Latest news with #Lexus
Auto Car
3 hours ago
- Automotive
- Auto Car
Toyota chooses UK to build its first GR car outside Japan – and it's down to the nation's "motorsport expertise"
As previously reported by Autocar, Lexus is priming a new flagship sports car that is expected to compete in the GT3 racing series from next year. It is most likely that Motomachi would host assembly of this model, given it previously housed its predecessor, the LFA supercar. The GR division has also been working on an all-new Celica coupé, and is thought to be considering replacements for the MR2 (discontinued in 2007) and Supra, plus a Mazda MX-5 rival. Although the plan to boost GR Corolla production through the UK has not been informed by US president Donald Trump's tariffs, given it pre-dates Trump's presidency, the decision to export from the UK surely benefits the company on that front. The US currently charges a tariff of 25% on all cars imported to the country from abroad, including Japan. However, the UK recently agreed to negotiate a deal that will cut the fee for its exports to 10%, within a national quota of 100,000 cars. Final details have yet to be confirmed but at present Toyota would have to pay a smaller fee on UK-built GR Corollas than those from Japan. The prospect of adding production in the UK also lends weight to the possibility that the GR Corolla – currently offered in only a handful of markets, including the US and Japan – could be set for a launch in Europe. Prototypes were last year spotted testing at Germany's Nürburgring, hinting at a launch. A spokesperson suggested it was standard procedure to test global products at the circuit but did not deny the prospect.
Top Gear
5 hours ago
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Eight used cars that *could* do over 50mpg for under £10k
Advertisement Range Rover Evoque TD4 (L538) It may be a divisive car, but there's no doubting the Evoque has a bit of presence. It also opened up the Range Rover marque to a broader audience, and since there's no petrol-slurping supercharged V8 offering, you may as well double down on efficiency and opt for a four-pot turbo-diesel like this. Estimated combined mpg: 58.9 Advertisement - Page continues below An underrated gem, the 6er's sleek body has all the cues and dimensions of a proper sporting coupe, but beneath sits a diesel straight-six. It's claimed to nudge just past 50mpg, provided you don't keep using the entirety of its 309bhp. Here's a red one for nine grand. Estimated combined mpg: 50.4 You might like Or, if you'd rather some red paint splashed over a four-door that's even more economical, here's a Lexus IS300h. The four-cylinder hybrid package puts out 220bhp and makes it the first entry this week to skip past the 60mpg threshold. Some serious bang for buck at £9.9k. Estimated combined mpg: 61.4 Advertisement - Page continues below Is the A6 Allroad the only car you'll ever need? Firstly, it's a big Audi. Secondly, the 3.0-litre V6 scurries it along to 62mph in six seconds, and on to a familiar vmax of 155mph. Thirdly, there's over 427lb ft of torque to go with the raised suspension and rugged styling, so it'll go just about anywhere. Factor in the strong mpg, and we'd say the answer becomes quite obvious. Estimated combined mpg: 50.4 Ford Fiesta Active X (seventh generation) A handy, hardy, comfy little thing, replete with a cheerily flexible three-pot. This Active X is nicely kitted out, with a touch infotainment screen, privacy glass and built-in sat nav. Plus, it's only clocked up 29,000 miles in six years. Estimated combined mpg: 56.5 Nice, right? This one gets soft-grain leather trim, a 380-watt Meridian sound system and a reversing camera. And a 2.0-litre diesel four-cylinder with 178bhp. Nice, right? Estimated combined mpg: 60.4 Mercedes-Benz CLS 220d (C218) This CLS gets black alloys, black accents and a matte grey paint for some added menace. Behind the facade, it's fairly docile. Being a '220d', it has a similar engine and output to the Jag, albeit with a slightly lower economy rating. The sunroof does compensate somewhat. Estimated combined mpg: 57.5 Advertisement - Page continues below The GTI is a double-edged sword: it can be efficient on motorways and long drives, but develop a serious drinking habit if you open it up. So the economy depends massively on how often you're going to treat it like a GTI. You'll get over 50mpg from the turbocharged four-pot when you don't, and closer to 35mpg when you do. Still, great car. Here's one by Peugeot Sport for under five grand. It does also have a stage two tune, mind. Estimated combined mpg: 52.3 See more on Used cars
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Karen Read murder trial: Three things to know now that the prosecution has rested
After six weeks and dozens of witnesses, Massachusetts prosecutors retrying Karen Read on a murder charge in the widely publicized death of her boyfriend three years ago rested their case Thursday. While the theory put forward by special prosecutor Hank Brennan was the same as that offered by the assistant district attorney who previously tried the case — Read, drunk and angry, struck Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe with her Lexus SUV and left him for dead on Jan. 29, 2022 — there were some notable changes from Read's first trial, which ended with a hung jury last summer. Absent were two high-profile witnesses who were key to the defense's claims that Read was framed. Also missing was the former Massachusetts state trooper who led the investigation into O'Keefe's death and was fired after revelations of misconduct emerged in the first