Press Release
World Debut for Lexus IS
On display at the Geneva 2005 Motor Show:- World debut of the next generation Lexus IS and introduction of the first ever Lexus diesel engine
- First European presentation of the LF-A concept car
- The next generation GS sports sedan
- The RX400h -the world's first performance hybrid SUV.
The new Lexus IS - World first
The new Lexus IS will be having its world premiere at the Lexus press conference on the 1 st of March at 12.15. The car will feature the first ever Lexus Diesel engine.
LF-A concept car - European Premiere
The fourth successive LF concept vehicle to explore Lexus' revolutionary new design direction, the LF-A combines the luxury refinements of a true Lexus with the performance and driving dynamics of a high performance, two-seater supercar. It features a powerplant capable of developing more than 500 DIN hp from a cubic capacity of less than 5.0 litres. A radical approach to component sizing and packaging has created a compact design with very short front and rear overhangs and the perfect front/rear weight distribution essential to optimum high-speed handling and stability.
Luxury Lightening Strikes - 200 MPH Lexus
Lexus are showing the 500-plus horsepower, 200 mph LF-A sports car concept at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show.The two-seat concept blends the performance of an exotic sports car with the luxury refinements of a Lexus. Designed to express a bold new direction in styling for the Lexus brand, the LF-A concept is committed to achieving superiority in speed, quickness, agility and reliability.
The Lexus LF-A concept features an engine capable of developing more than 500 horsepower from a displacement of less than five litres. With a combination of optimum gearing, weight and aerodynamics, the LF-A concept would produce a top speed in the region of 200 miles per hour.
Inside, the LF-A is designed as a luxury high-speed capsule that blends extravagant comfort with precision operation. Although it is about five inches shorter in length than the Porsche 911 Turbo, its wheelbase is nine inches longer. At 48 inches, it is nearly identical in height to the Ferrari F430. And with a width of 73.2 inches, it splits the difference between the Mercedes Benz SL55 and the Aston Martin DB9.
While the LF-A makes a major statement in how Lexus would define exotic sports car performance, it was conceived to express the emergence of a new direction in styling for the Lexus brand, globally.
"Over the last two years, a new styling philosophy that we call L-Finesse, has taken shape at Lexus Design," said Wahei Hirai, global head of design.
"What has emerged from this two-year journey is not just a new direction in philosophy. It is a new design language, based on the dynamism and inherent contrast between simplicity and elegance."
The LF-A is a fundamental shift in both style and design for Lexus. The positioning and sizing of major components have been redefined and condensed. By taking an entirely different approach to proportion and packaging, designers have achieved the ultimate weight balance, so vital to high-speed handling and stability.
As a total package, the Lexus LF-A concept is a bold statement and a clear indication of the path that Lexus' global design will follow in the near future.
LF-A Specifications
Next Generation GS
The next generation GS goes on sale mid-April. Within elegant, aerodynamically superb coachwork, it integrates class-leading technical achievement with unparalleled interior luxury, ergonomic excellence and precision fit and finish.It will be offered with a choice of either 4.3 litre V8 283 DIN hp or new, 3.0 litre direct injection 249 DIN hp V6 petrol engines mated to a new, close ratio, 6-speed automatic transmission with sequential shift mode. Adaptive Variable Suspension offers a choice of two damper settings; Normal Mode for everyday comfort and Sport Mode for improved handling, whilst a new Electric Power Steering (EPS) system features Variable Gear Ratio Steering (VGRS). Class-leading safety features include a radar controlled Pre-Crash Safety system (PCS) which automatically optimises seatbelt and emergency braking efficiency, and are further augmented by an enhanced Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management system (VDIM), today's ultimate expression of vehicle stability control systems.
RX400h - The world's first performance hybrid SUV
On sale at the end of May, the revolutionary Lexus RX400h 4-wheel drive Sport Utility Vehicle is the world's first performance hybrid, petrol/electric powered car in the premium automotive segment. A full hybrid capable of operating in petrol or electric modes as well as a combination of both, the RX400h features front and rear electric motors combined with a 3.3 litre V6 petrol engine to produce a maximum power output of 200 kW/272 DIN hp via a continuously variable transmission and 'intelligent' electric 4-wheel drive.The RX400h will accelerate seamlessly from 0-100kph/62mph in just 7.6 seconds, yet boasts the fuel consumption figures of a 4-seater family sedan, returning 8.1L/100km in the combined cycle. The new Lexus produces CO2 emissions of just 192g/km.
