The best cars from the Paris Motor Show 2012 you'll soon be able to drive
Lexus LF-CC concept at Paris 2012
Preview of next-gen IS suggests Audi, BMW and Mercedes need to watch their backs…
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Lexus LF-CC concept at the 2012 Paris Motor Show
Lexus has always traditionally been long on detailed engineering but short on style to match its European rivals. It's getting there though, and this - the LF-CC concept - should put a Japanese cat among those German pigeons.
What is it?
It's not just a posh Toyota coupé. The LF-CC previews the next-gen IS, in both saloon and possibly a new full-on coupe guise too. There's never been a two-door hard-top IS, but if Lexus' vision makes it to production with relatively few modifications, it could really give Audi, BMW and Mercedes a run for their collective dosh.
What's hot?
The LF-CC gets an all-new 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid powertrain, with Lexus targeting emissions of below 100g/km CO2 - giving it BMW 328i pace, but BMW 320d EfficientDynamics economy. Expect 0-62mph to take around 6.5 seconds with fuel consumption of around 70mpg combined.
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What's not?
Don't be surprised if the LF-CC coupe doesn't make it to production in its current guise - it'll more than likely be toned down a tad. But if the new GS is anything to go by, it should still turn out to be quite the looker.
How much and when?
No word from Lexus on an introduction date other than "you won't have to wait long to see it", meaning towards the end of 2013 seems a safe bet. We wouldn't be surprised to see pricing in the region of £30,000 for the base model.
Anything else I should know?
Lexus hasn't mentioned any other powertrains, but expect a V6 petrol and a four-cylinder turbodiesel to also make an appearance, albeit in more efficient guises than before. This new four-cylinder hybrid is set to appear in other Lexus models too, so expect a green new GS variant before long, then.
On Bing: see images of the Lexus LF-CC
Find out how much a used Lexus IS is worth on Auto Trader
Review: Lexus IS 250C (2009 onwards)
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