Just about everyone would like to lock up all bad memories of 2020 in a drawer and be done with it, but it’s a little more complicated for automakers who still need to report on their full-year sales performance. Lexus, just like other carmaker, is trying to compensate for the less than stellar results with a preview of their “next step forward.”
During the January to December 2020 period, Lexus’ global deliveries totaled precisely 718,715 vehicles, representing a 6% slide compared to 2019. Although it looks bad, it might have been even worse because the first six months of last year showed a 16% drop compared to the first half of 2019. That was partially compensated by the 2% increase in sales during the latter half of the year.
Still, Lexus has a positive outlook to the future, with the company mentioning that the UX 300e, its first fully electric vehicle, was quickly snatched by eager customers wherever available. Now the brand is preparing to expand the availability of the UX 300e across more markets and is also teasing the impending arrival of a fresh brand vision.
“This spring, we will unveil our new brand vision, along with a new concept, which illustrates our intentions for the future and marking the beginning of the next generation of Lexus,” explains Koji Sato, the Chief Branding Officer and Lexus International President.
Better yet, the official hinted the first series-production model developed according to the new corporate strategy would also arrive later this year, while more introductions will take place in 2022 and further into the future.
As far as we can tell, the teaser (we did a little bit of Photoshop magic to try and reveal some of the hidden lines) possibly depicts the same electric concept car that was first glimpsed back in December. At the time, Lexus also announced the upcoming introduction of the Direct4 “next generation electric drive control technology.”
The Japanese automaker said back then that the new Lexus Electrified technology will become core to its future hybrid and battery electric vehicles, bringing a new system that will enable “instant electric control to all four wheels to transform dynamic performance, working instantaneously according to driving conditions and driver intentions.”
By the looks of the two teaser images, back in December Lexus showcased the front of their new BEV design, while the new preview most likely covers the other end of the concept car.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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