TTAC Photochop: New Lexus Entry-Level Hatchback
Lexus recently revealed product plans that include an entry-level model. Most likely (and logically) it will be a hatch. Being a Lexus, it has to use rear-wheel drive, making it the second hatch with the correct wheels driving it (following BMW's 1-Series). And what a hot hatch that will be! Even better handling than the IS due to lesser weight, a lot roomier than the BMW competitor and maybe even better looking. I tried my hand with the L-finesse brush on this one and envisioned something that would fit smoothly in the current Lexus range; no (unpleasant) surprises. By the way, I have in the back of my head an image of a Lexus hatchback concept car from the beginning of the ‘90s. Do any of you remember that? I wasn't able to find any info on it around the web.
More by Andrei Avarvarii
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I'm not sure the IS hatch is as good looking as the sedan, but when I drove it cross country I had a lot of people compliment me, and ask me what it was. Here in California they are not as much a rarity as in the middle of the USA. It is a little bigger than an A3 but much smaller than the 3 and 5 series wagons. I don't know why they didn't sell better. MSRP was about 35K, and it has the same 210HP I-6 as the standard IS. Here are more photos: http://images.google.com/images?q=lexus%20sportcross
I always thought the sportcross was cool. But this one is better. Looks less like a conventional wagon, more like a very sporty, somewhat wagon like thing. That roof line, and the line of the windows at the D-pillar make a great solution for the a wagon you truely wont have to call a wagon. One question: is there any rubber wrapped around those wheels? But then, I always liked the look of an Impala wagon, no wood, with mag wheels. The contradiction and the possibilities always seemed endless, and endlessly intriguing. I've got more on '60's wagons at: http://autoclay.blogspot.com/2008/04/early-60s-compact-wagons-modernists.html
Looks good to me and I can see it selling well in the UK.
Very nice. I'm not enthralled with the front end, but the rest of it is the most attractive hatchback I've seen.