Lexus has revealed the 2021 "Gamers' IS," which was built in collaboration with the Twitch community as an "ultimate gaming space." Based on a 2021 IS 350 F Sport, the Gamers' IS looks every bit the part of a crowdsourced promotion, with every element chosen by community vote. 

"The Twitch community dives headfirst into their passion of gaming, just as we did in designing the new 2021 Lexus IS as a pure expression of a sports sedan," said Vinay Shahani, vice president of marketing at Lexus. "We asked for their help designing their dream gaming space, and they answered in spades. Together, we created the ultimate fusion of design and performance in automotive and gaming."

J.D. Power's latest Vehicle Dependability Study is out, and, not surprisingly, Lexus sits at the top for the ninth time in the last 10 years. Right behind Lexus is Porsche, followed by Kia, which is the highest-ranked mass-market brand in the study. Genesis, last year's top-ranked brand (in its first year included in the results), fell from first to eighth, though the G80 sedan did earn an award in its midsize luxury segment. The Porsche 911 was called out as the Most Dependable Model by J.D. Power for the second time in the last three years.

The vehicles being studied are from the 2018 model year, which means owners have had three years to get to know their cars and trucks. It's notable that this year's study shows a marked improvement in overall vehicle dependability as tracked by J.D. Power. The overall level of problems, scored by the number of problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), declined by 10% compared to last year. 

The latest automaker brand report cards from Consumer Reports are in, and there are quite a few changes for 2021. At the very top of the charts sits Mazda, up three spots over last year, followed by BMW and Subaru to round out the top three. It's interesting to note that mainstream brands (non-luxury in CR-speak) don't seem to be at a disadvantage in CR's rankings, with five of the top 10 spots. In addition to Mazda in first and Subaru in third, Honda, Toyota, Chrysler, and Buick were the other high-ranking non-luxury marques.

The ratings are derived from "a combination of predicted reliability, and owner satisfaction based on member surveys, and CR's hands-on analysis" and also includes safety features and crash test scores. 

Nissan continued its model offensive by unveiling the third-generation Qashqai, a compact crossover that slots below the Rogue in its global lineup. Designed and engineered in the United Kingdom, the popular soft-roader will likely make its way to the United States in the not-too-distant future as the second-generation Rogue Sport.

Stylists refrained from making significant changes to the Qashqai's proportions, but they gave its front end a much bolder look that borrows design cues from the bigger Rogue. Its grille is bigger than the outgoing model's (an ongoing trend spreading across the industry) and it's flanked by swept-back LED daytime running lights underlined by low-mounted headlights. Chiseled air intakes set the scene for the rest of the crossover's styling updates.

The next-generation Honda HR-V has been revealed, and in many ways it's a major departure from the old model. Not only does it have a sportier stance, but it's now a hybrid only. But there are still some classic HR-V features sprinkled about.

The shape of the HR-V (shown here as the Japanese-market Vezel) is much more coupelike with the forward leaning rear hatch. The tall, wide headlights and more vertical nose make it look wider and more imposing. The myriad diagonal creases of the outgoing model are gone, making the new car cleaner overall. The slatted grille is also quite interesting, as the slats appear to blend into the body work. Like the old HR-V, the new one has a rear door handle that's integrated into the door frame, giving it a two-door appearance.

Toyota announced Wednesday that it will begin selling a factory TRD-branded lift kit for its midsize Tacoma pickup. This new kit is not only TRD-approved and backed by a factory warranty, but it is fully compatible with the new Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) tech that has been offered on the Tacoma since the 2020 model year. 

The kit is compatible with all V6 four-wheel-drive models apart from the long-bed crew cab variant and the TRD Pro (which shouldn't need one to begin with). Toyota says it's good for a two-inch lift up front and about an inch in the rear. The kit also comes with a TRD-style grille replacement, which is more than just an aesthetic upgrade. 

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Most of the car giveaways on Omaze come from private collections or from restoration companies, but every once in a while an OEM steps in, and this time it is Honda. This sweepstakes is for something truly special: a 2021 Honda Civic Type R Limited Edition, one of only 600 to hit the U.S. market. This specific example is serial number 001, and you can enter to win right now.

TOKYO — Nissan will adjust production in Fukuoka prefecture this week due to disruptions in parts supplies after an earthquake hit northeastern Japan, two sources familiar with the matter said.

The earthquake on Saturday affected auto parts maker Hitachi Astemo, the sources said.

The 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander is a pretty big deal for the automaker. It marks the first time since 2014 that the brand's long-running small crossover has had a thorough overhaul and not just a big facelift. It also marks the first Mitsubishi model in the U.S. to take advantage of the company's recent induction to the Nissan-Renault Alliance. The result is a crossover that combines Mitsubishi styling and tuning with mechanical bits shared with Nissan.

On the outside, the Outlander looks remarkably similar to the Engelberg Tourer concept shown at Geneva two years ago. It has the huge lower headlight units, strong character lines and distinctive upright rear pillar. Compared to the old model, the new Outlander is a bit larger. It's 0.6 inch longer, 2 inches wider and 1.5 inches taller. The wheelbase is longer by 1.4 inches. Mitsubishi claims that the extra wheelbase has added another inch each for front and rear legroom.

As if we needed more evidence that the days of internal combustion are almost over, Japan's second-largest oil company will start selling an electric car later this year. Idemitsu Kosan forecasts an irreversible decline in gasoline usage in the coming years, and is developing the car as a way to keep its 6,400 gas stations across Japan in business.

Founded in 1911, Idemitsu is one of Japan's oldest petroleum refiners. According to the Nikkei, though, the company is "seeing an end to oil" and has partnered with an electric vehicle company, Tajima EV, to make a small, zero-emissions city car.

LONDON — Red Bull has formed its own powertrain company and will continue to race from 2022 with engines using Honda technology, the Formula One team said on Monday.

Honda, who are engine partners to Red Bull Racing and Italy-based sister team AlphaTauri, announced last year they would be leaving the sport as a power unit manufacturer at the end of 2021 to focus on zero-emission technology.

TOKYO — Toyota Motor Corp said on Tuesday it will temporarily suspend vehicle production on 14 lines at nine group factories in Japan due to an earthquake that hit Japan's northeast last week.

Lexus has teased a new F Sport model by revealing just the engine cover. It could point to a new performance version of the 2021 Lexus IS, and a potential successor to the dearly departed IS F.

The image was obtained by Lexus Enthusiast, which pointed out that the carbon-fiber pattern cover is exactly the same shape as the one found shrouding the 5.0-liter V8 that powers the GS F and RC F. Good for 467 horsepower and 389 lb-ft of torque and a symphonic revving sound, the 2UR-GSE has traditionally been the heart of Lexus's F performance line.

Turning most vehicles into crossovers / SUVs seems to be the norm these days, and Ford is doing just that with its next generation Fusion, known as the Mondeo on the other side of the Atlantic.