These are the latest pics of the Lexus LF-LC, ahead of the sports car concept’s Detroit motor show debut this month. Lexus says the concept “takes the new Lexus design direction one step further”. The LF-LC previews a luxurious new 2+2 coupe that Lexus is known to be considering for production. The futuristic styling of the car evolves the L-Finesse design language for Lexus’s production cars, seen in its latest more aggressive guise on the new Lexus GS and to make it onto next year’s new Lexus IS.
The concept sports a similar face to the LF-Gh concept from the New York motor show. There are also several nods to the Lexus LFA supercar in its design, particularly at the rear and in the sculpting of the front bumper. The name of the concept could prove to be significant in determining the LF-LC’s production future. Lexus, Toyota and Scion always give their concepts codenames that explain its positioning. LF stands for Lexus Future, while the L would appear to be a nod to the LS. The C is likely to stand for Coupe.
The model, tipped to go on sale by 2015, is being billed as a successor to the discontinued SC and would rival the Mercedes SL. The production car, insiders have indicated, would use a shortened version of the next-generation LS’s platform, which is due to go into production in 2014. It is likely to take the LC600h badge for production and feature a hi-tech hybrid drivetrain.
Lexus’s Calty design studio based in California is responsible for the LF-LC. The team at Calty has been responsible for many recent Toyota, Lexus and Scion concepts, including the CT200h-previewing LF-Ch from 2009.
We still know very little about it – we’ve no idea what powers it or even how big it is. That said, there’s speculation that it’s a hint to a new take on the Lexus LS luxobarge. Some are even suggesting that this may make production itself as a competitor to the Mercedes CL class. Now that would be something.
