Lexus Chief Engineer Koji Sato: “The LC project is not finished yet”

Posted by Kevin on October 3rd, 2018

Lexus LC chief engineer Koji Sato sat down for an interview with Top Gear to discuss the future of the flagship coupe:

Top Gear: What do you think is so special about the LC?

Koji Sato: It shows that Lexus, working with Akio [Toyoda, son of the Toyota founder and Toyota CEO] has mastered the handling performance. Particularly the steering – you can feel the front tyres and get that feedback, have a conversation. This kind of feeling is our focusing point for Lexus, to create our clear driving taste.

TG: Is there anything about the LC that you would like to go back and change?

KS: There is no need to go back. The LC project is not finished yet. Every year we implement some important improvement points for LC. So we are always moving forward. It’s never ending.

Of course, the conversation turned to a high-performance variant of the LC:

TG: What’s next for the LC? We’ve seen spy photos of an LC-F being tested.

KS: I cannot share the details of that project but LC has a big meaning for the Lexus brand. So that means the LC needs to have some more – you see my face [breaks into a big smile].

Lexus LC: First Generation
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Comments
PeterF
NVlaar
No doubt about being pretty fast. But it needs state of the art AWD system to win a drag race against something like a GT-R NISMO.
agreed, but I think drag races are boring;

what's really interesting and telling is how it does on corners,; challenging corners and curves. It will need better suspension than the current LC at a high HP to really meet high track performers in its price range like the AMG GTR and 911 GT3
PeterF
NVlaar
No doubt about being pretty fast. But it needs state of the art AWD system to win a drag race against something like a GT-R NISMO.
agreed, but I think drag races are boring;

what's really interesting and telling is how it does on corners,; challenging corners and curves. It will need better suspension than the current LC at a high HP to really meet high track performers in its price range like the AMG GTR and 911 GT3
L
PeterF
agreed, but I think drag races are boring;

what's really interesting and telling is how it does on corners,; challenging corners and curves. It will need better suspension than the current LC at a high HP to really meet high track performers in its price range like the AMG GTR and 911 GT3
I think it is a lie to claim drag races are boring, when every company is obsessed with 0-100/0-200/0-300 km/h times, because that is what sells, while the lightweight sportscar market is dwindling away, the newest comers being the Alfa 4C and the Alpine A110. There are no corners and curves with a car much more than 1.000 kg.
L
PeterF
agreed, but I think drag races are boring;

what's really interesting and telling is how it does on corners,; challenging corners and curves. It will need better suspension than the current LC at a high HP to really meet high track performers in its price range like the AMG GTR and 911 GT3
I think it is a lie to claim drag races are boring, when every company is obsessed with 0-100/0-200/0-300 km/h times, because that is what sells, while the lightweight sportscar market is dwindling away, the newest comers being the Alfa 4C and the Alpine A110. There are no corners and curves with a car much more than 1.000 kg.
L
PeterF
agreed, but I think drag races are boring;

what's really interesting and telling is how it does on corners,; challenging corners and curves. It will need better suspension than the current LC at a high HP to really meet high track performers in its price range like the AMG GTR and 911 GT3
I think it is a lie to claim drag races are boring, when every company is obsessed with 0-100/0-200/0-300 km/h times, because that is what sells, while the lightweight sportscar market is dwindling away, the newest comers being the Alfa 4C and the Alpine A110. There are no corners and curves with a car much more than 1.000 kg.
PeterF
Levi
I think it is a lie to claim drag races are boring, when every company is obsessed with ......
Really now, perhaps you don't understand the meaning of the word "lie." You just called me a liar, inadvertently or not.

Just because you or a number of others, such as car companies, apparently think drag racing is interesting, or at least more than boring, doesn't mean that everyone thinks that way
PeterF
Levi
I think it is a lie to claim drag races are boring, when every company is obsessed with ......
Really now, perhaps you don't understand the meaning of the word "lie." You just called me a liar, inadvertently or not.

Just because you or a number of others, such as car companies, apparently think drag racing is interesting, or at least more than boring, doesn't mean that everyone thinks that way
PeterF
Levi
I think it is a lie to claim drag races are boring, when every company is obsessed with ......
Really now, perhaps you don't understand the meaning of the word "lie." You just called me a liar, inadvertently or not.

