, we got a Torsen limited-slip differential, an F Sport suspension with performance dampers, and massive 22-inch wheels. Sure, the center differential lock and LSD will get you just about anywhere you could possibly need to go, even on dirt, but that's not the F Sport's intended use case. ThatÂ’s not to say the LX 600 canÂ’t hang when it comes to typical SUV duties. ItÂ’s nearly 17 feet long and equipped with a fold-flat third row, but it's also essentially a foot shorter than a standard Escalade. That partly explains why that third row is basically utility seating as opposed to consistent family transport. It also offers reasonable headroom at the expense of cargo space – just about all of it, in fact. If you really need to use the third row and bring some stuff along, you can always rent a trailer; itÂ’ll tow 8,000 pounds. Fortunately, the standard full-time 4WD and limited-slip differential donÂ’t need to be paired to the LXÂ’s off-road Crawl Mode to be worthwhile. Though our loanerÂ’s huge 22-inch wheels were wrapped in all-season rubber, the LX handled typical Michigan winter garbage with aplomb. Fresh snowfall was limited during the week we had the truck, but there was plenty of leftover, inches-deep crust and slush in the suburbs north of Detroit where we took the LX out to play. Competent though it may be over the rough stuff, comfortable it is not.