Wild New Rumors on the Production Lexus LF-LC

[krew]

krew

Yahoo! Taiwan has published some very questionable rumors on the production Lexus LF-LC.

View the original article post

 

[NaturallyAspirated]

Taiwan is not China…

 

[NVlaar]

Engine options and mpg figures are impressive but I agree with Krew that if all the above information r true, that would go hell alot faster.

 

[CIF]

Certainly some inconsistent information listed. However some of the other information matches some earlier rumors. So something to ponder.

 

[HKWIL]

Taiwan is not China…

I felt the same way~ I thought I had to fly to Beijing until I realized I actually needed to go to Taipei. They are referring to Republic of China (Taiwan) and not the People's Republic of China (Mainland).

 

[krew]

Taiwan is not China…

I edited the title with a correction. Thanks!

 

[krew]

Certainly some inconsistent information listed. However some of the other information matches some earlier rumors. So something to ponder.

That's the thing -- it's tough when a story has a mix of credible and obviously incorrect information, you never know what to believe.

 

[James]

I agree I do not know what to believe but I hope Lexus comes out with it. Also, I love hearing about a V-8 5.0L turbo hopefully that will be in the LSF and other new fast Lexus cars!

 

[Carmaker1]

I do not see why, already 17 months before production starts, one hasn't already seen any cobbled shortened LS460 or RC-shell test mules doing the rounds nor design-specific prototypes (comes a lot later). One saw mules of the RC at the Nurburgring in IS-C bodies with F-treatment in the summer of 2012, plus RAV4 mules of the NX in Southwestern US at the same time.

The new RX goes on sale in the 4th quarter of 2015, yet one already saw RX200t mules in August 2013. Is it still so much of a secret to Toyota, that it still needs to be hidden at private test facilities?

 

[ydooby]

Hey krew, I know this Taiwanese tabloid site that Yahoo! Taiwan is sourcing its news from extremely well. It is notoriously known for faking 100% false rumors to drive traffic and to generate revenue from selling its "news".

You actually missed the most ridiculous bit in that "news", which says that the production LF-LC will be using a BMW 6-series chassis! Sadly, because of Yahoo!'s brand name, people who don't know better will actually believe what they read on Yahoo!. But then again, Toyota/Lexus has only itself to blame if it turns out to be true that the new Supra/S-FR/FT-1 is actually going to be a rebodied BMW with a BMW inline-6 and a BMW-developed chassis. From now on it's highly likely that any Toyota/Lexus with any sporting intention will be seen by the public as BMW-developed. A very sad state it's going to be.

 

[Carmaker1]

Hey krew, I know this Taiwanese tabloid site that Yahoo! Taiwan is sourcing its news from extremely well. It is notoriously known for faking 100% false rumors to drive traffic and to generate revenue from selling its "news".

You actually missed the most ridiculous bit in that "news", which says that the production LF-LC will be using a BMW 6-series chassis! Sadly, because of Yahoo!'s brand name, people who don't know better will actually believe what they read on Yahoo!. But then again, Toyota/Lexus has only itself to blame if it turns out to be true that the new Supra/S-FR/FT-1 is actually going to be a rebodied BMW with a BMW inline-6 and a BMW-developed chassis. From now on it's highly likely that any Toyota/Lexus with any sporting intention will be seen by the public as BMW-developed. A very sad state it's going to be.

The LS and LC will share the same modular platform, as will the next 5GS (2018), 4IS (2020), and 2RC (2021). BMW's 6-Series will use the platform from the BMW-Toyota collaboration. The only Lexus that might ever use that BMW-Toyota platform is a resurrection of the SC (between GS and LS) or a Lexus roadster.

Those are very unlikely to happen, as Lexus is said to not be part of this collaboration. I believe the LC is supposed to sit right above the 5LS and play the part of both a pseudo LFA replacement and C217 S-Class Coupe alternative.

 

[ydooby]

Hey krew, I know this Taiwanese tabloid site that Yahoo! Taiwan is sourcing its news from extremely well. It is notoriously known for faking 100% false rumors to drive traffic and to generate revenue from selling its "news".

You actually missed the most ridiculous bit in that "news", which says that the production LF-LC will be using a BMW 6-series chassis! Sadly, because of Yahoo!'s brand name, people who don't know better will actually believe what they read on Yahoo!. But then again, Toyota/Lexus has only itself to blame if it turns out to be true that the new Supra/S-FR/FT-1 is actually going to be a rebodied BMW with a BMW inline-6 and a BMW-developed chassis. From now on it's highly likely that any Toyota/Lexus with any sporting intention will be seen by the public as BMW-developed. A very sad state it's going to be.

The LS and LC will share the same modular platform, as will the next 5GS (2018), 4IS (2020), and 2RC (2021). BMW's 6-Series will use the platform from the BMW-Toyota collaboration. The only Lexus that might ever use that BMW-Toyota platform is a resurrection of the SC (between GS and LS) or a Lexus roadster.

