2007 Lexus Is250 Awd Is 250 All Wheel Drive on 2040-cars

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Pontiac Aztek enjoys rebirth thanks to Millennials

Apparently, Millennials – those between 18 and 34 – aren't afraid to look different on the road, and they like performance, too. A new study by Edmunds is discovering some surprising vehicle choices by this group. Among them, the long-derided Pontiac Aztek is getting a new day in the sun with 25.5 percent its buyers coming from this generation in the first half of 2015. For comparison, Millennials represent an average of 16.8 percent of used car purchases. The Aztek is slowly shaking its reputation as a styling abomination, which seems tied to its appearance on Breaking Bad. The show premiered in 2008, and the Pontiac has been on this list for four of the past five years, according to Edmunds. It even led the pack in 2010. A recent Retro Review from MotorWeek also showed that the crossover wasn't always so hated. While it's still a shock to see the Aztek on any popularity list, the awkward-looking crossover only ranks sixth among Millennials. The vehicle with the biggest portion of buyers from the generation is the Dodge Magnum with 27.6 percent. According to Edmunds, the bluntly styled wagon is especially popular in Detroit and Chicago. The Chrysler Pacifica comes in a close second at 27.3 percent. When it comes to used cars, value and utility appear to trump just about anything else for many Millennial buyers," Edmunds analyst Jeremy Acevedo said in the report. Young buyers aren't afraid of sporty rides, either. The Subaru WRX has 26.4 percent Millennial buyers to rank third place on the list, and the Volkswagen R32 takes fifth at 25.7 percent. Just a few points lower in seventh place is the Nissan GT-R at 25.4 percent, and the final performance machine in 10th place is the Lexus IS-F with 24.7 percent. Related Video:

Lexus asks fans to help name new orange shade for RC F

Flip through the catalog for most Lexus models and you're bound to see an array of different shades of beige and gray. But even Lexus has its wilder side, denoted by the letter F, and those models can wear brighter hues.
The IS F, for example, offered an electric shade of blue which Lexus called Ultrasonic and a deep red called Matador, along with the usual silver, gray, white and black. But for the new RC F, Lexus is preparing to offer an even more vibrant shade of orange. It just doesn't know what to call it. That's why it's asking fans on Facebook to help it name the color - similar to the crowd-sourcing SRT did for the Viper's bright blue and Chevy did for the Volt's pale green.
Top suggestions currently include Tangerine Flame, Solar Flare, Outrageous Orange and Fiery Orange. Given how similar the shade looks to that which adorned the track-tuned LFA with the Nürburgring package, we can't help but wonder if LFA Blaze or Nordschleife Blur might not be more suitable. Or, if we're being honest, McLaren Orange or Arancia Borealis... though we know some guys in Woking and Sant'Agata Bolognese who might object.

Toyota investing $200M in Southern manufacturing

Over the past two years, Toyota has invested more than $2 billion at its North American production facilities, and it apparently doesn't plan on stopping there. To keep up with recent strong sales, Toyota is investing an additional $200 million at its engine plants in the Southern US to increase production capacity of its V6 engines.
The bulk of this money ($150 million) will go to expand Toyota's engine plant in Huntsville, AL, which is currently responsible for supplying engines - four-cylinder, V6 and V8 - to eight of Toyota's 12 domestically produced vehicles. That includes the best-selling Toyota Camry (shown above).
Toyota didn't say exactly what improvements are being made to the plant, but this follows last year's $80 million investment in the plant that is set to be completed by next year raising the engine capacity to 750,000 annual units including 362,000 V6s. The remaining $50 million will go to the casting plants of Toyota-owned Bodine Aluminum in Missouri and Tennessee, which supply engine blocks and cylinder heads to the Huntsville engine plant as well as others in Kentucky and West Virginia. Scroll down below for the official press release.