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Spy Shots: Lexus LF-LC Production Prototype Spotted!
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Wicus Kriel
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Looking forward to properly seeing the production version by early next year. In the meantime that 'Starlight Twirl' paint job is growing on me.
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STOP PRESS: Autoexpress in the UK has published that the production version of the LF LC will be premiered at the up coming Tokyo Motor Show!
Gecko
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Out of curiosity, what about the 5.0L V8 is "not special" enough? I am sort of puzzled since you mention that an updated 3.5L V6 would be special, but also available in the IS, GS, probably LS, etc. and there are plenty of 3.5L V6s on the market.
Seems to me that a naturally aspirated 5.0L V8 that's only shared with F models would be a pretty decent engine, and relatively special. I think we're all used to seeing the "467 hp" number with RC F and GS F by now, but personally I think they'd tune it different for more luxurious applications (LS, LC), with less horsepower and more torque. I'm hoping for something like 450hp and 420lb-ft of torque.
Looking forward to it. But I gotta feeling this will put a bit of a damper on LFA resale values....
Note 1: Wish this will be called the SC and not the LC...
Note 2: That's some ugly sunken wheel offsets... Lexus needs to get with the times and get the wheels FLUSH in the production model.
Note 1: Wish this will be called the SC and not the LC...
Note 2: That's some ugly sunken wheel offsets... Lexus needs to get with the times and get the wheels FLUSH in the production model.
oem_is300
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Read the article and they mention the '2.5-litre unit found in the IS300h saloon.' and '4.7-litre V8 found in the RC F and GS F.' which are both wrong. Really hoping they aren't wrong about this being at Tokyo Motor Show. The more I look at it, the more excited I get.
This will not affect the resale of the LFA at all..its going to be a regular production car vs a limited 500 run supercar.
I haven't kept up with the earlier news on this, has Lexus trademarked the LC name already?
zema
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oem_is300
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Found this on autocar.co.uk on their Tokyo Motor Show coverage:
10:26 Matt Burt has some new information from Lexus: "Having made a splash with the new LF-FC fuel cell concept at the Tokyo motor show, Lexus is already looking ahead to next year’s events. Autocar understands it will unveil a production version of the long-awaited LF-LC coupé at the Detroit motor show in January."
10:26 Matt Burt has some new information from Lexus: "Having made a splash with the new LF-FC fuel cell concept at the Tokyo motor show, Lexus is already looking ahead to next year’s events. Autocar understands it will unveil a production version of the long-awaited LF-LC coupé at the Detroit motor show in January."
Lexus Cohen
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January?!!! Oh boy......
Hello guys! I'm a new Member! !!! Lexus super fan for over 15 years now... all the way from Lagos, Nigeria!!! Shout out & Plenty of Respect to KREW for developing such a wonderful site... Thumbs up man!
I'd like to comment on the LF-LC concept... I see so many comments with concerns over the engine, german competition with more powerful engines etc etc, to me that's not a problem, a retuned 5.0 Liter RCF engine would be perfect for the LC 500, and whatever configuration they plan for the F version should be just fine! Personally, I don't really care.
MY MAIN CONCERN IS THE SIZE OF THE CAR!!! IT JUST LOOKS SO LITTLE!!!! I mean, look at how short that sloping hood is. To have an idea of just how small, compare it to the size of the greenhouse!!! Isn't the LC supposed to be Lexus' flagship coupe? Like a 2-door LS? It looks barely a few mm longer in profile to the RC! This is my only dissapointment! I would just LOVE to buy a sexy Lexus coupe with some serious road presence! When will Lexus have a large, intimidating 2 door such as the 6 series or S Class coupe???
With how tiny the RC is (3-Series, C-Class esque) , I was definitely hoping for something larger and more menacing for LC, but these production ready prototype images shows no such luck... No matter how excellently the LC is designed, it needs some size to give it the right amount of road presence. With RC already in the line-up, we could def do with something larger. My 2 cents.
I'd like to comment on the LF-LC concept... I see so many comments with concerns over the engine, german competition with more powerful engines etc etc, to me that's not a problem, a retuned 5.0 Liter RCF engine would be perfect for the LC 500, and whatever configuration they plan for the F version should be just fine! Personally, I don't really care.
MY MAIN CONCERN IS THE SIZE OF THE CAR!!! IT JUST LOOKS SO LITTLE!!!! I mean, look at how short that sloping hood is. To have an idea of just how small, compare it to the size of the greenhouse!!! Isn't the LC supposed to be Lexus' flagship coupe? Like a 2-door LS? It looks barely a few mm longer in profile to the RC! This is my only dissapointment! I would just LOVE to buy a sexy Lexus coupe with some serious road presence! When will Lexus have a large, intimidating 2 door such as the 6 series or S Class coupe???
