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Did Lexus make a BMW? Or did BMW make a Lexus? This and other 2017 surprises

It's that time of year again. The calendar is about to reach its end, Star Trek Cats 2018 is about to take its place, and I'm reflecting about all the cars that graced my driveway this year or summoned me to exotic places. You know, like Stuttgart or Phoenix. In 2017, I drove at least 57, and as I perused the list of them, I started to notice a common refrain: "This car surprised me." Most were pleasant surprises, but there were a few head scratchers and facepalms for good measure. In both cases, it was generally the result of car companies seemingly trying to break out of an existing mold. Nowhere was that more apparent than the pair of Lexuses slathered in Infrared paint: The LS 500 that left me this week and the LC 500 that was my favorite car of 2017. Though Lexus has been trying to shake its crusty, gold-packaged reputation for some time now, its efforts always seemed like an old man choosing Hollister to redo his wardrobe after realizing it hasn't been updated since 1987. I fell in love with the LC, genuinely floored by its near-perfect take on the GT. It's characterful in sound, appearance and tactility. It was at home in the city, in the mountain and on the open road. It was both comfortable and thrilling, and after driving the mechanically related LS 500, I can report that the LC's talents aren't an outlier. The LS 500's turbo V6 may make different noises than the LC's naturally aspirated V8, but it nevertheless invigorates the cabin when the car is placed in Sport+ mode. The steering is truly communicative, body motions are kept in miraculous check, and I absolutely forgot I was in an enormous luxury limo ... and a Lexus one at that. It was everything that the BMW 530e was not. I drove that on the exact same roads and was utterly bored the entire time. Generally doughy, lifeless steering, more distant than Planet 9. And no, the plug-in hybrid powertrain had nothing to do with that. At least it shouldn't. The Porsche Panamera S e-Hybrid I also drove this year proves that, as do the Hyundai Ioniqs, which are surprisingly adept and fun little cars regardless of what powers their wheels (Hyundai + hybrid = fun really blew me away). I would drive that Lexus LS F Sport over the BMW 5 Series any day of the week, which seems like a shocking thing to say in relation to either car. While Lexus is seemingly breaking out of its old crusty mold, BMW seems to be climbing into one.

2022 Lincoln Navigator buyers can get $5,000 to convert to the 2023 model

Ford Motor Company is doling out more money to try to keep its chickens in the coop. Last August, when the automaker couldn't fulfill every order for the 2022 F-150 Lightning electric pickup then levied price substantial price increases on the 2023 F-150 Lightning, the automaker created a "Transition Private Offer." The program gave 2022 reservation holders without trucks a rebate to buy a 2023 Lightning that effectively nullified the price increase. Earlier this month, Ford did it again with the 2023 Bronco. The "2023-Model Bronco Cancel Order & Purchase Replacement Offer" dangled $2,500 to 2023 Bronco buyers without SUVs to either change their Bronco order to a configuration that could be built sooner, or cancel their order and buy another Ford. Now it's Lincoln's turn. CarsDirect says another dealer bulletin outlines a "2023-Model Navigator Connect Model Year Transition Private Offer" for those who didn't get their 2022 Navigator built. "Select customers" who close a deal before April 2, 2023, can get $5,000 off the price of a 2023 Navigator or have the money applied to a 2023 Navigator lease. Akin to the Lightning offer, the Navigator incentive nearly eats up all of the price increases on the new Navigator. The latest version of Ford's most luxurious SUV had MSRPs bumped from about $5,000 for the middle trims to $6,475 for the Black Labels. At the entry-level end, a customer might have some money left over for more options like the brand new Diamond Red Tricoat paint on a 2023 model, depending on how Ford conducts the offer. The base Navigator trims went up by $3,215 for the Standard and $4,730 for the Reserve. If a 2022 Black Label buyer were to take Ford up on the offer, that buyer would be paying $1,475 for the same vehicle; the changes applied to the 2023 Navigator other than price didn't make it to the Black Label.  The folks out in the cold are the few 2022 Navigator L buyers. Lincoln discontinued that trim for 2023, so those folks will need to make another choice or find another roost. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

2022 Lincoln Corsair starts at $37,300

A week ago, we posted on price increases and reductions Ford applied to the 2022 Escape. Ford Authority reveals that automaker money men have been working similar equations on MSRPs for the Escape's platform mate, the 2022 Lincoln Corsair. Similar to what was done with the Escape, the Corsair sees a small increase on one of the lower trims and reductions on the upper trims. The discounts are offset slightly by the destination charge going up by $100, from $1,095 to $1,195. The entry-level, front-wheel-drive Corsair only goes up by that higher destination charge, its MSRP sticking at $36,105 and coming to $37,300 after destination. Sending power to the rear wheels raises the price by $200, half of that in the MSRP, totaling $39,600.    The Corsair Reserve with front-wheel drive comes down by $2,125, to $42,020. Opting for all-wheel drive shaves the discount a tad to $2,025, for a total of $44,320. This is no freebie, the reduction coming thanks to product planners removing the 14-speaker Reveal Audio System from the list of standard equipment. Putting that stereo back into the Reveal will cost $3,300, but that price is the result of combining options packages so it does include extra equipment. Audiophiles need to choose the Luxury Package, which costs $2,200; however, in order to get the Luxury, they'll also need to choose the $1,100 Elements package, a cold-weather group with features like a heated steering wheel and seats, and windshield wiper de-icer.    Note, at the time of writing, the Corsair Reserve configurator is a little confusing. It still lists the "Revel Audio System with 14-Speakers including Subwoofer" as standard under the Radio Type tab. Under Audio Upgrade, it lists "Lincoln Premium Audio System with 14-Speakers Including Subwoofer," and wants to charge $3,300 for that. This is backward. The Lincoln Premium Audio is a 10-speaker system, and it's the one that comes standard in 2022.  The Corsair Grand Touring, which only comes with all-wheel drive, drops $60 on MSRP but overall climbs by $40 with the destination charge, to $51,525. The Corsair, like the Escape, is due for a refresh for the 2023 model year that could bring a new powertrain besides the expected interior revisions. A brand new Escape/Corsair duo has been predicted for 2025. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.