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2018 Lexus RX 350L Quick Spin Review | Minding the gap in the Lexus lineup

PORTLAND, Ore. — Why on Earth does Lexus still make the Jurassic GX 460? It's old, inefficient, body-on-frame and completely atypical of the rest of the three-row luxury segment. Well, the answer lies in that segment descriptor: three rows. People want them, yet Lexus didn't offer anything else between the two-row RX and the $85,000, Land Cruiser-based LX 570. Despite this lineup gap lasting for two decades, Lexus decided to finally attempt filling it with a seemingly quick-and-dirty solution: Lengthen the RX 350, shoehorn in a third row, add an L to the name, wipe hands together, call it a day. The resulting 2018 Lexus RX 350L does indeed have a third row of seats and is generally a far superior vehicle to the GX. It's better to drive, massively more efficient, and its beautiful interior is up to the current Lexus norm. The cargo door doesn't swing into the curb. Plus, unlike some other slapped-together lengthened jobs over the years like the Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT or even the long-wheelbase Range Rover, the RX 350L doesn't suffer visually for its extra inches. In fact, it can be difficult to tell the L apart from a non-L unless the two are parked together in profile. If everything, the extra 4.4 inches of length might actually improve the RX's proportions from certain angles. Of course, quite a few people find the current RX to be hideous, so finding comments below that include the words "lipstick" and "pig" would not be surprising. Adding the L also doesn't seem to take away from the RX's driving experience, which continues to impress. The current model is buttoned down and involving in a way its couch-like predecessors never attempted to be. From the lowered driving position to the more responsive steering, this is a far more driver-oriented vehicle. You don't even need to engage Sport mode, but doing so dials in an appropriate level of steering weight and sharpens throttle/transmission response. This general sportification also hasn't taken anything away from comfort, as a three-hour road trip from Portland to Seattle proved it to be a superb highway cruiser. Both seat and ride comfort are excellent. That was with two people aboard, however. Later in the week, we managed to easily fit an extra pair in the second row along with a rear-facing baby seat. That's all well and good, but the regular RX can do that.

Recharge Wrap-up: Tesla breaks dyno on video, Lexus trademarks 'LS 500h'

A video shows a Tesla Model S P85D breaking a dyno during a test. Starting at a slow roll, the instant torque under full power snapped a belt on the dynamometer. Before it broke, the dyno measured over 700 pound-feet of torque from the all-wheel-drive Tesla. A previous dyno run saw the car reach its 155-mph top speed and a peak 435 horsepower. See the video above, and read more at DragTimes. Lexus has filed a trademark for "LS 500h" in Europe. This calls for some speculation as to what this means for an upcoming model. It could be that Lexus plans to release the LS with a new powertrain, perhaps a 4.0-liter engine with a hybrid system. Maybe it will use the 3.5-liter V-6 with a more powerful hybrid system. The LS 600h could simply be getting a new name. Or, we might not see the LS 500h badge used at all in the near future. Note that Lexus trademarked LC 500 and LC 500h in Canada last year, and we've seen no such cars yet. Read more at Hybrid Cars. Ethanol producers have strong words in response to the American Petroleum Institute's claims for demand for ethanol-free gasoline. The API and National Marine Manufacturers Association have urged the EPA to consider marine and small engine demand for E0 gasoline when setting Renewable Fuel Standard volume requirements. Big Oil is using a "false narrative to discourage the use of a cleaner, less expensive, homegrown renewable fuel," according to Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis. Buis says ethanol doesn't cause problems in marine and small engines, a statement backed by the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute. "What probably does concern boaters is the amount of time they spend dry docked as a result of oil spills, like the one that dumped 21,000 gallons of oil along four miles of coastline in Santa Barbara, California," says Buis. Read more from Ethanol Producer Magazine. Related Gallery 2013 Lexus LS 600h L: Quick Spin View 13 Photos News Source: DragTimes, YouTube: DragTimes, Hybrid Cars, Ethanol Producer Magazine Green Lexus Tesla Alternative Fuels Ethanol Electric Hybrid Videos recharge wrapup

Forget LCD displays, the Lexus UX concept has hologram orbs

Two weeks ago, Lexus revealed the UX concept for the Paris Motor Show. The company only showed one photo of the exterior, but did give a generic description of the interior, saying it would have "imaginative technologies for an immersive driver experience." Now we know what that means: holograms! Yes, Lexus has done about the only thing that can impress in this world of high-resolution automotive displays – it brought instruments and infotainment into the third dimension. In the process it has somewhat reimagined the way occupants interact with the car as well. We're guessing the name UX, which stands for user experience in the tech world, was intentional. The large crystal-shaped box in the center console stands out immediately. The company says the box will display climate control and infotainment options in full 3D for the driver and passenger. The instrument cluster gets the hologram treatment as well with an orb floating in the middle and the ability to display both analog and digital information. No word on whether a small, blue Princess Leia will appear in the console asking for help. The UX's interior has a few other nifty surprises. The windows are electrochromic, so they can be darkened as needed (similar tech is already in use on some car roofs). The passenger side of the dashboard has a large, finned sound bar that can be removed. We're not entirely sure the thinking behind that feature, but we suppose it would be nice as a stereo for a picnic or a day at the beach. To cap things off, Lexus included the concept car staples of touch-sensitive buttons and side-view mirror cameras. As for when you'll see hologram displays in future Lexus models, we have no idea but wouldn't count on them coming anytime soon. We have a more optimistic view of the Lexus UX concept itself. With crossovers as popular as ever, we expect to see an attractive production model with these bulging fenders and a steeply raked windshield in a year or so. Related Video: Image Credit: Lexus Design/Style Paris Motor Show Lexus Technology Emerging Technologies Infotainment Crossover 2016 paris motor show interior design lexus ux concept