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Lexus: No plans for LFA replacement anytime soon

Supercars are fantastic in terms of their raw performance, sound and ability to inspire interest in an automaker. They aren't so good at actually making money, even for giant, global automakers like Toyota. And if you are holding out hope that Lexus might be fibbing about there being no plans for an LFA successor, we have some bad news. "I think you will see us do some incredible things in the future, but probably not a $375,000 supercar anytime soon," Lexus Executive Vice President Mark Templin told Automotive News. The issue comes down to the LFA's cost to develop and massive price. Lexus built just 500 of the V10 supercars from 2010 through 2012. Templin said that the plan was originally for a much more modest vehicle with a steel body. However, that intention changed to plans for an aluminum exterior and eventually evolved further to carbon fiber during the course of its engineering. Templin is clear that Lexus isn't giving up on more accessible performance with its F sub-brand models, but more supercars aren't coming, at least not anytime soon. He previously suggested that the LFA was a generational model with a 30-year wait for the next one. These days, the workshop that built the LFA has been converted for a much less powerful but perhaps more important vehicle. Toyota now uses it to build the Mirai with the company's hydrogen fuel cell powertrain. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2012 Lexus LFA: Review View 30 Photos News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Copyright 2015 Drew Phillips / AOL Plants/Manufacturing Lexus Toyota Coupe Performance Supercars supercar lexus lfa

Lexus regrets not doing 3-row CUV before RC coupe [UPDATE]

UPDATE: The source clarifies that rather than planning new small cars and crossovers, Lexus intends to rely on the ones it already has in its lineup. The text below has been revised accordingly. Automakers try to give its dealers (and by extension, their customers) the vehicles they're asking for. In Lexus' case, that's come down to a sport coupe and a three-row crossover. The Japanese luxury automaker ended up prioritizing the former with the launch of the RC coupe, but in retrospect, it feels it should have gone with the seven-seater instead. This according to Toyota's North American chief Jim Lentz in speaking to Automotive News at its provisional headquarters in Plano, TX. "In hindsight, if I was making this decision 10 years ago, seeing what I see today, the three-row [crossover] probably would have been the better play to come out first," Lentz to AN. "Strategically that's a more important vehicle to have than necessarily a lower volume, higher priced image product." Crossovers and SUVs represent big business for Lexus, whose five-seat RX (pictured above) is its biggest seller. The more compact NX is off to a solid start as well, but the brand's only three-row offerings are truck-based sport-utes like the GX and LX. Even without the three-row crossover, however, Lexus has been performing admirably. Rising sales have it trailing only BMW and Mercedes in the US market for luxury automobiles. Adding a three-row crossover to target the likes of the Audi Q7 and Mercedes GL will evidently be the next top priority for Lexus, but it's not the only plan the luxury brand has for the near future. Lentz indicated that the company plans to rely on its lineup of near-luxury and entry-level luxury sedans and crossovers moving forward, but isn't interested in going after the Mercedes CLA and Audi A3. "Luxury cars cost a certain dollar amount for a reason," said Lentz. "I don't want to cheapen my cars just to offer a lease that's $20 a month less."

Next-gen Lexus IS design revealed to be swoopiest yet

We drove it while it was covered in cloth and vinyl not long ago, but before the 2014 Lexus IS350 F-Sport gets revealed at the Detroit Auto Show and we find out everything about it, Lexus has graced us with images. In addition to the spindle grille - with an elevated waistline on the F-Sport - the coming IS gets a jagged set of dual-beam headlights with L-shaped DRLs that are, for the first time on a Lexus, separate from the main units. Further back, the side sills get a twist and intense sculpting throughout the length of the longer wheelbase.
Inside is an LFA-inspired cockpit with thinner sport seats and more room in just about every area, the moving "driver's meter" in the dash cluster, electrostatic controls for cabin temperature control, 60/40 folding rear seats and "metal film 3-D-effect ornamentation."
The F-Sport package will be available on the IS250, IS350, IS300h equipped with Lexus Hybrid Drive. The hybrid will not come to the US.