Thursday 10th September 2009

Lexus Reveals BMW 1 Series Rival

Frankfurt concept heralds hybrid assault on 'premium compact' sector

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There'll be a new player in the 'premium compact' sector next year, as Lexus readies a stylish new hatchback - with a hybrid powertrain.

The new production model will be based on the LF-Ch concept pictured here, which Lexus will unveil at the Frankfurt show next week. Technical details of the hybrid powertrain have not been released with these official images, but the company press release does discuss the exterior and interior design at length.

"A new, bolder Lexus grille design sits above a deep, full-width bumper and air dam, giving a perfect balance of precision and power. The sharply sculpted, aerodynamic front wings overlap the front bumper to create deep, front brake-cooling air intakes and give the LF-Ch a powerful and purposeful wide-track stance," the blurb says.

"In profile, the tapered side glazing, a muscular, rising beltline and a sharply truncated rear overhang project the car's premium compact character. The steeply raked windscreen, long flowing roofline, blacked-out B-pillars and rear doorhandles integrated in the C-pillar window trim combine to give the appearance of a sporting pillarless coupe. At the rear the trailing edge of the roof overhangs the rear window to create an integrated rear spoiler." There'll be a new player in the 'premium compact' sector next year, as Lexus readies a stylish new hatchback - with a hybrid powertrain.

Inside the concept car has a few 'showbiz' tricks, including ambient lighting in the headlining, but the key elements of its design are likely to make it into the production model.

"Extensive use of semi-aniline leather, polished aluminium, wood and soft-touch materials reinforces the theme of harmonious contrast in the dashboard, door panels and seating. The driving position is low and well-supported, with a wide-grip steering wheel with paddle shift controls and an instrument binnacle housing large twin dials embellished with a turbine motif," says Lexus.

Interestingly, the concept also gets Lexus Remote Touch controls, as first seen in the new RX 450h. With a multi-information display on top of the dashboard, Remote Touch is designed to work like a computer mouse, letting the driver access control and customise a range of information, entertainment and vehicle set-up programmes.

 

 

[RogMcDodge]

• cough* vauxhall astra *cough*

[anonymous-user]

3 Series or 1 Series?

FWD or RWD?

[daimo_45]

Looks brilliant apart from the boy'd up, chav wheels!

Edited by daimo_45 on Thursday 10th September 09:46

[amare32]

Yep looks chav.

[Gizmo!]

I like that a lot. Very dramatic shape. It seems that the Japanese are finding 'their style' now in car design - much bolder shapes than the Europeans are doing at the moment - which is interesting.

[kambites]

Looks like a Seat Leon Cupra with some fancy detailing to me.

In other words, ugly.

[loomx]

Does anyone else think, their "new bold grille" design looks like it was taken from hyundia

[Jimboza]

I'm sorry chaps but to me that looks like the dogs swingers, altho certainly not in that rotten yellow. So errrr.. performance stats?

[CypherP]

Wow. Now that is really good. And i think i'm the first so far to think that Lexus actually get away with chrome wheels on this. I actually think they look good and work with the styling of the car. Interior looks superb. I reckon i'd buy one of those instead if i was to replace my 3 series.

Will just have to wait and see as usual if it actually looks anything like this when its put into production.

[Agoogy]

Thumbs up from me too.... clearly a show concept on bling 20"s with look at me paint and stuff, but the basic look is quite dramatic, and whilst some comparisons with other C segment cars are justified, I don't think they'll be anyway that a) you'll confuse it with anything else on the road and b) you'd be able NOT to look twice at it on the move.

Will be interesting to se stats on it too....

[Chris-R]

LexSport said:

3 Series or 1 Series?

FWD or RWD?

Eek.. 1-series, sorry! I must have been distracted by the gorgeous Merc SLS picture gallery I'm about to post...

[Brabus Jord]

Give it a bonnet scoop and its a new scooby isnt it?

[cptsideways]

Being it a Lexus it WILL be rwd

[jamieboy]

Has something gone wrong with the cut-and-paste?

Has something gone wrong with the cut-and-paste?

[Pothole]

Kia Cee'd anyone?

[LuS1fer]

It looks better than a 1 series but then so does the back end of a bus. In its own right, it's not a bad looker but whereas the BMW (ignoring looks) manages to pull off looking like a quality square box, this just looks like a hot hatch in the mould of an Astra VXR. It's too "boy-racer" to have any class about it.

[GranTurismoMan]

Wow, no missing out on the details thanx to ph putting most of it in twice! Lol. Looks good though and it'll be interesting to see if its fwd or rwd! Smaller and less chromed wheels will vastly change the way it looks too.

[Mannginger]

jamieboy said:

Has something gone wrong with the cut-and-paste?

Has something gone wrong with the cut-and-paste?

was just about to post the exact same thing.

As for the car - it's a little Astra-ish (but that's ok) Not too big a fan of the rear treatment though as it looks like a series of 3 steps with all of the swoops (integrated spoilers) etc.

Is it RWD?

[fido]

Looks like the lovechild of an Alfa 147 and a last gen Civic Type-R.

[tannerian]

Aesthetically, thats the love child of a 3 door astra and a scirroco.
Not excatly a bad thing as both are good looking cars, but c'mon - some originality please.

Whats happened to the shock of when a new model comes out with a completely different look - subaru not included!! For example, when the sierra replaced the cortina, or the focus replaced the escort - they were dramatic steps forward. Not that im a fan of Fords, they were just the 1st examples to spring to mind