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The Lexus Sriracha IS is the hottest Lexus ever

For this year's Los Angeles auto show, Lexus created its hottest IS ever: the Sriracha IS. And the company did so by putting Sriracha sauce in everything! It's in the paint, the steering wheel, and even in the trunk! Check out the video if you don't believe us. Ok, so Lexus didn't really put Sriracha in everything. In reality, the company partnered with Huy Fong Foods to produce this one-off car, and turned to West Coast Customs to execute it. It features a custom paint job designed to emulate the look of Sriracha sauce, and green accents on the grille, mirrors, brake calipers, and exhaust tips are a call back to the food company's sauce bottles. View 13 Photos Inside, West Coast Customs created some clever and surprisingly subtle changes. The climate controls only show increasing heat levels, and the seat heater buttons are bright red with little flames above the seat icons. The drive selector trades sport mode for "Sriracha" mode. The seats get red and green inserts along with logos stitched into the seat backs. Other parts of the interior have green contrast stitching, too. The steering wheel is a particularly unique piece. West Coast Customs found a liquid that looks similar to sriracha, put it a resin container and shaped it to fit the steering wheel, so now it looks like there's sriracha in the steering wheel. It also has a warning sticker for "hot handling." And lest you think there isn't any real Sriracha anywhere in the car, you'll find 43 bottles of the stuff in the trunk, and the key fob dispenses some as well. As for how Lexus tops this, perhaps they could make a habanero or ghost pepper car. Or maybe they could show us a real IS F successor. We think another V8 Lexus would come across as pretty hot. Related Video:

The new 2018 Lexus LS 500h hybrid V6 makes V8 power

With hybrids en vogue in Geneva, Lexus has taken the opportunity to debut the all-new 2018 Lexus LS 500h. The V6 is paired to two electric motors for a healthy total of 354 horsepower, just not far off the a V8-powered LS 460. It is down quite a bit from the outgoing 438-horsepower LS 600h but still enough to send the LS 500h to 60 miles per hour in 5.4 seconds. The hybrid system is similar to the one in the new LC 500h coupe, which combines the traditional Toyota hybrid two-motor CVT with a 4-speed automatic for better responsiveness, less of the "rubber band" CVT sensation, and (of course) greater efficiency. It should also help keep the LS 500h relatively quiet at full bore, keeping it in line with the "whisper quiet" mantra of the new LS. The new lithium-ion battery pack is 20 percent smaller than the outgoing nickel-metal battery, though Lexus claims power density has been improved. Styling changes to the hybrid are minor. It still features the love-it-or-hate-it spindle grille that's permeated throughout the Lexus lineup, but other than a handful of hybrid badges and the typical blue ring around the badge, it's hard to spot the difference between the models. The interior appears to have a few minor trim changes, including some new reptile scale-like door panels. While fuel economy hasn't been announced, expect improvements over the outgoing model's 19 city/23 highway rating. Look for more news on fuel economy and pricing in the next few months. Related Video:

Lexus UX crossover photo and video released ahead of Geneva

At long last, we have eyes on the production version of the Lexus UX compact crossover that will debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month. The retail-ready model was previewed by the UX concept shown at the 2016 Paris Motor Show, which looked like Batman's loaner vehicle while his Tumbler was in the shop. As one would expect, the UX that customers will be able to buy has filtered out all of the bizarro, leaving what looks like a little Lexus NX sprinkled with unique design cues, such as the upright vents in front and the full-width taillight. Lexus calls the UX its "first urban crossover," for reasons we can't imagine; even the Lexus LX, which could probably drive from Boston to Reykjavik if given a long-enough snorkel, only gets dirty in Jackson Hole or at Whole Foods. More reasonably, Lexus promises "exceptional body rigidity," a low center of gravity thanks to a hunkered-down platform borrowed from the Toyota C-HR, and handling that "will be as agile as a hatchback." This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Engine specifics will likely wait until Geneva, but we do know that Lexus trademarked UX 200, UX 250, and UX 250h a couple of years ago. The big-brother NX comes in 300, 300 F Sport, and 350h guises, but is equipped with a 2.0-liter turbo putting out 235 hp in standard spec. Lexus will need room between the UX and NX, but UX competitors like the Audi A3 pump out 200 hp, and the BMW X1 serves up 228 hp. The teaser video above reveals the instrument panel, topped by a widescreen infotainment center that looks like a minimalist rework of the Lexus RX interior. The gauge cluster has physical dividers but appears to be completely digital. You can watch Lexus' livestream from Geneva for all the details we don't have now, or just check back here on March 6 for the particulars and the photos. Related Video: Motorsports Geneva Motor Show Lexus Crossover Luxury Videos lexus ux