2008 Lexus Gs350 Sport Premium Sedan 4-door 3.5l on 2040-cars

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Judge halts Toyota unintended acceleration cases, triggers time for settlement negotiations

So far, the lawsuits brought forth against Toyota for unintended acceleration have gone both ways: the automaker was found not at fault in a 2009 California crash and liable for a 2007 crash in Oklahoma. Both cases involved a Camry and resulted in fatalities. With a big chunk of these UA cases (around 200) set to his the docket of US District Judge James V. Selna in Santa Ana, California, Bloomberg is reporting that the judge has halted the lawsuits until March after Toyota and its lawyers have had extra time to try and settle the cases.
According to the article, Toyota is looking to take care of the cases out of court with an "intensive settlement process." Having already paid out $1.6 billion in "economic loss" suits, this latest settlement process is aimed at the wrongful death and personal injury cases allegedly associated with unintended acceleration. A hearing for the settlements will be held on January 14 with conferences on the matter commencing in February. There is no word as to when lawsuits may start back up if settlements can't be agreed upon.

The new 2018 Lexus LS 500h hybrid V6 makes V8 power

With hybrids en vogue in Geneva, Lexus has taken the opportunity to debut the all-new 2018 Lexus LS 500h. The V6 is paired to two electric motors for a healthy total of 354 horsepower, just not far off the a V8-powered LS 460. It is down quite a bit from the outgoing 438-horsepower LS 600h but still enough to send the LS 500h to 60 miles per hour in 5.4 seconds. The hybrid system is similar to the one in the new LC 500h coupe, which combines the traditional Toyota hybrid two-motor CVT with a 4-speed automatic for better responsiveness, less of the "rubber band" CVT sensation, and (of course) greater efficiency. It should also help keep the LS 500h relatively quiet at full bore, keeping it in line with the "whisper quiet" mantra of the new LS. The new lithium-ion battery pack is 20 percent smaller than the outgoing nickel-metal battery, though Lexus claims power density has been improved. Styling changes to the hybrid are minor. It still features the love-it-or-hate-it spindle grille that's permeated throughout the Lexus lineup, but other than a handful of hybrid badges and the typical blue ring around the badge, it's hard to spot the difference between the models. The interior appears to have a few minor trim changes, including some new reptile scale-like door panels. While fuel economy hasn't been announced, expect improvements over the outgoing model's 19 city/23 highway rating. Look for more news on fuel economy and pricing in the next few months. Related Video:

2016 Lexus GS F First Drive [w/video]

Performance cars used to be about horsepower and chassis tuning. Lately the question isn't so much what's under the hood, but how many buttons are on the console. We're overwhelmed with individual settings for engine response, transmission, exhaust, steering, and ride. When did these cars turn into a choose your own tuning adventure? The Lexus GS F represents an attempt to step back from this over-adjustable madness and return to more bygone sports car values. It has a special engine, unique bodywork, and a chassis tuned for high performance. There are only two settings you need to play with. The first setting is the Drive Mode Select dial on the center console, which mainly controls the response of 5.0-liter V8 engine and the shift behavior of the eight-speed automatic. The engine is the same V8 found in the RC F, making the same 467 horsepower and 389 pound-feet of torque. New this year are small balancing weights on the crankshaft pulley that cut down on internal vibration. Drive Mode Select also changes the electronic power steering, air conditioning, and stability control (you can also turn it all the way off via a separate button). The engine is the same V8 found in the RC F, making the same 467 horsepower and 389 pound-feet of torque. You will use two settings in the GS F: Eco when you want to get somewhere, Sport S+ when you want to get somewhere fast. Normal and Sport S modes offer intermediate steps you don't really need. Eco mode softens the throttle and reduces the use of air conditioning for slightly better fuel economy. It also makes the center-mounted tachometer switch into an eco-driving gauge. S+ puts everything into sport mode, including a heavier steering weight and a higher stability control threshold. While Sport S mode shifts the noon position of the tachometer to just below the horsepower peak of 7,000 rpm, S+ goes a step further and turns the rev indicator into a solid bar that grows around the edge of the display. It also adds oil and coolant temperature to the readout. And how could we fail to mention G-Force Artificial Intelligence (or grin at such an overwrought name)? That's the shift logic the transmission uses in Sport S+. It's designed to hold revs in corners and downshift during hard braking. "Our goal with F is to make a driver's car, not a drag race winner." The other button in the Lexus GS F that you need to pay attention to is next to the Drive Mode Select knob, labeled TVD for Torque Vectoring Differential.