Lexus
Driven: 2013 BMW Alpina B7 xDrive
If you’re a chauffer and your boss wants an Alpina, be happy. It is stupendously fast, this. With 540 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque, the Alpina is every bit the sports sedan it purports to be. Power is up from 445 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque over the standard 750i/Li.
Detroit 2013: Lexus Caves To Leaks, Unveils New IS
Our first reaction? It looks like it was styled by an angry man with a samurai sword. That isn’t a bad thing. It’s exactly the sort of aggressive design we’ve been waiting for from Lexus, and there’s perhaps no more important of a vehicle for it to appear on than one that’s meant to do battle with the Cadillac ATS and BMW 3-Series.
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.
Driven: 2013 Toyota Avalon
There are two philosophies that can seem contradictory, but Toyota, being the success that it has been for quite some time now, recognizes both as truisms and has chosen to adhere to them both. First is, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Second is that its evolution is necessary to survival. The 2013 Avalon espouses both of these ideals, and does so in a way that works synergistically.
Quick Drive: 2013 Lexus RX350 F-Sport
You see, the standard Lexus RX is a top-notch isolation box. It’ll devour miles, children (oh, you know what we mean), and cargo with equal levels of aplomb. Its spacious, smooth-riding character is exactly what you want on a road trip, and it’s also plenty quiet when just driving around town. It is not, however, an involving vehicle. Even its 3.5-liter V-6 is oriented towards comfort. Sure, it packs a decent 270 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque, but it’s the buttery, refined character and engine note that make it a success. There’s a reason we didn’t include it in the four-way SUV roundup we conducted a few months back.
Greenformance: Hybrid Small Cars—The “Premium” Question
On the occasion of driving Acura’s new ILX Hybrid Tech, several members of the Winding Road team found themselves asking what exactly hybridized premium-brand small cars have to offer, at least in theory. But at the same time, we couldn’t help but ask two follow-up questions. First, do hybridized premium small cars deliver in reality what they promise on paper? Second, are there potentially cheaper and/or better ways to get the things we think we want from compact premium hybrids?
Winding Road Issue 87 Is Now Available!
This month, we take three turbo sprites—the Fiat 500 Abarth, Hyundai Veloster Turbo, and Mini Cooper S Coupe—and pit them against one another to determine our favorite. Plus, we pack a bunch of other automotive content in this issue.
Driven: 2013 Lexus LS460L AWD
There is no shortage of options when we’re talking about executive limos like this. Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi all make some very compelling vehicles. As much as we like the S-Class, 7-Series, and A8, though, were we getting chauffeured about, we’d have a very tough time ignoring the Lexus LS.
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.
Winding Road Video: 2013 Ford Escape SE 1.6 EcoBoost FWD – Quick Drive
This week we test the all new 2013 Ford Escape SE. In this video we take you on a brief visual tour and then hop in the driver’s seat for a “virtual test drive.”
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.
Driven: 2013 Volvo S80 T6 AWD
We enjoyed our rather short drive experience in the big Volvo, though far more when we were crushing highway miles than on the few occasions that we dove into the smaller, curvier Utah roads. That’s not because the S80 felt unstable, or lacked for grip on tight corners, but rather because the car offered too detached a ride profile to really enjoy the technical bits. Steering effort was one-finger light, and quick turn-in required quite a bit more lock be applied than we’d have liked. Further, Volvo has clearly opted for ride comfort over mid-corner stiffness, or chassis feedback, as the S80 seemed to hover on a cushion of air whist we meandered through hill and dale.
Winding Road Video: 2013 Lexus LX570 – Quick Drive
Whenever we test a feature-rich luxury car or SUV, we can’t help but spend at least half an hour in a parking lot somewhere pushing buttons. In this video, we do just that as we take you on a brief visual tour of the new 2013 Lexus LX570.
Winding Road Issue 84 Is Now Available!
This month in Winding Road, the Mini Roadster takes aim at the long-reigning king of the segment, the Mazda MX-5 Miata. Plus, we pack a bunch of other automotive content in this issue.
Quick Drive: 2012 Jaguar XF Supercharged
The Jaguar XF Supercharged manages to strike a prime balance between sports and luxury, in the same way that its Germanic rivals have been doing for decades. The major difference is that it comes with a heaping helping of supercharger to speed affairs along. With a price that, once options are added, will likely undercut the competitors, and the aforementioned power and poise, the Jaguar XF Supercharged would be a hard car for us to turn away.
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.
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.
Winding Road Issue 82 Is Now Available!
This month in Winding Road, we drive the boxer-powered Scion FR-S on track and road. This is a true driver’s car, folks. Plus: we pack a bunch of other automotive content in this issue,
Quick Drive: 2012 Mercedes-Benz E550 4Matic
This is the perfect Mercedes-Benz.
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.
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