With how tiny the RC is (3-Series, C-Class esque) , I was definitely hoping for something larger and more menacing for LC, but these production ready prototype images shows no such luck... No matter how excellently the LC is designed, it needs some size to give it the right amount of road presence. With RC already in the line-up, we could def do with something larger. My 2 cents.
RAL
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Welcome to the community and thanks for sharing your opinion!
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i think new LEXUS LF is a bit bigger than 991 that is wide but not too long . (it will be the same size as the jaguar F type ?) and it not be the LS Coupe not a LUXURY FAT Coupe like the S Coupe
the front end is a bit shorter and i think it can't fit massive v8 v10 or v12 with the transmission in it , is it possible new V6 Hybrid with the rear transaxle or something small for lightweight as possible and so agile more than a big cruiser luxury machine
if this car will be small , i want to see carbon fiber core technology and aluminum chassis to make this car so light and so fast and quiet like the normal lexus should be.
Is the LC will be first true (L) EXUS SPORT (C)OUPE , a little LFA <Tone Down a little bit> , a car that jeremy clarkson want to see in the his last top gear episode. The New LEXUS is capture a spirit and soul of the LFA (LC-F ?)
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i watch some GS-F Review in youtube and everyone say it a great car ,it is a fun car to drive and it so well handling (better than RC-F , some guy say it better than the m5 ) and i think the new Lexus LC will be the same way as GS-F but lighter , sexier
the front end is a bit shorter and i think it can't fit massive v8 v10 or v12 with the transmission in it , is it possible new V6 Hybrid with the rear transaxle or something small for lightweight as possible and so agile more than a big cruiser luxury machine
if this car will be small , i want to see carbon fiber core technology and aluminum chassis to make this car so light and so fast and quiet like the normal lexus should be.
Is the LC will be first true (L) EXUS SPORT (C)OUPE , a little LFA <Tone Down a little bit> , a car that jeremy clarkson want to see in the his last top gear episode. The New LEXUS is capture a spirit and soul of the LFA (LC-F ?)
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i watch some GS-F Review in youtube and everyone say it a great car ,it is a fun car to drive and it so well handling (better than RC-F , some guy say it better than the m5 ) and i think the new Lexus LC will be the same way as GS-F but lighter , sexier
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zema
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Carmaker1
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It is possible that I was wrong about the bonnet/hood opening, as I do not see how the shape of bonnet/hood lines would be so flat compared to that of the incumbent XF40 LS III, especially in F-Sport form.
That doesn't really make sense, why any of that would change, if those constraints were already met 5 years ago on the second 4LS facelift (conceptualised in 2010). The LF-FC, the moderately veiled fifth generation LS, I once suspected to be a 4-door interpretation of the LC with styling differentiation, and was proven to be correct. Even though a concept, the hood line seems to work just fine on it as well.
I believe the camouflage and fake paneling has thrown me off, as the 2UR-GSE or a new 5.0L would not be certain to compromise the shape of the opening. My concern about this car is that it was developed as a design study between May 2010 and November 2011, to see what Lexus was capable of designing as an SC successor and also that of a preview for Lexus models launching during the 2012-2015 period.
My problem is that, this will likely have a 7-9 year life-cycle at minimum. How did Lexus improve on the LF-LC Concept and further freshen/enhance the LC design, while ensuring production feasibility? Are product planners counting on a corrective mid-cycle update in 2020, to ensure that the LC remains fresh through 2023-26? I say this, as Lexus had such issues with the SC430. Out the gate it was lauded, only by mid-cycle to be heavily derided. The ideas and basic styling for the Z40 were approved/finalised in 1997-1998, despite launching for the 2002 model year. It ended production 12-13 years after that in 2010.
By the time the LC ends production within 10 years time, the basic design will be 13-15 years old. The design for this was frozen over 18 months ago, meaning what goes on sale in December 2016/early 2017, will be 99% identical to what was settled on back then and mostly remain that way (see other Lexus models, save for LX).
I know we want for the car to remain identical to the breathtaking 2012 LF-LC concept, but in reality 4 years have already passed since that was shown. Cues have made their appearance in various Lexus models since late 2012 and can date the car with time. It is all about improving on the 2012 concept and then diluting it as little as possible for the production model. That opportunity has come and gone, since the production design has been done with for more than a year. We'll see how well they did in that respect. Acura had to improve the NSX styling, not only for production feasibility considerations, but also because the 2012 concept's design was too old to be released unchanged 3-4 years later.
2012 Acura NSX Concept - December 2011 (Press Photo Shoot)
2012 Acura NSX Concept Red - March 2012 (Photo Shoot)
2013 Acura NSX Concept - December 2012 (Photo Shoot)
2016 Acura NSX - November 2014 (Photo Shoot)
Same with the LFA, as the 2005 LF-A concept was based on a production design (planned for MY2007) that had been frozen in 2004 and proposed in 2003. The original development was supposed to run from February 2000 to 2006. We all know that was eventually canned sometime later for other reasons and restarted. Due to the delays, the car was redesigned during 2006. A new concept appeared in January 2007 and redesigned prototypes that June.
