Lexus LF-1 Limitless Concept Megathread [LF Coming in 2023?]

[mikeavelli]

Yesterday I drove the following:
RX 350 F-Sport
LC 500 Performance pack
LS 500 F-Sport AWD

The order was LC, RX, LC then LS. Absolutely no disrespect to the RX, we own one, but the ride and handling of the LC and LS are so superior it made my head spin. It became immediately apparent that a SUV/LF-1 based on this same platform using the same principles of the LC/LS would be a grand slam.

Lexus build it and they will come!

 

[krew]

Production Lexus LF-1 Crossover Coming in 2021?

As reported by Mag-X.

View the original article post

 

[LexusfanLFA]

Is it just me or the LT 1 crossover rendering look better than the Range Rover Velar.

 

[maiaramdan]

wow
I think it will be late for the game if the date is correct

Lexus needs a RWD CUV maybe '20 or even'19

 

[ssun30]

wow
I think it will be late for the game if the date is correct

Lexus needs a RWD CUV maybe '20 or even'19

Unfortunately they have way too many projects at hand already. Feel sorry for the engineers; I heard from one of their drivetrain engineers that they have been working 160 hours/month overtimes for over a year.

 

[Gecko]

Unfortunately they have way too many projects at hand already. Feel sorry for the engineers; I heard from one of their drivetrain engineers that they have been working 160 hours/month overtimes for over a year.

They've had the whole last decade to make a new engine. Why so much overtime now that they're already late?

 

[maiaramdan]

@Gecko
That's exactly my thinking, Lexus is not established in the previous 2 years to get that load. They are nearly 30 years now

 

[ssun30]

They've had the whole last decade to make a new engine. Why so much overtime now that they're already late?

There are four things to consider here:
1) Japanese corporate culture. They already have 60-hour working week plus on average 40-hour overtime per month during 'easy' years.
2) The engineer in question is an engine calibration engineer, which is easily the most demanding automotive job except for maybe test engineers. This is because they need to recalibrate even the same engine for every car it is equipped on. That means an IS300 has a different ECU software compared to a NX300. Setting up and running these tests take enormous amount of engineering time. TMC is in full cost-cutting mode these days and refuse to add more equipment and manpower to run more parallel jobs.
The design and mechanical guys actually have a much easier time. The design and prototyping phases of the engine are pretty straight forward.
3) TNGA pushed way too many projects back. Remember the 5LS was supposed to appear three years ago? Most of the current Lexus lineup are interim gap fillers before the complete overhaul to TNGA. That's why they didn't even bother with BoF redesigns. TNGA is trading temporary competitiveness for long-term gains, and the interim years wasn't really bad for TMC as a whole. Unfortunately that came at a painful cost of the Lexus division's sedan business.
4) They are working on 2025 engines today. Back in 2006 and 2007, the GR series was so far ahead of time that even today it remains relevant. That's because the engine was conceived and component-tested since early 90s. Dynamic Force 1.0 was two years late because of TNGA delaying its deployment, but 2.0 is on track.

 

[Rob Grieveson]

Why 2021? It looks production ready and based on the new LS everything should be in place.

Disappointed to read the Drive review on the LS Hybrid however the author does give some praise and he is certainly not alone in his criticism of the infotainment system or the CVT. Why do Lexus not fix this every road test complains about these items - difficult to understand the reluctance of Lexus to fix these two aggravating points which come up repeatedly.

Is someone's ego at play here - fix them please.

 

[Gecko]

^I think part of it is that the LS is only about 4 months into launch, so they might not have had a chance to really react yet. If they are going to change anything substantial, it would probably have to be for the 2019 model year. Knowing Lexus, there probably won't be any changes until the refresh around 2021... but this is the LS, so maybe they will want to make moves sooner rather than later.

It sounds like the transmission needs an ECU reflash, at the very least. That actually is a very easy update that can be made on vehicles during PDI at the dealership, and the ones that have already been sold can be updated at their first oil change.

Anyway, back to LF-1...

 

[mikeavelli]

With Lexus and quality things simply take time....

 

[meth.ix]

I think the main reason they're taking so long is because they have no idea wtf to name the production model :joy::joy:

 

[GTG]

It is because they are figuring out how to put a new infotainment system in this SUV and it won't be ready or really ready until that year . Another model with the same stuff , not happening . Especially a well received model . It should be earlier like 2020 January. There too many new models coming by then .

 

[maiaramdan]

Let me sum all the logical ideas so far

1- the naming: will it be "GX or LX" successor or will it come with totally new naming

2- the new models: in the next 2 to 3 years Lexus will renew all it's sedan lineup also the RC started with the LS previous year and ES this year and maybe the IS next year with NX may match 2020 so as the RC maybe even a new generation GS as the rumored 4D coupe

3- waiting a new generation technologies to finalize adding Android Auto & Apple Carplay , new infotainment and so on

4- what will happen to the BOF SUVs in the lineup will they get a next generation both or one of them

 

[GTG]

The infotainment needs a whole revamp from top to bottom . It is one of the worst one on market , when I drive my car , I can’t look for restaurants while on the highway. One wrong move and you turn of the navigation. The LF-1 should be an addition to the line up in between the LX and GX nothing should be killed off . Maybe the name of it should be KX and call it a day .

 

[maiaramdan]

@GTG
I think it will be GX successor better fit the sporty side
Note that the LF-X was supposed also to be a GX as sporty RWD based unibody CUV which this LF-1 fit well, maybe even the rumored TX, but until now no one out of Lexus knows what they will do with the GX, deleted it completely or give it a new BOF generation based on the next Prado or completely overhauled it with a production model of this LF-1 concept

 

[GTG]

The GX is a great suv , replacement of something that has its own market and let’s not forget reliability, may not happen . All people want things that don’t break and having five suv’s To sell is always better than four . Benz has 8 , BMW has 7 , Audi has 3 and they have another 3 on the way . Let’s see even if not continued in the US where the market is SUV first ,second, third , and on it will sell in some other part of the world . You could be right but at the rate SUV are going , the car with four doors may fade in many many years to come in big markets .

 

[maiaramdan]

@GTG
We are just taking assumptions, but there was a lot of rumors pre the last GX facelift that it will be discountined

And maybe the next Prado will be offered in NA beside the next 4 Runner on the new TNGA - BOF derivative as one of them luxurious (Prado) and the other true off roader (4-Runner)

 

[GTG]

I heard the same news just like you . The LF-1 would be great addition to the line up . The sales for February for the GX is up about over 200 and something units thus far . The GX is more affordable on a lease as well as a finance, and once it sells over or break even for the year it will be staying . Plus it give a different dimension to the market . The LF-1 would be the sporty to the LX , like the Rx is to the GX . But we will see man . Great chat man .

 

[ssun30]

There is a very high possibility of consolidation of Prado and 4Runner, seeing how they went for a single international model with the Camry. Then a new GX based on this common BoF SUV could see significant cost reduction.

GX is becoming something they couldn't easily let go; sales speak for themselves. If anything, the BoF LX needs to make way for the Unibody LF-1. I've always believed the LF-1 will become the new LX. The point is Lexus could not leave a hole between RX and LX because every crossover segment counts (unlike the sedan market where they can leave a hole between ES and LS).