I will repeat my stance on the issue: Akio should employ some designer from the inside who is truly passionate about exotic car design and process to lead Lexus as separate entity that strives on emotion. Sure few guidelines could be established such as don't mess with success like ES/RX and whole CUV thing but the rest is an open frontier. Lexus cannot sustain things Toyota does like hot swapping name plates (Corolla>Auris>Corolla) and killing off models by generation or two (Venza) only to have them come back. That is not as easy in premium segment, that's why we will not see GS nomenclature in at least another twenty years or ever again if they make another try in RWD sports sedan market with some other name. Lexus has a great challenge ahead of them to try and move proper ICE/hybrid RWD vehicles and whole BEV thing where it's a lot easier to implement RWD is still too far away to be relevant. If Lexus doesn't have its own soul (dedicated design, powerful engines, sophisticated driver's technology and other components) then it will just turn completely into glorified Toyota like with CT/UX/NX/ES/GX, something that even Honda tries to get away from with new Acuras.
Lexus recently had a management changed to Koji Sato, chief engineer responsible for the LC and LS, so they're inline with your post/idea.
I will not argue with the CT and GX, since they're old projects and specially the CT was built on a budget since it started deliveries right after a financial crisis (and GX is a unknown model for me).
This being said, I can't agree with you and others and say UX/NX/ES are glorified Toyota's in a negative way.
No one without some "deeper" knowledge about TNGA can't get out of a CHR -> UX / Previous gen RAV4 -> NX / Camry -> Avalon and say they're the same platform because:
- They don't look anything like one another
- Material choice and build quality are leagues apart
- NVH's levels are totally different
- Each of them are good and strong offers next to their respective competition
- Lexus with BBA
- Toyota with VW, Ford, Renault....
For the NX, it's not really fair to put it next to current RAV4, as they belong to different product cycles... It's just a sign of times.
IMO, it's just amazing how Toyota managed to do such different products using the same underpinnings.
Yes, knowing how TNGA works we can say they're glorified Toyota's but we need to agree they have been able to improve so much on a clearly well made "base" product. If this was a bad thing, Lexus wouldn't be able to build products on par with the other premium competition.