Due to even further delays, some new changes were made, and the absolute-final LFA design proposal was frozen in 2008 and began production approximately 30 months later in December 2010. One can see the differences between the 2005 concept and 2007 concepts. While they both differ from each other, they also greatly differ from the production model, as doing that helped keep the design from becoming stale.
Toyota "TX-S" P280 (Lexus LF-A) - September 2004
2005 LF-A Concept - November/December 2004 (Photo Shoot)
Lexus "LF-H" P280 Prototype - April 2006
2007 Lexus LF-A Concept - November 2006 (Photo Shoot)
Lexus LF-A (P280) Prototype - June 2007
2008 Lexus LF-A Roadster Concept - December 2007 (Photo Shoot)
Lexus LFA (P280) Prototype - May 2009
Lexus LFA - September 2009 (Photo Shoot)
Yes, Lexus has very much trademarked the LC500 and LC500h trademarks. They did so in November 2014 and this information was leaked in December 2014. You are correct about that. The minute that it was decided 4 years ago to name that concept, LF-LC, the chance of it being a third generation SC died instantaneously.
Outside of Lexus Enthusiast, it seems that many sources have chosen to either carelessly or deliberately remain unaware of the trademarks, ignorantly calling it the "SC" or LF-LC coupé, when it has LONG been known that Lexus only designates vehicles with the hyphenated "LF-" prefix for concepts and not production models.
All this information is at their fingertips. It is one thing when the average enthusiast is not aware (they are not required/expected to be), but entirely different when "professionals" are. Unlike these bloggers and journalists, the rest of us have varying jobs/careers (likely time-consuming), that do not require us to dispense/share this information to/with the public regarding the automotive circuit.
It may come as grossly brazen and disparaging, but I very tired of terribly uninformative bile that is put out by automotive-related magazines, websites, and etc. I am proud of the extra efforts that krew/Kevin takes to put out quality work, to ensure that his readers are never confused or mislead by what he publishes. I unfortunately cannot say the same for much of the internet in this department, especially regarding Lexus. If I hear about an "SC-F" again...
Although this has been expected since the last NAIAS in January of this year, it great to hear further confirmation. I just hate the idea of this lingering over my head during Christmas and New Year's, the way the 3IS did 3 years ago. I knew to expect that Lexus had to unveil the 5LS in some form to celebrate 25, before debuting the LC coupé, even if it meant showing a concept (LF-FC). The LC debuts an all-new modular platform, but will not necessarily "share" a fully identical platform with the 5LS. It will likely be its own car, not being hampered by the handling constraints of a limousine.
It is always an honour to hear from one of our own, welcome to the site! I everyday look forward to the advancements in Lagos (and much of Nigeria) and have made my own investments there for some years now on that end. I wish that Lexus would open at least an official centre in Abuja or Lagos, as the market is very much there.
I agree with you somewhat about the size, but we must also remember, that LC is primarily intended to be a more accessible semi-halo offering (unlike the LFA). It is similar to how Mercedes-Benz went from the SLR to the SLS and now the AMG GT, but not quite the same. Lexus is attempting to have it play 2-3 roles. Luxury flagship (a la S500 coupe), sporty GT (a la 911), and LFA descendant. A separately resurrected SC situated between GS and LS, would've allowed more room for a distinctly large coupe as the LC instead.
That doesn't really make sense, why any of that would change, if those constraints were already met 5 years ago on the second 4LS facelift (conceptualised in 2010). The LF-FC, the moderately veiled fifth generation LS, I once suspected to be a 4-door interpretation of the LC with styling differentiation, and was proven to be correct. Even though a concept, the hood line seems to work just fine on it as well.
I believe the camouflage and fake paneling has thrown me off, as the 2UR-GSE or a new 5.0L would not be certain to compromise the shape of the opening. My concern about this car is that it was developed as a design study between May 2010 and November 2011, to see what Lexus was capable of designing as an SC successor and also that of a preview for Lexus models launching during the 2012-2015 period.
My problem is that, this will likely have a 7-9 year life-cycle at minimum. How did Lexus improve on the LF-LC Concept and further freshen/enhance the LC design, while ensuring production feasibility? Are product planners counting on a corrective mid-cycle update in 2020, to ensure that the LC remains fresh through 2023-26? I say this, as Lexus had such issues with the SC430. Out the gate it was lauded, only by mid-cycle to be heavily derided. The ideas and basic styling for the Z40 were approved/finalised in 1997-1998, despite launching for the 2002 model year. It ended production 12-13 years after that in 2010.
