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12 new cars that will never go out of style

Some cars never go out of style. It’s rare, but it happens. They get old. They get depreciated. But they never stop looking cool.  Some might call them modern or instant classics. Within a few years theyÂ’re no longer the latest and greatest, no longer the flavor of the month, but they remain special. Eternally special. Timeless.  These cars arenÂ’t necessarily going to be worth a fortune someday. However, some may not depreciate as rapidly or as far as other models. But thatÂ’s not what weÂ’re talking about here. These are the cars that enthusiasts will always find desirable from the curbside. TheyÂ’re the cars you end up shopping on eBay late at night 10 years later because you canÂ’t get them out of your head. TheyÂ’re the cars that will forever excite you when you spot a clean one in traffic or in a parking lot.  There are plenty of recent examples over the past couple of decades that could count as instant design classics. But then we got to thinking, what 2021 models will be forever cool to stare at? Which new cars and trucks on sale today will we be shopping on eBay late at night in the 2030s? We kept supercars and other ultra-expensive cars off the list to keep things within the realm of attainability, and ended up with 12 total cars. Lexus LC WeÂ’re not applying a numerical ranking to any of the cars on this list, but if we were, the Lexus LC would be No. 1. There isnÂ’t another car design out there that can stir our emotions the way an LC can when itÂ’s just standing still. This car is a concept design come true in the most beautiful of ways, and itÂ’s a shoo-in winner for Concours events decades into the future. All of this heaping praise, and we havenÂ’t even gotten to the LC 500Â’s intoxicating 5.0-liter V8. It doesnÂ’t win drag races. It wonÂ’t be the fastest around the track against any similarly-priced competition. But none of that matters. ItÂ’s quite possibly the best car you can buy new, and that says it all when it comes to the LC. Chevrolet Corvette It might not be the stunner that the Lexus LC is, but the new C8 Corvette is and will always be a special vehicle. ItÂ’s the first mid-engine Corvette, which instantly cements it into an automotive hall of fame section of sorts. All of the performance stats and specs are there to back up its supercar-like looks, and it remains the best performance bargain on sale today.

2018 Lexus LS has a livelier look and new twin-turbo V6

When considering that the Lexus LC 500 made it to production virtually unchanged from concept form, it was reasonable to think that the LS would similarly follow suit. Especially when the LS shares the LC's GA-L platform. Unfortunately, it didn't pan out that way. It is possible to spot cues inspired by the LF-FC concept, such as the lower contour of the windows, the crease in the metal leading up to the rear wheel, and of course the lights and spindle grille. But they're overshadowed by the fact that this LS has a significant amount more girth. View 14 Photos Just because it doesn't live up to the concept doesn't mean it's a bad looking car. It's far more interesting to look at than the dated, upright LS currently on dealer lots. It also sits quite low and the wheels and tires fill the wells nicely, which gives it a road-hugging stance. There are some nifty design details, too, such as the glass that is completely flush with the pillars. View 28 Photos As already mentioned, the new body is wrapped around a stretched version of the LC's platform, and it also uses its 10-speed automatic. Surprisingly, though, the LS doesn't use the LC's powertrain. Under the hood is a completely new twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 that pumps out 415 horsepower and 442 lb-ft of torque. That puts it down on power, but ahead in torque compared with the LC's V8. It's also significantly more than the previous LS' V8, and Lexus predicts it will be capable of a 0-60 mph time of 4.5 seconds with rear-wheel drive. A Lexus PR representative also said the LS is only being released with the V6. We doubt it would be hard to drop one in later though if Lexus saw demand. Inside, the LS is more interesting than the outside would suggest. The dash is clearly inspired by the LC 500, utilizing a similar gauge pod with traction control and drive mode selectors protruding from each side. The dash is also dominated by a wide, dark section that houses the 12.3-inch infotainment display. Just below that, is an attractive strip of slats that follow the contours of the dash and house the air vents. Back seat passengers also will have a pleasant environment thanks to the fact that the LS will only be available in a long wheelbase form, so leg room will never be in short supply. They also will have access to available reclining seats, ottoman, and Shiatsu massage functionality. According to a spokesman, the Japanese-style of massage function is a first for the LS.

Luxury car brands scrambling to avoid a blue Christmas

DETROIT — When financial markets surge to new records, sales of luxury cars usually rise, too. Instead, October U.S. auto sales reports on Wednesday showed that a collapse in sales of luxury sedans is accelerating. Consumers have gradually shifted over to luxury sport utility vehicles from sedans in the past decade, but the trend — which has occurred in both the non-luxury and luxury sedan segments of the auto market — was particularly pronounced in October. Sales of Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz S-Class, long a global benchmark for large, premium sedans, plunged 49 percent in October, and are down 24.8 percent for the year to date. General Motors' Cadillac brand said it sold just 779 of its CTS sedans in October. Demand for that car, designed to compete with German luxury sedans, is down nearly 33 percent for the year. "There's still a significant portion of the market that wants a car, but I'm sure there were people who preferred a horse to a car at one point." Cadillac's best-selling model this year is the XT5 compact SUV, which has more than doubled sales from a year ago. The shift within the luxury vehicle market away from sedans toward SUVs of all sizes is forcing some of the most prestigious brands to scramble to add SUV models to their lineups or boost SUV production to meet demand. "In the short term, there will be pressure to add (consumer) incentives, cut production or both," said Cox Automotive analyst Michelle Krebs. "And we just don't see an end in sight to this trend." The Dow Jones Industrial Average has been trading at all-time highs, usually a good sign for luxury sedans, but as major automakers reported new U.S. vehicle sales for October on Wednesday, sales for passenger cars continued their slide while luxury SUV and crossover sales rose again. According to Kelley Blue Book data, in 2007 luxury sedans made up 7.6 percent of U.S. new vehicle sales, while luxury SUVs made up 4.2 percent. Through September this year, luxury SUVs made up just over 7 percent of the market, compared with 4.9 percent for luxury sedans. In the short term, luxury brands could use holiday season sales promotions to clear slow-selling sedans off dealer lots, analysts said. Toyota's Lexus brand said on Wednesday it will launch its "December to Remember" year-end sales promotion for the 18th straight year.