Leesburg Cars and Coffee: October 24th, 2021

Thanks to a lovely couple I’ve been working with who are equally, if not bigger, gearheads than I am, I got a lead on Leesburg Cars and Coffee; a Cars and Coffee event I’ve known about for quite a while, but had never made it out to until recently.

The plan was originally to meet up at this car show in the morning to hang out before their engagement photo session later in the afternoon, but unfortunately their Daihatsu Rocky ran into mechanical problems that morning that kept them from making it to the show. They did make it to the engagement session later in the afternoon, which you’ll see in a separate post later this month - car meet snapshots are a lot faster to edit than paid portraits.

The BMW Ultimate Driving Experience

Over the years I’ve driven many interesting cars.  Not as many as an automotive journalist, or perhaps a used car salesman, but plenty for an average car enthusiast, which is to say, many more than the average driver.  This is due in part to my relationships with other petroheads, but also comes from the number of automotive events I am fortunate enough to have the opportunity to attend.

Following with the likes of Jaguar, Lexus, Kia, and McLaren, this past June I was able to finally attend BMW’s performance driving experience - the previous time BMW had this event locally, I was fresh out of knee surgery and wasn’t able to walk yet, let alone drive anything (I missed a Cadillac event in the same timeframe too).

Arrival

Like most car meetups and events, I attended BMW’s Ultimate Driving Experience with my longest petrofriend Jake.  We unfortunately arrived a few minutes late to the event, and got bumped to the last timeslot of the entire event, so we were only able to enjoy one of the multiple portions of this event, but luckily we were able to participate in the one we were most interested in: autocross in an M440i.

Following his love of British car design, and the tragic T-Bone totaling of his beloved Jaguar XF, Jake had just bought a Jaguar F-Type several weeks prior (which you will see highlighted in another blog post from a car cruise soon).  So it was somewhat ironic arriving at the BMW Ultimate Driving Experience only to park next to another F-Type, this one a V8 specced in Sorrento Yellow bearing an autocross 777 number on the sides.  That being said, there were more BMWs than anything else in the lot, so there was no question if we were in the right place.

The BMWs

After checking in, we looked over the new i4 and iX; BMW’s latest all-electric vehicle offerings, following the i3’s success in BMW’s i sub-brand.

I could go on about BMW’s current design language with the increasingly bucktooth kidney grilles, but that would be repetitious since everyone else has already shared my thoughts on the matter.  I will say, however, that they did very a very good job on the completely non-functional grilles on these two new electric offerings considering their massive size.

The iX was especially impressive, with its BMW Individual Aventurine Red Metallic paint reminiscent of red wine, and the matte rose gold accents that would typically be chrome or piano black on most other cars; the iX despite clearly being an upscale grocery-getter, dazzled in the sun.

The star of the day however was the BMW M440i.

This car is especially interesting to me, as it’s the modern direct competitor offering from BMW to my own car.  In fact, when I bought my Infiniti G37 S 6MT Coupe, a BMW 335i Coupe was one of only two cars I cross-shopped it against, right around when BMW was restructuring their model numbers; the 3 Series coupe was being rebadged into the newly introduced, coupe-only 4 Series.  Admittedly, a different German performance manufacturer has long had my top interest, but a 4 Series coupe is still on my interest list.

Until this day, the only BMWs I had driven were a handful of E36 and E46 3 Series models.  I learned to drive stick in a 318i and an M3, so it saddens me seeing the ///M Power badge being watered down into just trim packages and second-tier performance levels.

The BMW 4 Series offers several models: The 430i equipped with an inline 4 delivering 255HP, the M440i sporting a twin-turbo V6 outputting 382HP, the M4 with horsepower boosted to 473HP, and topping out the line, the M4 Competition with 503HP.  Only the M4 model does not offer an xDrive option, and quite depressingly, BMW axed the manual transmission from this performance driver’s car from the entire 4 Series line in 2020 - truly a travesty.

Today we’d be driving the 382HP M440i model.

The Ultimate Driving Experience

After being issued our credentials, our group was given a rundown of the M440i and a short lesson on performance driving basics (apexes, braking / acceleration through corners, weight transfer, etc).  Then one of the driving instructors slowly drove the course for us to observe while another instructor explained how to navigate each section - extremely basic instruction, but necessary given the audience, since the group ranged from enthusiasts with track experience all the way down to a soccer mom in slippers who was actually scared to drive this car (which I would argue is yet another example of the US needing stricter standards for issuing and renewing driver’s licenses, because this type of driver on a public road is statistically more dangerous, causing more accidents than the enthusiast drivers who are typically targeted and demonized).

