Lexus has some changes in store for most of its model lineup in 2009, though there doesn't appear to be anything in store for enthusiast drivers to rejoice over. Also cause for jeers instead of cheers: price increases from .8 to 1.1 percent, depending on model. The IS 250 and 350 do get revised suspension and steering tuning to go with exterior styling tweaks and the revised interior carries a new center cluster and an off switch for the VDIM stability control. The IS F über-IS also gets a new interior rendered in terra cotta and black that's termed "sporty."

The only news in the GS department is a 40% increase in trunk space for the GS 450h hybrid, which sounds fantastic but only amounts to 10.6 total cubic feet. The big LS sedans stay largely the same, though some new variants join the party. AWD versions of the LS 460 and LS 460 L tuck a Torsen differential onto the transmission's output shaft, which then marshalls torque between front and rear axles. Slick. The AWD LSes come standard with air suspension, variable-ratio steering, and adaptive suspension. Hit the jump for the full press release with detailed pricing info.

It's no secret that the used car market is in a state of flux. As gas prices rise and fall, so does the value of the car currently sitting in your driveway, waiting to be traded in. To help dealerships assign a fair value to your car, the National Automobile Dealers Association has added two new categories for wholesale vehicle market. The new categories are "Rough" and "Average" and they join "Clean Trade-In," "Clean Loan" and "Clean Retail" as options for your ex-vehicle to fall into.

According to NADA, roughly half of all trade-ins will fall into the newly established "Average" category. As you might imagine, "Rough" vehicles have seen a bit more wear and tear than is typical. Then there's the good old "Salvage" bucket for cars which have seen much better days. You won't necessarily know what bucket a dealership is assigning to your particular vehicle as these categories are to be used in the wholesale market only. Still, the dealership is keenly aware that it may need to rid itself of your trade-in and the business-to-business market may be its best bet. In other words, you may be indirectly touched by these new standards.

The 2001 VW Microbus concept was really cool; so much so that it looked like it was headed for 2005 production. Then the project started getting expensive at the same time the U.S. dollar began to hit the skids. So, then-boss Bernd Pischetsrieder swung the axe, and it was curtains for the retro breadbox. Fast-forward to the present. Instead of a spiffy new Microbus, we now have the Routan, which is fake German for "Dodge Caravan." Not very exciting, to say the least.

A revival of Flower Power's official vehicle seemed hopeless -- until now. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that VW's entertaining the possibility of a 21st-century Microbus built on the same platform as the new sedan that'll pe produced at VW's Chattanooga, TN facility. An unnamed "senior Volkswagen official" told the paper that European production's basically a non-starter, and Volkswagen Group of America's Jill Bratina played it coy, saying only that a second vehicle line out of Chattanooga is "conceivable in the foreseeable future." A locally-built, car-based Microbus is an idea that certainly piques our interest. How about yours?

When it was introduced in 2008, the brand-new Honda CBR1000RR, known as Fireblade across the pond, won accolades from the the press and regular riders alike. Considering its market domination over the last year, we wouldn't be surprised if Honda simply left things pretty much alone for '09. There is one new feature, though, and it's a biggie: optional ABS brakes. This will be the first application of anti-lock brakes in a machine of this caliber, and early reports indicate that people are seeing improved lap times as a result. In addition to the brakes, expect to see some color changes and a Repsol race edition.

Moving on to Honda's smaller-bore machine, the CBR600RR will also get optional C-ABS along with engine changes designed to improve torque right in the middle of the power band, between 8,000 and 12,000 RPM. Along with these changes comes revised styling with flashy colors pulled straight from the mid-'90s. Apparently, neon green and electric blue are back. Why didn't somebody tell us sooner?

Hey kids, don't forget: the new, not-at-all-improved Knight Rider becomes a weekly series on Wednesday, September 24th. As was the case during the pilot that aired back in February, I'll be on my couch with my laptop, liveblogging the proceedings and adding much-needed "perspective" each week, right until the show's cancellation. Maybe you couldn't care less about the liveblog, though. Or maybe you're just a glutton for punishment. If that's the case, you're in luck -- the Peacock is posting the season premiere online at NBC.com and Hulu.com on September 17, a week before the network broadcast. I'm gonna pass on the sneak peek, because I don't want want to taint my initial reaction to KITT's new Attack Mode (above). That, I'm saving for you guys. Mark your calendars. In the meantime, I'll watch this again instead.

First art imitates life and now video games do the same, with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe and Nissan having joined forces to create the GT Academy. Over the course of eight months, the academy culled a group of wannabe racers from a field of entrants who posted the best lap times in GT5 Prologue. Then, for five days at Silverstone, the finalists competed in the game and on the actual track, watched by ex-F1 racer Johnny Herbert and a panel of five judges.

The two winners were just announced, and Top Gun status went to Lars Schlomer and Luis Ordonez. Schlomer is a taxi driver in Bonn, Germany; Ordonez is an MBA student from Spain. Now that they've won, they'll be thrown into boot camp for four months to learn to how to race for real silver: in four months, they'll have to earn their racing licenses and get ready to drive a factory-backed Nissan 350Z in the 24 Hours of Dubai this coming January.The rest of us will have to be content with GT5 Prologue for now...

The classic touring bike style has seen only minor revisions since the 1940s or so, but that doesn't mean something spicy and different can't shake up the segment from time to time, as proven by the Victory Vision. Introduced last year, the Vision sports futuristic styling that's also very effective at keeping the wind and elements at bay -- exactly what you want from a long-legged steed. That the Vision is equipped with an extremely powerful 106-cubic-inch (over 1,700cc) air-cooled engine with 92 horsepower and 109 lb-ft of torque mated to a six-speed transmission is icing on the cake. To celebrate its 10th Anniversary, America's other motorcycle manufacturer threw everything but the kitchen sink at the Vision and ended up with a $29,000 two-wheeler bedecked in metallic red, black and chrome. Apparently, riders liked the result enough to snatch up all 100 Anniversary editions in the first seven minutes it was made available for purchase online. With that kind of response, maybe they should make a big deal about the 11th anniversary next year...

Automakers and car dealerships have used the old "Free Gas" promotion to good effect, so it's not surprising that companies outside the industry might try it, too. Electronic Arts gave it a go recently to promote its new Mercenaries 2 video game in the UK by taking over a gas station in North London and giving away £20,000 ($35,000) worth of free gas. The free fuel was pumped by actors wearing military garb (with bandoliers!) in £40 increments to any who drove up. While those receiving the priceless petrol were thrilled, area residents and motorists just trying to drive by called the PR stunt "irresponsible and dangerous". Locals had their driveways blocked for hours and were forced to listen to a symphony of horns from exasperated drivers trying to negotiate the giant queue of cars. Beginning at 6:30 in the morning, the promo was supposed to go on until all £20,000 worth of gas had been pumped, but authorities shut it down just four hours later. While EA may have peeved the locals, news of its blunder has spread across the web like wildfire and given Mercs 2 more free exposure than it would've gotten otherwise.