2010 Lexus Is250c- Custom 19" Wheels- Aftermarket Suspension-19k Miles-nice!!! on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Toyota wants improved crash scores with midcycle facelifts

The performances of some Toyotas in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) regimen of crash tests leave something to be desired. Consider the small overlap frontal crash test: only six Toyota, Lexus and Scion vehicles have undergone the new test, yet all but one of them received a poor rating. Osama Nagata, CEO of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Inc., says midcycle vehicle updates are in the works to address the safety issues brought to light by the IIHS test, Automotive News reports. He confirmed that the RAV4 is getting safety updates following its crash test performance last month, but he didn't name any other models.
All three Toyotas that were tested - 2013 RAV4, 2012-2013 Prius V, 2012-2013 Camry - received poor ratings. The 2007-2012 Lexus ES 350 and 2006-2013 IS 250/350 also received poor ratings. The only other Toyota Motor Corp. vehicle to score better than poor is the 2014 Scion TC. It received an acceptable rating in the small overlap frontal crash test and is the only recent vehicle in Toyota's line-up to get the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating.
The small overlap front crash test measures the safety of a car when its front left corner is strikes an object during an accident, bypassing traditional crumple zones, which deform in a way to protect passengers. In 2009, automakers were alerted to the forthcoming addition of the test, which was first implemented last year, IIHS spokesman Russ Rader says. They responded with differing intensity, he says, pointing out that Subaru and Honda started incorporating design changes early on so their cars would perform well in the tests.

Lexus to debut small hybrid CUV at 2014 Geneva Motor Show

Following rumors that Lexus has been working on a small crossover to slot below the RX (pictured), Automotive News Europe reports that the production-ready CUV will bow at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show next March. Later this year, Lexus will preview this new crossover by way of a concept car at the Tokyo Motor Show in November.
According to the report, this new crossover will be a hybrid, and will ride on the smaller architecture that underpins the Toyota RAV4. Specific details have not been confirmed, but AN states that the entry-level CUV will be powered by the same 2.5-liter gasoline-electric drivetrain found in the Lexus ES 300h. Since Toyota will evidently be taking the time to hybridize the platform, we can't help but assume that it will eventually build a second-gen RAV4 EV.
Either way, with the small luxury CUV segment heating up, Lexus is likely smart to offer a player in this space. Until now, there has not been a Lexus crossover below the RX, and this new model will compete with other new players in the class including the BMW X1 and Audi Q3.

Lexus reveals more photos of its future electric sports car

Lexus previewed its Electrified Sport late last year amongst a gaggle of other EVs the company says is coming by 2030. However, photos of the two-door sports car were in short supply back then. That changes today. Now, you can see the battery electric sports car in all its glory with a number of images from different angles, in a fresh batch released by Lexus. Unfortunately, the new images are not accompanied by new information. This means we’re still dealing with the same set of details Lexus provided a couple of months ago. The EV is predicted to have a 0-60 mph time in the mid-2-second range, and its total range is going to be greater than 430 miles. The latter part of that spec breakdown is reliant on the use of solid-state batteries, so weÂ’ll just have to wait and see if that tech comes to fruition by the time this sports car launches. As for the photos, weÂ’re just as entranced by this Lexus as we were before. ItÂ’s meant to revive “the spirit of the iconic Lexus LFA,” and its two-door coupe body style with the extra-long hood is certainly working in our eyes. We canÂ’t be sure how much of this conceptÂ’s design will reach production, but if the final car looks like this, itÂ’s going to be a stunner. LexusÂ’ recent track record on two-door luxury sports cars has us thinking positively, too — just look at the LC 500 as proof. More details on the car and its timing are likely a long way out at this point, but at least there are some pretty pictures to look at in the meantime. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.