Photo: Lexus
It's no secret that Lexus dealers are happy with their RX sales, but they want an expensive luxury SUV to take on the Germans. That model was previewed by the LF-1 concept, and we have fresh information about when it will arrive and how.
The LF-1 Limitless was this copper-colored mixture of sports car and crossover. It had a really long hood, which is uncharacteristic of Lexus models. Given all the reports we've read about its production version, it is undoubtedly coming, but the project seems to be slightly delayed.
The Japanese scoop website Best Car Web states that the project was supposed to be shown in some form this year but was pushed back to 2023. That makes sense, considering Lexus needs to make new versions of several popular models and deal with Toyota's strong push into the electric car market.
When ready, the crossover will supposedly be named the LF, which we find a little puzzling. That name is used by all the concepts and stands for "Lexus Future," but this somewhat lines up with the halo/flagship status of the vehicle and differentiates it from the Land Cruiser-based LX.
The TNGA-L platform is to be used, the same as the LS sedan, and that implies a sportier, rear-biased AWD system. The primary powertrain is supposed to be a 3.5-liter hybrid, though a 4.0-liter turbocharged V8 will find its way under the hood as well.
With such a long development cycle, we're not surprised it will be expensive too. Best Car claims it will cost between 15 and 20 million yen, which is equivalent to about $138,000 to $184,000 at the current exchange rate. That's pretty deep into Porsche Cayenne territory (and even beyond), though we're sure Lexus can pull it off.
The Japanese story talks about further Lexus performance models in the pipeline. The IS F and LS F are supposed to use this fancy new twin-turbo 4.0-liter which can produce up to 650 horsepower. It sounds very exciting, particularly as the upcoming Mercedes-AMG C63 will downsize to four cylinders.
The Japanese scoop website Best Car Web states that the project was supposed to be shown in some form this year but was pushed back to 2023. That makes sense, considering Lexus needs to make new versions of several popular models and deal with Toyota's strong push into the electric car market.
When ready, the crossover will supposedly be named the LF, which we find a little puzzling. That name is used by all the concepts and stands for "Lexus Future," but this somewhat lines up with the halo/flagship status of the vehicle and differentiates it from the Land Cruiser-based LX.
The TNGA-L platform is to be used, the same as the LS sedan, and that implies a sportier, rear-biased AWD system. The primary powertrain is supposed to be a 3.5-liter hybrid, though a 4.0-liter turbocharged V8 will find its way under the hood as well.
With such a long development cycle, we're not surprised it will be expensive too. Best Car claims it will cost between 15 and 20 million yen, which is equivalent to about $138,000 to $184,000 at the current exchange rate. That's pretty deep into Porsche Cayenne territory (and even beyond), though we're sure Lexus can pull it off.
The Japanese story talks about further Lexus performance models in the pipeline. The IS F and LS F are supposed to use this fancy new twin-turbo 4.0-liter which can produce up to 650 horsepower. It sounds very exciting, particularly as the upcoming Mercedes-AMG C63 will downsize to four cylinders.
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