Feel like I need to contextualize this a bit -- Motor Trend published these photos in 2014, claiming that it had to be a Alfa Romeo Giulia prototype:
http://www.motortrend.com/news/mystery-car-is-this-a-prototype-for-the-alfa-romeo-giulia/
I would say it's an early LS mule, honestly. It bears no obvious physical resemblance to either the new LS or LC.
Due to the length, it just might an early mule for the LC, as the rear door is too short.
It looks very much to me like a production 4LS body, so what they were testing had to be something internal. GA-L itself, the Dynamic Force TTV6, or both are all good guesses.
I have come to the conclusion that this might be an Inertia-spec test mule for the LC, since this is a 2014 photo and the rear doors are shortened. It is just too bad that Motor Trend has ignorant editors in some respects that cannot tell the difference between patterns in prototype camouflage from to company. All firms have varying pattern designs on purpose, which is why camouflage on FCA vehicles will be different from Ford or GM.
Carmaker, I've heard the ES has been shown internally already....could it be that?
Well this is from 2014, so not quite a seventh generation ES. Sorry I forgot to specify that, but looks like it is probably the LC, even though that boot lid/trunk lid throws me off, as it looks so identical to this mule and is unlike the LC. But, the 4LS body likely played double-duty as mule for the LC and LS, which might explain that rear. These are only so far what has been seen of the ES redesign, since May 2016 and November 2015.
Car & Driver claims to have driven an LS test mule before with the TTV6 and I'm assuming on the new platform. So this may be that prototype, but I don't know if it was being tested that long ago.
No, it wouldn't be that. Being from 2014, that is just too early to have any relation to C&D's test.
That's definitely an early 5LS engineering mule. Just look at the width, length, wheelbase, window sizes, and ratio of all the different parameters.
On another note, I truly must agree with you Carmaker1 that many auto photographers and auto journalists have either gotten lazy, or just plain bad at spotting future vehicles or mules, when they are staring right at them. It sadly seems more and more common than many mules and prototypes get missed or incorrectly categorized, like this one.
Yes, amen to that. I am really tired of their inability to do decent reporting on something so simple. It is not rocket science to notice that Toyota Motor Co. has a typical pattern in regards trademark design cues, patterns and methods of disguising production body test vehicles and that of specialized test mules (non-prod cars that require camouflage).
I am now certain this might be some odd LC mule testing stateside, as the only other alternative would be another Lexus coupe for GA-L. A redesigned RC testing
THAT early is really outlandish and wouldn't make sense, considering that's when the model was launched initially. The short rear door terribly throws me off.
I'm on the ES side too...
And this is also said to be the next gen ES. from
Burlappcar.com.
I think the side mirror of this mysterious car is the same thing as the LC or 5LS, so this car is from Lexus IMO. Any thought?
White Beach, I'm sorry that Burlappcar posted that and attempted to mislead you, as usually he never knows what he's even talking about. That is a Hyundai-Kia product, as they are the only firm that employs that exact method of disguising prototypes. It is not a Toyota product.
I cannot understand for the life of me why he reports on cars in the careless manner he does and is given any attention for it. It is painfully misleading and deliberately lazy for him to continually throw out obtuse assertions in this manner, when it is likely many people read that and take his useless word for it. I really hope such sites online are weeded out with time, especially if they do not contribute to productive automotive discussion and only detract from it.
Thanks so much for your contributions to this site, as they are very much appreciated by me and many others. I must suggest that you trust that blog with not just even a grain of salt, at most a nano bit of it.
That window beltline looks too high to be a TNGA vehicle, but I could be wrong. 6ES is supposed to be on TNGA.
Also that doesn't look like traditional Toyota camo on the vehicle. Toyota typically does not test prototypes or future vehicles partially uncovered like that.
It's very likely a new Hyundai model of some sort or a Kia, that is pretty much how they disguise/sheath their cars. I might know the model name, but can't remember which one right now.
