However, the comparisons with LX and RX illustrations are not quite accurate. The timing of when these LS FCEV renders were crafted and published, is far from being parallel to that of the RX and LX.

Those RX shots from a Japanese magazine, may be that of an actual prototype in Japan during 2014. The 2016 LX was reportedly first shown to Lexus personnel, in the form of these leaked shots, on September 18, 2014. These photographs or CGI files were taken/developed around 11-12 months ago. The amount of time required between freeze and production for Land Cruiser updates, is around 2 years and 18 months on the low end.

Something tells me based on my deep JLR development knowledge and my own rudimentary knowledge of Toyota development methods, that if one visited Toyota in December 2013 and had 100% access to every future development (like Akio Toyoda), both the 2016 LX and RX would be sitting there as clay replicas.

Not to go off on an off-topic tangent, but the 2016 LX and RX were basically shown to Japanese journalists or artists ahead of launch. In many instances, the artists are forced to recreate what they were shown from memory via (life-size prototypes or photographs of design) and present them for publication. This happens across several automotive firms.

This photoshopped 2016 RX was definitely the result of the artist/illustrator being shown an actual prototype, as it was too damn accurate to be an insider merely spilling details. Someone had to have firsthand knowledge of that production design. The white and black RX in the Japanese magazine, is likely an actual JDM RHD prototype from December 2014. The blue illustration is the only non-genuine example.





I looked for this photo for 5 billion years and never really found it for months!







Both the LX and RX were rendered just 3-6 months, but not nearly 2 years before market launch. The third-party 5LS rendering is too far out in time to be accurate, that even if the 5LS design was frozen between a late 2013 and mid-2014 window, 99.9% of people outside of Lexus, did not seen it during that time. The first publicised rumblings about the 5LS design, aside from Alain Uyettenhoven in July 2014, was that of rayaans' source in November 2014.

Many times in the past, the LS has been rendered incorrectly, even terribly inaccurate close to reveal. Look at a terrible example of the current model, as well as 2011 illustrations of the 2013 model year facelift or "2014 LS".



That LS FCEV render is clearly a random guess at the design, which only will become more accurate as prototypes begin public rounds and it gets closer launch. I've seen a few magazines take a crack at the X360 XJ saloon, but know very well where everything stands on that front and how they are extremely off-base.

That LS FCEV design is terribly not befitting of an S-Class competitor and I trust that the final design is not like that in any regard. This is actually the first and only render of the 5LS, so one should take it with a grain of salt. Lexus is one brand, where renderings are greatly outdone by the genuine article.

In not really being a direct Lexus insider, I am not really in the position to an "absolute source of reputable accuracy", but have taken notes from past Lexus examples of Japanese renderings. I'll try to provide more past renders for the 4LS from 2003-2005, but will mention that only a few came close. One of them from early 2004 was interesting close, that it gives away that Lexus had already signed off on the 2007 LS design by March 2004. Much of that was designed by 2003. The 5LS is taking much longer, which equals longer lead times.

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