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Flower petal-covered Lexus UX 250h wins art car competition

We confess not to know the first thing about art, so perhaps we don't quite get why anyone would want to cover every inch of a Lexus UX250h with flower petals. It's not as if it's an easy thing to do. But not only has someone done it, the resulting car has actually won an art car competition sponsored by the luxury marque. Without the flower petals, the Lexus UX is actually a pretty sharp looking compact premium crossover. It wears the Lexus design language with its many crsip creases and angled lines better than most of its fellow L-badgers. In fact, we can think of others whose sheetmetal would look better under a veil of paper blossoms. The winning entry, created by a design outfit called Clap Studio out of Valencia, Spain, beat five other Lexus UX art cars to win the contest. It took artists Jordi Iranzo and Angela Montagud a month to attach the thousands of paper cutouts to the body. "Our concept is a Zen garden that represents a state of mind: calm, pure consciousness,” they explained. The duo also point out that the car looks very different depending on the light, as the petals reflect and cast shadows in varying directions. Other entrants included more traditional art cars, with elaborate paint jobs, textures, or random objects affixed to them. At least one appeared to be covered in actual, not abstract, flora. Only the winning proposal was actually built, it seems, so in real life only one UX was defiled (or beautified, depending on your taste). Again, we don't know much about art. Related video:

2023 Lexus IS packages add fancy looks, paint, and wheels

Lexus made big changes to the IS range for the 2021 model year after introducing the latest generation in 2014. For 2023, the updates are primarily cosmetic, a couple of appearance packages aimed at keeping a fresh edge on a proven package, to go with one handling package. Prices are only up a few hundred bucks as well. MSRPs for the coming IS range after the $1,150 destination charge, and the changes compared to 2022, are: 2023 IS 300 RWD: $40,585 ($310)  2023 IS 300 AWD: $42,585 ($310)  2023 IS 350 F SPORT DESIGN RWD: $43,660 (new trim)   2023 IS 350 F SPORT DESIGN AWD: $45,660 (new trim)   2023 IS 350 F SPORT: $44,910 ($210) 2023 IS 350 F SPORT AWD: $46,910 ($210)  2023 IS 500 F SPORT PERFORMANCE: $58,270 ($270) 2023 IS 500 F SPORT PERFORMANCE PREMIUM: $62,770 ($270)  There are two additional trims in the lineup, the IS 350 F Sport Design driving the rear axle or both axles. It wears the F Sport exterior trim pieces like the grille, bumpers, decklid spoiler, and badging, as well as a quartet of 19-inch F Sport alloy wheels. There are two reasons the Design trim is less less expensive than the regular F Sport, the first being that it's missing standard and optional features. The Design doesn't get goodies like the heated, leather-trimmed steering wheel, climate-controlled front seats, or rain-sensing wipers, nor can it be optioned with tech like the driver's memory seat and NuLuxe surfaces with black geometric trim. The second reason is that the IS 350 F Sport gains a Handling Package for 2023, installing an adaptive suspension, Drive Mode Select with Sport S/S+ and Custom Modes, and on the RWD version, a Torsen limited-slip differential. Because the AWD version lacks the LSD, the package costs $770 on that model, versus $1,610 for the RWD trim. The F Sport Handling Package can be upgraded with 19-inch matte black forged BBS wheels. There's even more menace to be had on the IS 350 F Sport with the $1,500 Special Appearance Package. On this one, the hood and roof are painted black, the wheels are swapped for 19-inch Enkei split-ten-spoke F Sport Performance units with a dark finish. Lexus will offer only 480 units with this package for the model year. The 19-inch Enkei alloy wheels standard on the IS 500 F Sport will come with a dark finish for 2023. The IS 500 F Sport in either standard or Premium grade gets its own limited-edition Special Appearance Package, this one costing $3,570 and offered in just 150 examples.

A replacement for the Lexus CT 200h is due to arrive in 2021

On the hunt for a reasonably priced gas-electric hybrid-powered compact, but want something a little nicer than the oddity that is the Toyota Prius? You probably remembered that Lexus made the CT 200h. That's made, as in the Prius platform mate was discontinued in 2017. But word on the street is that Lexus is working on a replacement, according to Autocar in the UK. The outlet spoke to Lexus Europe's head honcho, Pascal Ruch, at the Geneva Motor Show recently, who shed some light on the matter. According to the report, a new CT 200h is set to arrive sometime in 2021 and will be built on Toyota's latest TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) modular platform. TNGA these days underpins a majority of Toyota's current models, from the new Camry, to the new Corolla, the current Prius, and even the new RAV4 and Highlander. But what isn't so clear is whether the CT 200h will keep its hatchback body style. A few years ago, we even heard the CT 200h could be replaced by a hybrid crossover. But nothing's confirmed. The original CT 200h used Toyota's old "New MC Platform." When new at the time, it underpinned many models from the third-generation Toyota Prius and Prius V, to the last Scion tC, Scion xB, the outgoing Toyota Corolla, the previous Toyota RAV4, and many other JDM-specification Toyota models. The CT 200h also pretty much utilized the same 1.8-liter 2ZR-FXE inline-four and electric motor hybrid powertrain as the Prius. It also produced the same total 134 horsepower and 153 pound-feet of torque. Despite being discontinued in the U.S. two years ago, Lexus continued with the CT 200h in Europe, where it sold, but modestly. And despite not being too hot of a seller here stateside as well, Lexus is adamant about keeping it in the portfolio as the automaker continues to push for more fuel-efficient hybrid models. Over the long-term, Lexus plan hopes to boost its global market share of hybrids to 50%. "Europe has a great strategic importance for Lexus because it's seen as a leading region for technology and design," Ruch told Autocar in its interview. "Our hybrid sales are highest in Europe, China and Japan will electrify [internal combustion engines] and the wider U.S.