An automobile exhaust system includes a catalytic converter and a modified NOx trap wit improved sulfur tolerance. Sulfur oxide has a deleterious effect on the performance of nitrogen oxide traps. In the modified NOx trap, a sulfur oxide trap is integrated with a nitrogen oxide trap by coating the catalyst contained within a nitrogen oxide trap with a mixed oxide layer of calcium oxide and magnesium oxide. The NOx trap is regenerated by heating at elevated temperature for a short time period.