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Lexus' new V-LCRO advances seat tech by going back in time

Automakers love teaming up with aftermarket suppliers. Stuff like Foxx Racing shocks, BBS wheels, and Brembo brakes are all there to gussy up performance vehicles. But one of the best branded performance options you can get are a meaty set of seats. Not only do they look great, but the two purposes they serve are legitimate – hearty bolsters keep you pinned in place around high-G turns and they allow you to soak up a lot more of the chassis' sensations. Lexus already had a solid set of (unbranded) thrones in the RC F and GS F, but a piece of old tech is about to make them even better. The company is introducing a new Variable Load Coupling Rear Orientation for its seats. Fancy name aside, this is far from a new technology. It's been around for 75 years, and you probably know it as Velcro Technology. Yes, Lexus is going to start selling Velcro lined seats to keep you in place at up to three Gs, whether they be fore, aft, or lateral forces. "The RC F and GS F are exhilarating, racing-inspired vehicles," said Brian Bolain, Lexus' GM for product and consumer marketing. "By partnering with Velcro Companies, our new V-LCRO technology enhances the driver's ability to maximize the cars' track-proven performance." If you're worried this is just a bunch of marketing jargon, though, take it from an actual driver. The V-LCRO system works. "The beauty of this technology is its simplicity," Lexus F Performance Racing driver Scott Pruett said. "With V-LCRO, Lexus has created an unprecedented connection between driver and vehicle, and the impact on the track has been phenomenal." According to Lexus spokesman Moe Lester, V-LCRO will be available on 2020 models, alongside the upcoming hoverboard package. In other news, tomorrow is April Fools' Day. Be prepared. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Lexus Introduces Groundbreaking V-LCRO Technology Automaker reveals new interior option for RC F and GS F performance vehicles TORRANCE, Calif. (March 31, 2016)—When it comes to performance cars, few things are more important than the connection between driver and vehicle. For luxury automaker Lexus, the continuous pursuit to enhance this connection even includes venturing outside the automotive world for new solutions.

2014 Lexus IS 350

Long regarded as one of the best driver's cars of all time, the BMW 3 Series has always been targeted by luxury automakers trying to create their own exciting, bang-for-the-buck sport sedan. For years, BMW has managed to ward off would-be rivals to its iconic 3 Series, but the combination of a softened F30 and solid, hard-hitting competitors could soon relieve the car of its crown. While the all-new Cadillac ATS has received the most publicity in this segment since its introduction, the 2014 Lexus IS has come on strong in its third generation to put plenty of heat on the 3 Series as the current-best luxury sport sedan.
The IS might be Lexus' most important launch in some time, as a new, strong attempt to draw younger buyers into showrooms. Rather than taking the same conservative path as the preceding IS, Lexus attacked the new car's design with enthusiasm. Exaggerated exterior styling, while certainly polarizing, definitely gets this car noticed.
We've certainly noticed the 2014 IS, with a couple of first drives (for the IS 250 prototype and the IS 350 F Sport) and a Quick Spin so far. This time around we had a chance to get a little more intimate with a staple of the new IS lineup: the non-F Sport, rear-wheel-drive IS 350.

Toyota settles first wrongful death suit related to unintended acceleration

Toyota's sales seem to have rebounded from the unintended acceleration issues from 2009 and 2010, but the automaker is far from done dealing with this situation. Following a settlement worth up to $1.4 billion for economic loss to affected vehicle owners, Toyota has settled rather than going to trial in a wrongful death lawsuit stemming from an accident in Utah in 2010 that left two passengers dead. This isn't the first case in which Toyota has settled, but it was the first among a consolidated group of cases being held in Santa Ana, CA.
According to The Detroit News, this case was scheduled to take place next month, and it was for a November 2010 incident in which Paul Van Alfen and Charlene James Lloyd were killed in a Camry when, based on findings by the Utah Highway Patrol, the accelerator got stuck causing the car to speed out of control and hit a wall; the terms of the settlement were not announced.
The article says that while Toyota will settle on some cases, it doesn't plan on settling on all of them as it still wants to be able to "defend [its] product at trial." This will probably be the case in suits claiming that software for the drive-by-wire accelerator was the cause of an accident in a Toyota or Lexus vehicle. The question of whether or not the electronic accelerator played any role in this problem has been a hot-button topic since the beginning. Toyota has issued recalls in the past to attempt to prevent unintended acceleration caused by trapped floor mats and faulty accelerator pedals, but it also says driver error was to blame in some instances.