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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.

Lexus and Scott Pruett go racing with RC F GT3

Lexus will show what its RC F GT3 can do next year in the US when the racer will be hit the track with a newly formed team called F Performance Racing. Unfortunately, no one will say what series the coupe will compete in, but veteran racer Scott Pruett will be behind the wheel. As Lexus already teased, the RC F GT3 will feature a body with big flares and a huge wing. Under the heat extractors in the hood, there will be a production-derived 5.0-liter V8 with over 500 horsepower that will route through a six-speed sequential gearbox. Based on its current livery in eye-popping metallic blue, the coupe will also be one of the easiest cars to spot on the track. The sharply styled RC F might take too many checkered flags in its first season, though, because the team will keep the coupe to a limited schedule next year. Rather than scoring wins, the focus will be on developing the platform and gaining experience. However by the 2017 or 2018 season, there will be a multi-car effort with a full racing calendar. When taking on veteran teams fielding Porsches or Ferraris in the same class, a seasoned driver like Pruett will be an asset around a racecourse. He also already has close ties to the Japanese luxury brand after competing in Lexus-power prototypes in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Championship Series and helping to develop the LFA. "I could not be more ecstatic to be representing Lexus as a performance brand ambassador and on the track in the F Performance RC F GT3," he said in the announcement. We look forward to seeing what he can do with it next year. Related Video: Lexus Partners with F Performance Racing for 2016 and Beyond Scott Pruett and Paul Gentilozzi form new team Multi-year team agreement Upcoming season focuses on vehicle development LAS VEGAS (Nov. 2, 2015) - Lexus today announced its motorsports partnership with Paul Gentilozzi and newly formed F Performance Racing to field the RC F GT3 in a soon to be announced sports car series. This new racing venture is part of the Lexus' global motorsports effort that will see the Japanese luxury brand competing on tracks in the United States beginning in 2016. The new race vehicle is based upon the production Lexus RC F high performance coupe that went on sale at the end of 2014.

Lexus LF-C2 Concept shows polarizing looks are here to stay

Well, that's one question answered. When Lexus released the first teaser for its LF-C2 Concept, we figured it'd be one of two things - either it'd be a convertible based on the LF-LC Concept car or it'd be a thinly veiled concept version of the RC Convertible. Turns out, it's kind of both.
The LF-LC styling straddles the wilder, concepty looks of the LF-LC and the still wild, but more grounded, looks of the RC. That doesn't mean it's not a polarizing piece of design, with Lexus styling trademarks like the dominating spindle grille and separate LED running lights. Lexus' knife-edge cuts and folds in the bodywork have been toned down relative to past concepts, but the overall look here, particularly in the rear fenders, is rather busy.
"The LF-C2 concept shows what's in store for our brand's future design direction," Lexus boss Jeff Bracken said. "This concept shows consumers around the world Lexus' devotion to emotional designs as well as our passion for an exceptional driving experience."