With the 25th anniversary of its debut, Lexus rolled out a new concept car, the LF-C2 Coupe, with lines and design language that will figure prominently in the Japanese luxury brand’s future vehicles.
“The LF-C2 concept shows what’s in store for our brand’s future design direction,” said Jeff Bracken, Lexus group vice president and general manager. “This concept shows consumers around the world Lexus’ devotion to emotional designs.”
Consumers have been fond of the current Lexus designs as well. Bracken added that Lexus continuing success has helped push its sales beyond its original target of 290,000 units. The brand’s sales were at 244,038 units through October, which is up 14.3% for the year.
“With the start of year-end sales event, 300,000 (units) is within our grasp,” Bracken added.
The design language of the LF-C2 goes beyond new designs for the Lexus NX crossover vehicle, which is powered by a 2.0-liter turbo, and RC and RC-F coupes that now reaching Lexus showrooms around the country.
The LF-C2 concept is only 54.5 inches tall and 185.6 inches long with a 72.4-inch track and is built around the 2+2 layout of the contemporary and open design. The objective was to allow the driver and passengers to feel the sun and wind, while enjoying the car’s performance characteristics.
“We’ve been instinctively drawn to and inspired by those things that capture the beauty of light,” said Yasuo Kajino, chief designer LF-C2, Lexus Design division. “When you put something in the right light, people see it in a way they never have before.”
The front fascia of the LF-C2 is highlighted by a more experimental expression of Lexus’ signature spindle-shaped grille. The concept’s grille features a braided mesh that exemplifies Lexus’ high level of craftsmanship and changes its appearance when viewed from different angles and lighting conditions.
The exterior styling of the LF-C2 was influenced by the way various surface shapes interact with different types of light. Designers created edges, planes and curvature that would allow the LF-C2 to exude a different character when seen from different angles, Kajino said.
(Lexus teases LF-C2 concept coming to L.A. Auto Show. For more, Click Here.)
The LF-C2 also has a character line sweeps through the car’s arrow-shaped body and ends at the abbreviated rear deck. Vents in the front bumper send cool air to the brakes as well as help manage airflow through the body to help keep the front end stable at high speed.
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The LF-C2’s profile shows a swooping line from the car’s front bumper fin to the steeply angled A-pillar. Small vents in the side sills direct air to the rear brakes and out the fin-like rear diffusers. The rear end of the LF-C2 is set off by Lexus L-shaped taillight bulbs, an exhaust system with chrome-covered quad exhaust tips, and a new rear diffuser design.
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Bracken noted the unveiling of LF-C2 carries on Lexus tradition of innovation, which reaches back to brand’s original debut 25 years ago. Since then, the original LS 400 helped redefine the concept of the luxury car in the U.S. and since then Lexus has introduced the first luxury crossover, the RX300, and developed a line of luxury vehicles equipped with hybrid power trains.
Do they plan to use these new front end designs for cheese cutters or something? I just don’t get the FUGGLINESS designs.