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It's a V8 party! Lexus IS 500, Cadillac Escalade and more | Autoblog Podcast #667

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Road Test Editor Zac Palmer. It's all V8s all the time this week, starting with the Land Rover Defender V8 unveiling, Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance debut and pricing announcement on the Jeep Wrangler 392. Next, they move on to what they've been driving. Spoiler alert: That means more V8 talk. Zac has been driving the Cadillac Escalade with the 6.2-liter V8 and BMW M550i with its 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8. Greg and Zac take a pause from the V8 theme by discussing their shared time in our long-term Acura TLX. From this, they segue into a "Spend My Money" feature about garage lifts to finish the show. Autoblog Podcast #667 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown News 2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 priced at nearly $75,000 2022 Land Rover Defender bulks up with a 518-hp V8 2022 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance brings back the V8 What we're driving BMW M550i Cadillac Escalade Acura TLX Spend my money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes 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:

2016 Acura RDX arrives with freshened styling, powertrain enhancements [UPDATE]

UPDATE: The 2016 RDX comes with a six-speed automatic transmission, not a nine-speed. The text below has been edited to reflect this. Launched in 2012 for the 2013 model year, the second-generation RDX is hardly an old vehicle, and the luxury crossover is coming off its best sales year ever, according to Acura. Still, three years after the debut, the Japanese automaker is giving the CUV a thorough refresh with a facelift and bountiful new tech at the 2015 Chicago Auto Show, with sales set to kick off this spring. The most obvious update at the front for the 2016 RDX is Acura's Jewel Eye LED headlight array already found on some of its other models, but the improvements go a lot further than just the lighting. All of the fascia's lines appear just a little sharper and the added chrome helps grab the eye. The refinements are similar at the rear, where there are now LED taillights. While not obvious on the surface, the structure underneath is supposed to offer better frontal crash performance, too. Acura's engineers turned their attention to the RDX's powertrain for some tweaks, as well. The crossover now benefits from a nine-speed automatic gearbox to replace the previous six-speed. The 3.5-liter V6 with cylinder deactivation also gets a slight upgrade to make 279 horsepower and 252 pound-feet of torque – up 6 hp and 1 lb-ft over the 2015 model. The changes benefit fuel economy by one-mile-per-gallon on the highway with ratings of 20 mpg city and 29 mpg highway for the front-wheel drive version and 19/28 with all-wheel drive. The 2016 RDX is also packed with new tech to improve drivability and safety. Active front and rear engine mounts should improve NVH, and the all-wheel-drive system has more rear bias. Inside, the cabin trim sees an update, and heated front seats are standard. The optional Technology Package now gets an eight-way power front passenger seat, the company's dual-screen multi-info display and both blind spot and rear cross traffic monitoring. However, for those looking for a ton of gadgets to brag about, the new Advance Package option is the place to be. It includes rain-sensing wipers, front fog lights, remote engine start, ventilated front seats, front and rear parking sensors, an auto-dimming driver's side mirror and the full suite of the AcuraWatch safety assist functions.

Acura organizes new business division to confront falling sedan sales

Honda and Acura North America have announced a major restructuring of operations in hopes of turning around Acura's flagging business. For 2013, sales for Acura's sedans dropped 10.4 percent, while its CUV sales grew by 21 percent. The newly formed Acura Business Planning Office will attempt to right the ship.
As part of the restructuring, Acura is promoting Erik Berkman from President of Honda R&D Americas to lead a new division called the Acura Business Planning Office. Berkman has been with Honda since 1982 and led development of the 2006 Accord. He was also the first US engineer to head North American research and development and has been head of Honda Performance Development since 2008. "Erik's appointment to the new Acura Business Planning Office is a clear indication of the high priority we place on Acura," said Honda spokesperson Jeffrey Smith to Automotive News.
American Honda Motor President and CEO Tetsuo Iwamura is also going to be working to improve the business. He has been elected chairman of American Honda's board, and has simultaneously taken the new position of Corporate Brand Officer to improve the management of the company's brands.