Lexus Looks to Expand Lineup With New Models
Lexus General Manager Jeff Bracken Hints at New Models, Including Crossovers and an EV
Take a look at the current Lexus lineup and you’ll undoubtedly notice a few gaps. A couple of holes might be filled after the introduction of the LC coupe and all-new LS. But there’s still plenty of room for new models. It’s a fact that Lexus GM Jeff Bracken is well aware of, and he addressed it at this year’s Detroit Auto Show.
Bracken acknowledged that Lexus could sell upwards of 70,000 additional vehicles a year by simply offering a subcompact and three row crossover. Those two segments, particularly the subcompact SUV market, are booming. The UX Concept, shown at the 2016 Paris Auto Show, could plug that gap. “That’s a gap we are watching very closely,” Bracken said. “We’re very fixated on trying to move that conversation forward with our parent corporation.”
‘I think we’d have our head buried in the sand if we didn’t thoroughly study all-electric [vehicles].’
— Lexus GM Jeff Bracken
More exciting for enthusiasts is the notion that Lexus might seek to expand it’s F Performance lineup. “We still have performance gaps to fill, and we can do that really well with the F,” Bracken said. “We feel we’ve been missing it on the higher end when it comes to passenger cars.” While Bracken wouldn’t get specific on which cars might gain an F model, the LS and LC are obvious candidates.
Another vehicle currently lacking from the Lexus lineup is an all-electric model. With the competition moving swiftly toward building more EV’s, Lexus seems poised to follow suit. “I think we’d have our head buried in the sand if we didn’t thoroughly study all-electric,” Bracken said. “You definitely have to do that.”
Judging from Bracken’s comments, the addition of these models seems almost like a foregone conclusion. With money sitting on the table just waiting for the taking, don’t be surprised to see Lexus start filling these gaps soon.
