The design of the 2010 LF-Ch concept is unusually strong, but what's unclear is what type of hybrid powertrain the automaker has hidden under the hatchback's hood.
Put your finger over that oval badge in the center of the grille and you just might not believe this is a Lexus, but, in fact, the LF-Ch is the latest concept from Toyota’s high-line brand, and it will be making its debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, next week.
For the moment, however, the big guessing game is what hybrid powertrain the automaker has buried under the hood of the 2010 Lexus LF-Ch, which is designed for “silent urban driving”
The aggressive front-end design is a departure for Lexus, which has generally steered towards a smoother more generic appearance, like the new HS250h; but company officials have insisted their goal is to establish a distinctive look for the brand, based on their L-finesse design language.
While Lexus could come up with some surprises, at the company’s Frankfurt stand, the word, right now, is that this hatchback is aimed solely at the European market, where the Toyota division is a distant runner-up to “heritage” luxury marques, like Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi.
While a prepared release from Lexus was sparse in detail, the automaker notes that the LF-Ch will be powered by the latest version of the Lexus Hybrid Drive, which “will allow for virtually silent urban driving with zero emissions.”
That raises more questions than it answers. Will the 2010 Lexus LF-Ch use a larger battery pack than is found in other Lexus – or for that matter, Toyota – hybrid models? Perhaps even a Lithium-Ion, rather than Nickel-Metal Hydride pack? The suggestion that the 5-door could be driven on electric drive is a clear hint, as the current models will get, if lucky, perhaps a mile or two before their batteries drain.
The current hybrid drive system can only operate in electric mode up to around 40 kmh – 25 mph for the metrically challenged. Might that be modified in the hatchback, as well? TheDetroitBureau.com will bring some answers when it reaches the Frankfurt Messe, next week, for the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show.