2012 Lexus 460l W/ Premium Pkg Mark Levinson Sound on 2040-cars

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J.D. Power customer survey of dealers counts Cadillac, Buick as big winners

Cadillac and Buick have taken the trophies in J.D. Power's latest Customer Service Index Study examining satisfaction with dealer service. Surveying more than 90,000 owners and lessees of 2009-2013 model-year cars, the study found that those with pre-paid maintenance packages were ten percent more likely to buy their next car from the same brand.
Dealer satisfaction scores have improved overall, Cadillac nabbed the luxury segment ahead of Audi and Lexus, taking the crown that Lexus held last year. Buick keeps the mass-market dealer satisfaction win in the family, finishing ahead of Volkswagen and last year's winner GMC. The study also found that service department use of tablets increased customer satisfaction, as did "best practices" like "providing helpful advice." Who knew?
You can find details on those and more findings in the press release below.

Recharge Wrap-up: Toyota Prius, V earn IIHS awards, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV approved for V2H

The Toyota Prius and Prius V have earned IIHS 2015 Top Safety Pick+ ratings. The Prius V was singled out for its improved performance in the small overlap crash test. Lexus CT models built after September 2014 were also given the distinguished safety rating. In all, eight vehicles from Toyota and Lexus earned Top Safety Pick+ awards, while four more from Toyota and Scion were named Top Safety Picks. Read more in the press release below. The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV can now provide power to the home in Japan. The vehicle-to-home capability requires the CHAdeMO quick charging socket and either Mitsubishi's own Smart V2H system, or the EVPower Station or Tsubaki eLINK system. The Outlander PHEV gained vehicle-to-home approval alongside all-electric vehicles because its electric motor doesn't run when used in for this purpose. The system allows owners to power their homes during outages and emergencies, and the Outlander PHEV can also directly power appliances with its 1500W AC100V power feeder. Read more at Green Car Congress. The Electric Vehicle Institute has published an updated "Plug-In Around the EV World" poster. The poster depicts the various connector types used by EVs. It shows the standard AC connectors for the US and Europe, DC and combination connectors for fast charging and, of course, Tesla's own charging connector for the Model S. It also shows the standard plug types used around the world, which are color coded by country on a world map. See the Electric Vehicle Institute's poster here, or read more at Green Car Reports. Toyota Decks the Halls with IIHS 2015 'Top Safety Pick' Awards Eight Toyota and Lexus Models Earn Institute's Highest Top Safety Pick+ Four Toyota and Scion Vehicles Named Top Safety Picks December 23, 2014 TORRANCE, Calif., Dec. 23, 2014 - On the 12th day of Christmas, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave to Toyota, 12 awards awarding. In fact, the automaker won more awards than any other automaker, including the most of the Institute's highest honor. In all, eight Toyota and Lexus vehicles earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating. IIHS in particular recognized the Prius V for its significantly improved performance all-around in the small overlap crash test – naming it a Top Safety Pick+. The Toyota Sienna was also the only minivan awarded the 2015 Top Safety Pick + designation. IIHS also recognized four additional Toyota and Scion vehicles as 2015 Top Safety Picks.

BMW-Toyota partnership to spawn hybrid supercar

BMW and Toyota inked a partnership some time ago to develop green technology, and while we were excited by the idea of a reborn Supra with BMW's carbon fiber reinforced plastic slashing the curb weight or an ultra-efficient, hybridized 1 Series, the joint efforts have been rather limited. That's set to change, though, according to a report from Australia.
Motoring reports that the partners have come to terms on a sports car. And not just any sports car, but a lightweight, hybridized model, with a six-figure price tag. Lending a bit of street cred to that idea is the site's claim that Toyota is currently carrying out durability testing on the BMW i8. According to the site, the new model will slot into the spot left by the Lexus LFA, although based on the language used, it's unclear if this is the Tokyo-bound vehicle we mentioned several months ago.
Details on this potential car are limited, although Motoring claims it will use a Toyota hybrid system mated up to a BMW gas engine - likely the 4.4-liter, twin-turbo V8 found in the M5 and M6. That sounds pretty amazing to us, but we'd still advise taking this with a grain of salt. What would you like to see out of a joint-venture supercar from Toyota and BMW? Let us know in Comments, and have your say on the prospects of a hybridized, twin-turbocharged V8.