This was my first automotive event since COVID-19 struck, so things were a little different, but most things were the same.  The pre-race briefing actually did go into more detail about driving dynamics than most of these events, which instead save that for in-car instruction, if you even get any at all, and instead focus on a car’s specs, features, and design highlights.  This event was socially-distanced, and instead of swag bags most manufacturers provide (I still use my Jaguar thermos to this day, 8 years later with lots of wear), participants were given masks and BMW branded hand sanitizer - a little disappointing; I was really looking forward to something really cool branded BMW or ///M.  Cars were sanitized between each set of drivers.

One benefit to the social-distancing was that a driving instructor was not in the car with you.  You still had a dedicated instructor talking you through the course during your runs, but via radio.  If there is an instructor, my preference is for minimal driving instruction while driving; full tips are nice on a first lap, but after that, minimal input helps me so I can focus on the course and learn the car - I think instruction while actively driving is distracting and sometimes intimidating, which can cause more problems - I find that input and tips for better lines / laps / etc are helpful, but best saved until the run is done so I can focus while driving, and apply the driving instruction to my next lap or run.  Between having to gear events toward the widest audience of skill levels (see my example earlier - the slippers lady was finally convinced to drive, but it was of course more like a parking lot cruise than an autocross hotlap), and my personal preference, plus differing driving personalities, you wind up with a range of different driving instructors with different instruction styles.

I should note that not all events like this even have driving instructors - I’d say it’s about 50/50, but BMW was one that did, and it fits, since BMW also offers a Performance Driving School, at three locations in the US with 42 different courses available, most spanning multiple days of time spent behind the wheel.  The classes range from teenage driver’s ed and beginner motorcycle instruction all the way up to race licensing, defensive and tactical driving, off-roading / overlanding, and even trophy truck racing.  The instructors at today’s event also teach at the BMW Performance Driving School, and have such backgrounds as test drivers for Porsche and Ferrari, and tactical driving instructors to the FBI and Secret Service - we were indeed surrounded by tomes of performance driving knowledge.

Jake and I paired up for our 9 laps in three sets of 3.  Our first run our instructor was a bit uptight and was guilty of watering down the course and driving notes for our experience - even though a first run is almost always going to be slow and sloppy, one of the other instructors noticed both our runs, took us aside, and told us he’ll take us for our remaining runs.

This new instructor was much more laid-back, and was comfortable with us pushing the car and eeking out more of the performance it had.  In fact, based on our second runs, he told us to run in Sport+, which disables the traction control, because the car’s electronic nannies were holding us back.  For me, this meant my third run was my fastest, but also very sloppy, because I was again re-learning the car; I thought Sport+ heavily relaxed traction control on BMWs, but it actually disables it entirely, which I figured out very quickly after unexpectedly oversteering through two corners and oversteering the tires past their limit in a third.  Jake’s laps after mine had the benefit of my warning him of this, so his third run laps were a bit cleaner than mine.

During some of this we attempted to film some of our runs - Jake only filmed my second run, which wasn’t my fastest, but it was likely my tidiest.  I filmed all of Jake’s runs, but my phone was on its last legs and some of the videos had multiple corruption problems - I recovered what I could, but unfortunately not all the footage made it.  You can see video from the event and both our runs here:

In the video you see that Jake was plagued by slower drivers on the course, and got a few bonus runs to try and make up for it.  We not only were the last group of the weekend’s event, but also one of the last cars to finish as a result.  Staff were already breaking down tents and prepping cars to load onto transports when we pulled into the pit lane.  When we pulled in, one of our car’s tires went PING as a loose piece of rubber broke off following our abusive hotlaps.  Several staff and lingering participants actually gathered around our rear tire talking about how mangled they were while we were wrapping up discussions with our instructor who had been great during our extended runs.  I didn’t see where the tread had spalled, but the amount of scrubbing on the surface was impressive, and the group gathered at the rear of the car had apparently pulled some sticky rubber off of the paint; very cool - M drivers need to budget for frequent tires and speeding tickets.

