Lexus

LAS VEGAS--A letter F on a report card is usually a bad thing. However, when Lexus slaps an F-badge on the back of one of its vehicles, you should know that the automaker means fast and not fail.

Actually, the F stands for finesse, but let's not split hairs. The GS 350 sedan with F Sport package that Lexus debuted at the 2011 SEMA Show is no mere appearance upgrade, it should also be faster than the standard model.

However, the extra performance comes in the form of suspension, aerodynamic, and chassis upgrades, as the GS 350's 3.… Read more

Consumer Reports released the results of its annual car reliability survey today, and Scion came out as the top brand, with the fewest reported problems.

Scion cars proved the most reliable, according to owners contributing their experiences in the latest survey by Consumer Reports used to predict car reliability. The report, released today, compiles survey results for 28 brands. The least reliable cars, according to the survey, bear the Jaguar badge.

Along the Scion range, the xD scored the best, while the xB model was the worst, although all were well above most other brands. Lexus, another brand from Toyota, grabbed the No. 2 spot, and its CT200h model proved the most reliable, even more so than the Scion xD. Toyota-branded cars showed up at No. 6 in the survey.… Read more

We know that the Toyota Sprinter Trueno (AE86) will be getting a spiritual successor in whatever vehicle comes out of the other end of the development of the FT-86 concept. However, although Toyota fanatics have been howling for a replacement for the Supra for much longer, Toyota hasn't openly committed to plans to revive its former halo car. That doesn't stop talented artists from taking their own cracks at designing the next Toyota Supra.

Speedhunters, an automotive lifestyle blog run by the guys behind EA's Need for Speed series of racing sims, is usually home to some … Read more

The 2012 Buick Verano small luxury sedan, which will roll into showrooms later this year, will have a starting price of $23,470 including $885 in destination charges.

The 2012 Verano was announced at the Detroit auto show in January.

"Verano is a great new addition to Buick because it expands the brand's reach," Tony DiSalle, U.S. vice president of Buick Marketing said in a press release. "With Verano, we're inviting new customers into the Buick family, giving us the opportunity and privilege of building longtime Buick loyalty."

The Verano will compete with … Read more

The Car Tech team has been at the 2011 International Motor Show in Frankfurt, and in our first day of coverage we've seen a mini electric car from Audi, a stylish SUV from Maserati, and a futuristic concept from Ford. Here's a rundown of the big stories of the day:

Audi Urban Concept Spyder Audi's little electric car explores extreme ideas in future urban transportation.

Mini Cooper Coupe Mini adds to its repertoire of fun, small cars with the smallest yet. This Coupe only has two seats.

BMW i8 plug-in hybrid concept BMW kicks off its new … Read more

This week, we look at VW integration with a Droid X, figure out how to add iPod integration to a Lexus, and find out what you can plug into your OBD2 port.

• LOLcars (photos)

In this episode of Roadside Assistance, we help a listener find a BMW, we got no love for Lexus, help another listener with their Droid X mounting, and we find out that we were drunk.

• LOLcars (photos)

Toyota Motor Corp. today announced the recall of about 45,500 Highlander Hybrid and 36,700 Lexus RX 400h vehicles from the 2006 and 2007 model years and sold in the United States.

According to Toyota, the vehicles could lose power or stall completely because of a transistor inside the hybrid system's inverter that could overheat.

The problem involves certain transistors inside the Intelligent Power Module on the control boards in some of the vehicles which "were inadequately soldered."

If this were to occur, various warning lamps will illuminate on the instrument panel, Toyota said, and the … Read more

Environmental responsibility is all the rage with European royalty these days. Prince William and Kate Middleton drove away from their nuptials in a bio-ethanol-powered Aston Martin DB6, and now Monaco announced that Prince Albert II and Charlene Wittstock will make a post-ceremony procession in a Lexus hybrid.

The Monaco royal car won't be a humble HS 250h or even an RX 450h SUV, but a flagship LS 600h L, specially converted with a Laundelet roof. To install the new roof, Belgian coachbuilders Carat Duchatelet had to remove the existing roof and strengthen the car's body with Kevlar and honeycomb structures to restore lost rigidity.

The roof itself is a polycarbonate transparent shell covering the rear seat. It was designed by a French company that also builds canopies for helicopters and other aircraft. The 8-millimeter thick shell weighs 57 pounds and can be removed for an open-air rear seat.

The Lexus 600h L retained its original drivetrain, a 5-liter V-8 enhanced with an electric propulsion unit. The wedding procession, which occurs July 2, goes from the palace down to Monaco's harbor, and then along Boulevard Albert I to Sainte-Devote Church. The procession's slow speeds will allow the LS 600h L to operate under electric power for most of the route, according to Lexus.

After the wedding, the car will go on display at Monaco's Oceanographic Museum. … Read more