Plans by Lexus to launch a new competitor for the BMW 1-series and Audi A3 have been officially confirmed by the company’s European MD Tadashi Arami.
Speaking to the German media, Arami told reporters that Lexus needs smaller and more efficient vehicles to meet Europe’s increasingly tough CO2 emissions regulations, although he didn’t confirm the new model’s release date.
The new baby ‘exec’ model will be positioned below the current IS to help Lexus reach its European sales target of 150,000 units by 2015.
However, Arami did not confirm earlier reports that the widely predicted new model will use an existing front wheel drive Toyota platform, nor that a 4WD model using a version of the RX’s hybrid drive is also planned.
Either way, expect BMW and Audi product planners to be listening carefully for future revelations.
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