Frankfurt Motor Show 2009
Lexus - LF-Ch
The LF-Ch hints at where Lexus is heading, a five-door compact hatchback that's the company's first step into the premium small car segment. Compact luxury is gathering pace - it's one of the largest sectors in the European market and is a growing one in the US. The concept car is driven by sister company Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive, meaning it can drive in pure electric mode for short distances.
Head of design Simon Humphries is working towards making future Lexuses lighter and more aerodynamic. ‘The challenge is to do this in many different ways,’ he notes. ‘Air is air, and there are not an infinite number of ways to do get the best answers.
On this car, for instance, the low stance means that there is effectively less of a frontal area, therefore not so much air needs to be pushed out of the car, which reduces energy consumption. The sharp corners also help with the aerodynamics. ‘It makes it more sporty and efficient. There is a kind of synergy there between two contradictory things,’ says Humphries.
In the future, the company will stress its Japanese heritage. The Japanese, notes Humphries, are forward-looking yet extremely modest. ‘Being able to combine the two will form the basis of what we are trying to do.
www.lexus.com
The LF-Ch hints at where Lexus is heading, a five-door compact hatchback that's the company's first step into the premium small car segment. Compact luxury is gathering pace - it's one of the largest sectors in the European market and is a growing one in the US. The concept car is driven by sister company Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive, meaning it can drive in pure electric mode for short distances.
Head of design Simon Humphries is working towards making future Lexuses lighter and more aerodynamic. ‘The challenge is to do this in many different ways,’ he notes. ‘Air is air, and there are not an infinite number of ways to do get the best answers.
On this car, for instance, the low stance means that there is effectively less of a frontal area, therefore not so much air needs to be pushed out of the car, which reduces energy consumption. The sharp corners also help with the aerodynamics. ‘It makes it more sporty and efficient. There is a kind of synergy there between two contradictory things,’ says Humphries.
In the future, the company will stress its Japanese heritage. The Japanese, notes Humphries, are forward-looking yet extremely modest. ‘Being able to combine the two will form the basis of what we are trying to do.
www.lexus.com
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cars 30 Sep 2009
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