As impressive as the all-new 2019 BMW X7 xDrive40is 12.3-inch centre display screen is, it cant compete with the epic views of Howe Sound from the Sea to Sky Highway.Marley Hutchinson (Editor’s note: In the spirit of the summer road trip, we’re borrowing from the Travel section this week with a story about a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And don’t fret gearheads, there’s a sweet ride involved.)Call it the ultimate car-sharing experience.Two B.C. Fairmont hotels have teamed up with Sea to Sky Exotic Car Rentals to offer a memorable five-day road trip package called Life is a (Luxurious) Highway.That highway is the oh-so-scenic Sea to Sky linking Vancouver and Whistler, and is paired to perfection with the all-new BMW X7, a luxury sport utility vehicle purpose-built for road trips like this.The package includes a couple of nights at both the Fairmont Pacific Rim in Vancouver and Whistlers Fairmont Chateau in Gold Room accommodations with accompanying over-the-top pampering, an amazing drive up and down one of the worlds most scenic routes, and some seat time in the latest master werke from the exacting engineering minds of Bayerische Motoren Werke.The package name borrows from Tom Cochranes 1992 hit Life is a Highway, in which the Canadian rocker implores:‘Come ride with me to the distant shores,We won’t hesitate break down the garden gate,There’s not much time left today.’If that doesnt speak to the very nature of the quintessential summer road trip, I dont know what does. Throw in Luxurious to that mix and youve got a five-day adventure that will resonate with you for many summers to come (winters too). I was fortunate to do just that, and weeks later Im still humming the tune and thinking, Life is a highway, I want to ride it all night long.The Ride: BMW X7Its been 20 years since BMW launched its first X branded SUV, so its a bit of surprise it took that long for the German luxury automaker to enter the big-boy sport-ute marketplace, given that Range Rover, Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Cadillac have had such offerings for years now. But as is so often the case with BMW products, the wait for the all-new X7 was worth it, as it takes all the best attributes of the X5 high-end cabin, clean exterior lines and excellent performance attributes melds them with the legendary 7 Series sedan ethos and super sizes them all (consider, for one, the BMW badge on the front grille had to be made bigger just to fit with the uber proportions). And so was born the ideal vehicle for the Life is a (Luxurious) Highway package.(The Fairmont) asked us to buy one for them, specifically for this package, says Sea to Sky Exotic Car Rentals owner Jonas Johmann, who also offers a number of supercars for his discerning clientele. The fact his business is located in the underground parking lot of the Fairmont Pacific Rim makes this partnership ideal for all involved. There are two versions of the 2019 X7 the six-cylinder xDrive40i and the eight-cylinder xDrive50i and Johmanns is the former, with a very fuel-efficient 3.0-litre engine producing a more-than-adequate 335 horsepower. How fuel efficient? On my drive up and down the Sea to Sky Highway, covering 268 kilometres, I squeezed a 9.7 L/100 km out of the twin-turbo beast.The Journey: Sea to Sky HighwayWhen you turn the corner where Highway 1 becomes the Sea to Sky Highway in West Vancouver, the view north of Howe Sound and the Coast Mountains is right out of a car commercial. Literally. The stretch between Horseshoe Bay and Britannia Beach has been the backdrop of countless commercials, and as the twisty road unfolds out the X7s front windshield, and surrounding mountain peaks through the SUVs gigantic panoramic sunroof, you yourself feel like your in a real-time car ad. And the X7 is perfectly cast in this role. While a two-seat roadster might very well be the perfect car for this iconic drive, the luxury SUV certainly rises to the occasion, with its sport sedan-like handling unwavering through the tighter twists on the undulating blacktop, its performance-tuned engine and seamless eight-speed gearbox providing more than enough power for the climbs, and its oh-so-well appointed and comfortable cabin a tranquil sanctuary from which to witness the wonders of the West Coast reveal themselves.Ive been driving this highway for nearly 30 years now, beginning with ski bum days coaxing VW Westfalias, Ford LTDs and Jeep Cherokees up and down the then-treacherous route, followed by piloting auto-journalist-era whips like Rolls-Royces, Porsches and supercars up and down the more stress-free, post-2010 Winter Olympics highway. And it never gets old.I can just imagine what it must be like for a first-timer, particularly one charting the course in a 2019 BMW X7 as part of the Life is a (Luxurious) Highway package.My only complaint? It was over too soon.The Destinations: Fairmont Pacific RimThe very essence of the summer road trip is that well-worn adage, Its the journey, not
