Lexus, one of the first premium brands in the industry to offer several hybrid vehicles in its range, will soon be kicking the line-up up a notch, says North American product manager Mark Templin in a recent interview with Detroit Bureau.
Currently, Lexus offers the CT 200h hatchback, the RX 450h crossover, GS 450h sports sedan, and LS 600h L flagship luxury sedan. While it is already a diverse portfolio, Templin confirmed that Lexus is looking to feature at least eight different hybrid vehicles in its line-up by 2015, if not sooner. This new goal will effectively double Lexus' hybrid offerings.
What's more, Templin revealed that Lexus is looking to introduce a new crossover to slot underneath the RX to compete against the likes of the Mercedes-Benz GLK, BMW X3, and Audi Q5. As the crossover category shows no signs of waning, Lexus no doubt wants in on more of the action. As Lexus will undoubtedly share the RX architecture with its smaller crossover model, it also stands to reason that the RX hybrid drivetrain should be capable of being ported to the future compact SUV.
As for the aging Lexus IS model, it is the only Lexus 4-door sedan remaining that has yet to offer a hybrid drive variant so the upcoming next-generation IS is well positioned as the next likely candidate to receive a hybrid drivetrain as well.
Finally, the latest Lexus LF-LC concept premiered at the 2012 North American International Auto Show earlier in January, touting an advanced performance hybrid synergy drivetrain. Although the LF-LC has been given the green light for production, Templin noted that Toyota is recently committed to addressing concerns regarding drops in vehicle quality. Rather than utilizing computer simulations for inaccurate results, Toyota will develop cars the old fashioned way with real-life driving and a commitment to longer vehicle testing models. However, this may set the LF-LC production as much as 4 years, missing the 2015 window by a slight margin.
An ambitious project, what other hybrid options do you see Lexus pursuing for its 2015 line-up? What sort of hybrid vehicles would you like to see more of? Let us know in the comment section below!
