Skip to main content

Lexus continues its assault on boring cars with the 2018 LS

2018 Lexus IS teaser
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Over the past few years, Lexus has refocused its efforts to become more exciting. The results have been mixed thus far, with the cars like the incredible and rare LFA taking the world by storm, but more accessible rides like the IS and GS F getting a bit lost in the mix. Still, things are looking up. The new LC 500 looks like a concept car in a good way, and the brand has just announced that the all-new LS will bow at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show.

We only have a cryptic teaser image to go on thus far, but many of the intense styling elements from the LC 500 appear to have carried over. The fifth-generation model is built on an extended version of the GA-L platform that underpins the LC, and Lexus says it will offer a more dynamic driving experience than its predecessor. We like the sound of that.

To that end, Lexus is expected to ditch the 4.6-liter, 386-horsepower V8 that powers the current LS in favor of the 5.0-liter, 471-hp V8 from the LC 500. The 354-hp hybrid powertrain from the LC 500h is likely to make an appearance as well, and it should inject some serious life into the automaker’s flagship sedan.

The Detroit Auto Show should be busy one for the folks at Toyota, because Lexus’ parent company will debut the next-gen Camry at the event. Like the cars we discussed above, the Camry looks to have significantly more personality than the version it replaces, at least in a aesthetic sense. Will these people-movers help Toyota and Lexus ditch their conservative image? For the answer, stay tuned to DT Cars for more Detroit Auto Show coverage. The event kicks off on January 8.

Editors' Recommendations

Andrew Hard
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Andrew first started writing in middle school and hasn't put the pen down since. Whether it's technology, music, sports, or…
The first fully electric Lexus production car may not go after Tesla
lexus electric car rumors and reports lf sa concept

After a slow start, established luxury brands like Audi, Jaguar, and Porsche are launching sedans and SUVs that compete directly with the Tesla Model S and Model X. But Lexus may take a different approach with its first production electric car, according to Autocar. The magazine reports that the first all-electric Lexus may be a small hatchback designed for use in cities.

At the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show, Lexus will unveil a "city-friendly" electric hatchback concept, which could take inspiration from 2015's LF-SA concept (pictured above), reports Autocar. Comments from Lexus chief engineer Koji Sato to the magazine indicate that this concept car could preview a future production model.

Read more
The 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 thunders into the muscle car ring with 760 hp
2020 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500

Despite so much talk of electric cars and autonomous driving, you can still buy a 797-horsepower Dodge Challenger or a 650-hp Chevrolet Camaro. But the rival Ford Mustang has stayed out of the horsepower wars -- until now. Unleashed at the 2019 Detroit Auto Show, and reviving one of the greatest names in muscle car history, the 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 roars into the muscle car arena with 760 hp and 625 pound-feet of torque between its fenders.

760 hp; that's 380 hp per seat. It's over six times the output of the Fiesta, Ford's entry-level model. The latest Shelby GT500 is the most powerful production Mustang ever, and the most powerful street-legal car it has ever produced. It even beats the ultra-exclusive, Le Mans-winning GT.

Read more
2019 Kia Niro EV electric car offers 239 miles of range for $39,495
2019 Kia Niro EV

 

The Kia Niro is already available as a hybrid and plug-in hybrid, but now Kia is going all the way with electrification. After a concept-car tease at CES 2018 and an overseas unveiling, the all-electric 2019 Kia Niro EV made its United States debut at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show and will hit showrooms soon. The base EX trim level will start at $39,495 (including a mandatory $995 destination charge), or $31,995 after the federal tax credit. Kia will also offer a fancier Niro EV EX Premium trim level starting at $44,995 before the tax credit, and $37,495 after it.

Read more