TOKYO: Lexus will undergo a brand overhaul in spring this year and it will be marked by the release of a new concept car that would signal the automaker's intentions for the future and mark the start of the next generation of Lexus cars.
The first model under the new brand vision would be launched this year, followed by new models in 2022, said Lexus International president/chief branding officer Koji Sato.
That's about all Lexus is willing to say for now. However the teaser image of the concept car that's coming is intriguing enough, apparently showing off the rear with the Lexus name in all caps emblazoned across the boot lid. The wide, low stance suggests the car will look sporty.
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The windshield appears to have a divider in the upper mid-section that could either be for stylistic or aerodynamic purposes.
Lexus' global sales in 2020 dropped 6% to 718,715 units.
Sales for the first half of 2020 totalled 304,000, a 16% drop from the previous year because of the Covid-19 impact. Sales in the second half improved 2% to 415,000 units, on par with the second half of 2019. In addition to robust sales of such models as the ES and RX, the new IS and LS, which began sales in autumn 2020, have been well-received. By region, cumulative annual sales in China marked an all-time high, pulling global sales forward.
The top market remained the US at 297,000 units (9% down); China (including Hong Kong) at 225,000 units (11% up); and Europe at 71,000 units (a 19% drop)