trial. Another notable change was the role of Read, who has maintained her innocence, herself. In addition to her remarks to reporters outside the courtroom, her words have been a regular presence in Brennan's presentation, which has featured a series of interview clips that show what Brennan has described as Read's 'campaign' of public statements. Read's lawyers are expected to begin making their case Friday. The prosecution's final witness was one of its most important. No cameras captured the events that led to O'Keefe's death, nor have any witnesses claimed to have seen what happened at 34 Fairview Road — the home in Canton, just south of Boston, where O'Keefe, 46, was found unresponsive in the front yard shortly after 6 a.m. on Jan. 29. But Judson Welcher, a biomechanical engineer and accident reconstruction expert, testified that data from Read's 2021 Lexus showed that at 12:32 a.m., outside 34 Fairview, the vehicle drove forward 34 feet, then reversed 53 feet. The SUV was traveling at nearly 24 mph, he said, with a throttle of 74%. While there was no vehicle data to support Brennan's allegation of a collision, Welcher testified that lacerations on O'Keefe's right arm were 'consistent' with injuries caused by a broken rear right taillight on the SUV. Welcher testified that his height and weight approximated O'Keefe's — around 6 feet tall and 220 pounds — and that he conducted re-enactments showing what such a collision might look like. In one video, Welcher wore clothes similar to O'Keefe's from Jan. 29 — jeans, a T-shirt, a baseball cap — while a Lexus that was the same model and year as Read's backed into him at 2 mph. Welcher also knocked down the defense's claim that the taillight was broken in a different collision on Jan. 29. As Read left her home around 5 a.m. to look for O'Keefe, she was in a panic, she has said, and she backed her Lexus into his Chevrolet Traverse. Ring camera video played in court captured the incident. But Welcher testified that an analysis of the video showed Read was driving less than 1 mph at the time and that there was no evidence of any damage to either vehicle. 'That impact did not break or crack that taillight," Welcher said. Michael Proctor, the ex-trooper and case agent who managed the investigation into O'Keefe's death, was included on the prosecution's list of possible witnesses. In the first trial, Proctor spent hours on the stand and acknowledged that comments he made to friends, family and supervisors about Read were unprofessional and that they 'dehumanized' her. But prosecutors did not call him to testify in the retrial. Massachusetts State Police dishonorably discharged Proctor in March after an internal investigation found that he violated agency rules by sending derogatory messages and sharing confidential investigative details with non-law enforcement personnel. Proctor testified that his conduct did not harm the investigation. He has not publicly commented on his termination, but his family has criticized his former employer, saying he was unfairly scapegoated. His former supervisor testified this month that Proctor had acted with 'honor and integrity.' 'I believe human beings all have biases,' Sgt. Yuri Bukhenik told the jury. 'Especially in this case, they did not affect the outcome of the investigation.' Bukhenik acknowledged that he was disciplined in part for failing to adequately supervise Proctor and lost five vacation days. Proctor is listed as a possible witness for the defense, which has accused him of bias and manipulating evidence. Two other figures who played an outsized role in the first trial — Brian Albert and Brian Higgins — were also on the prosecution's witness list but were not called to testify. Albert, a retired Boston police sergeant, lived with his family at 34 Fairview at the time of O'Keefe's death and had a gathering at his home on Jan. 29 that O'Keefe planned to attend. Prosecutors — and Albert — have said that O'Keefe never made it to the party and that no one who was there that morning saw him inside. But the defense has alleged that O'Keefe entered Albert's home and was beaten, bitten by the family's German shepherd and dragged outside, where he died. They have pointed to Higgins, an agent with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives who was at the gathering, as a possible conspirator in this alternative theory of the case. In the weeks before O'Keefe's death, a series of text messages introduced as evidence showed Higgins flirting with Read and appearing frustrated when she did not speak more candidly about what she wanted from him. The tension most likely prompted the fight that led to O'Keefe's death, the lawyers have said. (Through their attorneys, both men have denied involvement.) Albert and Higgins are both on the defense's list of possible witnesses. Read has been unusually candid with journalists, and Brennan has shown a series of clips from interviews she has given to reinforce the prosecution's theory of O'Keefe's death. In one clip, shown during opening statements on April 22, Read was captured telling 'Dateline' that she could have 'tagged' O'Keefe in the knee 'and incapacitated him. He didn't look mortally wounded as far as I could see. But could I have done something that knocked him out?' In another clip, shown this month, she was captured telling 'Investigation Discovery' about the moment she found O'Keefe in the yard of 34 Fairview. She wondered out loud whether she could have run over his foot as she began driving from Albert's home. 'He's roughly where I left him, so yeah, when I found him I was thinking, did I, like, clip him somehow?' she said. In another series of clips introduced as evidence last month, Read was shown talking openly about her drinking. She and O'Keefe had been at two bars before they drove to Albert's house, and in an interview with "20/20," she was asked whether she felt fine to drive after four drinks. 'Yup,' she responded. In a separate clip, she told a Boston Magazine reporter that she drank a 'normal amount' — a vodka tonic every 40 minutes. Outside court last week, Read was asked whether she had any reaction to the videos. 'No,' she said. This article was originally published on
