2009 Frankfurt: Lexus goes Bimmer-hunting. Again.
First, as if you had to ask, the five-door (two normal, two suicide) hatch LF-Ch is a hybrid.
Shocking, I know.
Most of the Lexus concept’s nuts, bolts and electrons seem to come from the new 2010 Lexus HS 250h hybrid sedan.
Similar to Volvo’s C30 premium hatch, the Lexus sports four bucket seats. Auto show gimmicks include headrest-mounted iPhone docking capability for audio and video entertainment for rear passengers, just like in your parents’ luxo-barge sedan or SUV.
If you’ve been fed a diet of conservative Lexus styling, you may find it a bit hard to digest the LF-Ch’s aggressive looks. Especially at the front.
Get use to it. You’ll see it coming on Lexus’s new LF-A super car, and perhaps trickle down throughout the whole range.
Looks aside, do you think Lexus can attract premium compact buyers away from the more established offerings from the Euroweenie brands?[Source: Toyota]
If I was in the market for an Audi A3, this new Lexus would be worth a look. I like the styling. The Volvo C30 looks pretty good too. The A3 looks pretty conservative compared to this new Lexus and the Volvo. Too bad Saturn didn't have a 200+ Hp version of the Astra, I'd consider it too, and it would be thousands less than anything else from Europe. Which really sucks. (better get them now while you can.)
The BMW 1-series is a joke. They took an already small car and made it even less practical by omitting the hatch version. The hatch must out-sell the sedan by 10-to-1 in Europe. When I was in England in 2007 the 1-series hatch was everywhere.
Posted by: Randy | September 16, 2009 at 07:36 PM
Randy, I share all your opinions - great minds must think alike ;-)
I there is one thing that I may see where we have a different opinion is about the C30 - it is nice but it's only available in a 3 door. And yes indeed they should have brought the BMW 1 hatchback to Canada!
Posted by: Mingo Jones | September 20, 2009 at 11:30 PM