2018 Lexus Is 300 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

Toyota recalling 20k 2014 and 2015 cars and CUVs with 3.5L engines

Toyota has announced a recall of roughly 20,000 vehicles covering the 2014 Avalon, Camry, Highlander (pictured) and Sienna, as well as the 2015 Lexus RX luxury crossover. The affected vehicles are all powered the 2GR-FE engine, which in layman's terms, is Toyota's well-regarded 3.5-liter V6.
According to Toyota's statement, a parts supplier might not have welded "the end cap on the right-hand fuel delivery pipe in the engine compartment" correctly, meaning fuel could leak. Leaking fuel, of course, increases the chance of an engine fire. That said, no fires, crashes or injuries have been reported due to the issue.
Owners will be notified to report to dealers, where techs will check the fuel delivery pipe and fit a replacement part as necessary.

Lexus builds final LFA supercar

Lexus has officially built the very last LFA. The 500th Lexus supercar rolled from the company's Motomachi facility on December 14th wearing all of the goodies of the Nürburgring package and white paint. Toyota's Lexus division started production on the car exactly two years ago on December 15, 2010 and built just one unit per working day. A total of 170 workers were hand-picked to handle parts manufacturing, assembly and painting for the LFA project. While Lexus has made it clear it will produce no more LFA models, lessons gleaned from the vehicle's construction may translate into other future products.
Specifically, Toyota says it may employ its carbon fiber reinforced plastic experience moving forward. As you may recall, the LFA made extensive use of CFRP and carbon fiber, and Lexus even created a special rotary loom to stitch together the supercar's A-pillars. Take a look at the brief press release on the last LFA below.