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2016 Lexus RC 200t Quick Spin

Cars like the BMW 4 Series, Cadillac ATS coupe, and Audi A5 exist not as volume cars, but as aspirational products designed to draw in the young and the young at heart. The humble four-cylinder turbo, offered in each car listed above, provides an accessible point of entry for lifestyle buyers that want the statement of a sporty coupe without the eagerness, fuel inefficiency, or cost of a big six-cylinder engine. Now, Lexus is throwing its hat in the ring with a turbocharged version of its polarizing RC coupe. We took the new RC 200t out for a day on the winding roads of the Pines to Palms Highway near Palm Springs, CA, and found that while Lexus' new engine will draw new customers, they probably won't like what they find. Driving Notes The RC joins the IS, GS, and NX as members of Lexus' four-cylinder turbo clan. There's 241 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque on offer here, numbers that compare favorably with the BMW 428i (240 hp and 260 lb-ft) and Audi A5 (220 hp and 258 lb-ft). None of that matters, though, because the turbocharged RC is easily the slowest car in its class. You'll struggle to keep pace with stuff like the Hyundai Veloster Turbo. The RC 200t somehow takes 7.3 seconds to get to 60 miles per hour. That's a second slower than the A5, and over half a second slower than the 4 Series or Cadillac ATS. You can't drive a car that looks as wild as this and take that long to get to 60. Blame it on the RC's 3,737-pound weight. Lexus only saved 11 pounds by switching out a 3.5-liter V6 for the 2.0-liter turbo. The BMW and Cadillac both weigh well under 3,500 pounds. Even the RC's four-door fraternal twin, the IS 200t, is 150 pounds lighter (and only takes 6.9 seconds to get to 60). The RC needs a diet, plain and simple. If Lexus truly wants to compete against the Germans and Cadillac, a snappier transmission is in order. Like the GS we talked about yesterday, the Aisin eight-speed is fine on upshifts – it's still not as fast as the 4 Series' ZF eight-speed auto – but it suffers when it's time to change down. Around town, it's less of a problem, but on the twisty mountain roads outside of Palm Springs and on the freeways, the RC's gearbox kept tripping over itself. We'd love to see what the 2.0-liter turbo engine could do in a lighter car, because it's a real charmer. The broad 1,650-to-4,400-rpm torque peak gives drivers a lot of space to play, although the RC does feel flat-footed as you crest 5,000 rpm.

Lexus IS named Esquire Car of the Year

Esquire holds an annual car of the year award, and for the past four years, only American or German autos, such as the Cadillac ATS and the Audi S4, have earned the publication's top pick. But for 2013, the top pick is from Japan: the 2014 Lexus IS350 F Sport. The publication calls the IS "thrilling first, responsible second."
Upon learning the top pick, we had to make sure we were still reading about a Lexus, though we admit the new IS350 F Sport is indeed a new breed, one that approaches BMW 3 Series levels of performance and handling while maintaining its Japanese identity.
Esquire appreciates the F Sport's new direction, but says, "Crucially, unlike everything else, it's not trying to be the BMW." It claims the 2013 car of the year is an "honest, gutsy, fast set of wheels."

2018 Lexus RX 350L, RX450hL are here to fill your 7-seat needs

The Lexus RX is the Japanese automaker's best-selling model, moving nearly twice as many units so far this year as the runner-up, the Lexus NX. Considering the state of the crossover-crazed market, that should be a surprise to absolutely no one. Still, customers demands more, and automakers are happy to deliver. Currently, Lexus has a three-row crossover-shaped hole in its lineup. Soon, that gap will be filled by the new seven-passenger 2018 RX 350L and RX 450hL. Sure, you can get three rows in the GX and LX, but traditional SUVs like that aren't selling nearly as well as more fuel efficient and more affordable car-based crossovers. The RX 350L and RX 450hL are based on the standard and hybrid RX variants. The pair have been extended by 4.3 inches to help accommodate an extra pair of seats. The angle of the rear window has also been changed to make sure third-row occupants have a reasonable amount of headroom. The RX's second row folds in a 40/20/40 split. Access to the third row is granted with a lever that slides the second row up and forward. The second row also sits slightly higher than the third, creating some much needed footroom. Tri-zone climate control is available, and gives those in steerage control of their own ventilation. A pair of cup holders keeps drinks from ending up in the hair of those sitting up front. The third row folds flat when not in use. Like the standard RX 350, the RX 350L is powered by a 290-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 and is available in both front- and all-wheel drive. The RX 450hL comes standard with all-wheel drive. It's powered by a 3.5-liter V6 and two electric drive motors. Total power output is 308 horsepower. An EV mode allows the hybrid to run on pure electricity for a short amount of time. The models go on sale early next year. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Lexus RX 350L: LA 2017 View 15 Photos Related Gallery 2018 Lexus RX 350L News Source: LexusImage Credit: Live photos copyright 2017 Drew Phillips / Autoblog.com Green LA Auto Show Lexus Crossover SUV Hybrid Luxury lexus rx 2017 LA Auto Show lexus rx 350