Following its debut at the Detroit Motor Show last month, the new sedan will be presented in full-hybrid trim as the IS 300h.
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It may have lost money on every one it made, despite its US$375,000 price tag that made it the most expensive Japanese production car in history, but the 562HP V10 exotic did for Lexus’ image more than probably any other car since the original LS that launched the brand in 1989.
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We don't know whether Toyota should worry, but a great number of tuners focused their efforts on altering the appearance of the rear-wheel drive coupe that's marketed as the Toyota GT 86 outside of Japan and the Scion FR-S in North America.
While the students at NATS gave the 86 an Audi R8-esque look and Toyota's own Original Accessory sub-brand a classic feel, the always-imaginative crew from Japan's DAMD decided to turn their 86 into a mini-me Lexus LFA calling it the LFT-86.
Toyota and its luxury division, Lexus, are of a different mindset; namely, that the aim to reduce and if possible, eliminate traffic accidents, injuries and fatalities can be achieved not necessarily by self-driving vehicles but by active-safety features.
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All we know is that everyone here at CarScoop wishes you a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays and that we will be taking some time off today (don't worry, we've planned some stories) before resuming normal operations.
Before we bid thee farewell and warn you to drive safely and, in case you intend to have a drink or two, designate a driver or just leave your car keys at home, there’s some breaking news we’d like to share with you.
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The only thing that looks out of place on the TS-650 that made its world premiere today at the 2012 Essen Motor Show are the Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG) logos that replace the Lexus badges on the car.
We would also have preferred to see TMG base the TS-650 on the recently facelifted Lexus LS with its more sculpted body, but still, the Japanese brand's European designers deserve praise for turning a dull luxury limo into a fully fledged sports sedan.
The muscled up concept gains a wider body with blistered wheel arches along with matching front and rear bumpers, and a carbon fiber aero kit comprising a front lip spoiler, extended side skirts, rear diffuser and boot lid wing. The same lightweight material is also used on the roof and the front fender air vent trims.
The bigger LF-LC is a pure sports car featuring a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain producing 499-horses (506PS) and all-wheel drive. Lexus officials have admitted that they are considering a production version, though no final decision has been reached yet.
Lexus' second study is the LF-CC for a coupe model based on the underpinnings and mechanical hardware of the next IS sedan.
In concept trim, the Japanese carmaker's BMW 3-Series Coupe-rival sports a hybrid systems comprising a 2.5-liter four-pot and an electric motor delivering somewhere around 200-horses to the rear wheels.
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Well, that may hold true for the regular LS, which was recently redesign adopting a more modern appearance, but that's definitely not the case with the concept pictured here and which was prepared by Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG).
Based on the pre-facelift Lexus LS, the TMG Sport or TS-650 Concept is a track ready, high-performance saloon fitted with a 5.0-liter twin-turbocharged engine capable of reaching 9,000 rpm while delivering 641hp (650PS) and a peak torque of 710Nm (524 lb-ft).
An eight-speed transmission drives the car's wheels (we still don't know if the concept is all- or rear-wheel drive).
According to the Japanese carmaker's motorsport division, "its aerodynamics were developed in TMG's wind tunnels and significant development has been dedicated to handling."
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Well, Toyota's motorsport division has finally made the decision to reveal the car in front of the public for the very first time at this month's 2012 Essen Motor Show in Germany, which runs from November 30 to December 9.
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One of the highlights at the Japanese luxury brand's stand will be a 2013 GS350 F Sport prepared in partnership with VIP Auto Salon.
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After adding the first ever F Sport edition to the range of the latest LS, which was recently followed up by the release of a cosmetics package for said model from Toyota Racing Development (TRD) in Japan, Lexus has now partnered up with Five Axis to present a more heavily tuned version of the car at the 2012 SEMA Show.
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Lexus tells us that the LF-LC Blue concept's new hue is inspired by the glossy base color found in the naturally occurring semi-precious opal stone of outback Australia.
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Now this space will be filled with the production version of the LF-CC concept that premiered at the Paris Auto Show.
Building on the very positive reaction that the LF-LC received at January’s Detroit Motor Show, the LF-CC is a more down-to-earth, almost production-ready model, that will inspire a coupe version of the next IS series to compete against the BMW 3/4 Series Coupe.
The front-engined, rear-wheel drive concept also features a hybrid powertrain, which according to the company, will eventually power other models, too.
It consists of a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with direct injection that operates on the more efficient Atkinson cycle, a compact electric motor, a generator, a battery, a power split device and a central control unit that manages the internal combustion engine-electric motor-battery operation modes.
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The Lexus LF-CC is more compact than the LF-LC concept and also looks more production-ready. It features a less steeply raked interpretation of the trademark Lexus “spindle” grille and its headlamps, while not as futuristic as those of the LF-LC, feature 3 LED projectors each and are set quite back compared to the grille creating what Lexus says is a “3D form”.
The proportions of the LF-CC are those of a typical front-engined, rear-wheel drive coupe, with a long front bonnet, a passenger cabin set rearwards and a stubby tail. In fact, its side profile sort of reminds us of the Toyota GT86/Scion FR-S coupes – or it could just be our blurry eyesight…
The Japanese automaker, which as you may remember, is also going to show an evolution of the LF-LC Hybrid Sports Coupe Concept at the Australian International Motor Show in late October, said it will reveal more details and possibly the first images of the new study on September 17.
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At this year’s Detroit Motor Show, the Lexus LF-LC concept received raving reviews for its looks, which were created by the company’s Calty design studio in California. At the time, Calty president Kevin Hunter said that the aggressively styled concept “embodies our vision of what a premium sports coupe could be”.
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On Monday, Lexus announced that it will debut a further development of the hybrid sports coupe, this time complete with a powertrain, as a world premiere at the Australian International Motor Show that takes place in Sydney from October 19 to 28.
"The Lexus concept is an absolutely stunning vehicle and is set to be one of the drawcards of the show," commented Lexus Australia Chief Executive Tony Cramb. "The concept will highlight Lexus' design and engineering expertise - marrying design with function to deliver a glimpse into the future of supercars," he added.
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The LFA, Lexus' first ever attempt in the supercar segment, boasts a high-revving 4.8-liter V10 engine mounted up front that generates 552bhp in standard trim and 562-horses for the Nürburgring Edition model. Lexus built only 500 examples of the LFA.
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Company insiders told Automotive News that due to the "overwhelming reaction" from the public, as well as the need to fill the void left by the SC 430 that was discontinued in 2010, Lexus is seriously considering to give the LF-LC the green light for production.
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Lexus says that its goal with the concept was to share its vision of what a premium sports coupe could look like with the public as well as to display the brand's evolved styling language and future technologies.
In this new video, the Japanese company's designers from its Calty Studio in California, which was responsible for the creation of the LF-LC, talk us through all the design details. Hop over the break to check it out.
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