Origin: Life in the Luxe Lane
lane
Want a 2020 Lexus LS 500? Take a look down memory lane
2019 Lexus LS 500Handout LIBERIA, Costa Rica So, you want a new LS 500. Well now, arent you in the minority? Whats wrong with you? Dont you know large, luxury sedans are totally pass? Why arent you shopping some over-priced, underperforming sport-ute like all your peers? Seriously, in this day of rampant me-tooism, if you want to stand out, buy a sedan. If youre independently foolish and really want to stand out, get an LS 500.Not that theres anything wrong with Lexus latest flagship sedan. Its actually a bit of a stunner as long as you can stomach the muy-macho grille and doesnt go half bad, either.One surprising thing is that Lexus doesnt offer the new LS with eight pistons; a V6 is the only available engine. However, both are fortified, the regular LS with twin turbochargers and the LS500h with a naturally-aspirated 3.5-litre V6 mated to Toyotas Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain. Both will provide more than adequate performance, though, despite Lexus protestations to the contrary, the Hybrid doesnt feel nearly as sporty as the turbo. Always relaxed partially because its mated to a ten-speed automatic the 416-horsepower V6 unit scoots when it has to, trundles when youre relaxed, and will if its anything like Lexus motors past will do so until your children are grandparents.The LS ride/handling balance fairly matches its engine. Not nearly as sprightly as a Maserati Quattroporte and still a smidge behind BMWs 7 Series, the latest LS is still up for the job of straightening twisty roads. Those so inclined are best served by opting for the air suspensions its standard equipment on the LS500h and switching the mode button to Sport+. The steering becomes heavier, the springing firmer, and the whole plot a little more inciting, all without much ruining the big Lexus ride. Inside, the LS is pretty much the treat youre expecting, sumptuous leather covering roomy seats and delicate wood trim. This last gets special attention as all Lexus artwood inlays are built by Yamahas music division, my favourite being the one with the aluminum highlights. According Paul Williamsen, head of Lexus global marketing planning, Yamaha first overlays a wood veneer onto an aluminum substrate. Then it etches the patter it wants to remove the upper wood, leaving the aluminum underneath exposed. But because the aluminum is at a lower level than the wood and we certainly cant have an uneven surface in a Lexus, can we? Yamaha then vacuum seals the entire piece sucking the underlying metal onto an even keel with the overlaid wood. Wow, thats a lot of trouble for a few metal pinstripes.Williamsen says this is part and parcel of the companys Experience Amazing strategy: In the battle of marketing slogans, I think relentlessly pursuing perfection is a better measure of Lexus obvious obsessive compulsion.Only two foibles (may) mar the LS 500s interior. Lexus touchpad manipulated infotainment screen is either a love it or hate it affair. By love it or hate it, I mean everyone hates it at the beginning and then a few learn to, well, almost like it. Its polarizing. Almost as wonky but not nearly as polarizing are the multi-function switches puts on each side of the instrument binnacle. It either reminds you of a fighter jet or looks like someone forgot the wipes until the very last moment. Either way, it doesnt really compromise ergonomics so its not nearly as polarizing as the touchpad.Overall, the LS500, like all large luxury sedans, perhaps more than most, doesnt deserve to be ignored. Its a luxurious, spacious and well-crafted sedan, that last word the only reason its not more popular. No pricing is available on the 2020 yet, but the 2019 LS starts at $103,150 and Lexus Canada has some screaming deals going on right now. 2018 Lexus LC 500 Handout / Lexus Damn the family, I want two doors: Well, has Lexus got a sports coupe for you. Based on the same platform as the LS, the LC 500 has two things going for it. The first is that, unlike the sedan, the coupe is still offered with a naturally aspirated, we-dont-need-no-stinking-turbos 5.0-litre V8. The same one offered in the RC F, in fact: 471 horsepower, a 10-speed transmission, and some seriously stiff suspension make for an entertaining