Hybrid technology will power future Lexus performance models, according to a Car Advice interview with Lexus International executive vice-president Chika Kako
“I think everybody’s preconception of the hybrid with Lexus has always been about fuel efficiency, but as we move forward we would like to add more value to that and have more focus and emphasis on the sportiness and dynamics that the hybrid technology can offer,” she said..
“We want to have the performance and sporty advantages that the hybrid technology can offer. Of course, we cannot talk about what’s next. But that’s something we want.
“Having the hybrid motor and how you tune it can really change the level of dynamics in the car itself. We’re really studying right now what is the optimum way to do that.”
Lexus president Yoshihiro Sawa made similar comments earlier this year:
“F is very important; with F we have to think of our own original way,” said Sawa, speaking during his first visit to the Goodwood Festival of Speed. “One solution could be a pure F GT car, which could be a hybrid with an electric motor and a strong engine, giving a different kind of drive feel. We don’t stick to V8, V10, twin-turbocharged; they’re important but we’re looking at the future. We’d like to find a way to connect to the next era.”
(This hybrid focus runs counter to rumors of a 600+ horsepower twin-turbo V8 said to power high-performance versions of the LS sedan and LC coupe, but there’s no rule saying that Lexus will limit itself to a single powertrain option.)
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