Miami Herald
10 hours ago
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
End of an Era? The Lexus IS 500 Ultimate Edition Hints at the Model's Farewell
The naturally-aspirated V8-powered Lexus IS 500 isn't the quickest sports sedan around, but there are few that look and sound this good. You might be sad to hear that with the introduction of the IS 500 F Sport Performance Ultimate Edition, Lexus could be signaling the end of the road for the venerable IS. The Ultimate Edition retains the IS 500's naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 engine, producing 472 horsepower, unchanged from stock. While Lexus hasn't officially confirmed the IS's discontinuation, the limited-run nature of this model and its debut as a 2025 model year vehicle suggest there may not be a 2026 IS. Mechanically, the Ultimate Edition is unchanged from the standard IS 500, retaining the powerful V8 paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive only. The Ultimate Edition retains the handsome body and sporty interior but adds some special touches. It gets a special exterior paint color called Wind, a metallic light gray finish that's probably better looking in person than in photos, where it appears as a variation on the model's Ultra White paint. It also gets 19-inch matte-black BBS wheels, red brake calipers, and special IS 500 Ultimate Edition badging. The cabin features a two-tone red and black colorway, complemented by racy red seatbelts, a numbered 1-of-500 plaque, and unique door scuff plates that signify its special designation. The 472-horsepower V8 sports sedan will launch to 60 mph from a standstill in the mid-fours, which is properly quick, about the same as the Genesis G70 3.3T. The top trim IS 500 F Sport Performance Premium, gets a 14-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, voice command, configurable gauge cluster, a panoramic view monitor, and a 17-speaker Mark Levinson premium surround sound system with QuantumLogic surround technology. The upholstery features NuLuxe faux leather wrapped over heated and ventilated front seats (19-way power adjustable for the driver), a power moonroof, embossed door trim, and numerous physical controls for audio and climate. One vestige of the previous IS that we could do without is the wonky touchpad, which unfortunately remains in the IS 500. When it comes to safety, the IS 500 Sport Performance comes standard with Lexus Safety System+ 2.5 and includes features like pre-collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane tracing assist, adaptive cruise control, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. The IS 500 also boasts a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA. Pricing for the 2025 IS 500 F Sport Performance Ultimate Edition has not yet been announced, but the stock IS 500 F SPORT Performance starts at $60,595, while the F SPORT Performance Premium variant begins at $65,095. The Ultimate Edition will, no doubt, exceed that price point. Too bad it won't be offered in some of our favorite colors from the IS 500's palette history, like Flare Yellow and Molten Pearl. We don't care if the IS 500 F Sport Performance Ultimate Edition isn't the quickest, most tractable sports sedan around. The IS 500's naturally aspirated V8 offers a refreshing and nostalgic driving experience, as well as an absolutely intoxicating sound, appealing to enthusiasts who love sport and luxury. The Ultimate Edition will be totally worth the extra money, especially since the V8 will likely disappear from the Lexus stable in the next few years. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
NBC News
12 hours ago
- NBC News
Karen Read murder trial: Three things to know now that the prosecution has rested
After six weeks and dozens of witnesses, Massachusetts prosecutors retrying Karen Read on a murder charge in the widely publicized death of her boyfriend three years ago rested their case Thursday. While the theory put forward by special prosecutor Hank Brennan was the same as that offered by the assistant district attorney who previously tried the case — Read, drunk and angry, struck John O'Keefe with her Lexus SUV and left him for dead on Jan. 29, 2022 — there were some notable changes from Read's first trial, which ended with a hung jury last summer. Absent were two high-profile witnesses who were key to the defense's claims that Read was framed. Also missing was the former Massachusetts state trooper who led the investigation into O'Keefe's death and was fired after revelations of misconduct emerged in the first trial. Another notable change was the role of Read, who has maintained her innocence, herself. In addition to speaking to reporters outside the courtroom, her words have been a regular presence in Brennan's presentation, which has featured a series of interview clips that show what Brennan has described as Read's 'campaign' of public statements. Read's lawyers are expected to begin making their case Friday. A key witness tries to re-create the scene The prosecution's final witness was one of its most important. No cameras captured