2004 Lexus Is300 Custom Body And Altezza No Reserve! on 2040-cars

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Chris Harris flogs the Lexus RC F

Chris Harris went to the Monticello race track in New York to sample the Lexus RC F, and, to be honest, he had to figure out how to love it on a circuit. Smitten with the luxury coupe's looks and cabin and naturally-aspirated V8 before taking the driver's seat, Harris found that four laps on track exposed its Achilles' heel: mass. Harris quoted the weight of his car at 1,860 kilograms, or 4,092 pounds, which is about one junior varsity athlete beyond the 3,958-pound curb weight of the coupe we drove. The 478 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque couldn't stoke the hustle Harris wanted, removing all the easy friskiness expected from the coveted FR setup, and leading to quick brake fade. He made note of the Lexus' lack of torque compared to the BMW M4, but in truth the RC F is only 15 lb-ft shy of its Munich nemesis. It is, however, at least 400 pounds heavier. On public roads, though, it's a different story. When not being pushed to prove itself in tight spaces, Harris thinks the Lexus is still a "curious blend of things," but a GT whose noise, styling and non-Germanness mean that it "certainly has a place," and might just take time to grow into. Related Video: News Source: Chris Harris on Cars via YouTube Lexus Coupe Luxury Performance Videos chris harris

These cars are headed to the Great Crusher In The Sky

It happens every year. We bid adieu to some cars and trucks that will be missed, and say good riddance to others wondering how they stayed around so long. Whether they're being killed off for slow sales or due to a new product coming along to replace them, the list of vehicles being discontinued after 2012 is surprisingly long and diverse.
CNN Money has compiled a list of departing vehicles, to which we've added a few more of our own. In the slow sales column, cars like the Lexus HS 250h, Mercedes-Benz R-Class and the full Maybach lineup appear, while the Ford Escape Hybrid, Mazda CX-7 and Hyundai Veracruz are all having their gaps filled with more modern and more fuel-efficient alternatives. Obvious exceptions to the rule include models that still sell in decent numbers like the Jeep Liberty and the Chrysler Town & Country (which will eventually be replaced by a crossover-like vehicle).
Check out our gallery of discontinued cars above, then scroll down for more information.

Lexus gets top brand marks from Consumer Reports; Ford, Jeep hit hard

Consumer Reports has released its 2014 Car Brand Report Cards, with Lexus again reigning at the top and doing so with the same industry-topping score of 79 that it registered in last year's Report Cards. This year, the institute credited its lineup for being "usually quiet, comfortable, and fuel-efficient," noting it's the only brand on the list "to achieve an excellent average overall reliability score." The Car Brand Report Cars list is meant to rank the best all-around vehicles based on CR testing and reliability results tallied by subscribers it surveyed. Each brand included must have sufficient test and reliability data for at least three models, a standard which left out 11 marques including Fiat, Jaguar, Land Rover and Porsche.
This 2014 Brand Report Cars edition is the first of a new format in which sub-brands have been broken out from their parent brands, with Acura using this year to move up the leaderboard into second place with a score of 75 for its "reliable, well-finished and somewhat sporty models." The top three was rounded out by Audi, climbing from eighth to third by scoring a 74 for "well-crafted interiors, nice handling and good gas mileage." Audi scored highest in the road-test portion, its improved reliability aiding its rise. The top nine was completed by Subaru, Toyota, Mazda, Honda, Infiniti and Mercedes-Benz.
Ford and Jeep weighed in at the other end of the rankings, Jeep taking the lowest overall score in the road tests and hampered by "a mix of spotty reliability." Ford was sunk by reliability issues with its MyFord Touch infotainment system which consumers found troublesome enough to negate its cars earning "solid test scores" for being "very nice to drive." Perhaps the rumored switch from Microsoft to Blackberry's QNX for the next generation SYNC will help them out. Cadillac's score also took a hit for infotainment reasons after it was the leading US brand last year, the CUE system in the XTS dragging Cadillac to the bottom of all General Motors brands.