"Unprecedented" Lexus world premiere announced for NAIAS 2016 - IAB Report

05/01/2016 - 13:42 Lexus LF-LC, Lexus Sagar Parikh

Should be the production version of the Lexus LF-LC concept.

Lexus has announced that it will introduce a new model at 2016 North American International Auto Show in Detroit on January 11. The company calls the mysterious model "unprecedented" but with the burnout tyre marks seen in the teaser, we assume it's a performance model.

Lexus 2016 NAIAS teaser — The teaser image suggests that the world premiere is of a performance model.

We reckon it should be none other the production version of the Lexus LF-LC concept from the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. The production version has been spied testing in North America and Europe many times during the past few months. A rendering, shown below, by IAB's digital artist previews how the concept's production version, said to be named Lexus LC 500, may look like. The car's main competitors would be the BMW 6 Series, Mercedes SL Class, Porsche 911, Maserati GranTurismo and the Jaguar F-type.

Lexus LF-LC rendering — The Lexus LC 500 will likely be available with a 5.0L V8 engine as well as a conventional hybrid powertrain.

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Reports say that the Lexus LC 500 will be available with the 2UR-GSE 5.0-litre naturally aspirated V8 petrol engine of the Lexus RC F and Lexus GS F, as well as a conventional hybrid powertrain. The LC 500h will feature a 239 kW (320 hp) 3.5-litre V6 ‘multi-hybrid’ system, where the electric motor will produce 162 kW (217 hp). Sending power to the wheels in both models, will be an Aisin-sourced 10-speed automatic transmission.