2010 Lexus Gs350 Awd Sunroof Nav Rear Cam Climate Seats Texas Direct Auto on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Did Lexus make a BMW? Or did BMW make a Lexus? This and other 2017 surprises

It's that time of year again. The calendar is about to reach its end, Star Trek Cats 2018 is about to take its place, and I'm reflecting about all the cars that graced my driveway this year or summoned me to exotic places. You know, like Stuttgart or Phoenix. In 2017, I drove at least 57, and as I perused the list of them, I started to notice a common refrain: "This car surprised me." Most were pleasant surprises, but there were a few head scratchers and facepalms for good measure. In both cases, it was generally the result of car companies seemingly trying to break out of an existing mold. Nowhere was that more apparent than the pair of Lexuses slathered in Infrared paint: The LS 500 that left me this week and the LC 500 that was my favorite car of 2017. Though Lexus has been trying to shake its crusty, gold-packaged reputation for some time now, its efforts always seemed like an old man choosing Hollister to redo his wardrobe after realizing it hasn't been updated since 1987. I fell in love with the LC, genuinely floored by its near-perfect take on the GT. It's characterful in sound, appearance and tactility. It was at home in the city, in the mountain and on the open road. It was both comfortable and thrilling, and after driving the mechanically related LS 500, I can report that the LC's talents aren't an outlier. The LS 500's turbo V6 may make different noises than the LC's naturally aspirated V8, but it nevertheless invigorates the cabin when the car is placed in Sport+ mode. The steering is truly communicative, body motions are kept in miraculous check, and I absolutely forgot I was in an enormous luxury limo ... and a Lexus one at that. It was everything that the BMW 530e was not. I drove that on the exact same roads and was utterly bored the entire time. Generally doughy, lifeless steering, more distant than Planet 9. And no, the plug-in hybrid powertrain had nothing to do with that. At least it shouldn't. The Porsche Panamera S e-Hybrid I also drove this year proves that, as do the Hyundai Ioniqs, which are surprisingly adept and fun little cars regardless of what powers their wheels (Hyundai + hybrid = fun really blew me away). I would drive that Lexus LS F Sport over the BMW 5 Series any day of the week, which seems like a shocking thing to say in relation to either car. While Lexus is seemingly breaking out of its old crusty mold, BMW seems to be climbing into one.

This one-off Lexus RC F takes a page out of an NBA playbook

We talk about one automaker taking a page out of another's playbook – following a lead to keep up with the competition. But this one-of-a-kind Lexus actually does take a page out of a playbook. Specifically that of the Los Angeles Clippers. The unique Lexus RC F coupe features a livery inspired by the team colors and emblazoned in tone-on-tone Xs and squiggles that look like strategic doodles from the coach's notebook. The stock horn has been replaced by a shot buzzer, the dashboard clock with a game timer, basketball-patterned speaker grilles, and Clippers logos throughout. The navigation system is voiced by the team's coach Doc Rivers, and there's a makeshift locker room in the trunk packed with memorabilia. As far as special editions go, this one's actually pretty convincing. Of course it doesn't hurt to pack a 5.0-liter V8 engine good for 467 horsepower under the hood. The vehicle was created to raise funds for the Clippers Foundation, a charity associated with the basketball team that works with children in the Los Angeles area. For $100, fans can buy raffle tickets for the chance to take it home. Toyota has long been a sponsor of the team, briefly suspending its involvement in the wake of then-owner Donald Sterling's racist remarks a couple of years ago. Related Video:

Autoblog Podcast #339

Farewell, Zach Bowman; Pikes Peak 2013; Datsun; 2014 Ram lineup
Episode #339 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and it's the last rodeo for Zach Bowman before he departs for other pastures. The crew this week consists of Dan Roth, Zach Bowman and Jeff Ross, who talk about the astounding records set at this year's Pike's Peak hill climb, the return of the Datsun brand name and the recently-announced 2014 Ram truck lineup. Of course, we start with the garage and end with your questions and comments. For those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. You can follow along after the jump with our Q&A. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #339: