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Couple survives 50-foot fall from overpass in Toyota

It doesn't matter the make or model - modern vehicles are technological miracles when it comes to occupant protection. Take this story out of New York City, which involved two people going for a very wild ride in a Toyota Matrix.
Carlos and Raquel Broadbelt were on the Cross Bronx Expressway overpass when they hit a patch of ice while dodging a pothole, sending them hurtling into a guardrail and over the side of the overpass. They fell 50 feet onto the road below. Despite the catastrophic accident - and the mangled Toyota - both driver and passenger walked away. The couple spent a night in the hospital just for observation.
The Broadbelts' miraculous survival has even surprised doctors, who told Dave Carlin from CBS New York they'd never seen an accident like it. Take a look below for the full news report from CBS New York.

Incrementally better than ever | 2017 Toyota 86 First Drive

We'd love to tell you that the incremental upgrades bestowed upon Toyota's rear-wheel-drive coupe as it made its transition from Scion FR-S to Toyota 86 have transformed it into a perfect sportscar. If only a few more horsepower, shorter rear-end gearing, and tiny aero updates were enough to quell all the complaints that enthusiasts have leveled at the machine since the platform first hit the road in 2012, this review would have been so much more satisfying to write. Sadly, that's not the case. Don't get us wrong. The 86 is still extremely fun to toss around a twisty road. The chassis is impressively balanced, the steering is direct, and the shifter is sweet. Sorry to impart upon you this well-worn trope, but the old adage that it's more fun to drive a slow car fast than it is to drive a fast car slow is, in this case, completely accurate. The 2017 Toyota 86 is nothing if not entertaining. But it's not completely new. It hasn't been transformed. It is, in the end, the same as it ever was. It will take about three minutes of your time to watch the videos below, in which we cover pretty much everything that's new for the 2017 Toyota 86. Toyota 86s equipped with manual transmissions get a five-pony boost to 205 horsepower and 156 pound-feet of torque. Automatic models soldier forth with a carryover 2.0-liter four-cylinder that puts out 200 hp and 151 lb-ft. Apparently, more than half of Scion FR-S buyers chose the automatic. That's unfortunate, as it drains a good deal of the fun out of the 86 experience. Choose the manual and you'll be rewarded with an easy clutch and a rewarding short-throw shifter. And, as we said, five more ponies, courtesy of intake and exhaust tweaks and the polishing of some internal engine components. The only upside to the automatic is improved fuel economy of 24 miles per gallon in the city and 32 on the highway. Manual 86s are EPA-rated at 21/28. Along with the small bump in power, the 2017 86 gets a 4.3:1 rear-end gear ratio in lieu of the old 4.1:1 unit. That ought to translate into a small improvement in acceleration that really only matters on paper. In the real world, on actual roads, the difference is negligible. To eke the most out of the 86, you have to constantly work the shifter and keep the engine north of 5,000 rpm. It's still not particularly quick, but it's definitely fun. There's plenty of noise inside the 86, from the wind, the road, and the engine.

Lexus GX, Toyota Land Cruiser Prado facelifts leaked

The Lexus GX and the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, which isn't sold in the US, have gone without visual updates since the current generation was launched in 2009. But what appear to be patent filing sketches and pictures of the sibling sports utility vehicles' mid-cycle updates have been leaked on a Russian Land Cruiser Club forum.
Major changes to the GX's front end will be made to incorporate Lexus' signature grille. Gone are the awkwardly shaped headlamps and the soft-looking triple-slat grille. The sketch shows the Lexus with a new bumper, lower-profile headlights and a more aggressive, angular grille with one more slat and a gaping lower air-intake opening. The vehicle's profile looks unchanged, but the rear bumper will be reshaped slightly to fit new, better-integrated horizontal reflectors.
The Toyota gets a handful of styling updates as well, including a new front bumper with higher-profile headlamps that look a bit out of place to us. The Prado's profile also looks unchanged, but the rear end gets restyled taillights and a reshaped license-plate enclosure.