the events that led to O'Keefe's death, nor have any witnesses claimed to have seen what happened at 34 Fairview Road — the home in Canton, just south of Boston, where O'Keefe, 46, was found unresponsive in the front yard shortly after 6 a.m. on Jan. 29. But Judson Welcher, a biomechanical engineer and accident reconstruction expert, testified that data from Read's 2021 Lexus showed that at 12:32 a.m., outside 34 Fairview, the vehicle drove forward 34 feet, then reversed 53 feet. The SUV was traveling at nearly 24 mph, he said, with a throttle of 74 percent. While there was no vehicle data to support Brennan's allegation of a collision, Welcher testified that lacerations on O'Keefe's right arm were 'consistent' with injuries caused by a broken rear right tail light on the SUV. Welcher testified that his height and weight approximated O'Keefe's — around 6 feet tall and 220 pounds — and he conducted re-enactments showing what such a collision might look like. In one video, Welcher wore similar clothes as O'Keefe from Jan. 29 — jeans, t-shirt, baseball cap — while a Lexus that was the same model and year as Read's backed into him at 2 mph. Welcher also knocked down the defense's claim that the broken tail light came from a different collision on Jan. 29. As Read left her home around 5 a.m. to look for O'Keefe, she was in a panic, she has said, and she backed her Lexus into his Chevrolet Traverse. Ring camera video played in court captured the incident. But Welcher testified that an analysis of the video showed Read was driving less than 1 mph at the time and there was no evidence of any damage to either vehicle. 'That impact did not break or crack that tail light," Welcher said. Who didn't they call to testify? Michael Proctor, the ex-trooper and case agent who managed the investigation into O'Keefe's death, was included on the prosecution's list of possible witnesses. In the first trial, Proctor spent hours on the stand and acknowledged that comments he made to friends, family and supervisors about Read were unprofessional and 'dehumanized' her. But, prosecutors did not call him to testify in the retrial. The Massachusetts State Police dishonorably discharged Proctor in March after an internal investigation found that he violated agency rules by sending derogatory messages and sharing confidential investigative details with non-law enforcement personnel. Proctor testified that his conduct did not harm the investigation. He has not publicly commented on his termination, but his family has criticized his former employer, saying he was unfairly scapegoated. His former supervisor testified this month that Proctor had acted with 'honor and integrity.' 'I believe human beings all have biases,' Sgt. Yuri Bukhenik told the jury. 'Especially in this case, they did not affect the outcome of the investigation.' Bukhenik acknowledged that he was disciplined in part for failing to adequately supervise Proctor and lost five vacation days. Proctor is listed as a possible witness for the defense, which has accused him of bias and manipulating evidence. Two other figures who played an outsized role in the first trial — Brian Albert and Brian Higgins — were also included on the prosecution's witness list but were not called to testify. Albert, a retired Boston police sergeant, lived with his family at 34 Fairview at the time of O'Keefe's death and had a gathering at his home on Jan. 29 that O'Keefe planned on attending. Prosecutors — and Albert — have said that O'Keefe never made it to the party and no one who was there that morning saw him inside. But the defense has alleged that O'Keefe entered Albert's home, and was beaten, bitten by the family's German Shepherd and dragged outside, where he died. They've pointed to Higgins, an agent with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives who was at the gathering, as a possible conspirator in this alternative theory of the case. In the weeks before O'Keefe's death, a series of text messages introduced as evidence showed Higgins flirting with Read and appearing frustrated when she does not speak more candidly about what she wants from him. This tension likely prompted the fight that led to O'Keefe's death, the lawyers have said. (Through their attorneys, both men have denied involvement.) Albert and Higgins are both included on the defense's list of possible witnesses. What does Karen Read say? Read has been unusually candid with journalists, and Brennan has shown a series of clips from interviews she has given to reinforce the prosecution's theory of O'Keefe's death. In one clip, shown during opening statements on April 22, Read was captured telling 'Dateline' that she could have 'tagged' O'Keefe in the knee 'and incapacitated him. He didn't look mortally wounded as far as I could see. But could I have done something that knocked him out?' In another clip, shown earlier this month, she was captured telling 'Investigation Discovery' about the moment she found O'Keefe in the yard of 34 Fairview. She wondered out loud if she could have run over his foot as she began driving from Albert's home. 'He's roughly where I left him, so yeah when I found him I was thinking, did I like clip him somehow?' she said. In another series of clips introduced as evidence last month, Read was shown talking openly about her drinking. She and O'Keefe had been at two bars before they drove to Albert's house, and in an interview with "20/20," she was asked if she felt fine to drive after four drinks. 'Yup,' she responded. In a separate clip, she told a Boston Magazine reporter that she drank a 'normal amount' — a vodka tonic every 40 minutes. 'No,' she said.