Even-though BMW’s Ultimate Driving Experience was a little different than previous events I’ve attended, and I only got to participate in one portion of the multiple activities at the event, this was solidly one of the most enjoyable thanks to the amount of seat time we got - most similar events only give you ⅓ or even less seat time, which always bugs me.  I still of course wanted more, to further learn the car and hone my lines on the course, but I’m grateful that BMW doesn’t skimp in either the performance or the tailored instructional elements of its traveling brand experience.  I look forward to the next time BMW is in Washington, DC.

Best of 2020

Let’s just say it: 2020 sucked. For everyone. At moments the year flew by, at many others the year seemed endless. But 2021 is upon us, and although for many, myself included, it meant more time at home than out in public, I still captured perspectives of this year the World will never forget.

It’s unsurprising that many of my photographs in this year’s Best of 2020 are barren of people, and those that do have people are individuals or small family groups. I quickly enacted a number of COVID-19 best-practices that meet or exceed those required by Virginia law, and have strived to maintain the safety of not only myself and my vulnerable family members, but those of my clients. Because of the unprecedented reduction in assignments this year, particularly of commercial clients due to the cancellation of events, a greater portion of this year’s Best Of consists of personal work, but you’ll see that although it’s personal work, much of it is relatable and has affected everyone in some way or another.

Here’s to 2021 redeeming all the hardship, loss, and overwhelming disappointment 2020 inflicted on the World. May these pictures put 2020 to rest, and may your 2021 be filled with joy and prosperity.

A “barn find” Porsche on display at the 2020 Washington Auto Show.

A Foggy February morning in Northern Virginia.

Toilet paper became scarce in early March as shifts in the supply chain shifted from commercial to retail bathroom supplies, while more population working from home, and public fear incited hoarding, drove demand, emptying store shelves of basic cleaning supplies for months.

Hand sanitizer, gloves, surgical masks, and N95 respirators became nearly impossible to come in Spring. By Summer, the market was flooded with price gouged, counterfeit, or unregulated KN95 masks, antibacterial sanitizing wipes, and hand sanitizer.

At Ronald Reagan National Airport, nearly all concessions closed indefinitely due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

At Ronald Reagan National Airport, airlines cancelled all flights indefinitely for the safety of passengers, and due to low demand while citizens quarantined in place.

Inside Ronald Reagan National Airport’s nearly empty National Hall, a COVID-19 branded hand sanitizer station is affixed to a shuttered Information Desk.

As air travel all but halted, entire terminals of airports were shuttered. With fewer travelers, ad spaces receive fewer impressions, leading to marketing campaigns to be rolled back or cancelled entirely. Above a closed terminal at Ronald Reagan National Airport, a digital ad site displays a creative encouraging proper hand-washing technique in place of normally cycling ad campaigns.

"Black Lives Matter" blazed several neighborhood trailheads, but were defaced with the arguably racist "All Lives Matter," then subsequently corrected back to BLM during the height of nationwide protests following the death of George Floyd under the knee of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.

In Northern Virginia, many parks and playgrounds were closed by guerrilla citizens even before executive orders explicitly closed such facilities. Meanwhile, other inhabitants ripped away barriers or ignored HOA shutdown orders, creating a kind of suburban anarchy.

Jack Zarinsky, CFP, walks into his office in Fairfax City, Virginia.

Jack Zarinsky, CFP, speaks into a microphone while recording for his podcast.

A Polaroid of pickerel hyacinth growing at Ellanor C. Lawrence Pond.

Erik and Jennifer walk in a lavender field on their wedding day, June 27th, 2020. Many engaged couples had to delay or downsize their 2020 wedding due to COVID-19 safety and legality of gatherings.

Polaroid of Alyssa McGuire carrying an elephant ear plant at Merrifield Garden Center, Centreville, Virginia. Alyssa’s favorite animal is the elephant, and as a self-proclaimed “crazy plant lady,” she chose a Colocasia to add to her Rhode Island garden. Alyssa drove from Providence to Memphis, stopping in Washington, DC for a week, to care for her aging grandparents who struggled to get supplies and home maintenance during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

At Washington Dulles International Airport, a health supply kiosk is shuttered inside a deserted terminal.

Rubin and Madonna stand on the ramp at Washington Dulles International Airport with the historic ATCT and taxiing aircraft behind them after Rubin proposed to Madonna minutes prior at the gate they first met.

