Love it or hate it, that hourglass-shaped grille from the new Lexus GS isn’t going away anytime soon. At least, not if you’re to believe the LF-LC Concept, which debuted yesterday at the Detroit Auto Show and predicts the future of the Lexus design language.
The new coupe, which was styled by Toyota's Calty design studio in California, is supposed to show the latest evolution of Lexus' design language; many of the cues on this show car have appeared on prior Lexus production and concept vehicles.
"Our entire studio worked to develop this beautiful interpretation of Lexus originality," said Kevin Hunter, president of Calty. "The LF-LC concept embodies our vision of what a premium sport coupe could be."
The mesh spindle-shaped front grille resembles that of the Lexus GS, for instance, while the swept-back headlights and stubby trunk recall the LFA supercar. The front fascia features vertical fog lamps in dot-matrix style housing that blend into functional air intakes ahead of the front wheels. Other design details include a panoramic glass roof with a "cantilevered pillar" and a rising, "kick-up window graphic."
"The concept we're showing here in Detroit continues the Lexus design revolution started with the CT and GS," said Mark Templin, Lexus group vice president and general manager. "The concept hybrid 2+2 liberates the idea of a sport coupe and pushes the boundaries of performance, style and technology."
The interior is a showcase of high-tech controls and infotainment systems including a number of touch-screen boards to help the driver remain focused on the road. There is a touch-screen board within the center console, while both doors are also fitted with touch-screen surfaces that control windows, mirrors, seat adjustments, and personal entertainment settings. Interior surfaces are covered in leather, suede, and metallic and wood accents.
It's rumored that the LF-LC may be headed for production in the near future. A production version LF-LC would be built on a shortened version of the next Lexus LS chassis, and have a plug-in hybrid drivetrain. The car may be called the LC 600h and go on sale in 2015.