Meet the future "face" of Lexus, a bold front end treatment for the LF-Gh hybrid concept car unveiled in New York at a cool club event attended by Drive On.
The front end of the car is going to become the new sigature look, a far more masculine appearance than the nicey-nice Lexus vehicles that cruise the street at present. That big black grille reminds a bit of the horse-collar look of Audi.
"This is a new face for Lexus," says Mark Templin, the U.S. chief of the Lexus brand. He described the look as "much more aggressive."
He wouldn't say the first vehicle in which the new look will take center stage. With that "G" in the concepts anticeptic name, we suspect that the new look will go on Lexus' GS, which is about due for a makeover.
Templin says the brand needs to reposition itself to take advantage of a wave of Gen X and Y that will be taking the place of their aging boomer parents as the mainstay of the luxury market. Already, about 40% of Lexus buyers are under age 35. Of course, he's not ready to discount the boomers entirely.
The new look "defines a bolder personality for Lexus at any age," Templin says.