Elizabeth laughs at James’ jokes during their July engagement session. James and Elizabeth planned for a Spring engagement session coinciding with the April Cherry Blossom Festival, but this became unsafe and illegal as DC enacted executive orders that made visiting the Tidal Basin legally impossible, while the National Park Service feuded with DC Mayor Muriel Bowser by continuing to sell photography permits. Meanwhile in Virginia, early executive orders explicitly closed or kept open specific businesses, but failed to provide operating guidance for unlisted non-essential businesses, forcing many people, like Elizabeth and James, to postpone scheduled sessions.

Lily pads float at Ellanor C. Lawrence Pond, seen through an antique Lubitel 2 medium format lens converted to work on Canon EOS mount cameras, shot on an EOS R mirrorless camera.

The Cumberbatch family poses among the Autumn leaves during their family portrait session in Sterling, Virginia.

J. David Buerk, owner and photographer of J. David Buerk - Photography poses in a werewolf mask and gloves, holding an authentic rusty scythe on Halloween in Fairfax, Virginia. Despite ample candy and decorations, not a single trick-or-treater showed due to COVID-19 scaring off young goblins and ghouls.

Kevin drops to one knee and asks Rhoda to marry him at a snow-covered Stone Tower Winery.

With vines in the background, Rhoda places her hand on Kevin’s chest to display her engagement ring minutes after saying “yes” atop a snow covered hill at Stone Tower Winery.

The sun shines on the steering wheel of an Infiniti G37 S 6MT coupe’s steering wheel.

A handmade, artisan designed and crafted embossed leather journal cover with pewter clasp, featuring a flourishing acanthus leaf pattern. I first spotted this journal five years ago at the Renwick Gallery, and have regretted not getting it at the time, and had been unable to find the creator until recently. To my surprise, it is still available, and the maker even has an Amazon storefront now, with limited supply available. My most loved Christmas gift this year, this beautiful, naturey journal in my favorite color holds the notebook I’ve been using for years, and will hold future notebooks as this one nears filling, fitting perfectly into my daily leather Tumi backpack.

2020 Washington Auto Show

2020 has started off quite stressful for me, due to some health issues being faced by members of my family, so I am behind in posting, but here we are! With everything going on, I was fortunate to be able to make it out to the Washington Auto Show this year, which I look forward to and make it a point to attend every year. Since I wanted to relax by going to the show, this year I brought along my 85mm f/1.2; my favorite lens - great for details (and portraits), but a specialized lens not for wide scene captures.

First things first; the new “Mustang.” I can’t say I agree with Ford’s decision to place the Mustang marque on an all-electric crossover-type vehicle, and I found the car itself uglier than the press photos released when the new direction Mustang is going was released. I, however, am in the minority, as the general public seems to love it based on overhearing others viewing it at the auto show - apparently Ford’s market research was accurate. Apparently the C8 Corvette was also on display at this show, and I walked right past it without noticing - that’s interesting.

As an Infiniti driver, I am of course an Infiniti fan. The Q60 has grown on me since the CV37 released in 2017, and despite some exciting engine options up to 400hp, it is still being done the disservice of being sold without any manual transmission option whatsoever.

Anyone who knows me knows I love Porsche. They unfortunately did not have a display at this year’s show, but that didn’t stop me from photographing every Porsche I spotted at the show.

Lexus Experience Amazing Drive Event

Last Saturday I attended the Lexus Experience Amazing Drive Event, which is a hands-on driving demonstration that showcased much of the Lexus lineup and its technology, similar to performance driving events I’ve attended for Jaguar numerous times, and Kia featuring the Stinger head-to-head with direct performance competitors from Porsche, BMW, and Audi.

I’ll be first to admit that, until this weekend, the only hands-on experience I’ve had with any of Lexus’ marque has been briefly sitting in each Lexus on display at the Washington Auto Show each year (including the new (as of 2017) LC 500). So, although this was my first time driving or even riding in a Lexus, it was not my first time sitting in and playing with Lexus’ top-of-the-line car. Nobody I know owns a Lexus; I simply have more experience with their direct competitors such as Jaguar, BMW, Audi, and Infiniti, as these are the brands I and my closest friends own and drive. The day started off with a presentation about Lexus’ history and the emphasis on craftsmanship, and some factoids about the LC 500 flagship sports coupe.

