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We'll see the next Lexus LS debut in Detroit this January

Lexus announced today that the next-generation LS luxury sedan will make its official debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January. A fitting venue considering the original LS sedan made its debut there way back in 1989. Lexus didn't reveal much about the new flagship other than the teaser photo above. The company says that the LS will use a lengthened version of the LC 500 coupe's chassis, which should be a good thing if it also means Lexus can give the LS even a little bit of the emotion and character we found in the LC. Since the LS will share chassis design with the LC, it will probably share powertrains, too. This means it could get the both the LC 500's 471-horsepower 5.0-liter V8 coupled to a 10-speed auto, and the 354-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 hybrid unit with its 4-speed automatic from the LC 500h. As for styling, the LS will probably look like a toned-down version of the LF-FC concept. Lexus describes the car as having a "coupe-like silhouette." Spy shots of the big four-door seem to show a relatively conventional sedan body with a rakish windshield. We'll reserve final judgement for when we see the uncovered car. The 2017 North American International Auto Show will be a big one for Toyota. In addition to revealing this new Lexus flagship, the company will unveil the completely redesigned Camry. Based on the teaser shot released last week, this new Camry will likely be a significant departure from the conservative machine we know now. We'll be sure to bring you all the details on both models when they're released in January. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Lexus NX rolls on wheels made of ice

To create this rolling ice sculpture, Lexus teamed up with London-based Hamilton Ice Sculptors, which fitted the compact luxury crossover with wheels and tires crafted from ice. The sub-zero craftsmen then deep-froze the entire vehicle, stored it at -22 degrees Fahrenheit, and drove it around London – pleasantly surprised to find that it started on the first try. As far as publicity stunts go, the finished product looks even cooler than the cardboard IS that Lexus had crafted a few months ago or the biometric glow-in-the-dark RC F from this past summer. The project took three months of research, design, and testing to carry out. The wheels replicate the alloys on the NX with millimetric precision, right down to the tread pattern, and each one took a team of four craftsmen 36 hours of work to complete. Of course, blocks of ice would have a hard time supporting the weight of the vehicle – especially while in motion – so the frozen wheels were reinforced with clear acrylic discs. And to make it all glow, they were also fitted with in-wheel LED lighting. This isn't the first time we've seen ice sculptors apply their skills to automobiles, following the frozen Canadian Tire pickup, Toyota Land Cruiser, Nissan Cube, and Saab Aero-X we've seen in recently years. But this one is at least as cool, in one sense or another. Scope out the results in the video above, and the process that went into their creation in the making-of video below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. LEXUS NX RIDES ON THE WORLD'S COOLEST WHEELS – CRAFTED IN SOLID ICE The concept of driving on ice has taken on a whole new meaning for Lexus, which has crafted the world's first set of working wheels and tyres made from frozen water. Brussels, Belgium - True to its mission of "creating amazing" and inspired by the craftsmanship that goes into every vehicle it makes, Lexus commissioned a team of ice sculpture specialists to explore how ice could be used in place of conventional alloy metal and rubber. After three months' research, design and testing, the finished wheels were fitted to a Lexus NX for the ultimate ice drive. The car itself was deep-frozen, stored for five days at -30°C (it started first time) before being driven off down a London road. The addition of in-wheel LED lighting added an extra dramatic dimension to the cutting-edge contemporary styling of the NX.

Toyota, Lexus expanding Takata airbag recall, re-notifying customers

Toyota is re-notifying owners and expanding its Takata airbag inflator recall for some regions. The renewed campaign covers 247,000 examples of the Toyota Corolla, Matrix, Sequoia, Tundra and Lexus SC430 that are located in southern Florida, along the Gulf Coast, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, the US Virgin Islands, Guam, Saipan and American Samoa. All of the models come from the 2001-2004 model years and have potentially faulty Takata-made inflators on the front passenger side. According to the company, testing shows the problem warrants "immediate action," and its press release says, "this action intensifies Toyota's efforts to reach customers and remedy previously recalled vehicles, and a small number of newly included vehicles."
According to Toyota, it submitted some recalled inflators to Takata for testing, and it found a high probability of rupturing in high humidity areas. The automaker said it had no reports yet of injuries or fatalities related to the problem.
This is Toyota's third inflator recall this year. In June, it called in for repair the same vehicles from the 2003-2005 model years in high-humidity areas, and it conducted a separate campaign nationwide for the parts in additional models. In April 2013, it also announced a fix campaign for 1.73-million vehicles worldwide for the same issue.