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Lexus spotted testing LF-LC coupe for production

Lexus has been preparing a production version of the LF-LC concept for some time now. The coupe would fill at least part of the void left by the culmination of the LFA's production run, albeit at a much lower market position. And judging by these latest spy shots, it looks like it's finally getting down to it. Spotted undergoing testing in Germany around the neighborhood of the Nurburgring, this camouflaged prototype provides us with our first glimpse at what the production LC will look like. It's still hard to tell with all those swirls encircling its bodywork, but the production version looks poised to adopt a form derived from the concept first seen at the Detroit Auto Show way back in 2012. Just don't expect the details to be quite as extreme as those on the show car. It may also be too early to determine what's under the hood, but the signs point towards implementation of the 5.0-liter V8 from the RC-F. A twin-turbo version of the same engine in the form of an LC-F could follow with even more power, while a hybrid V6 is also said to be in the cards. If you're having trouble imaging what it would go up against in the marketplace, though, our spy photographers on the ground inform us that Lexus has been benchmarking this prototype against a BMW 6 Series, Porsche 911, and Maserati GranTurismo. That'd put it in good company, and we're looking forward to seeing how it turns out. Related Video:

Lexus will build a production version of the UX crossover

It seems that Lexus's selection of crossovers is about to get bigger by going smaller. The Australian automotive news site Motoring says a Lexus representative confirmed that a production version of the UX concept is coming soon. A Lexus representative said it will help bring younger customers to the brand. As a refresher, the UX was a subcompact crossover shown at the Paris auto show, and it was quite striking. The exterior was a flurry of curves and angles, and the interior had crazy seats with elastic straps instead of cushions and a holographic user interface. The interior even had a weird, finned sound bar in the dash that could be removed and carried around. The futuristic interior features are practically guaranteed to be exclusive to the concept, and the exterior design will probably be toned down. Since the slightly larger Lexus NX borrows some bits from the RAV4, we expect the UX to utilize some underpinnings from another the smallest crossover in the Toyota line, the Toyota C-HR. Sharing with the C-HR would also mean the UX would also have some commonality with the current Prius, as both vehicles use the scalable architecture known as TNGA. This would also mean a hybrid UX is a strong possibility as well, since the Prius is only available as a hybrid, and the C-HR has a hybrid option in Europe and Japan. It's hard to say when the car will arrive, but considering the compact crossover craze we can't imagine that Lexus wants to wait too long. It's possible a near production-ready concept will appear at a show next year, and would likely reach dealers at the end of that year or the start of the following one. Related Video: Featured Gallery Lexus UX Concept: Paris 2016 View 17 Photos News Source: MotoringImage Credit: Drew Phillips Lexus Crossover Luxury toyota c-hr lexus ux

2016 Lexus GS F is a .22 in a .357 world, and that might not be a bad thing

In Max Brooks' zombie epic World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, the author envisions an apocalypse where the living dead necessitate a rethinking of societal behavior. One such change, among many, was the replacement of large-caliber, automatic weapons with smaller .22-caliber rounds and semi-automatic firearms that promise better accuracy when battling the undead. We're hoping Lexus used this as its inspiration when finalizing the numbers for its 467-horsepower, 4,000-pound GS F sedan. Lexus may not have brought a knife to a gun fight, but it's fair to say the firepower of its new GS F is lagging behind that of its German rivals. While BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and most recently, Cadillac, are playing with force-induced V8s and power figures that are well north of 550 ponies, Lexus' kiddy table approach belies a significant weight savings against some of its rivals. At just 4,034 pounds, the Lexus is some 350 pounds lighter than the BMW M5 and nearly 400 pounds lighter than the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S 4Matic (that said, the Lexus is only about 100 pounds lighter than the 640-horsepower Cadillac CTS-V). We won't know if this weight advantage is enough for the 2016 GS F to outrun its competitors until we're able to drive it, though. Beyond that, Lexus has fitted the sort of tinsel typical of its high-performance models, with an even more wildly gaped fascia and vertically staggered rear exhausts. Meaty wheels and tires hide under flared wheel arches, while the cabin features far more aggressive sport seats and stylish upholstery. Take a look at our live images of the new GS F, fresh off is debut at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show.