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Lexus previews the concept car that illustrates its new brand vision

Lexus will start writing the next chapter in its 32-year history when it unveils a mysterious concept car in spring 2021. It hasn't revealed the design study's name yet, but it explained the model will show what's coming. Koji Sato, the company's president and chief branding officer, noted that the concept "illustrates our intentions for the future, and marks the beginning of the next generation of Lexus." He stopped short of providing additional details, but the company's plans for the future are fairly easy to decipher. Lexus isn't going to start making rifles, lawn mowers, or garage flooring; it's very likely going to electrify its range while reinventing its design language for the 2020s and adding more technology — including advanced semi-automated systems — to its cars. The dark preview image released by Lexus shows the concept car's rear end. We see a relatively low roof accented by a fin, a sculpted rear bumper that's much wider than the greenhouse, and the company's name written in a new font. While the photo asks more questions than it answers, we know that we're not looking at the electric crossover that the Toyota-owned company hinted at in December 2020 because the proportions don't match. And, we highly doubt it's the rugged, body-on-frame off-roader that's allegedly also in the works. We'll have to be patient to find out whether Lexus is planning to move away from the spindle-shaped grille that has characterized its cars for nearly a decade. Geneva's annual auto show was canceled for the second year in a row, but it should have opened its doors to the public and the press in early March 2021. Odds are the Lexus concept's online unveiling will coincide with (or at least fall very close to) the axed show's dates. Sato confirmed that Lexus will release a new car in 2021, though he didn't specify if it's related to the concept, or if it's merely inspired by it. He pledged to continue rolling out new additions to the range through 2022. Related video:

Optimistic Lexus bumps US sales target higher

Last year Lexus sold 244,166 cars in the US, slotting into third place in the luxury segment behind BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Earlier this year Lexus said its target was 260,000 units in the US (which would still put it behind BMW's and Mercedes' numbers from last year), but Automotive News reports that it has raised its upper outlook to 270,000 cars.
The half-year pace hasn't been enough to make either number, but Lexus is gunning for a 15-percent gain in IS sales behind the arrival of the 2014 model, and this is also the first full year of sales of the new ES and LS. Lexus will most likely end the year in third place in the luxury segment behind BMW and Mercedes again, even if it does sell 270,000 units, but has said its prime directive is "good, steady growth."

Lexus trademarks enigmatic LX 600 nameplate

An American trademark filing suggests Lexus is about to expand its lineup of SUVs with a range-topping model named LX 600. The new nameplate asks many more questions than it answers. Discovered by AutoGuide, the filing seemingly corresponds to a stronger evolution of the Toyota Land Cruiser-based LX 570 that currently occupies the top spot in the Lexus SUV hierarchy. LX is, of course, the model, while 570 denotes the presence of a 5.7-liter V8 under the hood. By that logic, an LX 600 should have a 6.0-liter engine, and very likely a V8; we can't imagine Lexus selling an LX with 10 or 12 cylinders, for better or worse, and a 6.0-liter V6 would be a mammoth of an engine. One of the question marks hovering around the filing is whether 600 actually corresponds to the engine's displacement. There isn't a 5.0-liter V8 between the LS 500's fenders; it's powered by a twin-turbocharged, 3.5-liter V6. Carmakers are moving away from large-displacement engines to comply with looming emissions norms, and Toyota is on the front lines, so the theory of a 6.0-liter V8 in a Lexus flagship — even one that's relatively old-school — struggles to hold water. An earlier report claims the next-generation Toyota Land Cruiser will ditch its V8 in favor of the aforementioned V6, and it might be available with the LS 500h's gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain. The LX has always been nearly identical to the Land Cruiser in the engine bay, so it will likely surf the downsizing wave, too. Our intuition tells us 600 is too high for the base model, and the flagship hybrid would logically be dubbed 600h. Here again, we've reached a body-on-frame cul-de-sac. We can't forget about the possibility that Lexus will not slap the LX 600 nameplate on anything. Automakers routinely trademark names to protect them without planning on using them. The company hasn't commented on the trademark filings, and it hasn't shed light on the next-generation LX, so the speculation will continue until official information emerges. It's tentatively scheduled to make its debut in 2021, and arrive in showrooms in 2022, about a year after the new Land Cruiser. Featured Gallery 2019 Lexus LX 570 View 42 Photos Auto News Lexus SUV Luxury