Lexus sports concept leaked
YouTube 'gaffe' exposes LFA-inspired coupe ahead of Detroit debut
With its long, long bonnet and bright red paintjob, questions will surely be asked about the LF-LC's influences, even with a hybrid powertrain supplying the muscle.
No more information has been released about the car, which Lexus had been slowly teasing with detail shots until American mag Road & Track accidentally released a video of it on YouTube (since taken down).
However we do know it's been designed at the firm's Californian Calty design studio, with cues from both the LF-A supercar and the new GS 5 Series rival seen in the design. That means jagged headlights, and a cut-away grille with the ends of the wings extending out aggressively (dangerously, crash testers would say)
With 2+2 seating and a targa-style glass roof, the coupe could hint at a more focused replacement for the unloved SC folding hardtop coupe that nonetheless managed to survive nine years until being dropped in 2010 (2008 in the UK). It would also provide a much needed link between the V10-powered LF-A and the rest of the range, as well as giving the firm's sporty (read, BMW M and AMG rivalling) F portfolio greater prominence.
Pics here are screengrabs of the original Road & Track video, hence the somewhat ropey quality.
This brings me to something I cannot get my head around.
Aside from the chestbeating halo effect and cars that do 300mph and cost £1,000,000, I would say that most people will take looks into consideration when buying a car subject to some exceptions:
For example (and trying to stick with Lexus/Toyota)
- the LS430 is widely regarded as being ugly or, to be kinder, odd looking. I agree that the front end is strange and the rest of the car from the A-pillar back is more than a passing nod to a W140 but it is an astonishingly good car. It overcame the 'looks' because of the upward movement of owners from the LS400 (itself a brilliant car) and the very positive reviews.
- wierd looking cars that are not good (Pontiac Aztec) will sink like a stone
- odd/wierd looking cars that are ok but not outstanding compared to competitors will amble along but occupy a niche (SC430 I am looking at you)
- cars that make you want to cry, sell everything you own and pawn yourself to the Devil himself based on looks can overcome all sorts of inherent shortcomings (refer to the various comments on F-cars of old, 'never meet your hero' etc
Now, I happened to park behind a stunning Gallardo Spyder last week and thought at the time: if Toyota made a second generation MR2 that looked like that (like for like they have the same practical limitations as to luggage etc) then surely they could not keep up with demand. Same for the Hyundai coupe - can you image the sales if it looked like an AM DB7?
So with Lexus, forget this abomination of a concept and look at the reception to the LFA - brilliant car, looks amazing but....too expensive. If, on the other hand, the SC430 replacement was to look like an LFA but had the 4.3 or 4.6 V8 engine in it (so it quick enough, especially in these times of speed cameras and average speed calucations but also relatively frugal and with a known history of reliabilty) and pitched at the SC430 price point, surely more cars would be sold and more people come to the brand, more buy in at the lower point (IS series etc) and the brand becomes more established?
This brings me to something I cannot get my head around.
Aside from the chestbeating halo effect and cars that do 300mph and cost £1,000,000, I would say that most people will take looks into consideration when buying a car subject to some exceptions:
For example (and trying to stick with Lexus/Toyota)
- the LS430 is widely regarded as being ugly or, to be kinder, odd looking. I agree that the front end is strange and the rest of the car from the A-pillar back is more than a passing nod to a W140 but it is an astonishingly good car. It overcame the 'looks' because of the upward movement of owners from the LS400 (itself a brilliant car) and the very positive reviews.
- wierd looking cars that are not good (Pontiac Aztec) will sink like a stone
- odd/wierd looking cars that are ok but not outstanding compared to competitors will amble along but occupy a niche (SC430 I am looking at you)
- cars that make you want to cry, sell everything you own and pawn yourself to the Devil himself based on looks can overcome all sorts of inherent shortcomings (refer to the various comments on F-cars of old, 'never meet your hero' etc
Now, I happened to park behind a stunning Gallardo Spyder last week and thought at the time: if Toyota made a second generation MR2 that looked like that (like for like they have the same practical limitations as to luggage etc) then surely they could not keep up with demand. Same for the Hyundai coupe - can you image the sales if it looked like an AM DB7?
So with Lexus, forget this abomination of a concept and look at the reception to the LFA - brilliant car, looks amazing but....too expensive. If, on the other hand, the SC430 replacement was to look like an LFA but had the 4.3 or 4.6 V8 engine in it (so it quick enough, especially in these times of speed cameras and average speed calucations but also relatively frugal and with a known history of reliabilty) and pitched at the SC430 price point, surely more cars would be sold and more people come to the brand, more buy in at the lower point (IS series etc) and the brand becomes more established?
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