Planning, Designing, & Development of Lexus

[Carmaker1]

I will gradually over the next week or so be providing in-depth information, on the planning, design, and development of current and past Lexus models, as long as anyone is interested in reading it. These are a few teasers (NOT yet full collection) of what I will be presenting.

L10 GS (Pre-2009)




XE30 IS (Pre-2011)

AZ10 NX (Pre-2012)

XC10 RC (Pre-2012)

AL20 RX (Pre-2013)

If also of interest, I intend to list and describe various innovations of the Toyota Motor Corporation from 1950 to present, including that of backup camera invention (prod. appl. w/practicality) for passenger cars and voice GPS navigation.

I ask everyone to not post elsewhere, as these illustrations and photos are NOT publicly accessible as of now, plus somewhat sensitive content (for the time being).

 

[Carmaker1]

Forgot to temporarily add this AL20 full-size mockup from 2012.

 

[Gecko]

This stuff is so fascinating to me. Thank you for sharing!

 

[GSCT]

Looking forward to the thread.

 

[mikeavelli]

Looking forward to the thread.

ME TOO!!!!

 

[krew]

Thank you for sharing, my friend. This is great stuff!

 

[PeterF]

This is exactly what I want to see! thanks Carmaker1! For me, this is is online education that is fascinating and will be helpful for future car purchase decisions. Looking forward to the thread.

 

[Carmaker1]

Save for the ES generations of XV10, XV20, XV40, and a few Toyota rebadges, I have design and development information on nearly every Lexus made, plus many more Japanese brands and premium Toyota models.

Extremely overwhelming to organize, but I will have to in the meantime provide more teasers and then start off with development of the XF10 LS400 during early 1984-1989, XF20 LS400 from December 1990 to April 1994, XF30 (January 1996 to February 2000), and XF40 (2001-November 2006).

I also have information on all generations of RX developed between 1993 and 2015. For the GS, I have the S160, S190, and current L10 generatons developed between 1993 and 2011. The first generation S140 GS history between 1987 and 1991 is a work in progress, although somewhat already addressed earlier this year by me.

Development of both SC generations from 1986 to 2000, plus LC (coming in June) between 2011 and 2016. Plus CT development between 2006 and 2010. All IS development between 1994 to 2012. I do have development of the XV30 ES between early 1997 and December 2000. HS development as well, but will only post that by request.

As you can see, a lot of information, which needs to be carefully summarized.

 

[Carmaker1]

Well, okay then. I will just provide these teasers, as the amount of photography and text involved is massive, so this will have to do for now. In order to protect against non-LE users (drive-by readers), I do apologize to regulars for having to deal with watermarks in my photos.

For now, I will provide captions w/limited information so as not to overwhelm people with too much unorganized text to read. I have selectively limited the amount of photos provided (out of maybe 100 design photos or more), on the basis I want to provide more of remaining in detail on my model-by-model development stories.

I also deliberately omitted most teaser imagery that showcases chosen design proposals, in favour of alternate design proposals. For now I will mostly show you designs that didn't make the final cut, save for a few exceptions. No design freeze nor final design approval photography will be posted, as I will also save that for the stories. Thanks for reading!

1987 XF10 Promotional Sketch by Kunihiro Uchida



1985 F-1 Program Interior Sketch - Alternate Proposal



1986 Alternate F-1 Program Interior Proposal for XF10



Although I do not have direct information on the V20 (1989) and XV10 (1991) ES generations, I do have these photos of clay models from 1984 and 1988 respectively for the Camry Vista and and an early look at the chosen XV10 design for the 1992 ES300. The ES250 design was drafted last minute in 1987 to be ready for September 1989 launch, years after basic V20 Vista design was in 1984.

1984 1:1 Clay of V20 Camry Vista



Prod. Camry Vista 1987

November 1988 Photo of 1990MY Lexus ES 250 Prototype

1988 1:1 Clay of design that lead to XV10, later introduced October 1991.



1992 MY Lexus ES 300

1987 Ideation Sketch of Z30 Coupe Alternate Proposal


1987 Ideation Rendering of Z30 Interior Proposal


1987-88 1/5 Scale Clay Model of CALTY Z30 Proposal



1988 1:1 Clay Model of Alternate Z30 Proposal (Non-CALTY)



1988 1:1 Clay Modelling of Leading Z30 Exterior Proposal



To be continued...

 

[Carmaker1]

...Continued

XF20 Sketches dated February 1992 & Unknown 1992 from 250T Program



250T Program 1:5 Alternate Proposal Clay Model 1991



250T Alternate Interior Design Proposal 1991



250T Alternate Interior Design Proposal 1992

XV20 Exterior Sketch 1993 from 416T Development Program



416T Program 1:5 Exterior Clay Model 1992



416T Program 1:1 Exterior Clay Model Proposal B 1993


416T Interior Design Proposal B 1993



S160 Ideation Design Sketch 1994



S160 1:1 Clay Exterior Design Model 1995



S160 Interior design Proposal 1995



To be continued...

 

[Carmaker1]

Continued



XU10 Exterior Sketch 1995



XU10 Alternate Interior Proposal 1994



XU10 1:1 Exterior Clay 1995 (Intermediate Version of Winning Design)

XU10 1:1 Alternate Clay Proposal of CALTY 1995



XF30 U.S Consumer Design Clinic 1996



XF30 Alternate Interior Proposal 1996



XF30 1:1 Exterior Clay of Alternate Proposal 1997



XF30 1:1 Aerodynamics Wind Tunnel Test of Final LS 430 Design 1997.



