The Auto World

Toyota, Kia, Mazda, and Lexus tighten restrictions on dealers working with brokers. New Jersey dealers risk fines, the loss of licenses, and costly contract repurchases. NJ Dealers are forbidden from working with brokers under a mostly ignored state law. Car brokers have long operated in the shadows of the auto industry, quietly connecting buyers with dealers while collecting fees from both sides. Now, in New Jersey especially, the lights are suddenly very bright. State regulators, automakers, and finance companies are all moving aggressively against brokered vehicle deals, be that leases or sales, warning dealers they could face steep penalties if they keep playing along. The pressure campaign has escalated quickly, and retailers are starting to realize this isn’t another politely worded compliance reminder. Related: A Mitsubishi Dealer Sold 14 Cars For Up To $8,000 Below Invoice Just To Get Out Toyota, Kia, Mazda, and Lexus hav...

A satin silver wrap makes this Escalade IQL stand out from all others. Matching matte Giovanna wheels give the EV a clean custom look. The large SUV is driven by a pair of electric motors producing 750 hp. For years, the meanest-looking Cadillac Escalades on the road have been those blacked out with heavily tinted windows, perfect for everyday owners, executives, rappers, and people who would very much like to be mistaken for either. It is, by now, a default. Which is why this modified Escalade IQL caught our attention. This Escalade IQL has been modified by DESIGNBYTWM in Texas, and the first thing you notice is the Satin Silver White Aluminum wrap. Cadillac will sell you the electric Escalade in a handful of perfectly respectable colors, but matte is not among them, and matte is precisely what a vehicle of this size and price tends to want. Photos DESIGNBYTWM Make no mistake, there will be plenty of people, perhaps...

Modern throttle-by-wire systems increasingly filter driver inputs through layers of software. A week with Infiniti’s QX60 prompted questions about low-speed throttle response. OBD logs mirrored our impressions, though they stop well short of proving a problem. Luxury vehicles of the past had a straightforward recipe. They focused on isolating occupants from noise, vibration, and harshness outside of the vehicle. Today, software plays a role, and not a small one either. Increasingly, automakers filter, shape, and reinterpret driver inputs in the name of refinement, fuel economy, smoothness, and effortless performance. That’s especially true with throttle-by-wire systems and a week in an Infiniti QX60 made that physical disconnect so apparent that we had to dig into the data. In most modern vehicles, pressing the accelerator no longer directly opens anything. Instead, your right foot sends a request, the computers interpret it, and ...

Lexus is working on an updated version of its best-seller. It combines exterior revisions with a new infotainment system. The facelifted crossover could debut next year as a 2028 model. Spy photographers recently snapped the first photos of the facelifted Lexus NX and now they’ve caught an updated RX. Spied near the Nürburgring, the prototype hints at some minor changes for the brand’s best-selling vehicle. Despite wearing a camouflaged front end, the crossover appears virtually identical to the current model. However, the disguise suggests we can expect a revised grille and an updated fascia. More: Lexus Just Introduced A Far More Affordable RX Plug-In Hybrid Since this is an early prototype, we wouldn’t be surprised to see more extensive changes later on. These could include updated wheels, a revised rump, and freshened lighting units. SHProshots Spy photographers ...