2007 Lexus Es350 Base Sedan 4-door 3.5l on 2040-cars

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2014 Lexus GS gets eight-speed auto, other enhancements

The Lexus GS was totally redesigned for the 2013 model year, but Lexus is already tweaking its midsize luxury sedan. While a handful of small changes are being made, the big news for the 2014 model year is that rear-wheel-drive GS350 models will be getting a new eight-speed automatic transmission for improved fuel economy and performance.
Official EPA estimates have yet to be released, but Lexus expects this new transmission to return 19 miles per gallon in the city and 29 mpg on the highway - an improvement of 1 mpg highway. The GS450h still uses a continuously variable transmission, but Lexus says that it has been optimized to mimic the shift points of an eight-speed automatic. The final powertrain change made to the 2014 Lexus GS include tweaks to the GS350's engine intake and exhaust systems, which should help give the sedan a sportier feel.
Inside, Lexus has added Siri Eyes Free inside both the GS350 and GS450h, which allows drivers to use their iPhone's Siri voice assistant simply by pushing a button on the steering wheel. Other changes include a new full-color head-up display, and an available power trunk opener. A new Luxury Package adds LED fog lights, 18-inch "superchrome" wheels on the GS350 and 18-inch graphite-finish wheels on the GS450h. Interesting, the optional Lexus Night View system has been dropped.

Lexus LF-1 Limitless luxury crossover concept is an intergalactic flagship

A dressed-up Land Cruiser it is not. As most every manufacturer making cars in 2020 will be offering crossovers in varying sizes, Lexus has unveiled its new LF-1 Limitless concept, which has been penned at Toyota's Calty Design Research in Southern California. The vehicle is billed as a "flagship crossover," meaning it slots above the RX and offers more flair than the more truck-like GX and LX models. If the design of the concept seems sharp, it's at least in part due to the design approach Lexus calls "molten katana" — with the appearance of a Japanese sword in automotive form. The spindle grille that's been the centerpiece of recent Lexus front ends is now a three-dimensional design, which appears to mimic a "Star Wars" ship's shift into hyperspace, eschewing surrounding chrome in favor of LED lighting. The concept detailing includes slightly Tesla–like door handles, which reveal a Lexus logo in the negative space, and a roof spoiler split in the middle. Door mirrors have been shaved off, with the rear view delivered into screens around the instrument cluster, where they resemble motorcycle mirrors. The feel of hyperspace continues inside, with the perforated door trim allowing lighting through like a starry sky. There are four matching, individual white leather seats under the moonroof, and there's a dedicated light show on offer at the press of the start button, depending of the function mode selected. Most analog switches have been replaced by haptic controls grouped around the driver, or fitted in the steering wheel; all powertrain controls are either in the wheel or in the steering column. By "Limitless," Lexus appears to refer to the choice of propulsion. Reading between the lines, there doesn't seem to be a set powerplant for the vehicle, as by 2025 all Lexus model lines will be electrified in some fashion, and the production version could be a fuel-cell vehicle, a PHEV, all-electric, or gasoline-powered. There's also a hands-free driver assist level Lexus calls "Chauffeur mode." In addition, there's a fourth dimension to the concept's navigation system — time. The setup reads traffic information, anticipating possible stops on the way. The idea, according to Lexus, is that the navigation system should feel like a concierge, a virtual assistant instead of just a map screen.

Toyota, Lexus will offer low-cost automated braking system

First, a technology gets better, then it gets a lot better, then it gets less expensive, then it gets a lot less expensive. Advanced driver safety and convenience systems are about to make that last step thanks to Toyota. Centered around a pre-collision braking system, there will be three suites of driver aids known as Toyota Safety Sense C (TSS C) for compact cars, Toyota Safety Sense P (TSS P) for midsized and premium cars, and Lexus Safety System+ (LSS+) for the luxury brand. TSS C pairs a camera with laser radar to provide a pre-collision system that prompts the driver to brake if it detects an impending accident, and can supply additional braking force and automatically brake between seven and fifty miles per hour. There are also Lane Departure Alert and Automatic High Beam. TSS P pairs a camera with more precise millimeter-wave radar. Starting with the three functions in TSS C, it adds pedestrian pre-collision capability and adaptive cruise control. This one will be available first, coming on the new RAV4 Hybrid and Avalon. TSS - either C or P - will expand to three more vehicles by the end of the year. The wallop is in the price: TSS C will be a $300 option, TSS P will cost $500. Compare the Ford Fusion SE, for instance - it's Driver Assistance Package comes with Lane Departure Warning, Automatic High Beams, it has Lane Keep Assist, Blind Spot and Cross Traffic Detection that neither TSS has, but doesn't have any autonomous braking feature. It costs $1,200, but requires you to add the Technology and Luxury Packages for a total price of $3,165. If you want Autonomous Cruise Control, that's another $995, for $4,160 in total. Instead of $300 or $500 on the Toyota. Lexus' LSS+ will come first on the new RX then spread to four more models by the end of this year, and cost between $500 and $635 to add as an option. It also uses a camera and millimeter-wave radar for its vehicle and pedestrian pre-collision system, lane departure warning and lane keep assist, automatic high beam, and auto cruise control. The similar package on a BMW X5, with no pedestrian component, is $1,200. Toyota says both safety suites will eventually be on "nearly all" of it products and all trim levels by the end of 2017.