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What we're driving this winter and why you need snow tires | Autoblog Podcast #496

On this episode, Mike Austin and David Gluckman talk about what they've been driving lately and answer some Spend My Money requests from listeners looking for advice on everything from sports cars to seven-seat SUVs. Plus we talk winter tires with an expert from Michelin's testing team. The rundown is below. Remember, if you have a car-related question you'd like us to answer or you want buying advice of your very own, send a message or a voice memo to podcast at autoblog dot com. (If you record audio of a question with your phone and get it to us, you could hear your very own voice on the podcast. Neat, right?) And please send trivia questions! You'll get the honor of stumping your fellow listeners, and we'll thank you too. Autoblog Podcast #496 Topics and stories we mention 2017 Subaru BRZ 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander GT 2018 Lexus LC 500 Used cars! Rundown Intro - 00:00 What we're driving - 04:26 Michelin winter tire interview - 25:14 Spend My Money - 44:33 Total Duration: 1:18:57 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Feedback Email – Podcast at Autoblog dot com Review the show on iTunes Podcasts Lexus Mitsubishi Subaru SUV snow tires

Lexus LCs for SEMA inspired by Blue Morpho butterfly, Marvel's Black Panther

Lexus is bringing a pair of LC 500 coupes to this year's SEMA show, and they're thoroughly different vehicles to one another. The first is a production car, the Lexus LC Inspiration Series. It's a highly limited-edition car that is mostly stock except for a unique paint job. The other also has a special paint scheme, but it's a one-off show car designed around the upcoming Marvel movie, " Black Panther," in which an LC 500 will be featured. The LC 500 Inspiration Series, being a production car, should be of the most interest to consumers, but also because of its special paint. Looking at it, it's very clearly blue, but according to Lexus, there are no actual blue pigments in the paint. Instead, the blue hue comes from the way nano-structures buried in the paint reflect blue light. It works similarly to the wings of the Blue Morpho butterfly, which also lack any actual blue coloration, but the structure of the wings' surfaces reflect blue light. This paint is not easy to make, either. Lexus says it takes eight months to produce a batch, and only two cars with the coating can be built each day. So it's easy to understand why this is a limited edition car and color. Only 100 will be sold in the United States. To sweeten the deal, this Inspiration Series edition comes standard with 21-inch forged wheels, exclusive carbon fiber door sill plates, and, for some reason, a Barneys sommelier bar set with a design inspired by the LC. View 11 Photos As subtle as the Lexus LC 500 Inspiration Series is, the Black Panther LC 500 isn't. The car features an extremely widened body. It's a fairly elegant design, except for the stuck-on claws on the side mirrors that are echoed by the silver panted fender vent strakes. The paint scheme is equally absurd. The dark indigo blue paint has an enormous Black Panther mask design on the hood. Under the car is blue underglow, and the interior is finished in black leather with blue Alcantara. Lexus also lists a number of fictional features for the car, since it is meant for the Black Panther superhero. Among them are a bulletproof, self-healing Vibranium body, systems controlled by a "Wakandan B-CPU (Brain/Computer interface) creating a symbiotic relationship between the vehicle and its driver," and side mirrors with "instinctual positioning technology" to automatically move to the right position for the driver.

Lexus puts the 2.0T into the Euro-market RC Coupe

The Lexus IS got the brand's 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder to become the IS 200t. So it is with the Lexus RC in Europe, which gets the engine swap in Europe and as the RC 200t becomes the entry level model in the range. It goes on sale over there at the end of this year, and is predicted to make its way here eventually. The engine is rated the same in this application as in the IS: 241 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, working through an eight-speed transmission for a 0-62 mile-per-hour time of 7.5 seconds. It can be picked out by its smaller wheels and the lack of aggressive bodywork. Lexus will offer an F-Sport package that restores some muscularity. Better still is the available Torsen limited-slip differential and the adaptive variable suspension for improved handling. We don't have the entry-level coupes here like the Euro-market BMW 420i, which would be a good competitor for the RC 200t. In our market base competitors like the BMW 428i, Audi A5, and Cadillac ATS, all fitted with 2.0-liter engines, are faster, and will most likely be lighter and might be less expensive than the RC 200t. That looks like it will make the Lexus offering best for buyers who already want to get into the line but at a friendlier price. The press release below has more info. Related Video: RC JOINING THE LEXUS 2.0L TURBO PETROL LINE-UP - 2.0 litre, 4-cylinder, twin-scroll turbo unit developing 180 kW/245 DIN hp and 350 Nm of torque - 0-100 km/h in 7.5 seconds and 230 km/h maximum speed - 8-Speed Sport Direct Shift (SPDS) transmission with G-force linked gear shifting Brussels, Belgium Lexus: 31 Jul 2015 - The new Lexus RC 200t is the fourth Lexus model to feature the refined driving performance of the company's 2.0 litre turbocharged petrol engine. Mated to an 8-speed Sport Direct Shift (SPDS) transmission, the turbo unit adopts numerous sophisticated engine technologies to offer drivers an engaging combination of smoothness, turbo-lag-free throttle responsiveness and fuel-efficiency. The superior driving dynamics of the new RC 200t may be further enhanced through the availability of an F SPORT version, which is equipped with a Torsen Limited Slip Differential. Together with the already announced RC 300h, the new RC 200t go on sale throughout Europe at the end of the year.