Well, I had said to expect an LS 350, as it will be sold in the Japanese market. If the LS had not been debuted at NAIAS, they would have debuted it in Japan instead at the Tokyo Auto Salon or private venue (a first for both scenarios).
Off of this site, some people did try to debunk my theory, saying "trademarks are not definite". Well, that may be true for USPTO filings, but Japanese filings are most certainly concrete stuff. And now, here it is. This means on another note, expect a GX 400 of some sort either this year or next year.
Someone that allegedly attended a U.S. dealer conference, reported on there being no GX FMC redesign as I had suspected. But this being secondhand information, has me wondering if they also saw the next GS. The ES was definitely there, but Japanese magazines are pointing towards a 2020 model year ES redesign. Doesn't make sense, but we'll see. Most likely MY19.
Also, how do we really know if this is just the 2GR-FKS. How do any of you not know if this is just a naturally aspirated version V35A-FTS in the LS500? The 2GR-FKS connection is merely an assumption, until a press release or elaborate technical specs can be issued.
Ah, I wouldn't count on that. Take it with a grain of salt. I am at war with that Car Wars source of information, BIG time. Motor Trend DOESN'T work hard enough to provide self-gathered insight on future Japanese products in the pipeline, only getting secondhand info.
Whether this has to do with snubbing or shutting out by Toyota R&D+press relations towards U.S. automotive media for competitive reasons (against big 3). Or, the snubbing of "***" companies by biased U.S. automotive media (primarily Michigan-based), there are always too many inconsistencies on hearing about Toyota news.
Even the just-auto and Automotive News subscriptions I pay thousands of pounds/dollars a year for (total waste and not informative enough), cannot reliably predict market trends nor that of industry life-cycles at even 99%, especially on the Japanese side.
This isn't easy when you have people like Carlos Ghosn (whom I personally respect) and questionable Toyota execs at the helm (two-faced Akio, lazy Lentz) in media-engaging positions, possibly changing plans as they go along.
The one thing your source I find highly credible with, is how quick they have responded to or correctly predicted, that Infiniti's RWD sport crossover QX70 redesign, has just been pushed back to MY2021 as an FWD Infiniti-badged Murano.
Either they have gotten similar inside info or word-for-word copied what I said somewhere else about Infiniti and then putting out the Murano FMC and Q50 dates from internal info I have. Honestly, nothing I do hate more than me being used as a sole source by professionals, when I am far from the executive management branch of these various car companies nor their press relations, as I'd expect they'd have more direct sources from the inside. The latter case (copying), is extremely unlikely I figure and they just have reliable info from Nissan as well.
Anyway, looking at the information:
In 2016 (publish date April 29, 2016), they tried their best, BUT wrongly published this information in their studies.
2017 model year for TMC:
- LC 500 - Coupe
- C-HR - CUV
They clearly got the LC 500 under 2017, DESPITE the fact it was announced for the 2018 model year as early as January 2016, away from original 2017MY designation. C-HR barely arrived for MY2018, not MY2017. By April 2016, they should've been well aware of these MYs.
2018 model year TMC:
- Toyota 4Runner -Mid SUV
- Lexus LS - Sedan
- Toyota Camry - Sedan
All correct, except one. The 4Runner is most certainly not getting redesigned for 2018, something I have expected for a long time, regarding TSS not being available on GX and 4Runner by end of 2017. They were forced to correct this erroneous info in their 2017 report. In May 2015, they predicted it would be redesigned for MY2017. Well...if they are as professional analysts making such errors, surely one can excuse mistakes I make in that area.
2019 MY TMC:
- RAV-4 - Small CUV
- Tundra - Large Pickup
- Sienna - Minivan
- Lexus GX - Mid SUV
- Lexus ES -Sedan
- Lexus CT - Hatchback
- Avalon - Sedan
- Yaris - Hatchback & Sedan
Forgive me, but after those weak-a** refreshes for MY2018 with the Sienna and Tundra, I sure as hell know that there are no plans for MY2019 redesigns for those two. MY2020 is even pushing it, but likelier enough compared to late 2018 intro because of TNGA-F and scaled up TNGA-K forcing recently refreshes of these two. Only Hyundai is known for single-model year refreshes, Toyota just doesn't do that. (In May 2015, this same source predicted a MY2017 Sienna redesign.)