Z40 1:1 Alternate Exterior Proposal 1997 from CALTY



Z40 Alternate Interior Proposal 1997



To be continued...

 

[Carmaker1]

...Continued



XV30 Sketches 1998



XV30 Alternate Design Proposal Sketches 1997



XV30 1:1 Clay Model of Alternate Design Proposal 1998



XV30 Alternate Interior Mockup 1998




XU30 Alternate Design Sketch 1998



XU30 Exterior Design Sketches 1998 (Winning Design on Bottom)



XU30 Design Sketches 1998



XU30 Alternate Interior Proposal 1999/2000




To be continued...

 

[Carmaker1]

S190 Ideation Sketch 2001



S190 1:1 Clay Model of Alternate Design Proposal 2002



XE20 Design Sketch 2003



XE20 Alternate Proposal Ideation Sketches 2001



XE20 Interior Ideation Sketch 2001/2002



XE20 1:1 Alternate Proposal Clay Model 2002



To be continued...

 

[Carmaker1]

Although continued from the last post, this is one of my biggest interests yet. Development of the current XF40 LS under the 250L program from 2001 to 2006. Here is a brief preview of what I will discuss later on, after posting on the first 3 generations of LS.

250L Program Ideation Design Sketches of Winning Proposal for XF40, 2002



250L Program Alternate Interior Design Proposal, 2003

250L Program 1:1 Alternate Design Proposal, 2003



250L Program Proposal C (Intermediate Version of Chosen Design), 2003



There are more photos of the XF40 design process, which ended in 2003, but will be further elaborated on as time allows me.

 

[Carmaker1]

AL10 1:1 Alternate Exterior Design Proposal 2006



AL10 Alternate Interior Proposal 2006





For krew, the owner and primary operator of this website, I decided to provide a more sizeable teaser (more photos) on the A10 CT by including some earlier examples of the winning design.

A10 Ideation Sketches 2007



A10 Interior Ideation Sketch 2007



A10 1:1 Alternate Exterior Design Proposal 2008



A10 1:1 Exterior Design Proposal 2008



A10 Alternate Interior Design Proposal 2008



XF40 II/III (2009-12 is either XF40 1.5 or II) Design Sketch 2010

 

[PeterF]

Although continued from the last post, this is one of my biggest interests yet. Development of the current XF40 LS under the 250L program from 2001 to 2006. Here is a brief preview of what I will discuss later on, after posting on the first 3 generations of LS.

.

fascinating! this is great. It's informative to see the progression in the design process with the images of sketches, models, and vehicle exemplars

 

[maiaramdan]

Wow
Amazing
Am so thankful for all these info.
But wanna ask you a question
do you know GS future but you can't talk about it
Or you really don't have any info ?

 

[Carmaker1]

fascinating! this is great. It's informative to see the progression in the design process with the images of sketches, models, and vehicle exemplars

Yes, thank you Peter. I appreciate your comment. Glad that you and Benito liked it and that you very much appreciate this information. I look forward to providing more for you to read about the total remaining 21 of 33 total Lexus model generations in production from May 1989 to present-May 2017 that I have information on.

I will conclude this series with development of your new LC in June. Thanks again for reading, as I will not be able to fully commit to this until at least May 12th, starting with development of LS 400.

In the meantime I wanted to provide a sample of what to expect, since I cannot copy-paste my information and have to flesh it out carefully before writing and typing it. I will be covering 20-21 Lexus model generations, plus that of other Japanese and global luxury brands (different threads though).

Even this "sample" took me quite a lot of time to compile and post, since discussing 20 different model generations is a little daunting to achieve in the midst of my busy schedule at the moment. Congrats again on your LC 500, as I am looking into that later this year or next year, if not wait for the LC-F.

Wow
Amazing
Am so thankful for all these info.
But wanna ask you a question
do you know GS future but you can't talk about it
Or you really don't have any info ?

You're welcome, thank you for taking the time to read all of this. I appreciate that, but I must say that I am very particular about this thread staying 99% strictly on topic, related to planning, design, and development of Lexus and/or Toyota vehicles past and new. As well as that of competitor offerings, against models discussed in here.

I have said that I do not work for Lexus in any capacity to have direct and current answers to product planning of such a model. Unlike the LS500h, I am not one to withhold any information I am given or have seen, except in a few circumstances.

In regards to Lexus, I rarely sign any NDAs, unlike JLR and Nissan-Infiniti. What one employee or associate tells me, could vary from that of the Toyota executive board. I will no longer comment on the GS in 2017, outside of my incoming and final statement regarding it in another thread.

 

[Benito]

I'm looking forward to this series of posts. I've always found car design development interesting. Thanks for taking the time to give us this early preview Carmaker1.

 

[Carmaker1]

I'm looking forward to this series of posts. I've always found car design development interesting. Thanks for taking the time to give us this early preview Carmaker1.

Yes, thank you again Benito. I am pleased that you, Peter, Ian, maiaramdan, and DFGeneer liked my submissions from earlier this month. I will send you a timeframe on when to expect more information, especially that I have decided starting with LS400 is too much work to do at once and might have to choose an easier topic in the meantime.