Immediately following the introductory presentation, the group was led outside the tent to a series of ES 300h and LS 500h sedans for a ~2mi suburban circuit test-drive of each model. Driving the cars themselves was fantastic; each vehicle handled sharply but comfortably and predictably, and the interior craftsmanship (with the exception of the UX, which I’ll get to later on) was top notch. Truly refined, with comfortable leather in pleasing colors that coordinated with the dark wood tones found elsewhere in the cabin. The ride was quiet, even with A/C blowing, and the hybrids had the only Start-Stop system I’ve found completely unobtrusive - in fact, it was so quiet and gentle I didn’t know it was equipped with one for the first half of the drive until I started paying attention for it specifically (Start-Stop is a major pet-peeve of mine, but I can happily report that Lexus’ is the only Start-Stop I don’t hate). The only negative about a vehicle I can even mention from this demo isn’t really a negative; it’s a nit-pick. The ES 300h is slow. Even in Sport, it’s slow; in fact, I could not tell a difference between Normal and Sport. Even in “manual” (quotes because Lexus does not offer a single manual gearbox) in Sport, my passenger didn’t believe me when I told them I had the accelerator floored; its 8.1s 0-60 felt like my car at half throttle. But let’s be real here; nobody is buying the ES 300h for performance, with its 215hp drivetrain - it is a fuel-sensible luxury appointed mid-size family car, and a great one at that, eating the miles up at 44MPG. The LS 500h, with its 354hp, was impressively fast for its size and hybrid drivetrain, reportedly clocking a 5.1s 0-60 time.

Next was the main event; a hot lap in the LC 500. Lexus’ flagship grand touring luxury sports coupe is equipped with a 5.0 liter V8 producing 471hp mated to a 10 speed automatic transmission produced by Aisin - note, it is not a DCT. The LC 500 goes 0-60 in 4.4 seconds, with a top speed of 168MPH. A 354hp hybrid model is also available, but I won’t be discussing it as it wasn’t present at this event, nor would it interest me unless it were being placed head-to-head against a BMW i8 much like the Kia Stinger was pitted against a Porsche Panamera 4. Sitting in the handsomely appointed interior, the first thing you notice is how incredibly quiet the car makes the world around you; the interior is a truly serene place - quiet, and engulfs occupants in the finest upholstery offered in Lexus’ sophisticated modern design language. The immediate attenuation of the outside world was the first thing I noticed when I sat in the LC 500 at an auto show two years ago, and that incredible soundproofing is still present in the production version. All that quiet allows the driver to enjoy the symphony, be that from the Mark Levinson audio system (which I did not test in any of Lexus’ cars), or more importantly, the LC’s throaty, exotic exhaust note. And it’s quite important to point out that in an age of electronic sound symposers from the likes of BMW, the LC 500 has clear influences from Lexus’ LFA halo car, in that the exhaust note you hear is 100% generated by the car itself, and not faked through the speakers. Surely the LC has undergone some form of sound optimization just like the LFA’s exhaust was tuned by Yamaha to create its unmistakably distinct note. The LC 500’s sound is more Aston Martin than the LFA’s F1 exhaust note, but with a base price of $93,000, you can buy four LC 500s for the MSRP of one LFA (or more, considering the LFA has only gone up in value, and as of this writing, only five of the 178 LFAs in the US are currently for resale), making the LC a bargain exotic.

One of many ways the LC 500 demo event could have been improved is by pitting the LC 500 head-to-head against their RC F, which was on static display, but not even a standard RC 300 was available for test driving and comparison the entire event. The two cars are indeed in slightly different classes, with the RC standing as a direct competitor to the M4, Q60, and C63, and the LC 500 is pitted against the 840i, SL 550, and F-Type, and even the i8, NSX, and R8, but in a large way the comparison isn’t far off at all. A head-to-head comparison would have easily solved several event shortcomings with one fell swoop - course familiarization, which was totally absent, would be taken care of, especially with a mandatory “slow” lap, which could be marketed as a lap to try out normal driving dynamics before switching into Sport+ for subsequent performance laps, the RC would actually be represented in Lexus’ lineup, and participants would get more wheel time than a single lap and 5 VERY slow MPH through a chicane.

