The baby Lexus has landed! Lexus is readying a BMW 1-series for Frankfurt, and this is the first photo to emerge, after last week’s rear shot, of the front end.
Called the Lexus LF-Ch (the ‘LF’ denoting it’s a concept, the ‘C’ confirming it’s a C-segment car and the ‘h’ meaning its a hybrid), it features a practical five-door layout and a remarkably production-ready design. In fact if rumours are to be believed, it could enter production, with very few changes to the concept shown here, as early as next year. AutoExpress
As the latest concept hybrid vehicle from Lexus, LF-Ch offers dramatic style, premium features, an innovative drivetrain with low emissions, and impressive fuel economy in a sporty yet versatile five-door package.
“Lexus has been leading the luxury hybrid market ever since we came out with the RX 400h in 2005,” said Mark Templin, Lexus division group vice president and general manager. “To continue raising the hybrid benchmark, we need to continue exploring hybrid technology in different segments. The LF-Ch concept gives us the opportunity to gauge consumer reaction and help us determine whether or not this would be viable for production.”
The LF-Ch concept was designed by Calty Design Research Inc., Toyota’s North American-based research and design center located in Newport Beach, Calif., and will allow the brand to study the needs of young urbanites and consumer values in a compact luxury vehicle.
“The LF-Ch concept is the next evolution of the compact luxury vehicle,” said Kevin Hunter, president of Calty. “We were able to create a beautifully designed hybrid with a deep sense of mystery and intrigue.”
Designers created an intriguing contrast between the powerful, machine-like surfaces, fluid forms and details that appear hand-sculpted. Autoblog
The concept car also has rear door handles integrated into the window trim, but it’s unclear whether this is a feature that will make it through to production. The trailing edge of the roof overhangs the rear window to create in integrated rear spoiler, while the rear bumper is shaped to smooth airflow from beneath the car and direct air to the rear brakes.
The LF-Ch’s minimalist cabin creates a ‘visual harmony between the interior and exterior design’, according to Lexus. There’s an asymmetric dashboard layout and switches are kept to a minimum thanks to a multi-information display on top of the dashboard that controls a number of different functions.
The production version of the LF-Ch is expected to go on sale in late 2011. It’s likely to be well equipped and we estimate prices will start at around £20,000. News - What Car?
The exact setup has yet to be detailed, but we’d expect to see the same 147-hp, 2.4-liter Atkinson-cycle engine, nickel-metal hydride battery pack, and electric motor as found in the recently released HS250h sedan. That hybrid system is good for a total system output of 187 hp in the HS.
Design-wise, this little Lexus breaks no ground that BMW hasn’t already broken with its popular 1-series hatchback. No bad thing, we suppose, as we like the 1-series in the coupe/convertible body styles we get here in the U.S. as well as the three- and five-door variants that are sold elsewhere.
Being a hatchback, the Lexus LF-Ch concept is inarguably Euro-centric, and as such, we doubt that Lexus will bring us the final version of the car. This would make it the first Lexus model sold in Europe not to be sold in the United States, which would be a bummer, since we rather like how the concept looks, at least in its current form. In production form, one can expect the swoopy nose, humongous wheels, and chopped greenhouse to take on more conventional proportions. Regardless, it promises to be a fetching little guy, and we hope Lexus shows it in the States as well. Car and Driver
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