Just because you or a number of others, such as car companies, apparently think drag racing is interesting, or at least more than boring, doesn't mean that everyone thinks that way
Gecko
Lexus' strategy with F cars hasn't ever really been about numbers, but rather about how they make the driver feel. I assume the LC F will be similar.
Gecko
Lexus' strategy with F cars hasn't ever really been about numbers, but rather about how they make the driver feel. I assume the LC F will be similar.
Gecko
Lexus' strategy with F cars hasn't ever really been about numbers, but rather about how they make the driver feel. I assume the LC F will be similar.
S
S
S
Gecko
^over the top, IMO, but not bad...
Gecko
^over the top, IMO, but not bad...
Gecko
^over the top, IMO, but not bad...
meth.ix
No canards and the regular F hood, and it would be perfect. Maybe the canards for a Performance Package.
meth.ix
No canards and the regular F hood, and it would be perfect. Maybe the canards for a Performance Package.
meth.ix
No canards and the regular F hood, and it would be perfect. Maybe the canards for a Performance Package.
Gecko
Maybe they'll do another Nurburgring package?
Gecko
Maybe they'll do another Nurburgring package?
Gecko
Maybe they'll do another Nurburgring package?
mikeavelli
Gecko
Lexus' strategy with F cars hasn't ever really been about numbers, but rather about how they make the driver feel. I assume the LC F will be similar.
This is true. However from what I've gathered from multiple sources, internally Lexus was told "if it doesn't have at least 600hp don't bother" in regards to the LC F....and now 600 seems to be growing to a bit more :)

If a potential LC F tightens up suspension, handling and adds more speed it really should be a hit with the press. I do wonder will they keep run-flats or go with a real Super Sport tire....
mikeavelli
Gecko
Lexus' strategy with F cars hasn't ever really been about numbers, but rather about how they make the driver feel. I assume the LC F will be similar.
This is true. However from what I've gathered from multiple sources, internally Lexus was told "if it doesn't have at least 600hp don't bother" in regards to the LC F....and now 600 seems to be growing to a bit more :)

If a potential LC F tightens up suspension, handling and adds more speed it really should be a hit with the press. I do wonder will they keep run-flats or go with a real Super Sport tire....
mikeavelli
Gecko
Lexus' strategy with F cars hasn't ever really been about numbers, but rather about how they make the driver feel. I assume the LC F will be similar.
This is true. However from what I've gathered from multiple sources, internally Lexus was told "if it doesn't have at least 600hp don't bother" in regards to the LC F....and now 600 seems to be growing to a bit more :)

If a potential LC F tightens up suspension, handling and adds more speed it really should be a hit with the press. I do wonder will they keep run-flats or go with a real Super Sport tire....
L
PeterF
Really now, perhaps you don't understand the meaning of the word "lie." You just called me a liar, inadvertently or not.

Just because you or a number of others, such as car companies, apparently think drag racing is interesting, or at least more than boring, doesn't mean that everyone thinks that way
Maybe not a lie, but then hypocrisy? I, just as you claim, am not that much interested in drag times, but for that reason I prefer light weight, something Lexus is not really good at. I do not think the LC-F will be light-weight. Well handling because of good engineering? Quite likely, but how fast it will accelerate will have (almost) no effect on handling.

Gecko
Lexus' strategy with F cars hasn't ever really been about numbers, but rather about how they make the driver feel. I assume the LC F will be similar.
There is no disagreement that Lexus F models make the driver feel good. But as good as its rivals? How to measure Lexus F's success, and compared to what?
L
PeterF
Really now, perhaps you don't understand the meaning of the word "lie." You just called me a liar, inadvertently or not.

Just because you or a number of others, such as car companies, apparently think drag racing is interesting, or at least more than boring, doesn't mean that everyone thinks that way
Maybe not a lie, but then hypocrisy? I, just as you claim, am not that much interested in drag times, but for that reason I prefer light weight, something Lexus is not really good at. I do not think the LC-F will be light-weight. Well handling because of good engineering? Quite likely, but how fast it will accelerate will have (almost) no effect on handling.

Gecko
Lexus' strategy with F cars hasn't ever really been about numbers, but rather about how they make the driver feel. I assume the LC F will be similar.
There is no disagreement that Lexus F models make the driver feel good. But as good as its rivals? How to measure Lexus F's success, and compared to what?
L
PeterF
Really now, perhaps you don't understand the meaning of the word "lie." You just called me a liar, inadvertently or not.

Just because you or a number of others, such as car companies, apparently think drag racing is interesting, or at least more than boring, doesn't mean that everyone thinks that way
Maybe not a lie, but then hypocrisy? I, just as you claim, am not that much interested in drag times, but for that reason I prefer light weight, something Lexus is not really good at. I do not think the LC-F will be light-weight. Well handling because of good engineering? Quite likely, but how fast it will accelerate will have (almost) no effect on handling.

Gecko
Lexus' strategy with F cars hasn't ever really been about numbers, but rather about how they make the driver feel. I assume the LC F will be similar.
There is no disagreement that Lexus F models make the driver feel good. But as good as its rivals? How to measure Lexus F's success, and compared to what?
Ian Schmidt
I don't think drag times are all that influential. After all, the Mustang was widely considered a joke for decades vs. European competitors because "it only goes fast in a straight line".

I