TTAC Photochop: Lexus Hybrid MPV

Andrei Avarvarii
by Andrei Avarvarii

Thought that the LF-A will be a brand diluting agent for Lexus? Well, seems like the Japanese have something a lot better in mind for that job. Lexus has announced plans to sell a "luxury Prius." Lexus will present their HPV (Hybrid Purpose Vehicle sounds cheesy enough to me) alongside the next gen Prius at the next North American International Auto Show. Why make a luxury version of the Prius? God knows. I can only guess that tree-hugger superstars that used to drive Priora complained about the car's increasing popularity and plebeian interior. For this rendering, I tried to add some IS headlights onto a Prius. The resulting hybrid hybrid looked plain dumb. Once I decided that the "ordinary L-finesse" wouldn't work, I opted for some manga lines that emphasize the car's expensive-toy status. You know, Toyota might want to forget about the Hybrid Purpose Vehicle appellation, considering the whole human papillomavirus thing.

[For more Avarvarii photochopistry, click here]

Andrei Avarvarii
Andrei Avarvarii

More by Andrei Avarvarii

Comments
Join the conversation
4 of 10 comments
  • Jeff Puthuff Jeff Puthuff on Jun 06, 2008

    They'll sell a ton of them and make a mint. There are plenty of B- and C-list celebs who can't swing an LS600h who'll buy one.

  • Johnson Johnson on Jun 06, 2008

    Let's stop with the idle speculation, shall we? Where exactly has Toyota confirmed this Lexus model will be a "luxury Prius"? Toyota has ONLY said that this will be a hybrid-only Lexus model. Saying it will be a "luxury Prius" is nothing more than idle speculation and assumption. Until Toyota officials says so, we don't know for sure what this new Lexus hybrid model will be.

  • Driver23 Driver23 on Jun 07, 2008

    Why do you think luxury car buyers are not interested in smaller fuel efficient cars? Read BMW forums - a lot of people want 120d here. Prius is a good car, but interior is really a Corolla. GS 450h has too much power and no real benefits. I don't want 400h either. I will absolutely buy Prius-based Lexus wagon. Just a tad bigger engine (1.6-1.8) and a lot better interior and I'll happy to pay 35K.

  • Andrei Avarvarii Andrei Avarvarii on Jun 08, 2008

    @ incitatus Thanks for the tip! I think that the lines of the Toyota Hybrid X are too "daring" for a Lexus. That's why I went for something more appropriate for a luxury brand. Incantat de cunostinta!

Next