Category: Lexus

Shutting the gate after the horse has bolted Lexus has confirmed its LF-LC hybrid concept will be on display at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit with this short statement:

Lexus will unveil a new LF-LC 2+2 sports coupe concept at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit on 9 January, a vehicle which marks a further step in the development of Lexus’s design direction.

Lexus has crafted the LF-LC from a clean sheet of paper, combining high technology and organic shapes to achieve a close connection between driver and car. The concept’s clean lines create a highly distinctive, futuristic look.

LF-LC was conceived as an exercise to explore the future of Lexus design and was created at Lexus’s Calty design studio in Newport Beach, California.

Following a couple of official previews (see below) for a new concept car to be released in Detroit early next month this image of a Lexus LF-LC has also emerged. It’s also an official pic, we’re told, and follows the usual pattern of being released following some leaked photos.

It’s a 2+2 hybrid powered sportscar with speculation it could even be based on the Toyota 86 platform.

Lexus Vice President Mark Templin said, “The LF-LC blends both high technology and organic shapes to connect the driver to the machine. The clean lines of the vehicle emphasize motion, creating a distinctive look for this futuristic sport coupe.”

We’ll bring you more when we can.

[Source: WCF]

One week after its first teaser image Lexus returns with a look at the leathery innards of its latest concept vehicle. They also provide this short statement:

Created by Calty, the company’s design studio in Newport Beach, California, the concept vehicle will debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit at 13:25 PST (22:25 CET) on January 9, 2012.

Lexus has today given us a sneak peek at the new concept car they will be bringing to the Detroit Auto Show in early January. We’ll have more for you next week, but for now we just have this aggressive front quarter shot to show you.

Riding on 265/35/21 rubber at the front it looks as though the sportscar concept will sit above the company’s LFA supercar. The short statement from Lexus accompanying the supplied image reads:

Lexus will unveil a new concept vehicle at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on January 9, 2012. Designed by Calty, the company’s design studio in Newport Beach, California, the concept showcases the new design direction embraced by Lexus. More information will follow next week.

Lexus has just released footage showing their LFA Nürburgring package lapping the Nordschleife in 7 minutes 14.64 seconds.

As is the way these days when a manufacturer sets a quick lap at the Ring a record of some sort is generally claimed. Lexus say their time is the “fastest ever recorded lap time for a road-registered series production car around Germany’s infamous Nürburgring circuit.”

Forget the semantics of claiming records for one moment and 7:14 is just plain fast. No other way to describe it, really. Lexus also say the LFA Nürburgring used to set the time was not modified in any way and even ran on the standard Bridgestone Potenza RE070 tyres it is delivered with.

The special edition model has improved downforce over the regular LFA and also has slightly more power; up from 412kW to 420kW. Just 50 will be made, leaving 450 standard LFAs in the total production run of 500 cars.

The time is no doubt a bitter sweet moment for the Lexus family after they lost respected test driver Hiromu Naruse at the wheel of an LFA Nürburgring development model in Germany last year. The 67-year-old was involved in a head on collision with a BMW test vehicle on a public road near the Nürburgring. Naruse was known as the “Godfather of the LFA”.

You can watch the full onboard video of the 7:14 lap after the break, as well as an official statement from Lexus.

Lexus has used its 552hp V10 powered LFA supercar to attract a new audience; the bikini-clad supermodel audience. Well, an LFA was used in a recent photo shoot for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition. Photographer Yu Tsai teamed up with model Rianne ten Haken and dorifto king Rhys Millen to come up with a new concept for SI.

What do you think; a worthy effort, or a shameless marketing sham? And how do you think the Lexus will look alongside the usual sunny beachside scenes?

[Source: World Car Fans]

Almost 12 months ago Lexus told us the LFA Nürburgring Package was available for sale. Now they’re hoping we’ve forgotten that news and are telling us the world debut of the same car will take place at the Geneva Auto Salon in March.

At the time there was no indication those wanting one of the limited LFAs would have to wait 12 months, so either they neglected to brief us on that last year, or sales are slow.

Starting with a mega-expensive LFA supercar, Lexus have thrown some magic paint, a revised aero package and a few extra horses at the Ring pack. The LFA itself is limited to 500 units and from that allocation 50 have been set aside for the marketurgring treatment.