Lexus plans new design direction, model rollout from late 2021

Is the spindle grille dead? We’ll find out soon enough, as Lexus is poised to launch a new concept showing off its new design theme during the northern spring.

The luxury brand will then follow this up with a production model using this “new vision” in the latter half of 2021.

Koji Sato, president of Lexus international, says Lexus “will [then] continue to introduce new models next year and beyond”.

Accompanying today’s announcement, Lexus issued a shadowy teaser image of a concept car it will unveil during the second quarter of 2021.

The preview seems to show the back of the vehicle, and features a revised Lexus word mark in place of the brand’s L-in-a-circle logo.

With its wide stance, broad shoulders, short rear deck, slim tail-lights, and thin pillars the concept could resemble a cross between a Porsche Taycan and Lucid Air.

A closer inspection reveals the car also features a prominent split down the centre line, creating a double bubble-style roof and possibly splitting the rear windscreen in half.

According to Mr Sato, the concept “illustrates our intentions for the future and marking the beginning of the next generation of Lexus.”

It’s not clear if the concept or subsequent production cars will be based on Toyota’s upcoming all-electric e-TNGA platform, or whether it employ one of the more traditional TNGA architectures, which support both internal combustion engines and hybrid drivetrains.

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