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SHARP AUTO
LEXUS IS 500 F SPORT PERFORMANCE
This is one of those cars whose mere existence is worth celebrating. We’re grateful it exists at all. Lexus could have stopped with the IS 350, which has a healthy 311 horsepower. But Lexus didn’t. Now, there’s the IS 500. Somehow, some clever engineers stuffed the company’s glorious 5.0-litre V8 under the hood of this compact sedan. Its peak 472 horse- power comes at 7,100 rpm. Naturally aspirated motors like this are an endan- gered species, and therefore a rare treat. Deliveries start this fall.
ACURA TLX TYPE S
The upcoming TLX Type S is the next step in Acura’s mission to reclaim its high-performance heritage. The sport sedan rides on a new chassis, and has adaptive dampers, a 10-speed automatic transmission, and Acura’s excellent SH-AWD system. Acura makes a great V6 engine, and this new turbocharged 3.0-litre unit is grabbing head- lines with (an estimated) 355 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque. The Type S should arrive later this year. Our expectations are high.
SPRING 2021
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