In spite of the current freefall in gasoline prices due to declining demand and economic conditions worldwide, it is still quite evident that long-term trends are towards smaller, more fuel-efficient and less polluting cars. Further, a look at the worldwide model lineups of Lexus' European luxury brand archrivals reveals a number of C-segment models (Audi A3, BMW 1-Series hatchbacks, Mercedes-Benz B-Class), whereas Lexus, at this point, has none. This subject has been amply covered in multiple my.IS Front Page stories from
September 2007,
October 2007 and
late October 2008.
Yet another of these stories, from
early October 2008, is vivid evidence of how seemingly disparate recurring themes from previous my.IS stories can unexpectedly converge into one later article. And this is happening again, as John Roca,
GoAuto and the Lexus BS are the central characters in this feature.
John Roca, Lexus Australia's chief executive, first came to our attention when,
upon announcing the first special-edition IS 250X back in July 2007, also became the first Lexus executive to publicly admit the existence of the then-upcoming Lexus IS C. Mr. Roca has also been mentioned in subsequent stories about
the second special-edition IS 250X and the
IS 250 Sports Concept / F-Sport.
Like Mr. Roca,
GoAuto also comes to us from Australia, and is among their most prominent automotive websites. Their informed speculation on Lexus' future has been the subject of a my.IS Front Page story from
January 2006, as well as the aforementioned early October 2008 story. Their latest story on the subject, by
Byron Mathioudakis (who also happens to be the author of the earlier January 2006 story), is a longish but quite compelling read, to the point that it is a worthy successor to our original sub-IS Lexus informed speculation story,
The Lexus BS may not be B.S. after all, from December 2005. Although you may view the story in its original context
here, we feel it is worth reproducing in its entirety. As to the two renderings that accompany this article, they are simply an educated photoshop guess by Theophilus Chin for the
paultan.org blog that, quite frankly, comes off as a 2nd-generation Lexus IS/
Toyota Blade mash-up. Without further ado, here's the story:
Baby Lexus to go hybrid
Sub-IS Lexus hybrid to take on established Euro premium compact diesels
Lexus is planning to introduce a petrol-electric hybrid version of its forthcoming prestige compact car, which will be sold alongside conventional-engine versions next decade.
Dubbed the BS by some pundits, but known as the C-Premium within Lexus, the compact car will be markedly different to the dedicated hybrid concept that the Toyota-owned marque is expected to display at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January.
That vehicle, rumoured to be called the HS250 Concept, is believed to be a four-door sedan derived from a modified version of the next-generation Toyota Prius’ front-wheel drive platform and powered by a 2.5-litre petrol/electric powerplant similar to that found in the existing US-market Toyota Camry Hybrid.
Not coincidentally, the production-ready version of the next-generation Prius will also make its world debut at the Detroit show.
Meanwhile, the BS will sport unique styling across sedan and/or hatchback bodystyles and could emulate the BMW 1 Series with a rear-wheel drive configuration.
Devised to take on the premium European small cars exemplified by the BMW as well as the Audi A3, the forthcoming compact is understood to be in co-development with the next-generation IS due about 2012.
This method mirrors BMW’s current ‘C’ and ‘D’ segment strategy, which has seen the E87 1 Series spun off the larger E90 3 Series architecture. The fact that there will be a hybrid version of the BS leads to the conclusion that a hybrid IS might also see the light of day when the all-new version arrives.
The BS hybrid will be built primarily for markets that traditionally eschew diesel power, meaning that Japan and North America would be first in line to receive the vehicle. A ‘BS’ diesel will also be offered mainly to please European buyers, who tend to prefer diesel power to petrol.
However, as is the case with the current diesel-powered IS220d sold overseas, a diesel BS will probably not be imported to Australia.
The sub-IS model is priority number one at Lexus at the moment as it seeks to weather the economic storm, lure more younger buyers and move in the general downsizing direction of the luxury car market.
Lexus has even put the sub-RX luxury SUV (to be based on the LFXh concept) on hold as it focuses on bringing the BS to market.
“At one stage we were discussing the option of a vehicle below the RX, but at the time we felt that the priority would be for a car below the IS and not the RX,” Lexus Australia chief executive John Roca told
GoAuto last week.
“Toyota Motor Corporation haven’t confirmed that car actually exists. But the feedback that Lexus is getting from every market around the world is that we have to counteract what our competitors are doing, particularly with the German marques, and we really do need a sub-IS car.
“And frankly it will come. But as to when is what we are trying to determine at the moment.”
Mr Roca is confident the small car will arrive in Australia within the next three years.
“There are several (overseas) articles that quote 2011 (as a possible launch date) and I am hoping that this will be the timeframe,” he said. “That would be really good for us, (and) in terms of the model cycle for IS, it’s probably ideal.
“If we introduce a sub-IS vehicle, and then a new IS a year or two after that, then we will really start cooking with gas, and that’s what we need.
“And the good thing about that segment for us is, because we are not your traditional luxury marque, for somebody entering the luxury car market for the first time, they will think that Lexus is a very viable proposition because of its heritage with Toyota.
“(They know that) they will be stepping into a car of that size that is going to have quality, because the Lexus badge will convince them … and that it will be better than a Toyota, and that’s not bad either.
