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This LED-covered Lexus IS doubles as a display

Why would you put 41,999 LEDs on a 2017 Lexus IS sedan? Well, for starters, because you don't have 42,000 LEDs available, but also to get attention. This car was built as a mobile programmable screen to be featured in a music video by Dua Lipa. (No, we hadn't heard of her either, but that's cool.) It's called the LIT IS, because, well, you know, and it is featured in Dua Lipa's new music video for "Be the One." Lexus says it used a mile of wire to connect all of those light sources (how much must that weigh?) and that together they put out 175,000 lumens, or about the amount of light emitted by 100 100-Watt bulbs. They're even stuck inside the spindle grille. It sort of reminds of the Swarovski crystal headlight option on a Mercedes-Benz S-Class coupe, only if the entire car were a headlight. And the headlight could change color. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. You can see the lighting system in action in the promotional video above. And in the vein of of one-off Lexus IS sedans, don't forget about the Sriracha IS that was shown at the LA auto show. For some reason. Apparently Lexus wants us to pay attention to this car. Related Video: Auto News Celebrities Design/Style Lexus Luxury Sedan lexus is

Why Lexus shies away from plug-in hybrids

Lexus may have softened its stance a bit from the anti plug-in vehicle ads the Toyota luxury badge ran last year, but at least one executive from the company casts a pretty critical eye towards the concept as a way to cut both emissions and refueling costs. In fact, Lexus doesn't really buy the fact that buyers of plug-in hybrids are really looking to save both gas and the environment, Green Car Reports says, citing an interview at the recent New York Auto Show with Lexus executive Mark Templin. Templin also said hydrogen fuel-cell technology may be a better way to edge towards zero emissions. Templin decried plug-in hybrid technology because it adds weight to vehicles, which contributes to poor emissions figures in the process. He added that plug-in vehicle buyers are motivated more by potential tax credits and solo driving rights in high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes than cutting back on fuel use. Last summer, Lexus ran an supposedly tongue-in-cheek print ad poking fun at how long it takes to charge a plug-in vehicle and how using air conditioning can shorten a car's charging range. Last spring, Lexus had to backpedal from an anti-electric ad it ran that had serious mistakes about hydrogen infrastructure. News Source: Green Car Reports Green Lexus Toyota Hybrid PHEV

Lexus boots up 2014 IS configurator

Throw away those scraps of paper and pull yourself up to a keyboard, as Lexus has launched the online configurator for its all-new 2014 IS sedan. The base price for the entry-level IS 250 RWD is $36,845 (all listed prices include the $895 delivery fee), delivering a 2.5-liter V6 rated at 204 horsepower that provides enough thrust for a 0-60 sprint in 7.7 seconds. The range-topping IS 350 AWD starts at $42,595, packed with a 3.5-liter V6 rated at 306 horsepower that will deliver 60 mph in just 5.7 seconds.
After choosing an engine and driveline, the configurator will offer eight exterior colors and five interior upholstery shades (some combinations, such as selecting Obsidian over Rioja Red NuLuxe leather, require upgrades such as the F Sport package). Consumers are then offered four different bundled option packages as enhancements. The least expensive is Navigation ($4,670), followed by the aforementioned F Sport ($5,800) and a choice between two luxury packages ($7,195) with light or dark wood trim.
Last to come are the accessories and dealer-installed options such as remote engine start, glass-break sensor, wheel locks and a cargo net. Go crazy with your choices, as we did, and the price will exceed $50,000. Head over to the Lexus IS configurator, and check it out for yourself.