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Lexus reportedly debuting a trio high-performance, V8-powered F models

The V8 engine may not be long for this world, but before it disappears forever Lexus may give it a proper sendoff with a trio of eight-cylinder F cars. If reports out of Japan are true, Lexus is working on high-performance F variants of the IS and LS sedans, as well as the LC flagship coupe. The story comes form Japan's Best Car magazine, which claims the Lexus IS F will soon be making a return. Based on the updated 2021 Lexus IS, it will run an up-tuned engine that puts out 474 horsepower and 395 pound-feet of torque. That's a 58-horse and 24-lb-ft increase from the last IS F. To be honest it would be a bit surprising to see an IS F at this point, as the previous, third-generation IS skipped an F version. And since the 2021 IS sedan is based on that same platform, it seems Lexus would have introduced an IS F successor much earlier if one was in the cards. As much as we would love to see the IS F return, we won't hold our breaths for this one. Still, an IS F would be nothing, shock-wise, compared to what comes next. Best Car says Lexus will introduce an LS F to go up against the Mercedes-AMG S 63 and BMW M760Li. Power would come from a new 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 making 661 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque. If true, this would drastically counter the LS's mission of smooth luxury that's been its raison d'etre since 1989. Out of the three, the car that makes the most sense to us is the LC F. It's been rumored for quite a while. We even saw spy shots of the car testing in 2018, but then came chatter that the car was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Best Car, it's back on (or was never canceled) and will share a mill with the LS F. The report also says that all three cars have sport suspensions and chassis improvements that properly harness the power of these engines. Lexus has proven it can build compelling high-performance cars like the IS F and GS F, which were far better than what their sales numbers indicated. Furthermore, the Lexus V8s themselves are machines of engineering beauty, amazing throttle response and glorious sound. Naturally, we'd welcome any of these cars, even as we take the article with a massive grain of salt. Related Video:

Airbag recall widens to include BMW, Chrysler, Ford and Toyota

The recall of faulty airbag inflators supplied by Takata has exploded today to grow to seven automakers. In most cases, only models in certain high-humidity regions were affected because the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found in its investigation that moisture played a roll in determining whether there would be a problem. However, some companies opted for national campaigns. The exact number of affected models for these campaigns isn't yet known at this time.
BMW is recalling an undisclosed number of 325i, 325Xi, 330i and 330Xi models from the 2001 through 2005 model years and the 2001-2006 model year versions of the 325Ci and 330Ci for the driver side and passenger side inflators. Only vehicles currently registered in Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii and the US Virgin Islands are covered under this recall.
Neither Chrysler's filing with NHTSA nor its press release list the specific models affected, but a company spokesperson told Autoblog that at this time it only covers the driver and passenger side inflators for the 2006 Dodge Charger in Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii and the US Virgin Islands

Lexus' December to Remember reshaped by the pandemic

After spending the summer convincing consumers to take socially distanced breaks from grim reality, advertisers are now returning to the pandemic as the central focus in holiday shopping campaigns launching this month. U.S. companies from carmakers to retailers are under pressure to make the shopping season a success after retail sales crashed 21% earlier this year as millions of Americans lost jobs and cut their budgets. They face the challenge of convincing consumers to open their wallets for the holidays even as the coronavirus pandemic rages anew across the United States and Europe. As new campaigns roll out, brands feel it is their responsibility to inspire optimism for the coming year, but also empathize with “the hurt that people have,” said Jason Schragger, chief creative officer at ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi. Carmaker LexusÂ’ iconic “December to Remember” campaign, which features cars wrapped in giant red bows on picturesque snowy driveways, will focus on the different role that driveways have played this year, as people sought ways to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and other milestones despite stay-at-home orders. New TV commercials launching on Monday feature family and friends doing a drive-by graduation party in their Lexus vehicles as a student in a cap and gown waves from her driveway. In another, a man greets his children and grandkids from a distance as they drive by, waving a homemade “Happy Birthday, Grandpa” sign. "We wanted to make sure we weren't showing large gatherings of people," said Lisa Materazzo, vice president of marketing at Lexus, owned by Toyota. "But it's nice to have a live interaction, and that can happen when you're safe in the car and waving from the driveway." Staying connected during the pandemic is the message behind ads for the department store MacyÂ’s, whose window displays and Santaland attraction have been hallmarks of the holidays since the late 19th century. At a time when flying home or hosting big family gatherings can be dangerous, Macy's is focusing on how finding and giving the perfect gift plays an even bigger role in connecting with people you can not see in person this year, according to Macy's chief customer officer Rich Lennox. A similar theme underpins Etsy's commercial, in which a woman who longs to see her grandson opens a gift of a handmade doll that matches a picture he had drawn.