Oracle of Delphi

"Yawn"

Hmmmmmm?

SAN DIEGO — Just when you thought luxury SUVs couldn't get any bigger, Lexus has increased the length of the redesigned LX 570 by 4 inches and widened it by more than an inch. Evidently, when you buy a luxury SUV that tops $80,000 fully optioned, added size and weight don't matter. It helps that the LX 570, despite the 405 pounds of added bulk and 115 more horsepower under the hood, gets the same claimed fuel economy as the LX 470 it replaces: 12 mpg in city driving and 18 mpg on the highway. The SUV goes on sale this month. The basics: It's big — 196.5 inches long — though still 6 inches shorter than a Cadillac Escalade. The LX 570 shares many of its underpinnings with the new Toyota Land Cruiser body-on-frame platform. That includes the 5.7-liter engine, front independent suspension and rear solid axles. The larger engine and new six-speed automatic transmission can propel the three-ton LX 570 to 60 mph in seven seconds. More impressively, the LX 570 has best-in-class towing capacity: 8,500 pounds. Putting the brakes on all this weight are 13-inch ventilated disc rotors at all four wheels. The big get bigger 2008 LX 570 2007 LX 470 Wheelbase 112.2 in. 112.2 in. Length 196.5 in. 192.5 in. Width 77.6 in. 76.4 in. Height 75.6 in. 72.8 in. Base engine 5.7-liter V-8 4.7-liter V-8 Horsepower 383 @ 5,600 rpm 268 @ 5,400 rpm Torque, in lbs.-ft. 403 @ 3,600 rpm 328 @ 3,400 rpm Curb weight 5,995 lbs. 5,590 lbs. Base price* $74,565 $68,150 * Includes shipping Notable features: Lexus upgraded the off-road capability of the LX 570. It features "crawl control" for more precise low-speed maneuvering down hills as steep as 45 degrees. The crawl control can be adjusted to 0.6, 2 or 3.2 mph in either forward or reverse gear. In addition to full-time four-wheel drive, the LX 570 comes with active traction control and a Torsen limited-slip center differential. Adaptive variable suspension and variable ride-height controls are also part of the package. The antilock brakes adjust if they sense the vehicle is driving off-pavement. Inside, all three rows of seats are powered. Second-row seats are heated and have 4 inches of slide travel. The front and rear blind spots are covered with cameras that display images on the navigation screen. Standard features include 20-inch wheels, four-zone climate control, adaptive front lighting, 10 airbags, power rear tailgate window and SmartAccess key fob. The Yoshiwara, Japan, assembly plant where the Lexus 570 is built is plenty fussy. One stop on the line has four sensors to test the sound of the doors being closed. Toyota wants to assure an ear-pleasing thunk. What Lexus says: "The line between four-wheel-drive super chassis and plush, luxurious sedan has been blurred more than ever before," Lexus Division boss Mark Templin said at the media introduction in San Diego. Compromises and shortcomings: The crawl control actuators are bolted to the master cylinder assembly, which is bolted to the firewall. As a result, there is a tremendous clattering in the cabin whenever the crawl control is working. Also, the rear tailgate is unhelpfully split, rather than being a one-piece design. The market: Lexus needs the LX 570 to turn around its premium-SUV sales. In 2006, Lexus sold 5,595 LX 470s, and sales are down 54.0 percent through November in its sell-down year. Templin hopes to sell about 8,500 units of the new model. Lexus says current LX owners have had household incomes of $380,000, double that of their competitors. The marketing campaign will use the slogan, "The Driver Empowered." The skinny: If any of these vehicles ever sets foot on dirt, I'll eat my hat. Too bad, because the Lexus is a very competent off-roader. But it's the opulent interior that really wins the prize.

