GS
Preview: Lexus RC Coupe
Today at the Tokyo Motor Show, Lexus showcased their producting-ready RC Coupe. Riding on purpose-built chassis unshared with any other Lexus model, the RC Coupe is further confirmation of Toyota’s desire to recapture more of the performance car market.
Driven: 2013 Buick Verano Turbo
When an automaker announces a more powerful version of one of its vehicles, it usually makes us quite happy. Generally (but certainly not always), more power means more fun. So it was with some joy that we greeted the news of Buick’s new turbocharged Verano. With a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-pot under its handsome, portholed hood, it packs 250 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque.
Rumors: Spy Shots—2014 Lexus IS
Lexus is in the midst of an important transformation and is working hard to shed its stigma of being a rather dull and conservative brand. The latest example of this change can be seen with its significant refresh of the popular mid-size sedan, the IS. The steady handed spy photographers over at MotorAuthority captured a heavily camouflaged IS prototype during testing in the US.
First Look: 2013 Lexus LS
Lexus has certainly been busy over the past year. With the launch of a new GS, a new ES, and a refreshed RX, it’s a wonder the Toyota-owned brand has managed to launch yet another revised model. This time around, it’s the 2013 LS, Lexus’s flagship luxury sedan, designed to compete with the BMW 7-Series, Audi A8, and Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
Quick Drive: 2013 Lexus GS350 AWD
From a practical point of view, adding all-wheel drive to the Lexus GS350 makes a whole heaping helping of sense. After all, every other car in this class offers an all-wheels-driven solution. BMW has its xDrive, Mercedes offers 4Matic, and Audi has its legendary Quattro system. While Lexus hasn’t thought up a clever brand name for its AWD, it has given us a week in the car to see how it stacks up in the luxury car marketplace.
Quick Drive: 2012 Buick Regal GS
Maybe the hard part for enthusiasts to understand is where the Regal GS fits in the automotive pantheon. From our time in the car, Buick isn’t trying to build a 335i or an Evo (or a successor to the GNX). Instead, the company is trying to build something that is nicer than an Accord V-6 or a Maxima; something competitive with Acura, and Lexus (ES/IS), and Volvo, but at a slightly lower price. That means the cars have to look classy, be luxurious and then, in the case of the GS, be fun to drive. Thus, we think the Regal GS is a sporty luxury sedan, not a sports sedan. At that it seems to succeed like few other cars we’ve driven lately.
Driven: 2013 Lexus ES350
We really can’t overstate how well Lexus did tuning this suspension. While we could feel, and to a lesser extent hear, the impacts, potholes, and imperfections, only the largest ones made it through to the cabin. We weren’t jostled or tossed about, though. Vertical motion was well controlled, with the ES feeling planted and controllable over the rough sections of tarmac. We suspect part of this had to do with the seventeen-inch wheels of our tester, while the rest was down to the revised suspension Lexus fitted to the new ES.
First Look: 2013 Buick Verano Turbo
Buick has just made it abundantly clear that it wants to dominate the premium small sedan segment with this, the Verano Turbo. It develops 250 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque from a 2.0-liter, turbocharged, Ecotec four-cylinder.
Comfort/Involvement Index: 2013 Lexus GS350 F-Sport
Sportified GS isn’t a huge improvement on the standard model, but that’s mainly because the regular GS350 is so good. Feels more confident and stable in the bends, and somewhat more talkative.
Rumors: Industry Report—Next Lexus IS-F Leaked?
A new leaked document on ClubLexus reveals that the tables may turn on the BMW M3 when and if the next generation Lexus IS-F hits the road.
Comparison Test: 2012 Audi A6 3.0 Quattro vs. 2013 Lexus GS350 F-Sport
Take a good long look at the photos accompanying this article. Go ahead, these words will still be here when you get back. There’s a lot to take in, visually, when seeing the 2012 Audi A6 and 2013 Lexus GS paired up with one another. It’s clear immediately that these aren’t boring cars, gods be praised. These are extraordinary sedans. You can see it.
