Rocky Mountain Driving Experience 2022

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Time to get back to reviewing cars. I re-joined the Rocky Mountian Automotive Press and today is the annual Rocky Mountain Driving Experience.

A day full of driving and forming opinions of some of the newest cars on the market

Should be fun.

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Lexus LX570 unveiled

Lexus took the opportunity of this year's New York Auto Show to debut their big, bad version of the Toyota Land Cruiser - the LX570.

Underhood, the new LX is packing a version of the Tundra's 5.7l V-8 (381hp and over 400lb*ft of torque) giving an 8500lb tow rating. This works out to over 100hp and a ton more towing capacity than the vehicle it replaces.

The LX is a technological tour de force with an electro-hydraulic suspension with height control, has a cross linking technology that ties opposing corners together and uses energy from opposite corners to help counter-act road forces.

Active Height Control does the standard things such systems do (lowering the vehicle at highway speed and raising things up by 3 inches when the 4wd is shifted into low range).

On the interior front are an extra inch of width as well as 4 inches of extra length. Crash protection comes in the form of 10 airbags that include dual front bags, dual front knee bags, side bags for the front two rows, as well as curtain bags for all three rows.

See even more pics over at:

LeftLane News: 2008 Lexus LX 570 unveiled

New Toyota Tundra not all its cracked up to be?

Toyota is working hard to push their new Tundra as the best thing for truck-buyers since the invention of the leaf-spring...but they are running into some snags.

First is the realization that the Tundra is the only full-sized pickup to _not_ get a 5-star front crash rating from the US government. (ouch).

Now, courtesy of Jalopnik - we have the contents of a letter from GM to their dealers that pokes some holes in the recent Tundra ad where the truck pulls a trailer up a steep incline of a see-saw device and then comes to a screeching halt at the end (once it all tips over and becomes a steep down-hill...

This is an interesting read and shows how you have to read that fine print...

Thought you might want to know this. Pass it along to your sales staff. It might help them to sell more vehicles. BTW.....attended the Minneapolis Auto Show kick off breakfast on March 8. Two of our Sandy trainers did a nice job explaining the Tundra ads. I would guess all of you have seen the stupid ad where the Tundra pulls a trailer up a steep grade (a 'see-saw'), and then barrels down hill and locks the brakes up just before the end of the ramp. Seen it? Yeah you have.

Couple things to keep in mind. The V.O. at the beginning of the spot says...."It's tough pushing 10,000 lbs up a steep grade". Myth: Toyota would like the audience to believe the trailer is 10,000 lbs. Fact: It's a 5,000 lb truck pulling a 5,000 lb trailer. A little slight of hand? You bet.

Then, on the way down the grade, the camera zooms in on the brakes as the vehicles comes to a screeching halt just prior to the end of ramp. Next time you see the ad....look for the 'mice type'. It indicates the trailer is equipped with electric brakes. Fact....the electric brakes stop the trailer -- not the truck. A little slight of hand? You bet.

And why does Toyota have bigger brake pads? They need them....their truck is heavier. Stopping distance between our truck and theirs is virtually identical. And why does Toyota have a 6 speed transmission? To improve their fuel economy....which is still 2 mpg less than ours.

And don't forget....their big V8 has one axle ratio -- a 4.3. Suck fuel much? Our trucks offer several axle options to optimize towing and fuel economy. Bottom line: OUR TRUCK IS BETTER! Spread the word.......we can all make a difference.

New Lexus LX to debut in New York

...and the Japanese luxury vehicle announcements just keep a-comin'

Today, Toyota announced that they will be showing the new LX sport utility at the New York Auto Show in April.

Replacing the LX470, the LX570 appears to be equipped with a version of the new 5.7l V-8 that Toyota recently debuted in the new Tundra pickup.

Horsepower numbers should be well into the 300's with ample torque. Unfortunately, if the current LX is any indicator, the new LX will be one heavy beast - so it needs that kind of power.

More details and pictures once the debut happens next month.