The star concept car at the Australian International Motor Show, currently underway in Sydney, is without doubt the stunning Lexus LF-LC Blue.
An evolution of the LF-LC which debuted earlier this year at the Detroit Auto Show, the version on display in Sydney is painted in a superb ‘Opal Blue’ paintwork inspired by Australian opals.
However it is the technical details which deserve the headlines as Lexus says the LF-LC points to a new generation of Lexus sports cars.
Called ‘Advanced Lexus Hybrid Drive’, the new petrol/electric powertrain uses an Atkinson-cycle petrol engine and next-generation high output battery pack to deliver 372kW of power (that’s 500 horsepower in the old language).
Combined with extensive use of lightweight carbon-fibre and aluminium (all developed in-house by Lexus) to keep the weight down, the Lexus LF-LC Blue shapes-up as true supercar.
And it looks the part too – with a wrap-around glass roof and sculptured air intakes behid the doors.
Inside are lightweight race seats, an F1-style steering wheel which includes the engine starter button, twin 12.3-inch LCD screens and deeply scooped side panels to give driver and passenger the full-on sports car feel. Luxury abounds (this is a Lexus after-all) with abundant use of leather, suede, brushed aluminium and wood accents.
“LF-LC is part concept, part reality,” explained Lexus Australia chief Tony Cramb. “The concept hints at what’s to come from Lexus, while the reality has us actively studying how we can engineer and build a car like this in the future.”