PS: Lexus, if you’re reading this, pretty, pretty please give the RC F a 6 or 7 speed manual transmission option - you’re losing every manual-loving potential customer to BMW, Audi, and Porsche!

The LC 500 itself is fantastic. In addition to the interior you’ll never want to get out of, and the exhaust note you’ll never tire of hearing, it handles beautifully, with safe and predictable understeer rather than erratic or temperamental oversteer, and the brakes stably guide the car into corners quickly and evenly. Even the trunk is surprisingly large, and could easily stow luggage for a weekend getaway, or a couple’s golf trip. The back seats are predictably low on headroom, but this is the only comfort gripe, and on a car like this it’s not an actual problem; the prospective buyers who actually care about rear headroom (all zero of you) can wait for the upcoming convertible model of the LC 500. In fact, the only negative about the LC I can even write about is its throttle response, and this seems to be more a symptom of the 10 speed transmission than the engine itself. Even in Sport+ there is noticeable throttle lag when pinning the accelerator, especially coming out of corners; it seems that the transmission, despite its 0.12 second shifts, can’t choose a gear and rev-match quickly enough to match demand. The engine itself revs quite freely, so lag seems to come from the drivetrain. It’s possible Lexus chose to forgo a DCT in order to avoid gear hunting lag they can also sometimes suffer from; shifting “manually” via paddles alleviates some of this throttle lag. At the end of the day, it’s a nit-pick issue, as it’s just a quirk of this car that owners will get used to as they become familiar with driving it, plus this is a GT car - it is a car meant to eat up miles on the highway, turn heads in the city, and drop with the valet. It’s not a track queen; it’s a luxury cruiser with performance capabilities refined beyond most of its competitors. And for the drivers who somehow need even more excitement than the already exquisite LC 500 offers, “an unnamed performance model” is in the pipeline - expect an LC F Sport model to be formally announced in the next year or so with a twin-turbocharged V8 supplying over 600hp.

Next up was an agility demo of the new UX 200h. This course was tight, meant to simulate parking lot maneuverability. Participants were allowed to drive any of the available standard and hybrid UX models through the course as many times as they desired, which meant this demo provided the most wheel-time of any of the models demoed.

To be fully transparent, I didn’t even know the UX existed until arriving to the Lexus Experience Amazing Drive Event; I’d simply never heard of it or ever seen one. Naturally, I knew nothing about it, and while test driving it one of my friends was reading the sticker, and asked me to guess the list price - I was a full $9k over its $34,000 starting price for the hybrid model. At $32,000 for the standard model, I think the UX 200 is extremely competitively priced for what it offers, which is style and comfort in an affordable upscale CUV package, and there’s even AWD available on the higher trim UX 250 with either standard or hybrid drivetrains - that’s a huge deal! The UX is Lexus’ newest and more affordably priced crossover offering, seemingly geared toward the millennial yuppie; it offers a hybrid model, and seems to be the replacement for the CT 200h wagon, which I always admired. Undoubtedly to cut costs, the UX features abundant plastic in lieu of the wood and leather appointed interiors of the rest of Lexus’ lineup, but the supple, supportive seating NuLuxe surfaces feel identical to the leather in Lexus’ higher models, as is the optional premium infotainment and driver’s technology. And let’s just take a second to appreciate how beautiful the Nori Green Pearl paint job is paired with Glazed Caramel seating surfaces; my group couldn’t stop talking about it, because it’s nice to see a luxury marquee with paint offerings beyond monochrome variations. Unfortunately for you readers, since this was the least restrictive portion of the drive event, I spent my time demoing the UX rather than photographing it; you’ll have to check out Nori Green Pearl on Lexus’ website.

The final demonstration, on a 3rd course, was of the NX and RX’s agility and driver assistance and safety technologies. The course was, again, meant to simulate neighborhood and parking lot maneuvering, which is where these models thrive, as stereotypical soccer-mommy-mobile family-grocery-getters. These mid-size SUVs are ubiquitous in the parking lots of Whole Foods, World Market, Pottery Barn, and the like, and for good reason, as Lexus has made an exceptional family SUV product - after driving and riding in them, I now see why they are so popular. The RX is SO. COMFY. Although I was expecting the RXL to have a reclining rear seat, I was pleasantly surprised it also adjusted fore and aft, which meant that my already plentiful legroom expanded to an even larger expanse of flat floor surface area - and this RXL didn’t even have the optional rear captains chairs. The NX offered a sportier road feel through the steering wheel, and the RX was more plush, but both were equally pleasant to either drive or be driven in.

