The annual BoA Merrill Lynch Car Wars research report has been released, and contains some specific details on Lexus future product plans — from Motor Trend:
From Japan, notable future product includes a coupe and convertible version for the 2014 Lexus IS; a source told us that the coupe has gotten the green light, but a revival of the convertible has yet to be approved. Lexus will also receive a long-awaited three-row crossover, which should bear the CX name.
A coupe based on the LF-CC concept has been the topic of much discussion, and is currently rumored to arrive in 2015.
The big news is the idea of a three-row crossover — this possibility was first mentioned in an interview with Lexus USA VP of marketing Brian Smith earlier this year:
Smith says one of the brand’s two large body-on-frame SUVs, the GX and LX, could be converted to unibody platforms as the auto maker works to meet looming government-imposed fuel-economy regulations.
“In the future, if we could do a 3-row unibody (utility vehicle), I think that’s what consumers would want to see,” he says.
Also rumored is a compact crossover, which is expected to debut this year as a concept at the Tokyo Motor Show — adding these two SUVs would be a huge boost to the Lexus lineup, especially if they can capitalize on the success of the RX.
[Source: Car Wars Report via Motor Trend]
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