Is Lexus Taking A BIG Risk With Its Edgy Styling? Will It ALIENATE Its Loyal Fanbase?

Is Lexus Taking A BIG Risk With Its Edgy Styling? Will It ALIENATE Its Loyal Fanbase?
When it comes to Toyota's luxury division, Lexus, there's been some vivid changes in the past five years. Though it used to be known for vehicles that lacked emotion and passion, since the introduction of the IS-F, it seems things have changed. Now its vehicles are far more aggressively styled and "sport" isn't an unheard of concept when a consumer thinks of Lexus.

One of the things that Lexus has done well is build luxury sport-utility vehicles that people want. The LX and GX were vehicles that folks yearned to have and the RX was a suburban favorite — you know the brand's doing something right when you look at the sales figures of the RX.

BUT if you saw the recently updated GX you'd note the feedback on the spindle grille was not so great. In fact, it was downright dreadful. Now we're seeing a similar implementation is the LF-NX slated to debut at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show.

Clearly this would slot in under the RX as the Audi Q3, BMW X1, Mercedes-Benz GLA competitor. It features an in-your-face exterior styling treatment that's not going to make apologies.

And it leaves me wondering: does this alienate Lexus' current crop of loyal customers who are looking for a more conservative product OR is this going to have a younger demographic FLOCKING to snap one of these up over an X1, Q3, GLA?

What say you, Spies?


FULL Frankfurt Motor Show Preview Photo Gallery












MorePowerMorePower - 9/5/2013 5:46:40 AM
+1 Boost
Interior looks great, exterior not so much!

Perhaps instead of attracting younger buyers, Lexus just plans to have its cars eat them. (Insert your old senior citizen setup to that punch-line).


xjug1987axjug1987a - 9/5/2013 7:57:52 AM
+6 Boost
The only comment I have for the Lexus Design language, and most Japanese cars in general... Hideous!


MrPLPMrPLP - 9/5/2013 8:11:46 AM
+4 Boost
It's Lexus showing the world how they can bend metal and plastic (showing off as they have started doing this over 10 years ago [with their grilles]).


pcar4evrpcar4evr - 9/5/2013 9:48:38 AM
+5 Boost
They ought to call it the Lexus Origami


jeffgalljeffgall - 9/5/2013 10:05:38 AM
+3 Boost
Lexus fans have no taste to begin with. Just a perceived notion that the L badge stands for luxury. How else can you explain why people buy the ugly and poor performing stuff on the road today.


ParadoXParadoX - 9/5/2013 10:10:12 AM
+2 Boost
Maybe they want reliability and comfort.


ScirosSciros - 9/5/2013 10:16:21 AM
0 Boost
I actually kind of like this thing. The design is very "busy" and looks like something from a sci-fi anime but I guess I like that aesthetic. The only thing is it will probably look ridiculous on suburban streets in the real world. Personally, though, I will sooner go with this Lexus 'edgy' design language than Infiniti's 'curvy' one but I also feel they're equally "extreme" in their stylistic sensibilities. In any case, there is just no way that something this far on the spectrum will actually see production. So far Toyota has been all about really extreme front fascias and then absolutely zero stylistic design anywhere else on their cars and I've yet to see a counterexample to that make it past the concept stage.


TheSteveTheSteve - 9/5/2013 11:09:35 AM
0 Boost
Lexus has defined themselves as the "quality luxury" brand, with "quality" being measured in low defect numbers. They've succeeded. Lexus creates premium cars with a great fit and finish, whose styling has been historically conservative and is now turning to a "Look at me! I'm different and futuristic" slant on unattractive.

Their *intention* is to attract younger buyers with their new design language, but that's bound to fail for several reasons: (1) Lexus is still thinking like people in their 50s hoping to sell to people in their 20s and 30s, (2) The Lexus brand is centered around reliability, few defects, and comfort, whereas younger minds are looking for "cool" and "sexy," and lastly, (3) younger audiences don't have the money to buy a premium car, nor are they interested in that.


SuperTurtlePlusSuperTurtlePlus - 9/5/2013 7:10:40 PM
+3 Boost
This has to be a joke. I have never seen quite so alienating an exterior design for a very long time. If Lexus brings this it, it will be the beginning of their downfall.

It’s way too polarizing. It’s like Cadillac’s Art & Science design language, on acid.


knowitall1985knowitall1985 - 9/5/2013 7:16:28 PM
+1 Boost
I just want to go on record that this car toned down will sell great.....


MorePowerMorePower - 9/5/2013 8:50:22 PM
+2 Boost
Bulshit. This car already exists, it is called the Toyota Venza.


papasmilespapasmiles - 9/5/2013 8:41:44 PM
+2 Boost
The front end is hideous. The profile resembles a space-age version of Th GMC Terrain - not a good thing. This concept reflects the awful design language that Lexus is moving toward. As a current Lexus owner, something will need to change before I buy another.



ParadoXParadoX - 9/7/2013 12:16:26 PM
+1 Boost
It is a computer rendering so lets take this with a grain of salt. Anything that is produced will be toned down dramatically. Lexus is just fishing for feedback about certain styling elements here.


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