The GX is due in Japan soon, yet I keep hearing "no redesign" and the 150-Series cousin already has a new facelift, yet I am supposed to believe the GX gets redesigned a year later or zero changes? Unless it is now uni-body, a redesign sure isn't happening for MY2019 as long as it has its body on a frame. Something must happen this year, unless it is going separate from the facelifted (2x) Prado.
I am convinced that some Toyota/Lexus people that have seen both 2018 and 2019 GX models, are playing dumb. They cannot make me believe it will remain unchanged through 2019, since the October 2013 spindle facelift. It has to be getting another facelift and nothing more, but TSS just throws me off.
The ES life-cycle has become indeterminable, thanks to weird predictions from Mag-X, citing an August 2019 introductory date.
Reportedly the CT is being absorbed into the UX nameplate a la Infiniti or being totally discontinued. So if that's the case, what relevance does it bear in a report on the U.S. car market?
On that list for calendar year 2018 launches for MY 2019, only the RAV-4 and Avalon can be deemed correct, as TNGA-C and TNGA-K come into play for those two, that is if Toyota hasn't discarded plans for a new Avalon too. Based on supplier info, I'd like to think it is coming.
Yaris, I don't care enough about to follow its life-cycle and don't even remember when it was last redesigned or facelifted too many times.
Now for MY 2020, this is what really pisses me off.
Highlander - Mid CUV
Lexus NX - Mid Lux CUV
Sequoia - Large SUV
Land Cruiser - Large SUV
Lexus LX - Large Lux SUV
Lexus GS -Sedan
Lexus IS - Coupe, Sedan, & Convertible
Corolla - Sedan
The Highlander went on sale in February 2014, despite being unveiled in April 2013. It was facelifted in late 2016, which matches reasonably with a redesign for MY 2020.
The 600X programme is most certainly NOT on schedule for 2019 release, unless the next NX has been moved forward. That in particular is on schedule for July 2020 for MY2021, not MY 2020. I look forward to them backtracking and correcting this.
The Sequoia just got its first refresh after 10 years, not even a heavy facelift. 2019 is the year of TNGA-F (bear in mind I strictly refer to prod. year, not MY), so does this mean that the Land Cruiser, Tundra, and Sequoia all benefit from modular "F" all at once? Or does a staggered Sequoia release in CY2020 make more sense? At least in regards to their 2016 report.
Now they are saying in their 2017 report, MY 2021 for both Tundra and Sequoia. I'd wager that a new Tundra arrives in that time frame, IDK about Sequoia.
The Land Cruiser predictions are dead accurate, and just maybe the LX. All for MY2020. According to UZJ100GXR, the 200-Series cousins see a very minor refresh for MY2018.
The GS launch date is indeterminable, as even though April 2019 SOP is mentioned in some charts for June 2019 launch, who knows where that fully stands in light of noise-making and slow news media responding to old MAG-X rumours. Turning this tidbit into fallacious clickbait about how the GS is a "dismal car" and that Lexus is a "terrible brand", when they haven't officially discontinued it.
I have already said from internal info, th 4IS also has a date (SOP or launch) of July 2020. I once again look forward to seeing what Bank of America fixed in their "credible" predictions. Not only that, they implied a consolidation of the RC and IS into one model prefix and nameplate. In their 2017 report, they corrected that to reflect a MY 2021 RC, yet still going with MY2020 for the IS.
As for the Corolla, it is a given for the U.S. market for MY 2020. In addition to knowing the dual model chassis codes for it, I have been seeing prototypes of the next Corolla design since last fall in camouflage (plus Japanese renderings), which points to at least a mid-2016 design freeze, which that time period was just as MY 2017 was getting started for the US Corolla facelift.
Actually, since when do Corollas get design freezes 3 years ahead of launch like a Lexus LS? What is Toyota cooking up there, that they need so much extra time?
As you can see there are already too many holes in this "report" from Motor Trend. Also many typos in that 2016 edition and even more contradictory information for other brands, especially Nissan's Z35 Z sports car redesign that clearly never happened for MY 2018 like they predicted last April.
My point in explaining their past reports (attached PDFs), is show and prove how inconsistent they are, plus how transparent Motor Trend is in using them to provide "news" and quick clicks. Motor Trend couldn't bothered to force their journalists to find this info out themselves. Everywhere online, I am seeing people jump on these reports as 100% and maybe they just aren't, but are still good information nonetheless.
[ QUOTE="Gecko, post: 26173, member: 7"]Same.
. We have every right to want with our hearts and not go with logic.