Europeans aim small SUVs and crossovers at North America Dave Guilford Automotive News Europe January 7, 06:01 CET Next week's Detroit auto show will feature fuel-sipping hybrids, zero-emissions fuel cells and performance cars. Five Chinese companies also will unveil models that they hope to launch in the US. Green concepts that will make their debuts in the US include two fuel cell-powered models: a Cadillac crossover and the Chrysler ecoVoyager. On the hybrid side, General Motors will show a version of the Saturn Vue with its Two Mode hybrid system, and Toyota will unveil the A-BAT pickup concept. There also will be plenty of powerful models on display in Detroit such as the 620hp Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and the Mazda Furai concept with a 450hp rotary engine. European carmakers will unveil important new models. BMW will debut the production X6, Mercedes-Benz will unveil its GLK-class SUV and Volkswagen will show its new Passat Coupe. Saab will debut a small crossover concept that signals the styling direction for a future vehicle. Land Rover's LRX study could become the smallest SUV in its lineup. Audi will show a concept car and a world production premier, which likely will be a high-performance version of the TT premium coupe. Ford Ford likely will show a prototype for its new small car for the US. The model is based on the Verve concept (shown) that debuted at Frankfurt's IAA last September. The Detroit concept will be for a four-door sedan. The IAA Verve was a three-door hatchback. The Verve previews the next-generation Ford Fiesta, which goes on sale in Europe in late 2008. The US concept will have the sleek kinetic design developed by Ford of Europe. Ford plans to introduce a Fiesta-sized car in the US by the end of 2010. BMW BMW will debut its X6 coupe-styled SUV crossover (shown), a 1-series convertible and its first US diesels. Since an X6 concept was shown at the Frankfurt's IAA in September, BMW has changed the front and the rear appearance slightly for the Detroit production version. The X6 will be built at BMW's US plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina. It launches in North America and Europe in the spring. BMW also will show its diesel models for the US, a 3 series and an X5. Both will have a 3.0-liter twin-turbo, inline six-cylinder diesel and will go on sale this autumn. Mercedes Mercedes-Benz's smallest SUV, the GLK class, will debut as a near-production concept. The Vision GLK Freeside (shown) has a more boxy appearance than expected. It resembles the original, rugged-looking G class more than the M class. Based on the C-class station wagon, the GLK class will be built in Mercedes' plant in Bremen, northern Germany. It will compete against BMW's X3 and Audi's forthcoming Q5. The GLK class and Q5 will go on sale in Europe in the autumn. US sales of the GLK class start in January 2009. Face-lifted versions of the SLK-class roadster and its SLK55 AMG high-performance car also will be shown. Volkswagen Volkswagen will unveil the Passat Coupe, a four-door sedan with a low, sleek, coupe-like roof reminiscent of the Mercedes-Benz CLS-class sedan. The car will be built on a slightly modified version of the Passat's platform and it will be positioned below the Phaeton in VW’s lineup. The Passat Coupe will start at about €30,000 in Europe. VW says it plans to sell 40,000 to 50,000 units worldwide. The car goes on sale starting in June and in the US in the autumn. It will be built in VW's plant in Emden, northern Germany Land Rover Land Rover's LRX concept could become the British automaker's smallest SUV. The three-door concept (shown) is based on a shortened version of the Freelander platform. It is the first creation from new Land Rover Design Director Gerry McGovern. It previews new styling cues for the brand. If built, it would compete with a similarly sized SUV planned by Mini and a slightly larger SUV, the X1, from Mini sibling brand BMW. The LRX concept is expected to showcase new lightweight materials and advanced powertrain technologies to achieve low CO2 emissions. Industry insiders expect Land Rover to launch the new SUV starting in late 2010. Chevrolet A high-performance Chevrolet Corvette that has been rumored for more than three years will be revealed. The Corvette ZR1 (shown) features a 620hp-plus supercharged 6.2-liter V-8. Final horsepower and torque numbers will be announced as the car gets closer to sale this autumn. Production will be limited to about 3,000 units. The front fenders and hood are made of carbon fiber. The hood features a raised, polycarbonate window offering a view of the intercooler below it. The body also features a carbon-fiber roof panel and rocker moldings with clear-coated, carbon fiber weave. GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz has said the ZR1 would be priced around $100,000 (about €68,000) in the US.

Me too!

Yeah I got it too.

Mine is John Edwards.

Yeah, yeah, I know you like her, but she's mine. She is flying into Detroit Metro next weekend to spend some time with me. I'll keep an eye out for you sonny boy. :AH-HA_wink:

I like the tilted T!

Sir, I have the finest of Morrokide interiors.

Oh I don't think you would want too, all is not what it seems. Private joke!

What is your opinion of Holden, think carefully before you answer!

I know you have a way of getting there. All you need to do is take up the Millford Proving Grounds offer and become a GM driver. :AH-HA_wink:

Sorry, but I've seen your gf, I can't take the risk of you two staining my seats on that big date!

What Torana? :AH-HA_wink: As far as G8 goes, better get them while you can.

Feel free to buy the Chevy version. :AH-HA_wink:

NOS, I am your father! (Star Wars music plays in the background ...)

Oh forgot, it's hard to remember last year. I have so many things going on this year. :AH-HA_wink:

Sword fight! Whoever has the biggest sword wins.

What no tour by NOS this year?

What????????

Hey, I placed that ad! :rotflmao:

Go Opel go, you're almost the number one brand in Europe!

Very very nice!

I think you're going to be extremely disappointed. Abraham Lincoln once said " that you can please some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time …". Well I think this is one such occasion!