By the time the LC ends production within 10 years time, the basic design will be 13-15 years old. The design for this was frozen over 18 months ago, meaning what goes on sale in December 2016/early 2017, will be 99% identical to what was settled on back then and mostly remain that way (see other Lexus models, save for LX).
I know we want for the car to remain identical to the breathtaking 2012 LF-LC concept, but in reality 4 years have already passed since that was shown. Cues have made their appearance in various Lexus models since late 2012 and can date the car with time. It is all about improving on the 2012 concept and then diluting it as little as possible for the production model. That opportunity has come and gone, since the production design has been done with for more than a year. We'll see how well they did in that respect. Acura had to improve the NSX styling, not only for production feasibility considerations, but also because the 2012 concept's design was too old to be released unchanged 3-4 years later.
2012 Acura NSX Concept - December 2011 (Press Photo Shoot)
2012 Acura NSX Concept Red - March 2012 (Photo Shoot)
2013 Acura NSX Concept - December 2012 (Photo Shoot)
2016 Acura NSX - November 2014 (Photo Shoot)
Same with the LFA, as the 2005 LF-A concept was based on a production design (planned for MY2007) that had been frozen in 2004 and proposed in 2003. The original development was supposed to run from February 2000 to 2006. We all know that was eventually canned sometime later for other reasons and restarted. Due to the delays, the car was redesigned during 2006. A new concept appeared in January 2007 and redesigned prototypes that June.
Due to even further delays, some new changes were made, and the absolute-final LFA design proposal was frozen in 2008 and began production approximately 30 months later in December 2010. One can see the differences between the 2005 concept and 2007 concepts. While they both differ from each other, they also greatly differ from the production model, as doing that helped keep the design from becoming stale.
Toyota "TX-S" P280 (Lexus LF-A) - September 2004
2005 LF-A Concept - November/December 2004 (Photo Shoot)
Lexus "LF-H" P280 Prototype - April 2006
2007 Lexus LF-A Concept - November 2006 (Photo Shoot)
Lexus LF-A (P280) Prototype - June 2007
2008 Lexus LF-A Roadster Concept - December 2007 (Photo Shoot)
Lexus LFA (P280) Prototype - May 2009
Lexus LFA - September 2009 (Photo Shoot)
Yes, Lexus has very much trademarked the LC500 and LC500h trademarks. They did so in November 2014 and this information was leaked in December 2014. You are correct about that. The minute that it was decided 4 years ago to name that concept, LF-LC, the chance of it being a third generation SC died instantaneously.
Outside of Lexus Enthusiast, it seems that many sources have chosen to either carelessly or deliberately remain unaware of the trademarks, ignorantly calling it the "SC" or LF-LC coupé, when it has LONG been known that Lexus only designates vehicles with the hyphenated "LF-" prefix for concepts and not production models.
All this information is at their fingertips. It is one thing when the average enthusiast is not aware (they are not required/expected to be), but entirely different when "professionals" are. Unlike these bloggers and journalists, the rest of us have varying jobs/careers (likely time-consuming), that do not require us to dispense/share this information to/with the public regarding the automotive circuit.
It may come as grossly brazen and disparaging, but I very tired of terribly uninformative bile that is put out by automotive-related magazines, websites, and etc. I am proud of the extra efforts that krew/Kevin takes to put out quality work, to ensure that his readers are never confused or mislead by what he publishes. I unfortunately cannot say the same for much of the internet in this department, especially regarding Lexus. If I hear about an "SC-F" again...
Although this has been expected since the last NAIAS in January of this year, it great to hear further confirmation. I just hate the idea of this lingering over my head during Christmas and New Year's, the way the 3IS did 3 years ago. I knew to expect that Lexus had to unveil the 5LS in some form to celebrate 25, before debuting the LC coupé, even if it meant showing a concept (LF-FC). The LC debuts an all-new modular platform, but will not necessarily "share" a fully identical platform with the 5LS. It will likely be its own car, not being hampered by the handling constraints of a limousine.
It is always an honour to hear from one of our own, welcome to the site! I everyday look forward to the advancements in Lagos (and much of Nigeria) and have made my own investments there for some years now on that end. I wish that Lexus would open at least an official centre in Abuja or Lagos, as the market is very much there.
I agree with you somewhat about the size, but we must also remember, that LC is primarily intended to be a more accessible semi-halo offering (unlike the LFA). It is similar to how Mercedes-Benz went from the SLR to the SLS and now the AMG GT, but not quite the same. Lexus is attempting to have it play 2-3 roles. Luxury flagship (a la S500 coupe), sporty GT (a la 911), and LFA descendant. A separately resurrected SC situated between GS and LS, would've allowed more room for a distinctly large coupe as the LC instead.
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