2014 Lexus Is 250 Base on 2040-cars

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2014 Lexus IS350 F-Sport

Is A New Kind Of Lexus Hiding Under That Radical Skin?
When the now-outgoing Lexus IS generation was launched back in 2006, the company would not have been wise to bring the compact luxury sedan to be driven by journalists to a track like Driveway Austin Motorsports. Taking along a BMW 335i for comparison loops would have proved an ill choice as well.
Our own Jonathon Ramsey found the current-generation Lexus IS250 to be fairly nimble over a tightly wound autocross course, when he drove it back-to-back with the prototype version of this 2014 IS a few months ago. Our track for testing the fully realized version of the IS350 F-Sport meanwhile - again with the 2013 version along for competitive driving - was on a circuit designed to string together recreations of some of the best tracks in the world. Laguna Seca, bits of the Nürburgring and sections inspired by Imola and Ferrari's Fiorano test track all make for a far more enticing road course than you'd expect to find plunked down in a nondescript area a few miles east of downtown Austin. Critically, this environment highlighted what strides Lexus has made in the sport sedan race with its new IS.

Toyota, Lexus to build more CUVs to meet surging demand

What was the biggest takeaway from the auto industry's 2014? Besides the fact that recalls are now a sad and mostly unremarkable part of a vehicle's life, it's that you can't be a competitive, mainstream brand in the US without a really strong line of crossovers, SUVs or pickups. We saw evidence of this as recently as Monday, when Hyundai unveiled its HCD-15 Santa Cruz Concept, and now we're seeing it again with Toyota. The company already has a comprehensive lineup of both mainstream and luxury CUVs and SUVs, although surging demand – sales were up 16 percent last year, Bloomberg reports – has led the company to increase its production tempo at the plants responsible for the RAV4 and Lexus RX. "The freeze is still in place until the end of March of 2016," Toyota's Jim Lentz told Bloomberg during this week's Detroit Auto Show, referencing the production bump at the Japanese and Canadian factories responsible for the models. "That hasn't changed. All indications are that it will lift, but right now it has not lifted." The increased sales are even spurring the brand to consider additional CUVs, including a compact that would slot in below the RAV4, Lentz told the business publication. Such a move would give Toyota a player in an increasingly competitive and important segment. In 2014 alone, mainstream brands, including Honda, Mazda, Chevrolet and Jeep, have announced brand new products destined for the compact CUV market. "We're going to have to look at how the market under RAV4 develops," Lentz told Bloomberg. "There's no question that it's going to. That's going to be the next growth spurt." Related Video:

Latest Lexus LC500 Inspiration Series coupe sports a carbon-fiber roof, rear spoiler

The Lexus LC500 has been treated to a spate of Inspiration Series limited-edition models, and the 2021 LC500 coupe Inspiration Series has just been announced. This fifth such effort sees the LC500 don a carbon-fiber rear spoiler, a carbon-fiber roof, a limited-slip rear differential, a performance rod with damper for the rear suspension, and assorted visuals. The 471-horsepower naturally aspirated V8 is unchanged. Unlike the already-announced 2021 LC500 Inspiration Series convertible, which features a sky-like palette consisting of a blue exterior and a white leather interior, the 2021 LC500 Inspiration Series coupe goes dark with an Osdiian (black) exterior including black 21-inch wheels. Inside, there's black Alcantara with brown accents. Equipment includes a head-up display, 915-watt Mark Levinson audio system, and a SmartAccess Card Key. As with previous Inspiration Series models, including last year's Nori Green Pearl example and this Flare Yellow job from 2019, production is limited to 100 units for the U.S. market. Pricing has not been announced, but you can expect this stealth Lexus to roll into dealerships later this winter. Related video: