Auto, Car and Vehicle Quote Help

Lexus is a brand name used by Toyota in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand for luxury automobiles. Some believe the name comes from the combination of “luxury” and “elegance”. Lexus was inspired by the success of the luxury Toyota Supra and the Toyota Cressida models. Both the Supra and Cressida were rear wheel drive cars with a powerful (7M-GE/7M-GTE) type engine.

The first Lexus-branded car models, the V-8 powered LS 400 and the smaller ES250, appeared in 1989. The flagship LS400, known as the Toyota Celsior in the Japanese domestic market, had a unique design, sharing no major elements with previous Toyota vehicles, with a new 4.0L V8 engine. It was widely praised for its quietness, well-appointed interior, fine engine performance, outstanding build quality, and value. It was generally regarded as a major shock to the European marques, but it has never managed to gain the affection of the public in the way of the older luxury manufacturers. It won several major motoring awards when released.

These virtues have been maintained in subsequent iterations of the LS, including the LS 430, and the range has been expanded with other models. The Toyota Camry-based ES 330, the small, sporty, rear-drive IS 200 and IS 300 based on the Japanese Domestic Market Toyota Altezza, and the Toyota Land Cruiser-based LX 470 SUV, and the GS models. The world’s second mass-production hybrid SUV was a Lexus, after the Ford Escape SUV in summer 2004. The SC300/400 was Lexus’ first coupe that made its way to the United States.

Read more about Lexus.

2007 Wrangler

The 2007 Jeep Wrangler broke cover at the North American International Auto Show. It continues in the direction of the original Jeep, the Willys MB, by offering more off-road ability and enhances the 4 wheel drive leadership of the brand.

The new Wrangler offers more on-road refinement with an all new frame, a 2 inch wider wheelbase, lower spring rates, advanced shock tuning, a 3.5 inch wider track and increased jounce travel. It also offers increased ground clearance, enhanced Dana front and rear solid axles, larger wheels and tires, optional Comand Trac and Rock Trac transfer cases, and electro disconnecting front sway bar and new electric axle lockers.

The 2007 Wrangler is powered by a new 3.8 liter V6 engine, with 205 horsepower and 240 lb-ft of torque. New four-wheel ABS is standard on all the 2007 releases. The increased dimensions mentioned above provide more interior room with 4.6 inches more hip space, and 5.1 inches more shoulder room. Also, the new Wrangler now offers more open air options than earlier with a new three piece modular hard top, a Sunrider soft top and dozens of different door, top and windshield combos.

Read more about The Jeeps of 2007