Lexus has revealed the new LS Coupé concept, one of a number of models – including the single-seat Micro LS and huge, six-wheeled LS MPV – that could form part of an expanded family of LS vehicles inspired by the seminal luxury saloon of the same name.
The Japanese brand is responding to a global drop in demand for large saloons that once formed the bedrock of the luxury car market – including its own LS, which retired earlier this year having launched as Lexus’s first model in 1989.
While the Micro LS and MPV concept show some of the ways that spirit could be channeled, the LS Coupé concept – unveiled at the Tokyo motor show – looks to be the most production ready.
A rakish, high-riding premium SUV, it would be a natural rival to similarly conceived models from Mercedes, BMW and Porsche, though the firm has given no indication of its performance potential or dimensions.
Ian Cartabiano, who runs Toyota’s Californian design studio, said the LS Coupe will “let you do it all, and do it all in style”.
“It offers a future luxury experience with the interior space of a luxury sedan, and the engaging experience of a true driver’s car.”
Irrespective of its likelihood to make production, though, the concept is important for what it shows about the future of Lexus products.
Inside, for example, the Coupé features a trio of widescreen digital displays – two for the driver and another (which folds away) for the passenger – running the next generation of Lexus’s infotainment system, while the yoke-style steering wheel hints at plans to keep developing the RZ’s steer-by-wire system, and the sports-style driver’s seat emphasises the ongoing importance of performance.
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