The key demo for this portion of the Experience was the Pre-Collision System, which will automatically fully deploy the brakes in the event that front or rear sensors detect an object or pedestrian in the vehicle’s path, even if your foot is completely off the brake. To demonstrate this, participants back into a parking spot containing an obstruction, and are instructed to leave the vehicle to brake on its own (touching the brake will override the system, indicating that the driver is in control, and will allow objects to be struck). My group tried this several times, from a stop, at a single car-length from the obstruction, which meant vehicle speed was low enough that the Pre-Collision System emergency-stopped the SUV before striking the barrier - this can be seen in the video at the end of this blog. Next, someone tried testing the system at a slight angle to the flat barrier - the Pre-Collision System did stop as intended, but struck the barrier, knocking it over, before stopping in time. Finally, I chose to test the system at idle speed (the RX won’t reach idle on its own in a single vehicle distance), simulating the inevitable idiot driver who will buy one of these and think this system means they don’t need to use the brake while parking anymore; the Pre-Collision System again, predictably, stopped on its own, but not before striking and knocking over the barrier. Some of the event staff didn’t believe us when we said we were completely off the brakes when it hit the barriers, but to be clear, the Pre-Collision System worked completely as intended (and advertised on Lexus’ website), and this behavior isn’t entirely unexpected; the laws of physics always apply - greater kinetic energy requires greater stopping distance. While one staffer seemed annoyed and disbelieving, another who was much more helpful and informative was genuinely curious how we got the system to actually hit the barrier, and it sounded like they were going to try stress-testing it out more themselves after participants had left - we were all happy to describe the different things we had tried and the results for them to try it for themselves.

That was it in terms of driving opportunities, but static displays of the UX, RC F, LC, ES, and LS were open to explore, but not powered on for tech demonstration like at a convention center auto show - a simple generator running power to all the cars could have solved this. The static displays provided the opportunity to try out the rear seats of the ES and LS, and the back seat is where you want to live in the LS. I have to say, I’m not a sedan person, and personally, in terms of the Lexus lineup, am most realistically interested in the RC F, but the LS 500h made the biggest impression on me. I have always and will always love grand touring coupes, so while the LC 500 was my favorite car of the day, it was exactly as great as I expected; the LS, however, is the one that really surprised me shaped my impression of Lexus. As someone unfamiliar with Lexus, but more familiar with most of its competitors, I’ve always thought of Lexuses as “fancy Toyotas.” I’ve been wrong this whole time. Very wrong. Pitted against the Jaguar XJ, the Lexus LS holds its own, and really just leaves buyers with a choice - do you prefer shiny British style, or modern Japanese aesthetic? The LS 500’s executive rear seats have adjustable recline, headrests, bolsters, lumbar, and the standard climate controls expected in an executive luxury sedan, all controlled through a touchscreen monitor in the armrest.

I have a deep love of Jaguar’s emphasis on performance, but for an executive saloon, it’s hard to say no to that 354hp hybrid V6 that gets 28MPG. If you like the XJ’s Supercharged V8 470 ponies, Lexus offers the LS 500 F Sport with 416hp and still manages 21MPG for the AWD model; the XJ only offers AWD on the 340hp Supercharged V6 that only manages 21MPG, not the RWD-only 5.0L V8 that averages 18MPG. This comes down to a fundamental difference in direction the two manufacturers have taken - both are competing against German luxury frontrunners BMW and Mercedes-Benz, but have taken on the fuel economy problem in different ways. Jaguar has focused their efforts on all-electric vehicles, with the introduction of the I-Pace, and instead offer more economical Diesel engines on select models. Lexus fights the gas pump through its hybrids, and Toyota has always been the king of hybrid technology. Hybrids are the immediate future of cars, and the fact that Lexus has so finely mated luxury, build quality, and performance out of a hybrid drivetrain - it’s impossible to ignore that.

I’m looking forward to Lexus returning to DC next year for another installment of the Lexus Experience Amazing Drive Event, hopefully with an RC F, and eventually the LC F, which is rumored to be on sale for the 2022 model year. And next time I’m behind a Lexus in traffic, I’m sure to pay a lot more attention.