Three debuts occurred back in 1989: the Lexus brand, the LS, and the engine powering it, the 1UZ-FE. The 4.0-liter V8 looked like a racing engine because, in a way, it was built like one; specifically, the engines used in IndyCar.
The 1UZ found itself powering rides in the Super GT GT500 and Grand-Am Daytona Prototype classes. It also served as the powerplant for the Toyota HiAce HiMedic Ambulance, while an FAA-approved version powers planes. And it was voted one of Ward’s 10 Best Engines between 1998 and 2000. Not a bad foot to step out upon, no?
Cameron Aubernon's path to automotive journalism began in the early New '10s. Back then, a friend of hers thought she was an independent fashion blogger.
Aubernon wasn't, so she became one, covering fashion in her own way for the next few years.
From there, she's written for: Louisville.com/Louisville Magazine, Insider Louisville, The Voice-Tribune/The Voice, TOPS Louisville, Jeffersontown Magazine, Dispatches Europe, The Truth About Cars, Automotive News, Yahoo Autos, RideApart, Hagerty, and Street Trucks.
Aubernon also served as the editor-in-chief of a short-lived online society publication in Louisville, Kentucky, interned at the city's NPR affiliate, WFPL-FM, and was the de facto publicist-in-residence for a communal art space near the University of Louisville.
Where do you go for answers when you have a Lexus with a gorgeous leather interior but are not sure about how to maintain that luxurious look? The "Club Lexus" forums, of course.