Those are very unlikely to happen, as Lexus is said to not be part of this collaboration. I believe the LC is supposed to sit right above the 5LS and play the part of both a pseudo LFA replacement and C217 S-Class Coupe alternative.

No. The tabloid news says the production LF-LC will get its chassis from the CURRENT 6-series. Anyway seriously, let's stop wasting time on this 100% false news.

 

[mikeavelli]

I heard that the rear trunk is actually a electric grill you can take to football games.....

 

[CIF]

I do not see why, already 17 months before production starts, one hasn't already seen any cobbled shortened LS460 or RC-shell test mules doing the rounds nor design-specific prototypes (comes a lot later). One saw mules of the RC at the Nurburgring in IS-C bodies with F-treatment in the summer of 2012, plus RAV4 mules of the NX in Southwestern US at the same time.

The new RX goes on sale in the 4th quarter of 2015, yet one already saw RX200t mules in August 2013. Is it still so much of a secret to Toyota, that it still needs to be hidden at private test facilities?

For all we know, the odd-looking long-wheelbase camouflaged Lexus model posted last year I believe, could have been an LS mule. Although that odd model with the shortened height and long swept-back roofline didn't look like an LS, it easily could have been a "Frankenstein" body mule made specifically just to test LS mechanical components, while throwing off photographers with its odd body.

Also you posted yourself recently, confirmed LS mules were recently spotted by a Japanese magazine.

 

[Carmaker1]

For all we know, the odd-looking long-wheelbase camouflaged Lexus model posted last year I believe, could have been an LS mule. Although that odd model with the shortened height and long swept-back roofline didn't look like an LS, it easily could have been a "Frankenstein" body mule made specifically just to test LS mechanical components, while throwing off photographers with its odd body.

Also you posted yourself recently, confirmed LS mules were recently spotted by a Japanese magazine.

My comment is not referring to the LS in this thread, but LC coupe. That being a separate model from the LS, still needs to conduct a battery of tests in the real world. Especially somewhere like the Nürburgring. One saw the outgoing AL10 RX testing on it in the summer of 2008, so there's no reason why such a model hasn't been seen there already. GS-F mules were seen there 2 years ago and in Japanese magazines by December 2013. One never did see actual GS-F prototypes doing the rounds, except for one odd red example last year with light camouflage.

Since there is no actual predecessor (outside of 2001-2010 Z40 SC), test mules would have to make use of extended RC or shortened LS460 body shells. Production LC design prototypes have to be running well ahead of November 2016 to guarantee thorough testing and stages of verification. Now that I remember it, one of your recent replies elsewhere addressed my LC concerns directly, plus mentions of LFA mules.

No. The tabloid news says the production LF-LC will get its chassis from the CURRENT 6-series. Anyway seriously, let's stop wasting time on this 100% false news.

One cannot fault me in the first place, as the Yahoo Taiwan source did not specify the current F12 6-Series as being the supposed donor nor did your prior comment. Naturally I will jump to the Toyota-related next generation platform, as the next 6-Series design is frozen already and past midstage development.

It is far from the LC anyway and inaccurate, as that is of course 5LS-related. It's too bad we are the only ones that see through this story, unlike some other sites that have re-posted it as fact, without even doubting in the least (i.e. Car Buzz).

 

[CIF]

Yeah I agree with your point that finalized prototypes with production bodies still need to be eventually spotted testing somewhere. The only explanation is that Toyota has upped their secrecy, and has made spotting those models extremely difficult.

 

[Carmaker1]

Correction: I got that wrong, but one saw the first GS mule in an early January 2013 Japanese publishing. That would be photography from probably December 2012, as Japan doesn't really have time off over Christmas and business goes as usual even in late December. It has become obvious to me that Toyota conducts testing away from cameras, unlike their European (includes German engineered Hyundais/Kias) and American competitors.

Yeah I agree with your point that finalized prototypes with production bodies still need to be eventually spotted testing somewhere. The only explanation is that Toyota has upped their secrecy, and has made spotting those models extremely difficult.

Oh yes, they certainly have! It's too bad for those of us that don't work there, in sales management, or executive positions that have to wait like the rest of the public. At Jaguar, similar stuff happens, but we can only do so long with keeping things behind closed doors. I still don't know how Toyota confidently manages to do that, as so many factors and variables come into place with real world differences. Only 16.5-17 months to go on this front.

 

[Carmaker1]

This was what I'm talking about in regards to the first GS-F mule, before the gray ones seen in Germany from July 2013. That is practically 3 years just from publicized spy shots to actual launch, yet one can't concretely identify any LC mules yet.

 

[Gecko]

The performance and weight figures seem off to me, but some of the other stuff is believable and exciting!