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Lexus has big expectations for small NX crossover

One has to wonder why it took so long for Lexus to enter the hotly contested compact premium crossover market. The brand itself projects some 36,000 sales for its brand-new NX, which is set to go on sale in the US in November. Add that potential to the 100,000-plus RX crossovers it sells annually in the States and Lexus looks poised to put some hurt on German rivals like Audi, BMW and Mercedes.
The vast majority of Lexus NX models imported to the States will be powered by a new 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that pumps 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque to either the front or all four wheels. Just 10 percent or so of NX models will get the 194-horsepower hybrid powertrain wrapped in NX 300h trim. Though not yet rated by the EPA, Lexus projects mileage ratings of 22 city, 28 highway and 24 combined for the turbo and 35/31/33 for front-wheel-drive hybrids (expect a one-mpg combined hit for AWD models with either engine).
In terms of sizing, the Lexus NX is dimensionally very similar to the Audi Q5, which starts at $37,300. Lexus hasn't yet released pricing information for its NX, but promises to be in the same range as its competitors. We note with interest that the larger Lexus RX starts at $40,795 - a little over $3,000 more than the Audi its NX will compete against - and wonder out loud if the Japanese automaker can undercut its German competitors in pricing with the NX. Expect official pricing info from Lexus closer to its on-sale date later this year.

2014 Lexus IS350 F-Sport

Is A New Kind Of Lexus Hiding Under That Radical Skin?
When the now-outgoing Lexus IS generation was launched back in 2006, the company would not have been wise to bring the compact luxury sedan to be driven by journalists to a track like Driveway Austin Motorsports. Taking along a BMW 335i for comparison loops would have proved an ill choice as well.
Our own Jonathon Ramsey found the current-generation Lexus IS250 to be fairly nimble over a tightly wound autocross course, when he drove it back-to-back with the prototype version of this 2014 IS a few months ago. Our track for testing the fully realized version of the IS350 F-Sport meanwhile - again with the 2013 version along for competitive driving - was on a circuit designed to string together recreations of some of the best tracks in the world. Laguna Seca, bits of the Nürburgring and sections inspired by Imola and Ferrari's Fiorano test track all make for a far more enticing road course than you'd expect to find plunked down in a nondescript area a few miles east of downtown Austin. Critically, this environment highlighted what strides Lexus has made in the sport sedan race with its new IS.

2018 Lexus LC 500 | Drivers' Notes

The 2018 Lexus LC 500 is the latest and greatest sports coupe from Japan. The 471-horsepower luxury spaceship looks like something straight off the auto show floor. Few cars have made the transition from concept to production with so little change, and unsurprisingly, the LC gets plenty of attention. While sports cars are great on winding roads and flat-out around a racetrack, the compromises in pursuit of performance can show when you actually try to live with one every day. That said, a car that pulls at your heartstrings can be forgiven for a lot. Senior Green Editor John Beltz Snyder: On my night with the Lexus LC 500, I was tasked with picking up my toddler, Wolfgang, from daycare. I wondered if I'd even be able to shoehorn the child seat into the coupe's tiny rear row. I moved the front passenger seat up as far as it would go and folded it forward, unclipping the seat belt from the shoulder strap holding it in place. I was able to get the child seat in its rear-facing position (my son's not quite two years old), and was happy to see that the LC had latch brackets, which made installation a little easier. I had to leave the passenger seat moved up and leaning forward, but the child seat fit properly. When I escorted Wolfgang out of daycare and to his ride, he said "Crazy car, Papa." Then I had to climb in the rear seat on the driver's side to clip him in. Totally worth it, though. He loved the car, and wanted to check it out more completely when we got home. And the LC 500 got a lot of looks from other motorists. Rubberneckers slowed down to check out the car on Woodward, and lingered as they passed me on the highway. The one thing I couldn't share with them was the full song of the car's 5.0-liter V8. Only in a couple instances when I was alone on a clear, country road could I mash the right pedal to enjoy the throaty sound of the exhaust as the engine revved to the top. In regular traffic, with a 10-speed automatic transmission keeping the revs low, the sound is much more subdued. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore: The LC 500 is one of the most drop-dead gorgeous cars I've driven this year. It's simply a stunner. The curves, the angles, and the creases all work in harmony to create the rare design that's busy yet also cohesive. Everything plays a role, even if it's a bit over the top. It attracts a lot of attention.