Fold flat 3rd row seats? Does this mean a new rear suspension setup?

Can you confirm it is being built? A lot of people would appreciate some confirmation so all the nonsense about people saying it won't be built will stop .

 

I work at a dealership.

We've been explicitly told the LF-A will be built, but that right now Lexus needs to concentrate on getting some core product on the market. The LF-A is nice, but it won't be to the company what a new RX, GX, IS convertible, and hybrid will be. So it's on hold while they concentrate on those.

It will be out, and it will be order only, and probably in the neighborhood of about 300 units a year.





And they are redoing the suspension on the GX's. The Kinetic Dynamic Suspension will be pretty much standard, and they are going to have to rework it some to fit the fold-flat 3rd row in. But it will still be a 4X4 off-roader underneath.

 

Once again, thanks for the info. Great to hear some sort of confirmation that the LF-A will be built.

I'm curious now what the rear suspension on the new GX will look like. Will they still be able to fit a solid rear axle in there?

I know this might be something you can't answer, but do you know if the LF-A is coming before the next-gen GS?

 

x2... 2009 or bust...

 

Sounds like 2010 LF-A reveal at the earliest.

 

I don't know.

They haven't discussed suspension specifics with us yet.

As for the LF-A, my understanding is that it will be around a 2011 model. They simply aren't in a big hurry to rush it to market. The other vehicles are far more profitable.

If the economy really falls into the toilet, they may dump plans for it. But Lexus is very committed to being able to compete on every single level with MB and BMW, and part of that is the prestige of ultra-lux supercars. Witness the LS600hL. The only reason that vehicle exists is to compete with the S600.

 

Four new vehicles to be released next year!! Way to go Lexus!

 

i bet $10 the HS250 is gonna be uglified beyond the ugly of the new RX

 

I guess they have a lot of work to do in the 2-door market.

+1. My faith in Lexus designs is quickly deteriorating.

 

IS-F 6MT w/CF roof??

 

Makes sense. The LS600h in some markets does compete quite well with the S600.

My guess is also that apart from keeping existing customers, Lexus with the new RX is aiming more at ML buyers with the high-end features, and possibly steal a few MDX buyers with the Sport package.

Even though I figured that Toyota was committed, it's nice to hear confirmation. Toyota is not a company that makes rash, short-sighted, "knee jerk" decisions. Regardless of the current economic conditions, I always felt they were committed to the LF-A.

Benz has a new supercar coming in a few years, so it only makes sense to stay committed with the LF-A.

Not sure exactly how you can call it ugly, even though styling is subjective. Bland, awkward, bloated, I can understand those descriptions. Ugly though, there is nothing visually offensive or insulting about the new RX design to be able to call it ugly, but to each his own.

 

with all due respect though as a car overall i don't see the ls600hl competing with the s600. with the 760il i think the 600hl is comparable overall, and probably on the interiors and gadgets the 600hl goes well with the s600. but the s600 performance just simply blows away the 600hl. it's not just v12, it's twin turbo

 

Prado is coming late 2009 so it is quite possible that Lexus version will come at the same time...

 

It competes well in terms of sales numbers, not necessarily specs. While the S600 performance blows away the LS hybrid performance-wise, the LS hybrid blows away the S600 in terms of fuel economy and environmental image.

 

Maybe the 4th model is the new GS.