GS - The Spindle Grille Story Part 1

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05-06-12, 01:07 PM

Stormforge

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GS - The Spindle Grille Story Part 1

Face of the Future

For many people, the eyes are the windows of the soul. For cars, it’s often the headlamps. But in the case of the new Lexus GS, it’s not the headlamps that first capture the imagination—it’s the dramatically sculpted spindle grille. This is striking design that says “dynamism” with unabashed, bold directness. It also leads to the simple question: does this car drive like it looks? The answer, Lexus will tell you, is a definite “yes.”

Just for now, though, discussion of its thrilling driving experience—courtesy of either an advanced 3.5-liter gasoline engine of GS 350 or the latest-generation 3.5-liter gas-hybrid system of GS 450h, plus a wealth of dynamic innovations and world firsts—can wait. That’s because the spindle grille is such a compelling talking point. It is, after all, the design centerpiece of a car that represents, in the words of Chief Engineer Yoshihiko Kanamori, “the dawn of a new era for Lexus.”

What we see directly echoes the spirit of the sporty LFA and IS F, and, of course, the exciting new full hybrid CT 200h. There is clearly an aggressive new presence here. And yet the spindle grille design remains resolutely Lexus, a true and pure statement of the Lexus design philosophy, L-finesse. In fact, the car that ushered in the first incarnation of L-finesse was the GS of 2005, and all other models followed its example. Now we’ve come full circle, and the latest GS is poised to set in motion the wheels of change all over again.

AN EVOLUTIONARY LEAP

Within Lexus, the first discussions about a new Lexus grille—essentially the shaping of the L-finesse philosophy—started around 10 years ago, before L-finesse made its public debut with the 2005 GS.

The L-finesse philosophy is based on creating "leading edge" design without losing continuity with the past. The first generation of Lexus debuted with the 1989 LS. Since then, Lexus based its grille identity on the inverted trapezoid shape, with simple yet elegant, finely pitched bars in a horizontal or radial layout. With the implementation of the L-finesse philosophy, Lexus design embarked on a carefully phased development of frontal design to reflect Lexus’ movement towards a more dynamic, yet sophisticated position in the market.

The grille in each Lexus model, along with the headlamp design, has evolved logically and progressively over time.

The Birth of L-finesse – “Resolute Look” and “Arrowhead”

GS, LS, IS

This is a “resolute look.” How to create this original face of Lexus was central to the development for those models. This entailed emphasizing a more aggressive look in the headlamp design, and positioning the grille lower in relation to the headlamps to produce a lower, more focused front face. The trapezoid grille, due to its common usage, was also changed to a sharper, more aggressive form, and the “arrowhead” corner detail was created, which is another signature of L-finesse. This simplifies the connection between grille and body with its sharp outer line, while the elegance of Lexus is retained with the rounded inner line. In many ways the “arrowhead” symbolizes Lexus’ desire to synergize opposite aims.

Better Aerodynamic Performance and Cooling Performance Meet L-Finesse

HS, IS F

Increasing aerodynamic performance while maintaining cooling performance was the primary goal in the development. To achieve this, the lower grille aperture below the stagnation point was increased in size, while the upper grille was made smaller. However, the symbolic nature of the upper grille in the premium market could not be ignored, so both the upper and lower grilles, though separate, complement each other. The development of the Lexus face in this stage also symbolizes the advanced feeling of the brand and, with it, the leadership of Lexus hybrids in the premium market. You can also easily see Lexus’ incorporation of improved aerodynamic performance in the Lexus face.

Unity of Upper and Lower Grilles – Spindle Shaped Grille - With Striking 3D Profile

CT

Here, the evolution of L-finesse—a more bold, dynamic design—is reflected. The headlamps seem to gaze forward from deep-set eyes, and the nose is pushed forward in relation to the headlamps. You can also see how the upper and lower sections of the grille are compactly positioned—with cohesive unity—at the forward-center point of the nose. A striking 3D profile is elegantly integrated with the front body, which visually expresses the vehicle’s smooth airflow. The upper grille inherits the inverted-trapezoid shape, while incorporating a 3D-arrowhead design on each side.

As for the lower grille, this maintains an open area for optimum aerodynamics and cooling performance. The result naturally complements the car’s stance as well as contributes to the vehicle’s road-hugging look. Overall, the grille lines focus on the whole grille—which means the birth of the spindle-shaped grille.

Spindle Grille – Result and New Beginning of Evolution

New GS

With the new GS, its dramatic evolution is complete, at least for now, as the upper and lower grilles are completely harmonized, forming a clearly stated spindle shape. The lower grille, with its brake-cooling ducts on both sides, establishes a much firmer stance than before—a stance that looks toward the road. There’s a dynamic 3D unity in the front body, which almost allows you to “see” how air flows around the vehicle. The grille’s 3D profile, together with the nose, is also pushed farther forward, and the deep-set, sharp-looking headlamps are set farther back than the grille. These create an impression that the car is naturally breathing the air deep inside.

The spindle grille establishes a strong and memorable impression with just one glance. Together, the grille’s form and function deliver the promise of a new kind of dynamic sharpness and performance.

L-finesse is the design philosophy for Lexus, unifying core messages yet expressing the identity and character of each model. It is a dynamic, evolving concept. And while the spindle grille we see today is clearly a pure incarnation of L-finesse, it is also a starting point. This is a new beginning—and the evolution continues.