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Stand out in the parking lot | 2017 Lexus NX 200t F-Sport Quick Spin

Timing is a funny thing. As I'm writing this mini-review of the Lexus NX 200t, which has been out for several years and used the brand's first turbocharged engine in America, a newly-revised NX just debuted in China. It doesn't have much bearing on my thoughts about the CUV, but it does go to show the growing importance of China for luxury manufacturers like Lexus and Mercedes-Benz. It's been almost three years since we drove the NX 200t for the first time. Back then, our reviewer was impressed by how different it felt from the RAV4 – the two vehicles share a platform, although Lexus claims 90 percent of the NX is distinct from its Toyota cousin. The biggest differences are styling and, more important, the powertrain. With turbocharging going very mainstream in the intervening years, how does the NX200t hold up? I spent a week in an F-Sport trim in a striking orange color to find out for myself. It took a little while for me to warm up to the powertrain. Even in Sport mode, things seem ... well, they seem a little sluggish. The NX has a funny way of expressing its slightly more than adequate horsepower and torque by requiring a hefty punt to spool up the turbo and get things moving along. Normal drive mode could pass for an economy setting. Back in 2014 when this thing was new, it was clear that the RAV4 connection doesn't matter as much as we, as enthusiasts, would think. It's easy for us to fixate on what vehicle is related to what platform, and which way its engine sits. And that's good! We need to do that. But Lexus determined that they didn't need it to sit on a rear-drive sportscar platform because of course not! It's a little crossover. From a packaging standpoint, that'd be idiotic, and from a marketing standpoint likewise. Not to say that buyers of the NX 200t aren't discerning. But I think their priorities and desires probably align with what Lexus decided to produce. This is good and proper. Also, it beats the heck out of a RAV4. I love the seats. Every body is different, sure. But these seats are completely spot on for what my body needs. They're sporty-looking without resorting to immense bolsters that pinch the torso, and they're very supportive. I wouldn't say they're the best seat's I've tried out of the hundreds of cars I've driven over the years, but they're probably the best small crossover seats I can recall. To put it in different terms, on some long road trips you need to stop just to stretch – that's not the case here.

Are you the 2016 Lexus LX 570? [w/video]

What we appear to have here is our first glimpse at the updated 2016 Lexus LX 570. The luxury counterpart to the Toyota Land Cruiser, the Lexus LX first arrived in 1996. It entered its current third generation in 2007 and underwent a facelift in 2012. That would make it prime for replacement, but if this leaked image is anything to go by, Lexus has apparently opted to give it another refresh to keep it relevant for a little while longer. Reportedly leaked by Japanese magazine Best Car (and coming to us in the YouTube video below through Arabic publication Almuraba), the image shows what looks to be an updated version of the existing LX. The shape looks largely the same, but with a pronounced take on the brand's signature spindle grille dominating an even more aggressive face, flanked by sharper headlights and boomerang-shaped DLRs. The inset image ostensibly shows a revised version of the existing model's interior, with what appears to be a slightly larger infotainment display in the center of the dashboard. Given the subtle visual enhancements, it does not appear likely that Lexus has changed much under the hood, where the current model (in North America at least) packs a 5.7-liter V8, driving 383 horsepower and 403 pound-feet of torque through a six-speed automatic transmission to all four wheels. That giant engine could probably benefit from some fuel-saving measures, but we'll have to wait for the full reveal to find out one way or another. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Lexus' Detroit reveal is RC F, will have 460-hp V8

Yesterday, we brought you the image above, sent out by Lexus, teasing its Detroit Auto Show reveal. At the time, all we knew about the car was that it's a coupe, and falls into the automaker's F performance line. But now, some more details have leaked.
An anonymous tipster passed us a link to this website, which Lexus is using to invite folks to an event at the Detroit show where the new RC F coupe will be revealed. But that same tipster also sent us a scan of the mailed-out invitation, shown at right (click the image to enlarge), which clearly states that the RC F will be powered by a 460-horsepower V8. The invite also says Lexus will show its 2015 RC 350 coupe in Detroit, following its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show in November.
We cannot totally verify the authenticity of the scanned invitation, but with a corresponding website live on the web, it all looks pretty legit to us. Stay tuned for more details closer to the RC F's debut in January.