1995 Lexus Sc400 Coupe Royal Jade Pearl (dark Green) on 2040-cars

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The next steps automakers could take after sales drop again in April

DETROIT (Reuters) - Major automakers on Tuesday posted declines in U.S. new vehicle sales for April in a sign the long boom cycle that lifted the American auto industry to record sales last year is losing steam, sending carmaker stocks down. The drop in sales versus April 2016 came on the heels of a disappointing March, which automakers had shrugged off as just a bad month. But two straight weak months has heightened Wall Street worries the cyclical industry is on a downward swing after a nearly uninterrupted boom since the Great Recession's end in 2010. Auto sales were a drag on U.S. first-quarter gross domestic product, with the economy growing at an annual rate of just 0.7 percent according to an advance estimate published by the Commerce Department last Friday. Excluding the auto sector the GDP growth rate would have been 1.2 percent. Industry consultant Autodata put the industry's seasonally adjusted annualized rate of sales at 16.88 million units for April, below the average of 17.2 million units predicted by analysts polled by Reuters. General Motors Co shares fell 2.9 percent while Ford Motor Co slid 4.3 percent and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV's U.S.-traded shares tumbled 4.2 percent. The U.S. auto industry faces multiple challenges. Sales are slipping and vehicle inventory levels have risen even as carmakers have hiked discounts to lure customers. A flood of used vehicles from the boom cycle are increasingly competing with new cars. The question for automakers: How much and for how long to curtail production this summer, which will result in worker layoffs? To bring down stocks of unsold vehicles, the Detroit automakers need to cut production, and offer more discounts without creating "an incentives war," said Mark Wakefield, head of the North American automotive practice for AlixPartners in Southfield, Michigan. "We see multiple weeks (of production) being taken out on the car side," he said, "and some softness on the truck side." Rival automakers will be watching each other to see if one is cutting prices to gain market share from another, he said, instead of just clearing inventory. INVESTORS DIGEST BAD NEWS Just last week GM reported a record first-quarter profit, but that had almost zero impact on the automaker's stock. The iconic carmaker, whose own interest was once conflated with that of America's, has slipped behind luxury carmaker Tesla Inc in terms of valuation.

Lexus GXOR is a conceptual offering to the overlanding crowd

To the surprise of just about everyone, large numbers of overlanders have adopted the Lexus GX. The reasons for that are apparent after looking under the surface: Toyota reskinned the Land Cruiser Prado — a slightly smaller version of the venerable Land Cruiser, sold in overseas markets — to create the GX. The result is an intensely capable off-road platform decked out with a bouquet of luxury trimmings. In tribute to the GX's following, and as a way to celebrate the Toyota FJ Summit happening in Ouray, Colorado, right now, Lexus commissioned the GXOR concept. The initialism comes from the overlanding community, the "OR" standing for "offroad" on web sites and in photos and as a Twitter hashtag. This truck's so well equipped for trekking continents, however, that Lexus might have expanded the full meaning of GXOR to "Gone eXtremely Off Road."  The first move to up the rugged quotient is always wheels and tires. Lexus swapped the stock suspension for Icon Vehicle Dynamics shocks with remote reservoirs and a 2.5-inch lift, reinforcing the setup with billet control arms and delta joints. The wheels are 18-inch F-Sport units wrapped in 275/70 (33-inch) General Grabber X3s. When the inevitable hits come, CBI frame sliders and full underbody armor protect the chassis. When situations go all the way south, a Warn 9.5 XPS winch hides behind a custom CBI front bumper, Maxtrax recovery boards stand by on the Eezi-Awn K9 roof rack, and an Icom HAM radio is ready to call for recovery from locals or advice from an operator in Argentina. Other conveniences include a Safari snorkel, 50-inch Rigid light bar, and an Overland Solar 160-watt panel. The cargo area's been turned into a larder and closet thanks to the National Luna fridge/freezer combo sitting atop the Goose Gear custom drawers. Since it appears the GXOR driver might never wish to return, there's more storage in Alu-boxes up top, and a Patriot Campers X1H trailer provides close gear support. The Patriot's a home on wheels, starting at about $52,000 U.S., packed with features like a remote-controlled, electronically-deployed tent, a twin-burner stove, gas hot water system and 40-gallon tank, and more drawers. But because even that's not enough, Lexus fitted the trailer with matching F-Sport wheels and a Redarc Tow-Pro brake controller. If you're near Ouray, the GXOR will be on display and on the trails from now until Sunday, July 21.

2020 Lexus LS 500h Drivers' Notes Review | Be it blue or red, it's excellent

This is not your grandmother's gold Lexus LS. It's not your other grandmother's hybrid, either. The 2020 Lexus LS 500h represents the biggest step forward in terms of driving dynamics, style and pure luxury for a model line that has largely been known for dependability and craftsmanship. It should satisfy those elements too, but now, there's a lot more to tickle the right side of the brain.  We got a chance to sample two different LS 500h versions: one blue, one red; one with a $12,250 Luxury back seat package, one without; one in Oregon and one in Michigan. The blue car hit the register with a sticker of $107,355, including enhanced accident avoidance tech, an adaptive air suspension, 20-inch wheels, a massive head-up display, a 23-speaker Mark Levinson system, and a few trim upgrades. The red car was similarly equipped apart from optional 19's and swapping a $3,730 Interior Upgrade package that basically has the same front seat and trim upgrades as the $12,250 Luxury package, but leaves the back seat be. Both provided far more equipment for the money than the German competitors would.  lexus-ls500h-red-1 View 4 Photos Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder: I already miss the Matador Red LS 500h we had in Michigan. I had it for a full week and genuinely enjoyed it. It's a hybrid, and a really good one, providing efficiency when you want it and plenty of power when you need it. I found all the modes genuinely useful. Normal is well balanced. I used Eco when I was stuck in traffic to safe fuel. The Comfort mode helped keep my carsickness-prone wife happy when we ran around town together. Sport is very satisfying, but not so hardcore to make it a niche use case. Sport+ is the best way to enjoy the lovely song of the 3.5-liter V6, but still wasn't so extreme to relegate it to the briefest moments of passionate driving. Once I got used to the placement of the mode selector — on the right of the instrument cluster housing, which helps keep your eyes forward — I made good use of it. The LS hybrid has that trick transmission — a magical union of CVT and four-speed automatic — as part of the Multi-Stage Hybrid System that won our Tech of the Year award as tested in the Lexus LC 500h back in 2018. It's a sweet complement to the soulful V6 underhood, and provides a nice experience when left to its own devices or when using the paddle shifters to switch among 10 effective gear ratios. It works quickly, smoothly, and efficiently all at once.