Lexus To Get Sportier, Explore New Segments
The Lexus brand is planning to revolutionise its future line-up. In September, Lexus development boss Kiyotaka Ise said that coming models would demonstrate a sportier direction, an approach foreshadowed by the 2011 CT 200h.
This week, the Jap
The Lexus brand is planning to revolutionise its future line-up. In September, Lexus development boss Kiyotaka Ise said that coming models would demonstrate a sportier direction, an approach foreshadowed by the 2011 CT 200h.
This week, the Japanese luxury badge's global marketing and product planning boss Karl Schlicht has painted an even bigger picture, pointing to a future with bolder design, new market segments and more hybrid models.
Describing the brand's plans as 'progressive luxury', Schlicht said that Lexus has had to review its strategy since expanding out of the US market into Europe and elsewhere.
"It's very simple when you have one market," Schlicht told US industry paper Automotive News.
"You have multiple regions now - like Europe wanting one direction, Japan another and China coming on. That gets more complicated."
As part of its progressive luxury direction, Lexus will take greater advantage of its F and F Sport badges, adding new performance and sports-oriented variants to other models in its line-up. (See Lexus IS F and IS 350 F Sport)
While the power-focused F badge will remain limited to a select few models, the F Sport range of packages - which include handling and styling tweaks - are set to appear across the Lexus range.
Most tellingly, Schlicht confirmed that a new coupe has been made a top priority at Lexus, needed to replace the recently-retired SC.
Schlicht added that while new segments may be explored, including a new compact SUV, a model smaller than the CT hatch is unlikely.
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