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BMW M4 vs. Lexus RC F in Head 2 Head sports coupe showdown

It's the showdown everyone's been looking forward to, the East versus West grudge match of the year. We're talking, of course, about the BMW M4 versus the Lexus RC F.
Although BMW uses a twin-turbo straight-six and the Lexus uses a free-breathing V8, the two are pretty closely matched on paper: a luxury coupe with over 400 horsepower channeled to the rear wheels.
The BMW has been doing these cars for longer, and the M4 boasts a higher power-to-weight ratio. But then the RC F has more power - and without forced induction to break up the rev range. So which is the better luxury muscle coupe? Watch the latest episode of Motor Trend Head 2 Head to find out.

Lexus GX and LX future may be in doubt

With the debut of an all-new RX, Lexus is in a position for continued strong sales in the luxury SUV arena. The fourth-generation RX has grown, making room for the new NX model beneath it. But further up the ladder, things could change for the GX and LX. In an interview with Autoblog at the 2015 New York Auto Show, Lexus executive vice president Mark Templin gave some hints at the future of his brand's SUV lineup. "With NX and RX, we have a really good one-two punch in the crossover segments, and we think we can cover most of the markets with that," he said. As for the larger, three-row GX and LX models, which are built on a traditional ladder-frame chassis, things aren't so clear. Templin noted the the success of both models all over the world – the LX is the best-selling Lexus in Saudi Arabia. The same is true for sales here, he said: "We do very well with those products in the United States – GX has been a great product for us in the US for the last couple of years since its initial introduction. But the future of those vehicles longer term is in doubt because of regulations that are being driven by governments all over the world." Don't start stockpiling LX 570s in anticipation of shortages just yet. Templin didn't give any specifics; he just notes that tightening fuel economy and emissions regulations could affect product planning. In our analysis, if and when GX rides off into the sunset, Lexus still needs a midsize, three-row SUV to fill that gap. The most likely candidate for that is some variation on the RX. Whether or not that's the case, don't expect a BMW-like proliferation of body styles from Toyota's luxury division. "It creates problems. It creates complexity, that's hard for every step of the process," Templin said, nothing that too many models stresses the design department, manufacturing, and even dealers inventory selection. As for the bottom end of the lineup, Templin wouldn't comment on a compact SUV below the NX, saying "I think there are more potential options for us in the future, but we're not trying to grow the number of models we have in our lineup. It's not really what our core business is about." For now, Lexus and Templin are focused on launching the RX, which accounts for three of every 10 Lexus models ever sold. The 2016 model, available in RX 350 and RX 450h hybrid versions, goes on sale by the end of the year. Related Video:

Autoblog Podcast #318

Toyota back on top, Barrett Jackson, Crowdsourcing your Dodge Dart payments, Nissan and Toyota double down on pickups
Episode #318 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth, Zach Bowman and Michael Harley talk about Toyota regaining the No. 1 sales crown, getting your friends and family to buy you a Dodge Dart, Barrett-Jackson, and Toyota and Nissan remaining committed to their pickup trucs. We wrap with your questions, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. Keep reading for our Q&A module for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #318: