Originally posted by amy011079
might just have to start saving now, and trade in the 03 for the 05-06 whenever it comes out. actually, anyone wanna pay off my current IS? i just love it too much.

Originally posted by ISinnXL
i would love to pay off your IS if you pay for my college tution fees

Originally posted by amy011079
lol well i meant that if someone wanted to pay it off for me so i could KEEP the IS.

Originally posted by talgrl626
i think the lf-c won't come out in the 05-06, since it's just a concept car.
it'd be great if it comes out 05-06!!!

Originally posted by 1SICKLEX
The IS coupe is looking very promising.

Originally posted by XeroK00L
I guess I'm among the majority who finds the rear hideous . . . . .

2004 New York Auto Show
Lexus LF-C Concept Sports Car Press Conference
Thursday, April 8, 2004
Denny Clements, Group Vice President and General Manager, Lexus Division
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A.
Kevin Hunter, Vice President, Design and Studio Activities
CALTY Design Research, U.S.A.

Good morning everyone...and thank you...all...for joining us today...for the world premiere of the Lexus "LF-C"...luxury sports coupe concept.

The LF-C is the third in the "LF"...or Lexus Future...series of concept vehicles unveiled within the last 12 months.

Last year, here at the New York show, we staged the world premiere of the Lexus LF-X...code-named HPX...luxury-crossover concept.

Last November, at the Tokyo Show, we unveiled the Lexus LF-S luxury- sedan concept. And today, we will continue the series with a stunning coupe.

The LF-series, as you will see, is much more than a parade of show cars. Rather, It is a new design direction...and a new design language...
* that is bold and striking...
* yet simple and intriguing...

It is a language...designed to define...and to launch...an entirely new direction in styling for the Lexus brand.

Most important, it is one of many vital and distinctive changes...that Lexus has identified and initiated...to respond to the changing face of luxury...here in America.

Today, more than ever, luxury is about trust. We live in an era when far too many...of our traditional icons of credibility...have proven unworthy of our devotion. Luxury car buyers will return...again and again...to a product or a company they trust. And when a luxury product proves trust worthy, it will draw-in new, first-time buyers...looking to minimize risk.

To that end...Lexus have one of the highest percentages of return buyers in the industry...it has one of the highest percentages of first-time buyers as well.

For 15 years, Lexus has been dedicated to the pursuit of perfection in both product and customer experience. The fact of the matter is that our pursuit is a continuum...that never ends.

The biggest change we've seen in the last few years has been the move by luxury buyers into the arena of sport utility vehicles.

When Lexus introduced the RX300 in 1998, it was the right product...and well ahead-of its time. Today, RX is the number-one-selling luxury SUV in America.

Our current three-vehicle lineup of Lexus SUVs now accounts for a commanding 28-percent share...in the hottest, fastest-growing segment in the luxury market.

Our strong SUV lineup will expand even further when the RX400h...the world's first luxury hybrid vehicle...arrives later this year.

We are changing in many other ways as well. Two days ago in Miami, we delivered our two-millionth Lexus. More significantly, that vehicle, an RX330, was built at our award-winning plant in Cambridge, Ontario Canada. Dedicated just last year, it is our first Lexus production facility...here in North America.

Of course, the most conspicuous change most people will notice is taking place at our 207 dealerships across the country. In just the last 20 months...nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars...yes, that's three-quarters of a billion dollars�c...have been invested in new and expanding dealerships. The Lexus purchase experience...and the Lexus ownership experience...are second to none. But to meet and exceed the expectations of our growing customer base,
* we must expand
* improve...
* and change...
* as the priorities of our luxury customers change.

Lexus continues to evolve...because Lexus listens to its customers

And if there is one area where we...and our owners...see a major opportunity to take Lexus to new level in luxury...it is in styling. The LF-series of concept vehicles...developed by our design studios in Japan, Europe and North America...provide a dramatic look at our future.

This year at Detroit, we premiered the third-generation Lexus GS sport sedan. Arriving early next year, the GS will be the first production vehicle from Lexus to benefit from this passionate new styling approach.

On the horizon...and following the launch of the new GS by about six months, will be the debut of the next-generation Lexus IS.

Since the IS 300 debuted in 2000, Lexus has had a formidable...two-vehicle strategy in the near-luxury segment. The ES 330...
* the number-one-selling entry-level luxury car...
* anchors the "comfort luxury" end of the spectrum...
* allowing IS to run in the "performance luxury" subset.

This provides a no-compromise solution in this very competitive segment.

It's no secret that the IS competes head-to-head with the BMW 3-Series. However, fielding a 4-door sedan and a Sportcross wagon...against 15 separate 3-series variants...has proved to be quite a challenge.

For the next IS-series to be a true force in the luxury-performance arena...it will need to offer more models...more performance...and most importantly, more style.

In anticipation of that launch, we asked our Advanced Product Strategy Group...and Calty...our California-based research and design center...to set a new course.

Rather than focus on the current in-the-box styling of mainstream luxury performance sedans...
*the team was asked to explore the theme of aspirational sport...
* within the framework...or the vocabulary...
* of the new LF-series design language.

Judging from their response...nothing was lost in translation.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to introduce the result of that collaboration...and a strong hint to the direction of the next-generation Lexus IS...the Lexus LF-C sports coupe concept.

Aspirational sport was the theme. And our design and development team nailed it.

The LF-C concept is powered by a high-output, front-mounted V8 engine...
* delivering robust power to the rear wheels...
* via a six-speed sequential automatic transmission.

It sits on a low-slung chassis that is significantly longer, lower and wider than the current IS and BMW 3-series,...offering extraordinary interior accommodations for four adult passengers.

The fully independent suspension features double wishbones front and rear with massive Brembo disc brakes.

Aluminum alloy wheels...
* 20-by-nine in the front...
* and 21-by-10.5 in the rear...
* are mounted to Dunlop...ZR-rated...Sport 9000 tires

The LF-C is not only a hint at the future for the IS series. It is a perfect example of how Lexus will address the changing face of luxury...
* by anticipating the needs of its buyers...
* while providing a most-satisfying element of surprise.

To explain just what that means from a design point of view...it is my pleasure to introduce Calty-Design Vice-President,...Mr. Kevin Hunter...

(Kevin Hunter remarks)

Thank you Denny, and good morning everyone.

The element of surprise is indeed integral to the LF-C concept.

Because...wrapped inside this gorgeous coupe package,...is the heart and soul of...
* a full convertible...
* a true targa...
* and a wind-swept speedster.

As Denny mentioned, the LF-C coupe concept was designed to strengthen and extend the current "aspirational sport" image of the Lexus IS300...
* by appealing to young luxury buyers...
* with a sophisticated sense of style...
* A taste for advanced technology.

These are buyers who...
* are seeking more than the traditional European sport sedan formula...
* and have been drawn to the fresh image of the current IS 300...
* a confident, gutsy sedan with youthful attitude and purpose.

LF-C extends the current IS300 concept into a new category that will add new excitement to the Lexus channel. It is a concept designed to target an extremely young...and affluent buyer. And it does so with a strong element of surprise.

That is because the LF-C is not just a coupe by conventional standards. The exotic profile and dramatic overall styling...set it apart from other competitors by offering a unique experience that will thrill and delight.

LF-C seamlessly blends the road, the air and the sun into a dynamic statement of performance and luxury that is pure exhilaration.

The four-position fully retractable hard-top immerses the occupants into a variety of driving moods that connect them with the outside environment for a personal and pleasurable experience.

As you see, the LF-C can be configured as a coupe,...targa,...speedster,...and fully-open convertible. The powered top stows neatly into the trunk through a surprisingly minimal rear-deck opening.

The full-open position expresses elegant sports car qualities...
* in a four-passenger/bucket-seat arrangement...
* that provides roominess along with a snug and secure feeling.

The interior communicates performance with drive-by-wire steering and Formula One inspired shifter and steering wheel. The instrumentation is simple with a sense of elegance and purpose, giving the driver a sensation of control and excitement.

Calty Project Lead Designer, Alex Shen...and Principle Exterior Designer, Gin Kim,...were instrumental in the development and execution of the LF-C concept. Here now, in there own words...
* is insight into the genesis of their concept...
* and how their vision took shape.

(Kevin Hunter remarks)

I'd like to thank
* Alex and Gin...
* studio manager Irwin Lui...
* and the entire design team for a great job.
* Gentlemen, please stand up. Thanks for a job well-done.

One of the keys to our success with this project...was achieving...an "open feel at every moment"...
* a visceral connection,
* not just with the car,
* but with the road...
* and the surrounding environment.

And when that happens,...the act of driving often becomes secondary to the anticipation of driving. It's what makes a car fun...and driving an adventure. And it is at the core of what defines the aspirational sport concept.

Thank you all...for your kind attention today. It's now my pleasure to turn the meeting back over to Denny Clements. Denny...

(Denny Clements remarks)

Thanks, Kevin.

The phrase "aspirational sport" may not be a familiar term,...but it carries significant weight with the people at Lexus assigned to develop the next IS.

It should probably come as no surprise...that the current IS has the lowest age demographic of any vehicle in our line-up. In fact,...at a mere 29-years-old...
* it's by-far, the lowest age-demographic in the near-luxury segment...
* and is actually lower than any Toyota or Scion-brand model.

Because they are young, aspirational-sport-buyers are not bound by tradition.
* Most are first-time Lexus buyers.
* More still are first-time luxury buyers.

They are drawn to that which is different and a little on-edge. They actively seek a car that makes a statement about themselves...
* anticipates their needs
* and delivers subtle surprises along the way.

Increasingly, we have found,...they have a deep-rooted trust in Lexus...
* drawn to the brand as the industry-benchmark in luxury, comfort and refinement...
* as well as an ownership experience that is the industry standard.

But frankly, that's not enough

We...and our competitors...have known for quite some time...that if Lexus ever prioritized styling and performance...the way it has product quality and technology...the luxury-car playing field would change...once again.

Lexus is changing.
The playing field is changing.
And the definition of what a luxury automobile must be...is changing.

Ladies and gentlemen...with the LF-C we've raised the bar once again.

Thank you all for joining us today...

Originally posted by ST430
Interesting, the next GS will debut early next year, followed by the next IS 6 months later....watch out!