“So it’s a sort of win-win situation for us, while with our German counterparts from time to time tend their small cars are not much chop while their larger cars are better.”
Mr Roca promised that the C-Premium would not be a restyled next-generation Toyota Corolla, or share major mechanical components with it.
“It will be a dedicated Lexus car, that I am certain of,” he said. “Whether it is rear-wheel drive, that has not been determined yet either. Frankly a car of that size, a front-wheel drive car in that category would be viable. But we are looking at a specific Lexus product.”
Lexus’ two-pronged small-car strategy follows Toyota’s success with the Prius, which appeals to buyers who want to make an obvious public statement about their green-car credentials.
The dedicated hybrid version will be tailored for this group, while the ‘BS’ hybrid is likely to be a performance-edged low-emissions/economy model in the same vein as the larger GS450h hybrid is.
As
GoAuto reported last month, Toyota Motor Europe president and CEO Tadashi Arashima confirmed Lexus’ plans to compete in the premium small car class. This followed a
GoAuto report 12 months earlier revealing that an entry-level model plan had just been signed off by Lexus.
My.IS Commentary: As Kevin RE Watts wrote in
his The Passionate Pursuit story that first brought this to our attention,"There’s plenty of...information in the article, including the fact that Toyota has yet to confirm that this vehicle even exists. Not exactly a ringing endorsement, but this is hardly idle gossip or an unexpected development." And, upon taking a closer look, the realization hits that, ultimately, this story is hardly a definitive answer on what precisely Lexus' plans are. While Mr. Roca's level of on-the-record candor is refreshing compared to the tighter leash that U.S. Lexus executives are kept under as far as publicly discussing future product plans, one must pay closer attention to what is and isn't attributed to Mr.Roca.
For example, it is author Mathioudakis (echoing car enthusiasts' fervent wishes, this author included), and
not Roca, that says "the BS...
could emulate the BMW 1 Series with a rear-wheel drive configuration...the forthcoming compact is understood to be in co-development with the next-generation IS due about 2012. This method mirrors BMW’s current ‘C’ and ‘D’ segment strategy, which has seen the E87 1-Series spun off the larger E90 3-Series architecture...The sub-IS model is priority number one at Lexus at the moment as it seeks to weather the economic storm, lure more younger buyers and move in the general downsizing direction of the luxury car market."
The first thing John Roca tells us, in fact, is that “Toyota Motor Corporation haven’t confirmed that car actually exists." Cautionary typical official-speak, no doubt, but better than the terse "we don't comment on future product plans" more commonly heard in the United States. Yet, Mr. Roca then goes on to tell us that "the feedback that Lexus is getting from every market around the world is that we have to counteract what our competitors are doing, particularly with the German marques, and we really do need a sub-IS car. And frankly it will come. But as to when is what we are trying to determine at the moment. There are several (overseas) articles that quote 2011 (as a possible launch date) and I am hoping that this will be the timeframe...in terms of the model cycle for IS, it’s probably ideal. If we introduce a sub-IS vehicle, and then a new IS a year or two after that, then we will really start cooking with gas, and that’s what we need."
And, sadly, while not totally discarding the possibility of it being rear-wheel-drive, Mr. Roca strongly hints that the "BS" will be front-wheel-drive. “It will be a dedicated Lexus car, that I am certain of,” he said. “Whether it is rear-wheel drive, that has not been determined yet, either. Frankly, a car of that size, a front-wheel drive car in that category would be viable. But we are looking at a specific Lexus product.” According to author Mathioudakis, "Mr Roca promised that the C-Premium would not be a restyled next-generation Toyota Corolla, or share major mechanical components with it."
Admittedly, one drawback to cutting down the current Lexus IS's 2nd-generation platform is that criticisms aimed at the BMW 1-Series for its ridiculously-tight rear seat would only be magnified in a cut-down Lexus IS. After all, both generations of Lexus IS have been heavier and less roomy than their BMW 3-Series archrivals. On the other hand, in the interim, Toyota has become a world-leading pioneer in space-efficient interiors thanks to their ground-breaking, Smart-rivalling Toyota iQ (rumored to be coming to North America as a Scion).
An article appearing on Motor Trend magazine's website details chief engineer Hiroki Nakajima's breakthroughs in this regard, and how Toyota plans to leverage them in a new series of ultra-space efficient small cars. Yet, a number of these innovations, such as seatbacks with a strong perimeter frame but ultrathin centers (thus creating more rear-seat knee room) and more compact fuel pump and sender, wiper system, HVAC/climate-control unit, and door and window systems could conceivably be adopted by the 3rd-generation Lexus IS
and a smaller rear-wheel-drive derivative that might actually precede it to market.
Were Lexus to go the front-wheel-drive platform route
ŕ la Audi A3, Mercedes-Benz B-Class and numerous European-market Alfa Romeos and Lancias, we'd hope that they leverage the all-wheel-drive experience of new partner Subaru and offer performance all-wheel-drive variants of the "Lexus BS/C-Premium", and not merely follow the current Lexus IS and GS pattern of only offering all-wheel-drive in conjunction with its smallest engines.
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