ride. Officially, the reason the twin-turbo V6 doesnt power the LC is that it wasnt quite ready when the big coupe was being engineered, but I think Lexus engineers just wanted to make some noise. The LC500 delivers. Indeed, while the LC is available as a hybrid and I recommend that powertrain for the LS the LC is best served by the rootin and tootin V8.More importantly, the LC500 has a face Maserati would die for. Lexus spindle grille may be a little overwrought for its run-of-the-mill sedans and soft-roaders, but it matches the LCs curves and creases perfectly. I dont usually render critiques about styling as my eye may not behold the same image as your own but I think this is the sexiest sport coupe extent. On looks
Origin: Want a 2020 Lexus LS 500? Take a look down memory lane
Reminder: Your passenger has to be breathing if you’re using the HOV lane
An old hearse in front of a crumbling warehouse.Getty People have been trying to beat the High-Occupancy Lane rules since the light-traffic stretches of pavement were introduced, conniving all sorts of wacky carpooling schemes to try and get in front of the gridlock on their commute.According to the LA Times, the latest trick tried Stateside involved counting a corpse in a casket in the back of a hearse as a passenger, even if their destination may be a little more final.Trooper Travis Smaka of the Nevada Highway Patrol apparently pulled over a black Chrysler minivan July 1 that appeared to only have one person sitting in the front, without a passenger, zipping down the HOV.Smaka asked for the drivers license and registration, and then for an explanation as to how exactly he qualified for carpool-lane use; the driver nodded and motioned to the back of the van.Oh, you have a deceased in the back? the trooper replied. He did. Then the trooper had to tell the mortuary driver that, well, corpses dont count.Yes, its a person, but theyre not in a seat and theyre not living and breathing, another trooper, Jason Buratczuk, told the Times. What if the dead were in the passenger seat? quizzed the reporter on the story. Buratczuk shot back: Then the HOV violation is the least of your concerns.HOV lane enforcement is being tightened up in Nevada, the newspaper reports, and now carries a fine of US$250; monitoring now occurs all day, not just during morning and evening rush hour.Today we stopped a local funereal home hearse in the HOV lane. The driver had the dearly departed in the back, he thought the deceased could be counted as two people. I guess we should clarify this, living, breathing people count for the HOV lane. The driver was given a warning pic.twitter.com/OQms0ktl8t NHP Southern Command (@NHPSouthernComm) July 1, 2019High-Occupancy Vehicle lanes are made to decrease fossil fuel usage and pollution by reducing the number of cars on the roads. If your passengers are instead on their way to becoming fossil fuels themselves? Were afraid you might just have to wait in traffic with the rest of the pre-deceased.Smaka ended up letting the hearse driver off with a warning. Smakas answer when the driver insisted he had a passenger on board? Hes not with us
Origin: Reminder: Your passenger has to be breathing if you’re using the HOV lane
Ontario grants motorcyclists HOV lane privileges
Vehicles crawl past the nearly empty Pan Am high-occupancy vehicle lanes as morning rush hour traffic crawls in Toronto on Monday, June 29, 2015.Frank Gunn Riding a motorcycle is about to become more convenient in Ontario says the CBC, noting that Transportation Minister Jeff Yurek is planning to change the rules limiting motorcycles riding in HOV lanes on provincial highways. Currently, Ontario is one of the few jurisdictions where single-rider motorcycles are not allowed in its high-occupancy lanes (riders carrying passengers are allowed). South of the border, for instance, it’s a federal rule that you can’t charge motorcycles — solo or otherwise — fees for using HOV lanes. Making things quite confusing, at least for those motorcyclists who have been ticketed for using high occupancy lanes in Canada’s most populous province, is that the city of Toronto does allow motorcycles — again, solo or otherwise — in its HOV lanes. What this means is that the high-occupancy lanes on the 403, 404, 417 and the QEW could soon be open to bikers, which, according to Yurek, will increase safety, not to mention reduce congestion and tailpipe emissions. Now, if the City of Toronto would just follow through on its promise to allow lane filtering — lane splitting to us motorcyclists — in the GTA, the entire province might actually become
Origin: Ontario grants motorcyclists HOV lane privileges
All about car 