Lexus LF-FCII at the motor show

A world-first Lexus is fighting for best-in show status at the Sydney show. But, even more than that, the LF-FC II is also fighting for approval and a production future as a new mid-sized Lexus super-coupe.

A hybrid LF-LC coupe was first shown in Detroit at the start of the year, but now the idea has been tweaked for a world first unveiling at the start of AIMS.

The LCII is going big in blue for Sydney, after a racy red run in Motown, and the coupe emerges as the best looking Lexus since the LF-A supercar.

It also has the performance credentials to take over from the LF-A, which was developed at a time when Toyota was heavily committed to Formula 1 racing. So the LF-A got a high-revving V10 engine while the LF-FC could become a green supercar to go head-to-head with upcoming hybrid models from Porsche and Ferrari.

In Australia, the LC is a high priority for Lexus as the company builds its lineup. And a new compact is coming in 2013. “We’ve pulled out all stops this year to secure a world first. The Lexus concept is an absolutely stunning vehicle and is set to be one of the drawcards of the show,” says Tony Cramb, chief executive of Lexus in Australia.

He says the car – officially the Lexus Future – Luxury Coupe II has been through some fundamental changes since Detroit, although it still has a hybrid drivetrain with more than 370 kW of combined petrol-electric power, and an all-wheel- drive chassis package.

“What it shows is the future Lexus design direction, the future application of Lexus Hybrid Drive, future interior design concepts, application of advanced interior technologies and Lexus interpretation for a supercar of the future,” he says. The LCII comes hard up against the preview of another Lexus concept, the LF-CC, at the Paris show last month.

That one is likely to morph into an open-topped version of the upcoming replacement for the IS. For Sydney, the LCII promises another development of the latest Lexus design direction– including the “spindle grille” nose already starring on the front of the latest GS sedan range.

The concept is driven by design, right down to tail lamps inspired by a jet afterburner and a cabin with two giant LCD screens ready to tap the upcoming connected- car technology from Lexus. There are also lightweight, race-inspired seats positioned ahead of a dashboard with multi-level meters that combine analogue and LCD readouts to cover everything from the aircon through to the speedometer and tachometer.