Lexus Discovers New Direction

A behind-the-scenes look at the new Lexus LS Coupe and Micro concepts designed by Calty Design Research in Newport Beach, California

What is a car to you?

For most, a car is nothing more than transportation from point A to point B, often with a focus on utility, economics, and safety. For some, a car is those things plus the driving experience it provides and the identity that comes with owning a sports car or truck or SUV.

Lexus views cars as vehicles for discovery, in every sense of the word, hence the 35-year-old carmaker’s new brand direction announced at the Japan Mobility Show last month in Japan, where it unveiled a fleet of new concepts that curate new possibilities for independent and luxurious living.

From a six-wheel chauffeur-driven motor coach to an autonomous one-person urban transporter, from a sustainably-powered ocean-going catamaran to luxurious off-grid living showcased in a Lexus Home architectural concept, Lexus is expanding the definition of mobility, bringing it all together in a transportation social hub connecting land, sea, and air. (Watch the full presentation at JPM here.)

“The thinking behind these designs recognizes our customers’ growing expectations to discover life on their own terms,” said Ian Cartabiano, president of Calty Design Research in Newport Beach, CA. “They expect personal luxury space, both in their vehicles and in their 360-degree personal universe.”

On the pch explores cars and the places they take us, so it’s fitting that our inaugural post features a recent visit to Calty for a chat with the design team behind two of the new Lexus concepts—the LS Coupe and the LS Micro.

A Luxury Legend Evolves

But first, let’s define a key historical acronym.

Since 1989, Lexus has followed the tried-and-true model lineup led by a flagship sedan, akin to the BMW 7-series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. It was called the LS 400, with LS standing for luxury sedan.

At the Japan Mobility Show, Lexus suggested that the idea of a single flagship is passé, along with the waning popularity of sedans.

"Since the Lexus LS was introduced in 1989," said Chief Branding Officer Simon Humphries, “the rules of the luxury market have changed dramatically. Once upon a time, executive sedans ruled the automotive world. Now, they are fighting a losing battle with SUVs.”

That’s something this writer bemoans—old sedans forever!—but nevertheless recognizes as a reality of the market’s SUV/crossover craze.

Lexus, rather than scrap the legendary LS badge, wisely evolved it to reimagine their vehicles as places of personal sanctuary. In this vision, the LS stands for Luxury Space. In place of the flagship tradition, according to a press release that trades one military metaphor or another, Lexus aims for an ambitious range of luxury concepts, “a series of models that form an arrowhead.”

Lexus LS Coupe Concept

One of the concepts that form the leading edge of the new LS lineup was designed here at Calty, and it is sharp indeed.

“It’s the spirit of a sports car with an executive sedan,” according to Calty’s studio chief designer Alex Shen.

Accomplishing both seemed high on the list of objectives for the team at Calty. And just in case there’s any confusion, the seat design delineates the driver/passenger experiences. The rear seats, which in the concept are a light beige color, is consistent with the “luxury space” expected of an LS, while the gray blue bolstered driver’s seat seems to encourage the wheelman to let the arrow fly, or at least let the built-in drone fly.

Perhaps it’s surprising that, with such a fast, low-slung, arrow-like roofline, the LS Coupe Concept “exceeds [the] LS in every dimension,” according to Calty’s interior chief designer William Chergosky. That means shoulder, hip, and legroom is somehow more generous than next year’s outgoing LS sedan.

Lexus LS Micro Concept

Maybe the LS Coupe Concept doesn’t seem like a dramatic shift in direction. But Calty had another treat in store for us, one that offers customers a chance to curate their own luxury lifestyle experiences.

Meet the Micro LS Concept—a three-wheel, autonomous, single-seat, first-class pod that might just be the future of private mobility.

Just think of a few use cases. Dense urban centers in Asia. Narrow roads in European villages. Autonomous ride-share. Wheelchair accessibility. Seniors who can no longer drive themselves. Or even the fast-growing market segment of children being Ubered to school. The Micro distills the essence of the luxury space approach and puts it into an autonomous one-person format.

“We like to think of it as mobility for all,” said chief designer, Ben Chang.

Luxury mobility for all, with bamboo finishes, bespoke glassware, an incredibly spacious and airy interior, and a jewel-like exterior aesthetic.

If the future of mobility is a place where we enjoy a seamless connection between business, lifestyle, and pleasure, we can’t think of a more compelling vision than the one presented by Lexus or a more thoughtful team of designers to have behind the wheel.

All photos by On the pch. Thanks to Calty Design Research for the behind-the-scenes tour. For more on Calty, visit https://pressroom.toyota.com/facility/calty-design-research/