According to Motor Report, Lexus Australia CEO Tony Cramb has confirmed that the next-generation 2014 IS sedan will debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January:
Speaking with TMR in Sydney, Lexus Australia chief Tony Cramb hinted strongly that the new IS sedan, a strong-seller for Lexus in the United States, will make its debut at the biggest event on the North American motor show calendar.
Echoing statements from Lexus International president Kiyotaka Ise, Cramb also mentions that the LF-CC concept will not translate directly into an IS coupe:
“We did confirm that the LF-CC is the basis for a D-segment coupe in the future, but we didn’t confirm that it’s necessarily IS-related,” Mr Cramb said.
“A lot of people are drawing that conclusion, but it’s not completely accurate.”
Cramb also told TMR that other bodystyles, such as a wagon, were not part of Lexus’ plans for the IS.
The last point is sure to disappoint European Lexus fans, but it’s not a surprising decision considering the brand’s focus on models that can be sold worldwide — it’s hard to think that the global market for an IS wagon would justify the expense of development.
I’m also reminded of the quote from Lexus Europe CEO Paul van der Burgh in yesterday’s LF-LC story:
“The fact that we are so committed [to the production LF-LC], automatically means that projects that have less priority will be delayed.”
[Source: The Motor Report]
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