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Translogic 165: 2015 Lexus RC F Biometrics Test

A traditional vehicle review goes like this: Reviewer drives car, reviewer gathers thoughts, reviewer relays vehicle impressions to audience. But what if instead of explaining what it's like to drive a given car, the reviewer could simply show the audience their response to the vehicle? With advancements in wearable biometrics technology, it's now possible to replace car review adjectives with cold, hard data. Translogic host Jonathon Buckley heads to Palm Beach Raceway in Florida to gauge his physiological reaction to driving the all-new Lexus RC F, with a little help from biometrics experts at Emotiv and Hexoskin. From his brain, to his body, Jonathon's vitals are measured as he takes to the track in Lexus's latest sports coupe. Follow Translogic on Twitter and Facebook. Click here to subscribe to Translogic in iTunes. Click here to learn more about our host, Jonathon Buckley. Lexus Technology Gadgets Coupe Performance Translogic

Toyota's 'green bond' an industry first, quickly rises to $1.75 billion

Toyota is greasing the skids for more green car purchases with the announcement of a $1.75-billion bond designed to finance the purchase of high-efficiency Toyota and Lexus models. The Asset-Backed Green Bond is a first for the automotive industry and is making a lot of money available to buy or lease the following vehicles: any of the four Prius variants, Camry Hybrid, Avalon Hybrid, RAV4 EV, Lexus CT 200h and Lexus ES 300h. Originally, the bond was set at $1.25 billion, but Justin Leach, manager of public relations for Toyota Financial Services (TFS), told AutoblogGreen that demand was high and it was quickly oversubscribed. TFS has been looking at more ways to diversify its portfolio after a Diversity & Inclusion Bond that was announced in early 2013 and, with the new Green Bond, TFS is offering something for the "number of investors out there who are looking for investment opportunities in green." The way the money from the bond is used, basically, is that TFS takes the $1.75 billion and uses it to finance the purchase or lease of the nine vehicles listed above. As of right now, all the eligible vehicles are plug-in or hybrids, but the rules simply say that the cars in the program have to meet certain "powertrain, fuel efficiency and emissions" criteria. That means: Minimum EPA estimated MPG (or MPG equivalent for alternative fuel vehicles) of 35 city / 35 highway California Low-Emission Vehicle II (LEV II) certification of super ultra-low emission vehicles (SULEVs) or higher, which would include partial zero emissions vehicles (PZEVs) and zero emissions vehicles (ZEVs). TFS raises plenty of billions in other ways for the rest of the lineup, and got into asset backed securities in 2010, Leach said. Given the success of this first Green Bond, Leach said he expects TFS to keep this idea in its arsenal. "This one was so well received, I would be surprised if we didn't see it again," he said. "If anyone was going to do it, it should be Toyota, right?" Toyota Financial Services (TFS) Issues Auto Industry's First-Ever Asset-Backed Green Bond Bond Proceeds to Fund Consumer Loans and Leases for Toyota's Leading Portfolio of Green Vehicles TORRANCE, Calif., (March 24, 2014) – Toyota Financial Services (TFS) issued the auto industry's first-ever Asset-Backed Green Bond in the amount of $1.75 billion.

Lexus' hoverboard 'is like floating on a cushion of air'

The Lexus hoverboard is real, folks. It's not computer-generated imagery you're looking at, and it's not smoke and mirrors. In fact, what looks a lot like smoke emanating from below the Japanese luxury brand's hoverboard is actually caused by the liquid nitrogen required to keep the 'board's insides cool. How cool, you ask? Put it this way: liquid nitrogen freezes at -346 degrees Fahrenheit. Ice cold, baby. If there is a bit of tricky deception in the video you see above, it's that the superconductors Lexus is using in its hoverboard will only cause the machine to lift off surfaces that are magnetic. In other words, a skatepark full of concrete won't work. For that matter, in true Back To The Future style, neither would water... even if you've got power. Does any of that techno mumbo-jumbo even matter, though? What we have here is a real-life hoverboard that doesn't look like a poorly conceived high-school science project (no offense to Hendo, featured in the video below). The Lexus hoverboard is beautiful, with bamboo decking, a carbon fiber base and, let's be honest, that awesome special-effects-style smoke. Ross McGouran, a professional skateboarder, seems to agree with our assessment of the merits of the Lexus hoverboard. In a new video from the automaker that you can watch above, McGouran compares the hoverboard to regular skateboards and says riding Lexus' invention is like floating on a cushion of air. Which sounds equal parts difficult and amazing. We look forward to more from McGouran and Lexus. Related Video: Related Gallery Lexus Hoverboard View 9 Photos News Source: Lexus via YouTube Design/Style Toys/Games Lexus Technology Gadgets Future Vehicles Special and Limited Editions Videos