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Autoblog Podcast #339

Farewell, Zach Bowman; Pikes Peak 2013; Datsun; 2014 Ram lineup
Episode #339 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and it's the last rodeo for Zach Bowman before he departs for other pastures. The crew this week consists of Dan Roth, Zach Bowman and Jeff Ross, who talk about the astounding records set at this year's Pike's Peak hill climb, the return of the Datsun brand name and the recently-announced 2014 Ram truck lineup. Of course, we start with the garage and end with your questions and comments. For those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. You can follow along after the jump with our Q&A. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #339:

This Lexus hybrid will paint your self-portrait while you drive

To encourage better driving habits, some hybrids use leaves or tree graphics to portray how efficient or inefficiently a driver is, but Lexus has come up with a more unique method of relaying this information. For its Art Is Motion campaign, Lexus has equipped a Lexus IS300h with special software that enables the car to paint a portrait of the driver by combining the skills of generative artist Sergio Albiac with specific inputs from the driver.
A regular photograph is uploaded into the system, but the portrait will vary depending on how the car is driven. Using vehicle speed, engine speed and how often the hybrid system is used, the driver "paints" a self-portrait via the software that has cloned Albaic's creative process, which then shows up on the car's center display screen. If the driver is more cautious and maximizes electric driving, the image will be clear (as shown above), but if the driver accelerates heavily, the picture becomes more abstract. Similarly, slower speeds result in "colder" colors while higher speeds use "virulent" colors - perhaps signifying this type of driving isn't healthy for the environment.
For now, Lexus has only created one Art Is Motion IS300h, and it plans to auction off this car in the future. Lexus released three videos, which are all posted below, to show off this car, but there is no additional information yet about the auction.

Lexus ES 350 vs. Lincoln MKZ

Despite a lineup of well-received crossovers on the Lexus showroom, the midsize Lexus ES 350 four-door continues to appeal to consumers. Many of those customers are older, so you won't see marketing budgets directed toward them; no one, other than the pharmaceutical companies, is spending money marketing to baby boomers. But a midsize, moderately expressive sedan with an easy buying experience and almost coddled ownership still has its fans, and the Lexus ES 350 delivers those attributes in spades. We'd like to say Lincoln's MKZ (pictured above) is hot on the Lexus' heels, but Lincoln's lineup remains a work in progress. The Fusion-based MKZ offers a nice mix of attributes, but Lincoln's dealer count has shrunk, and many Lincoln outlets are located within – or immediately adjacent to – Ford stores. If a Fusion-based Lincoln credibly aspires to Lexus-like attributes, the same won't be said for the Ford showrooms. Here are the offerings: The Lexus ES 350 team has, over the sedan's several variations, worked hard to separate the volume Lexus from Toyota's similar Camry, and in 2017 that separation might actually be quantifiable. To its credit, the ES 350 (pictured at left) comes with but one non-hybrid drivetrain, a 3.5 liter V6 connected to a six-speed automatic driving the front wheels. With it, the ES 350 delivers a motoring experience bordering on the sublime. With the exception of its now-predictable big mouth grille, the balance of the ES sheetmetal is responsibly muted, inoffensive to the eye and should wear well through the typical payment cycle. Access to its moderately upscale interior is easy, and once inside you'll find expansive room (some 100 cubic feet) for four, along with adequate space for the occasional fifth. With a curb weight of just 3,600 pounds, the V6's 268 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque is responsive, and that's evident in the four-door's 7-second sprint to 60. This isn't a track day or autocross weapon, but if part of your day is a stressful commute, this will make it less so. With a base – albeit well appointed – spec, the ES 350 retails for just under $40,000. We would order ours in Atomic Silver, even if "atomic" seems so last-century. If you can forget – for a minute – the Matthew McConaughey connection, know that Lincoln's MKZ is fully credible as a midsize, mid-fashion sedan. If you like your Fords with more expressive interiors and additional driving refinement, there's a lot to like in Lincoln's MKZ.