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2016 Lexus IS gets revised engine lineup

Look, the old Lexus IS 250 sucked. With a slow, heavy, underpowered, thirsty, 2.5-liter V6 under hood, our own managing editor, Steven Ewing, dubbed it Jennifer Slowpez in his review. While we celebrate its death, we're raising our glass towards a far smarter lineup for Lexus' entry level sedan. As previously reported, the new rear-drive-only IS 200t steps in at the bottom of the range. You can read all about it in our original post from late last month. Today's news focuses on the V6. While the 3.5-liter V6 from the IS 350 will soldier on unchanged, Lexus is adding a detuned variant of Toyota's popular six-cylinder to create the IS 300 AWD. Where the IS 350 pumps out 306 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque, the all-wheel-drive-only IS 300 comes to party with a more relaxed 255 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque. That's still a hell of a lot more power than the old IS 250 AWD, which offered just 204 hp and 185 lb-ft of torque. So, there we have it – IS 200t, IS 300 AWD, IS 350, and IS 350 AWD. And of course, Lexus' performance minded F Sport package is available regardless of engine, giving owners a sharper and more stylish character for their sedan. You can check out the nitty gritty details on Lexus' rejiggering of the IS range below. Lexus IS Sport Sedan Gets Revved Up In 2016 With Three Available Engines 2.0L Twin-Scroll Turbocharged Gas Engine for New IS 200t New 3.5L V6 Engine Provides More Options for All-Weather Drive with IS 300 AWD Agile Handling Throughout IS Lineup Available F SPORT Package Heightens Driving Experience July 24, 2015 2016 Lexus IS Sedan Product Information The Lexus IS luxury sport sedan models will continue to delight drivers with their balance of luxury, agility and sportiness as they enter 2016 model year with a three model strategy with IS 200t, IS 300 AWD, and IS 350. The former IS 250 and IS 250 AWD are discontinued. The IS adds to its stable of engines and receives a turbocharged gas engine, bringing the number of engine alternatives to three. Drivers will have a hard time deciding which IS to take home with rear-wheel drive (RWD), all-weather drive (AWD) and F SPORT variants. The new IS 200t, available as RWD only, features a 2.0-liter twin-scroll turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine with intercooler paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission. This engine cranks out 241 hp and has 258 lb.-ft. torque at 1,650-4,400 rpm.

Florida police officer injured by DUI suspect after traffic stop

What started as a fairly normal traffic stop for Sergeant Kerstan Tatro ended with him lying on the ground with a compound fracture in his arm. The policeman in Gulf Breeze, FL, pulled over a woman driving a Lexus SC 430 because her erratic driving suggested that she might be under the influence. It all went well until Tatro asked the driver to perform a field sobriety test and she sped away partially trapping the officer in the car. It was all captured by the cruiser's dashcam. As the woman started to drive away, Tatro tried to grab for the keys. He was too late, though, and she got on the gas. The Lexus ran over the officer's foot and caused the serious injury to his arm. Thankfully, bystanders were at the policeman's side within a few seconds of him being hurt. By coincidence, even Tatro's daughter was driving by the time, and was pretty shaken by her dad's condition. According to the Pensacola News Journal, a witness to the officer's injuries followed the woman to a hotel parking lot and told police where she was. They allegedly found drugs in her possession. Below is a video from the Pensacola News Journal interviewing Tatro, and he gives a thorough account of exactly what happened. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. News Source: Pensacola News Journal, Ineedhelp2811 via YouTube Lexus Convertible Police/Emergency Videos police officer

BMW reclaims US luxury sales crown from Mercedes

The numbers, they are in: BMW has reclaimed the luxury-sales crown from Mercedes by a margin of 9,347 cars. Mercedes donned the king's headgear in 2013 after a strong final quarter of 2013 when the new CLA and S-Class poured out of dealerships. This year, led by the 3 Series/4 Series and X5, BMW sold 339,738 units – a 9.8-percent increase year-on-year. Mercedes, led by the C-Class and M-Class, saw its sales go up by 5.7 percent to 330,391 units. We'll have to wait a bit to see if there's another registrations-vs-sales challenge as in 2012, when BMW was anointed US luxury ruler. Behind them, a dark horse named Lexus nudged closer to the leading Teutons, selling 311,389 cars. The Japanese luxury automaker also had the biggest gain among the top three, its sales rising by 13.7 percent compared to 2013. Audi had the biggest sales of anyone among the top five, though, with a 15.2-percent gain to 182,011, which moved it a spot ahead of Cadillac; the Wreath-and-Crest brand dropped 6.5 percent to 170,750. Acura (167,843), Infiniti (117,300), and Lincoln (94,474) took the final positions. Speaking of Lincoln, sales at the once-mighty luxury marque stand as the mightiest jump of any on this list, up 15.6 percent. That's the power of Matthew McConaughey... and better cars and a new crossover, sure. So now that we're back to Round One of 2015, in case no one else has said it yet: "Ok, fight!"