Lexus News
01-30-2008, 10:51 AM
Filed under: Etc. (http://www.autoblog.com/category/etc/), Japan (http://www.autoblog.com/category/japan/), Marketing/Advertising (http://www.autoblog.com/category/marketing-advertising/), Lexus (http://www.autoblog.com/category/lexus/), Lifestyle (http://www.autoblog.com/category/lifestyle/)
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/01/01_lf_a_roadster_450-op.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lexus-lf-a-convertible/578742/)
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Lexus LF-A roadster concept.
Lexus' L-finesse design language was meant to stand for "Seamless Anticipation," "Intriguing Elegance," and "Incisive Simplicity." If we put aside the marketing speak for a moment, the point of L-f was to give Lexus design a greater emotional connection with consumers. While it certainly didn't stop Lexus from selling more cars, we have a feeling that the increased number of wavy lines simply didn't resonate with the public quite like it was meant to.
Now Lexus is looking for a successor to L-finesse. Emotional connection from a purely design standpoint -- not "I just love my Toyota!" -- has been a weak point for Japanese cars in this country. Even the GT-R, the LF-A and the last Supra, technological tour-de-forces that they are (or were or will be), and for as much emotion as they inspire, are not pretty cars. The LS is a good looking car, but we wouldn't call it inspiring. Yet Lexus has a pretty good grasp on what its customers are looking for, so while we can't imagine that whatever's coming is going to be outrageous, we can hope that it will be a little less birds and clouds and a little more visceral.
[Source: Winding Road]
Gallery: Lexus LF-A Roadster
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/01/01_lf_a_roadster_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lexus-lf-a-convertible/578742/)http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/01/02_lf_a_roadster_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lexus-lf-a-convertible/578749/)http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/01/03_lf_a_roadster_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lexus-lf-a-convertible/578745/)http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/01/04_lf_a_roadster_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lexus-lf-a-convertible/578748/)http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/01/05_lf_a_roadster_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lexus-lf-a-convertible/578744/)
Read | Permalink (http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/30/lexus-looking-for-successor-to-l-finesse-design/) | Email this (http://www.autoblog.com/forward/1098516/) | Comments (http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/30/lexus-looking-for-successor-to-l-finesse-design/#comments)
More details... (http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/30/lexus-looking-for-successor-to-l-finesse-design/)
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/01/01_lf_a_roadster_450-op.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lexus-lf-a-convertible/578742/)
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Lexus LF-A roadster concept.
Lexus' L-finesse design language was meant to stand for "Seamless Anticipation," "Intriguing Elegance," and "Incisive Simplicity." If we put aside the marketing speak for a moment, the point of L-f was to give Lexus design a greater emotional connection with consumers. While it certainly didn't stop Lexus from selling more cars, we have a feeling that the increased number of wavy lines simply didn't resonate with the public quite like it was meant to.
Now Lexus is looking for a successor to L-finesse. Emotional connection from a purely design standpoint -- not "I just love my Toyota!" -- has been a weak point for Japanese cars in this country. Even the GT-R, the LF-A and the last Supra, technological tour-de-forces that they are (or were or will be), and for as much emotion as they inspire, are not pretty cars. The LS is a good looking car, but we wouldn't call it inspiring. Yet Lexus has a pretty good grasp on what its customers are looking for, so while we can't imagine that whatever's coming is going to be outrageous, we can hope that it will be a little less birds and clouds and a little more visceral.
[Source: Winding Road]
Gallery: Lexus LF-A Roadster
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/01/01_lf_a_roadster_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lexus-lf-a-convertible/578742/)http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/01/02_lf_a_roadster_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lexus-lf-a-convertible/578749/)http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/01/03_lf_a_roadster_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lexus-lf-a-convertible/578745/)http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/01/04_lf_a_roadster_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lexus-lf-a-convertible/578748/)http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/01/05_lf_a_roadster_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lexus-lf-a-convertible/578744/)
Read | Permalink (http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/30/lexus-looking-for-successor-to-l-finesse-design/) | Email this (http://www.autoblog.com/forward/1098516/) | Comments (http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/30/lexus-looking-for-successor-to-l-finesse-design/#comments)
More details... (http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/30/lexus-looking-for-successor-to-l-finesse-design/)