You drive past the local Lexus dealership, and decide to stop in for a quick look around. Which model is your first stop? What is your favorite current Lexus in the lineup?

Some will prefer the flagships, others will lean towards performance, and perhaps it’s all about the next vehicle you’re going to buy. Spend a couple moments to think it through, then cast your vote.

I’m sure we all have our idea which model is going to come out on top, but this is a survey that could yield some surprises. Voting closes in a week, be sure to discuss and defend your choice in the forums!

Want to race a first-generation Lexus IS 300 on an ice-track in the middle of a Canadian winter? Normally, your options would be limited — however, the new Lexus Cup Challenge in Minden, Ontario gives people the opportunity to rent (or purchase) an IS and race against fellow drivers.

Benjamin Hunting took part this past winter, writing about it for Automobile Magazine:

“Remember,” [Russ Bond, owner of the Lexus Cup Challenge] says as he cinches my five-point harness in the cockpit of Lexus, which has a stock passenger seat next to the racing seat I’m in. “Make sure that the traction-control is set to off, and that the transmission is set to snow mode.”

This advice is repeated on a pair of stickers set at eye level on the car’s sun visor. I dutifully push the “SNOW” button next to the automatic transmission’s gear lever—each vehicle in the series runs in the slush with a slushbox—and verify that the TRAC light is on. Finished with my belts, Bond leans in semi-conspiratorially.

“Listen to the studs, Benjamin,” he tells me, imparting a smidgen of his hard-earned wisdom as a seasoned ice racer. “And stay away as far away from that car as you can,” he continues, finger pointed at one of my fellow competitors for the day. “They’ve put two cars out for the season already this year.” He raises his eyebrows. I nod, the message received.

The Lexus Cup Challenge has wrapped up for this year, but it’s definitely something to watch for next year — here’s a video showing off the action:

The 2019 Lexus IS F SPORT Black Line has made its North American debut this week at the Vancouver International Auto Show, and it’s our first good look at this latest Lexus special edition:

We covered the USA release of this special edition in a previous post, so here are some details for Canadians — The 2019 Lexus IS 300 AWD F SPORT Black Line is limited to 150 units in Canada, and will be priced at $51,100 CAD.

This all-wheel-drive special edition rides on 18-inch split spoke wheels featuring a Black Vapor Chrome finish, complemented by black side mirrors and triple beam LED headlamps. Inside, the Black Line Special Edition features a heated, custom black wood-trimmed steering wheel employing ink tones from a master calligraphy house in Nara Japan with a 200-year history.

Lexus has just released the longest documentary ever made — 60,000 hours of film that explores the art of Japanese craftsmanship in a world increasingly built by robots.

Takumi: A 60,000-Hour Story on the Survival of Human Craft follows four Japanese artisans: a double Michelin-starred chef, a traditional paper-cutting artist, an automotive master craftsman and a carpenter for one of the oldest construction companies in the world.

The full 60,000-hour version loops scenes of each artisan repeating the essential skills of their craft over and over again, and can be viewed online through this dedicated website. A more reasonable 54-minute version has been released on Prime Video, and I recommend you start here before committing thirty years of your life watching the full thing.

Mat Watson from Carwow is one of the top car reviewers in the world, and this throughly entertaining look at the Lexus ES 300h is a perfect example of his craft: