Looks are an important attribute for any kind of car – and de rigueur for coupes, where styling plays a much more important role than other factors such as space or fuel economy.
At this year’s Detroit Motor Show, the Lexus LF-LC concept received raving reviews for its looks, which were created by the company’s Calty design studio in California. At the time, Calty president Kevin Hunter said that the aggressively styled concept “embodies our vision of what a premium sports coupe could be”.

Lexus USA vice president and general manager Mark Templin added during its launch that the coupe concept was meant to “push the boundaries of performance, style and technology.”

At the Detroit show, the only information released about what lies under the skin was that the concept was a hybrid. However, Lexus revealed on Monday that it will be showing an evolution of the LF-LC featuring a 500hp hybrid powertrain and all-wheel drive at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney this fall.

Recently, Templin hinted that Lexus may indeed proceed to build a production version: “The LF-LC was a smash hit”, he told British publication Autocar adding that “everyone is asking us to build that car without a change.”

With the LFA out of production, Lexus could certainly do with a new “halo” car. If it gets the green light, the production model will most certainly be a hybrid and won’t hit the market until 2016.

Templin added that, even though the Japanese luxury carmaker is in no hurry to expand its portfolio, it is contemplating the launch of a new, Audi Q5-rivalling SUV in 2015 as the rising popularity of this segment makes a model placed below the RX a very interesting proposition.

Last, but not least, he said that Lexus “is absolutely dedicated to hybrids” and expects to have at least eight models in its range by 2015, among them a variant of the third generation IS compact executive saloon.

Lexus' mystery hybrid will be an evolution of the LF-LC concept shown at the 2012 Detroit auto show.

Technology has made it easy for automotive public relations officials to become smart alecks. Lexus is teasing a new hybrid concept car it plans to bring to the Sydney Motor Show by revealing nothing but a taillight. When did the car industry become the movie industry?

According to Lexus, that taillight is attached to a new coupe with a hybrid powertrain that develops 500 horsepower and features all-wheel drive. That’s very tantalizing, and kind of explains why Lexus wants to keep the car under wraps until the proper moment.

The piece, which looks like an inverted “L” and seems to be filled with backward, lowercase “ls” looks almost identical to the taillight of the LF-LC concept from the 2012 Detroit auto show. At the time, Lexus did not specify what kind of hybrid powertrain was under the LF-LC’s voluptuous hood, or how much power it produced. It was assumed that the LF-LC was rear-wheel drive.

In fact, the Sydney concept will probably be a new version of the LF-LC. Lexus said the new concept would be a “further development of a vehicle shown at the Detroit auto show earlier this year.” The LF-LC was Lexus’ main attraction at Detroit and, given the resemblance, it seems safe to assume that an evolution of the LF-LC will be debuting in Sydney.

Lexus may be taking a similar tack to its rollout of the LFA supercar. That car was gradually revealed in multiple concepts, each very different but sharing the same general dimensions and front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout.

Similarly, Lexus could be experimenting with the LF-LC’s design theme, perhaps trying out a different body style like a convertible or two-seater coupe.

With a second concept debuting in Sydney, could Lexus be moving the LF-LC closer to production? Lexus’ claim of 500 hp means there could be a real engine under the hood or, at the very least, that the company is thinking about it.

A hybrid sports coupe could be just what Lexus needs to fulfill Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda’s mandate for more exciting cars. It would also give the brand a stronger identity, giving it more exclusive credentials and distracting people from the fact that most of the cars it sells are rebadged Toyotas.

As a hybrid, a production sports coupe would be a perfect poster child for Lexus. The company has already installed hybrids as the top powertrains in its LS full-size and GS midsize sedans, in lieu of thirsty V12s and V8s. If Lexus is so committed to that idea, why not do the same with a performance car?

We may be getting ahead of ourselves, though. The Sydney concept is just that, a concept, although it could be closer to production-ready than the original LF-LC.

More information will be released closer to the mystery hybrid’s debut at the Sydney Motor Show in October. Further hints could come out of the Paris Motor Show in September as well.

The Japanese automaker, which as you may remember, is also going to show an evolution of the LF-LC Hybrid Sports Coupe Concept at the Australian International Motor Show in late October, said it will reveal more details and possibly the first images of the new study on September 17.