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8 excellent minivans you can't buy in the United States

Americans have fallen out of love with minivans. For some reason, a super-practical, multi-seat vehicle that can haul almost anyone and anything is less popular than giant SUVs that make it difficult to access the third row. The rest of the world hasn’t forgotten the minivanÂ’s virtues, and many well-known automakers offer a whole rainbow of family carriers, some of which offer clever camping and luxury features. Here are some forbidden-fruit vans we canÂ’t buy in the United States. Toyota Noah/Voxy The Toyota Noah and Voxy have been around since the early 2000s and sit below the Alphard (more on that below) in the automakerÂ’s van line. ToyotaÂ’s sales model in Japan seems complicated from the outside, as the company sells different vehicles at different types of dealerships. The Noah was originally sold at ToyotaÂ’s Corolla Stores before the automaker shifted its model to the van in all locations in 2020. Now in their fourth generation, the van twins offer unique family-friendly features like a step system and use ToyotaÂ’s latest hybrid system. Toyota Alphard The Toyota Alphard is a stately minivan sold in several countries and regions, including Bangladesh, China and the Middle East. ItÂ’s now in its third generation and features Lexus-like styling with a massive cabin. The Alphard is available with several powertrain options, including some it shares with Lexus and other Toyota models, including the ES 350 and Highlander. Toyota equips the Alphard with several advanced safety features, and the van can comfortably carry up to eight people. That said, the Alphard is more expensive than many of its rivals in the markets where itÂ’s sold, so people may consider other options. Mitsubishi Delica If youÂ’ve spent any time in the automotive corners of social media, youÂ’ve seen a Delica. TheyÂ’re everywhere now, as Americans figure out that a small, light van with real ground clearance and four-wheel drive is a great thing. Mitsubishi has made different vehicles under the Delica name, including a truck and a kei car, but the minivan is the one most of us recognize. The Delica entered its fifth generation way back in 2007 and got a facelift in 2019. ItÂ’s still available with four-wheel drive, though Mitsubishi also sells a front-drive version. TodayÂ’s van is light years away from the classic models we can import here and features a massive grille with unique front lighting fixtures.

Lexus crafts working IS sedan out of cardboard [w/video]

People make model cars out of all sorts of material: wood, plastic, metal... and sure, even cardboard. What sets this one apart is that it's built to scale – as in, full scale – and what's more is that it can actually be driven. Then again, we couldn't vouch for its crashworthiness, so that might not be advisable. The replica Lexus IS sedan was commissioned by the Japanese automaker's UK office and made by two British workshops: Scales & Models and LaserCut Works. It's inspired by the Japanese art of origami and made out of cardboard, except for the working parts and the frame made of steel and aluminum. It's got a fully functional interior, opening doors, working headlights, rolling wheels, and an electric motor. The form is made up of cardboard 10 millimeters (0.4 inches) thick, provided by packaging company DS Smith. The material was laser-cut into 1,700 components, according to a 3D digital model provided by Lexus, and assembled by hand and painstakingly fixed into place by water-based wood glue that has to set for 10 minutes between each step. Little wonder that the whole project took three months to complete. The finished product will be on display at the NEC in Birmingham later this week during the Grand Designs Live Show. But if you're not planning on heading there yourself, you can check it out in the image gallery above and making-of video below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. 05 Oct 2015 LEXUS UK UNVEILS FULL-SIZE ORIGAMI INSPIRED CAR REPLICA IS MODEL CELEBRATES LEXUS CRAFTSMANSHIP • Created as a celebration of the skills of Lexus's takumi craftsmen and women, capturing the spirit of Creating Amazing in design and engineering • Life-size replica of the Lexus IS, crafted from 1,700 fully recyclable laser-cut cardboard sheets • Created by a five-strong team of professional designers and modellers from UK specialist companies LaserCut Works and Scales and Models, supported by DS Smith (cardboard manufacturers) • Powered by an electric motor, the Origami Car can be driven Brussels, Belgium - There has never been a Lexus like it: sheet metal, glass and plastics have been set aside for the creation of a one-off life-size model crafted in precision-cut cardboard. The remarkable Lexus Origami Car is a faithful replica of the new IS saloon, produced as a celebration of the human craftsmanship skills that go into every car Lexus makes.

Super Bowl commercials: Steven Tyler, Emerson Fittipaldi, Keanu Reeves and more

Sunday is Super Bowl LII, which means America will immerse itself in high-calorie potluck fare, garish halftime-show entertainment (Justin Timberlake, bringing sexy back, but not that kind), the most expensive and over-the-top TV ads of the year, and — oh yeah — a football game between two teams connected by Amtrak's Northeast Corridor line. What else you gonna do on the first Sunday of February? As usual, automakers plan big, splashy TV spots to reach all those gajillions of eyeballs glued to the teevee, though the list may be shorter than in previous years. Here's a roundup of what we know is coming. Hyundai Hyundai will test the football/futbol divide with a 60-second spot starring a youth-soccer ref who arrives for the game dramatically and just in time in his 2018 Kona. Only it's Super Bowl Sunday, so he — along with the two coaches, and apparently most of the parents — are eager to get on with their game-day plans. Advantage: football, being the message, we guess. The ad does make a quick plug for Hyundai's BlueLink nav system, but this is only nominally about the car. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Hyundai also plans a 60-second ad that recognizes people fighting pediatric cancers and highlights its own nonprofit organization that focuses on the cause, according to Reuters. Kia This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. The Korean automaker will put Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler behind the wheel of its new Stinger on an abandoned racetrack. The former " American Idol" host promptly puts it into reverse, going back to his '70s heyday, courtesy of some CGI, to the strains of "Dream On" played backwards. Trotting out an almost-70-year-old to relive some classic rock glory fits the Super Bowl template to a T. Two-time Formula One and Indianapolis 500 champ Emerson Fittipaldi also makes a cameo. It airs in the third quarter. Lexus This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Lexus teams with Marvel Studios to preview its forthcoming movie "Black Panther," which arrives in theaters Feb. 16. In "Long Live The King," the Black Panther, a.k.a. King T'Challa, played by Chadwick Boseman, dispatches some bad guys to recover stolen Vibranium after clinging to the roof of a speeding 2018 LS 500 F Sport, driven by co-star Danai Gurira.