Lexus offers a hint of what's in store when it launches the new LF-Gh Concept at the New York Auto Show.
Lexus is providing a first look at the new hybrid model it plans to introduce at the New York Auto Show, later this month – or, more precisely, a pair of teaser shots that give just a wee hint of what’s in store when Toyota’s luxury brand brings its latest gas-electric model to market.
The name, LF-Gh, we’re told, stands for Lexus Future Grand Touring Hybrid, and indications are this new model could replace the aging GS-450h hybrid that’s been around for half a decade.
What seems certain is that the maker wants to pump a little more passion into a brand that is showing some signs of trouble. The luxury sales leader in the U.S. market for a number of years, demand has been slipping, in recent months – embarrassingly, Buick outsold Lexus during January and February – and may reflect what critics contend is the plain vanilla nature of much of the Lexus line-up.
If the front-end close-up is any indication, this latest exercise in the Lexus L-Finesse design language is moving in a more European direction, the hockey stick-like LED driving lights clearly influenced by Audi’s latest offerings.
“Through this exercise,” says the text accompanying the two teaser shots, “the marque’s design philosophy…has been refined and evolved to include a bolder, more distinct projection of what a luxury car could become in a modern world.”
Lexus continues expanding its hybrid line despite some setbacks, such as the slow-selling HS250h.
The arrival of the Lexus LF-Gh underscores the Japanese maker’s long-standing commitment to hybrid technology. That’s paid off handsomely with the RX 400h, the gas-electric version of the maker’s popular crossover vehicle.
But not all Lexus hybrids have done so well – the flagship LS600h, for example, has hit the limit of those willing to pay its premium, while the sluggish and unexciting HS250h has been an uncontested market failure. The response to the new HS250h is still uncertain, but clearly, Lexus is looking to convince buyers that going green doesn’t mean paying more for less.
The challenge is to go back to the promise laid out with the launch of the GS450h, which Lexus boasted could deliver V8 performance and V6 fuel economy, while also adding a bit more passion to the overall look and feel.
We’ll have to wait another two weeks to see the entire Lexus LF-Gh – and decide whether the maker has succeeded.