Lexus promises to catch up with BMW and Mercedes

The company announced the release of new models IS - a series that will constitute direct competition BMW and Mercedes
In the next few years, Lexus is going to fill up its line of cars, luxurious models, which will be positioned in the same price niche as the most popular models from BMW and Mercedes-Benz. , Said in an interview with Wall Street Journal vice president Denny Clements (photo).According to him, Lexus lacks sedans and convertibles in the niche of "up to $ 70 000, which is positioned most selling model BMW 3-Series.In the niche of "High End" above $ 70 thousand, which "works" Mercedes-Benz, a Lexus also notes "the gap". (Recall that the flagship SUV Lexus GX 470 on the U.S. market worth $ 45 275. The same model in Russia is released for $ 90 thousand.)Last year Lexus sold a total of 259 755 of its cars - 11% more than in the previous year. Nevertheless, this figure is 4 times less than that of BMW.Denny Clements promised that in the next 5 years will bring the company to sales of 350 thousand cars per year.

Rear-wheel drive, classiс

Cars Lexus brand sold well in the states - for 15 years presence in the U.S. market managed to achieve two million cars. No wonder that all the new items being taken Japanese in the United States - another premiere in the framework of the New York motor show. This time, the Americans presented RWD concept Lexus LF-C,The first information about the car came a week before the premiere - the Japanese have distributed sketches of the car and announced that a prototype ready to show the new coupe. It turned out - slukavili. LF-C - is not just a coupe, but rather a coupe-cabriolet with a convertible roof. Iron hood you can not just lay in the trunk, but leave in one of the intermediate positions - making, for example, a coupe car with a body targa.The new prototype is continuing the development of design ideas, concept shown at last year's LF-S (Lexus Future Sedan). Obviously, the Japanese created a new family of machines, which will replace Lexus IS. The future car will be an ideological rival "treSka» BMW: rear-wheel drive, drayverskoe chassis and powerful engine (under the hood of the concept - the 300-strong "eight" volume 4.3 liters). Sports ideology is visible in the interior - before the eyes of the driver almost "formulaic" donut steering and three main instrument. Steering wheel, pedals and the like, has no mechanical connection to the wheels - the car realized the principle of Drive by wire (by-wire). All other controls located on the central console, which stretches along the entire passenger compartment, and door panels. And here was not without oddities - displays, switches and buttons are hidden under the transparent membrane and react to the touch of fingers. However, it is unlikely all of these delights in the near future will be used on serial machines, but the direction in which to develop the appearance of future cars the company Lexus, Japanese stylists have already identified.

Lexus LF-C: coupe, convertible, targa ...

At the motor show in New York City Department luxurious Toyota, Lexus introduced the brand concept car sports coupe LF-C. The main highlight of this car - a folding hard top. Depending on the willingness of the driver's compartment may become Targ, convertible and even double speedster. Design LF-C is built on a combination of convex and concave surfaces. Its length is about 4.5 meters, width - 1,85 m, height 1.35 meters.At Lexus LF-C rear-wheel drive, since it is built on an elongated platform sedan IS300. Under the hood of the car hiding hybrid V8 engine capacity of 4.3 liters and rated at 300 hp This same engine was installed at the conceptual sedan LF-S, which is presented at the recent Tokyo Motor Show.In the cabin LF-C (calculated at the four passengers), the company managed to combine luxury and sports notes. Average console extends throughout the cabin from its front to the rear. All displays and switches are hidden under the transparent shell, which makes the LF-C similar to the alien ship.But for the driver decided in a purely sports-style - as if the steering wheel moved up to the race car, and the instrument panel consists of three separate devices that are fixed in a classical style.