Lexus may have played down the possibility of building the impressive LF-LC Concept during the 2+2 sports coupe’s world premiere in Detroit earlier in the year, but now we learn that the Japanese automaker has had a change of heart.
Company insiders told Automotive News that due to the “overwhelming reaction” from the public, as well as the need to fill the void left by the SC 430 that was discontinued in 2010, Lexus is seriously considering to give the LF-LC the green light for production.
“There has been a lot of interest from dealers and distributors,” a Lexus official told the news site.
Another reason why Lexus may want to build the LF-LC is that it will need to add some pizzazz and sportiness to its lineup after the LFA ends its limited run production.
Lexus, which for the first time in 11 years lost the title of the best-selling luxury brand in the United States in 2011 tumbling behind BMW and Mercedes-Benz and continues to trail both German brands in the first half of 2012, would use the LF-LC as a halo car.
According to Lexus insiders, the LF-LC would be more of a “lite” version of the LFA than a traditional coupe and that it could take up to three years for the company to bring the concept to production. Lexus, however, could speed up the process if it chooses to use an existing platform (perhaps the next IS).
Lexus had said in Detroit that the prototype LF-LC was motivated by an unspecified hybrid powertrain. The production model could use a modified version of one of the company’s current hybrid powerplants.
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