Inside Line is suggesting that a Lexus GS coupe is in the cards next year:
Lexus officials have not been shy about discussing the company’s need for a high-end coupe. Last summer, a U.S.-based Lexus product planner told Inside Line that he would love to see a coupe in the lineup to help boost the emotional appeal of the brand. Earlier this year, Karl Schlicht, head of global product planning for Lexus, told Automotive News that the brand needs a sporty coupe to go with its renewed lineup of sedans and crossovers. The U.S. head of Lexus, Mark Templin, also said he wants a sport coupe in the $60,000-$70,000 range.
The two-door version of the GS you see here is the most likely candidate to fill that role.
With no fresh information, this is pure speculation on Inside Line’s part, and likely fuelled by the commissioned rendering of the GS coupe seen above.
With Lexus’ push towards performance, the lack of coupes in the lineup is curious and a GS coupe makes sense, but there are two open questions:
- Looking at the Lexus lineup, the most glaring omission is an IS coupe, not a GS coupe. That’s not to say that one precludes the other, but new model priorities are certainly based on potential sales.
- The Detroit debut of LF-LC concept was a home run for Lexus, generating universal praise for its design & execution. At least from my perspective, a production model seems likely.
A GS coupe would sit right in the middle of these vehicles — meaning three new models, all with two doors. An IS coupe could justified by sales (and pent-up demand) alone, and the LF-LC would be a flagship coupe that builds on the LFA — is a GS coupe necessary to bridge the gap? More importantly, should it be the first model released?
There’s another angle included in the article:
Neither [of the existing GS powertrains] is ideal for a true performance sedan, so it’s possible that the coupe could arrive as a GS-F model with a unique drivetrain and tuning.
Not to suggest that it reflects popular opinion, but a poll on this website last year ranked a GS F coupe dead last in potential GS variants:
In fact, this poll highlights my own feelings — I’d much rather see a GS F sedan than any GS coupe.
(Don’t even get me started on the rendering included with the Inside Line article — very uninspired.)
[Source: Inside Line] (Thanks Chris!)
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