Quick Drive: 2012 Infiniti G37S Sedan
The G is more powerful than everything in its price/size/class, and is available with a manual transmission, which is an increasingly rare trait these days. (The 6MT in question isn’t that great to use, but I believe it’s far less horrible than Brandon does, apparently.) It has a lively, responsive chassis, and a suspension tuning that rewards hard driving without being completely punishing.
First Look: 2013 Toyota Avalon
Although it was just refreshed in 2011, Toyota has unveiled an all-new, fourth-generation of its Avalon sedan. The stretched Camry has been given a hefty exterior and interior treatment that gives it more upscale feel.
First Look: 2013 Lexus ES350 and ES300h
Lexus has unveiled its refitted ES at the 2012 New York International Auto Show. The standard ES350 will be joined by the first ES300h hybrid for 2013.
Mini Comparison: 2012 Buick Regal GS And 2012 Volvo S60 R-Design
Recent back-to-back, weeklong tests of the 2012 Buick Regal GS and the 2012 Volvo S60 R-Design had got us to thinking that the two mild-performance variants could very well be vying for some of the same car-shopper dollars. With the Buick well down on power (by 55 horsepower and about 59 pound-feet of torque), down on driven wheels (front-wheel drive versus all-wheel), and down on price (about $8000 cheaper), this is certainly no direct comparison test. But, both Buick and Volvo seem to be playing to customers that are perhaps fatigued by the mainstream sport-luxury choices here (BMW 3-Series, Audi A4, etc.), and each car offers a compelling out-of-the-box answer to the sports sedan question.
Detroit 2012: Lexus LF-LC Concept
From Lexus, we’ll be seeing the LF-LC Concept. Designed as a two-plus-two sport coupe, the LF-LC is only a design exercise at this stage. If, its design language does end up adorning some future Lexus products, than the luxury brand is on a good path styling wise. The same “spindle grille” that we saw on the 2013 GS is there, but the aggressive fascia and sleek greenhouse aren’t exactly Lexus hallmarks (they do look excellent though). We also can’t complain about the classic long-hood-short-deck proportions
Driven: 2013 Lexus GS350
In the world of mid-size luxury sedans, the big players have been the BMW 5-Series, Audi A6 and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The Lexus GS, meanwhile, skated under the proverbial radar, lacking the performance cred of the 5-Series, the luxury cachet of the E-Class, or the sumptuous interior of the A6. It wasn’t a bad car, but even Lexus admits the Germans had dominated the market. Lexus is hoping to reverse that trend with the 2013 GS, and after a long day flogging it at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, we think Toyota’s luxury brand has got a pretty good shot of doing it.
First Look: 2013 Cadillac XTS
Cadillac’s 2013 XTS marks the latest evolution of the Arts and Science design language. The XTS pulls it off well, smoothing out the right areas, while maintaining the trademark creases along the hood and doors.
Winding Road Issue 74 Is Now Available!
In the newest issue, we give the brand new Hyundai Veloster the Winding Road treatment, to see if enthusiasts will like it as much as bystanders on our drive did. Plus, we get to know a bunch of other vehicles in Winding Road Issue 74.
First Look: 2013 Lexus GS450h
Lexus has taken the wraps off the next-generation GS, with the unveiling of the GS450h. Based rather heavily on the LF-Gh Concept from last year’s New York Auto Show, the GS450h features an exterior that’s best described as an evolution of the current GS.
Driven: 2012 Buick Regal GS
Since our very first go-round with this most recent Buick Regal, we’ve been fans of the car. Regal’s crisp and clean interior/exterior styling and competent handling have seemed to us to make it a very reasonable competitor for other entry-level luxury products. Priced below name-brand small luxury cars like the Acura TSX, Lexus IS250, and BMW 328i, the Regal has been inserted into a quasi-premium space that is currently held down by the Volkswagen CC.
Categories
Most Popular
