2021 Lexus Es 250 on 2040-cars

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Toyota recalling 1.67 million vehicles worldwide in 3 campaigns

Toyota is issuing three separate recalls covering 1.67 million vehicles worldwide with most of those models in Japan. It looks like the campaigns' impact on the US may be smaller, though. According to Reuters, Toyota isn't aware of any accidents, injuries or fatalities affecting the models. Some yet-unnamed Lexus models might also be affected.
The largest of the campaigns does not currently affect any US-market vehicles. About 802,000 units of the Toyota Crown Majesta, Crown, Noah and Voxy in Japan are being repaired to replace a seal that could leak in the brake master cylinder. Those already leaking get a new brake booster, as well, according to Reuters.
The only recall currently believed to affect the US is due to a problem covering approximately 759,000 vehicles with 423,000 of them here. The repair is to fix a faulty fuel delivery pipe that could cause a fire if the fuel leaks out. Unfortunately, we don't know which models it covers. Autoblog spoke to Toyota spokesperson Mona Richard and was told the information was still "under embargo." When exactly that embargo will lift isn't yet known, but we're on the case.

2014 Lexus IS gets TRD bits

Toyota Racing Development (TRD) in Japan has designed cosmetic and performance bits that give the 2014 Lexus IS a front-to-back workover. Different from the F-Sport parts we expect from Lexus here, the full body kit runs 437,700 yen ($4,285 US) and starts with air deflectors at the lower edges of the front bumper, through to side skirts, a decklid spoiler and a rear bumper with a diffuser and quad exhaust tips.
For 288,750 yen ($2,830) you can sharpen responses with new shocks, springs, dampers, sway bar and bracing. The priciest individual component is the set of 19-inch wheels, four of them going for 527,625 yen (5,170 US). There's no word on US importation or pricing yet, but done up all in black like the IS above, we wouldn't mind seeing it here.

The hoverboard of your dreams is finally here, thanks to Lexus

Finally. Finally! Anyone who grew up in the 1980s has been waiting for this moment for a long, long time. Since 1989, to be exact, which is when Back to the Future Part II hovered its way into theaters showing Marty-of-the-past riding a newfangled board-without-wheels in a fabricated future. After several teases, Lexus has finally unleashed real, actual footage of its hoverboard in action. As you'll see in the video, the learning curve is steep, even for a professional skateboarder like Ross McGouran. "I've spent 20 years skateboarding, but without friction it feels like I've had to learn a whole new skill, particularly in the stance and balance in order to ride the hoverboard. It's a whole new experience," says the hoverboard test rider. Before we all get too carried away, there are caveats to this real-world hoverboard. First, the technology doesn't work everywhere. According to Lexus, 200 meters of magnetic track was built in Dresden, Germany, and shipped to a specially built "hoverpark" in Barcelona, Spain. Unlike the fictional hoverboard from BTTF, though, Lexus' creation does indeed work on water... assuming there's a properly magnetic surface below the surface. We're sure you've got questions – cryostats, liquid hydrogen and magnets, are the likely answers – but first, you really should watch the video. Then, feel free to check out the full press release down below, but before you get too excited, know that Lexus has said it does not intend to sell a production version of its hoverboard. Related Video: Lexus Hoverboard Ride Revealed New Film for the Latest Amazing in Motion Campaign Shows Final Testing in Barcelona August 04, 2015 TOKYO, August 05, 2015 -- Following the unveiling of the Lexus Hoverboard in June, the luxury automotive company is completing a full and final reveal of the project concluding a successful testing phase which took place in Cubelles, Barcelona. Mark Templin, Executive Vice President at Lexus International said: "Embarking on this project, we set out to push the boundaries of technology, design and innovation to make the impossible possible. With this project we call 'SLIDE', we collaborated with partners who share our passion for creating enjoyment out of motion. Even through combining our technology and expertise, we discovered making a hoverboard isn't an easy process.