From the 2003 LF-X to the 2023 Japan Mobility Show, the LF concepts tested Lexus ideas that later reached the showroom.
The LF concept series runs from the LF-X of 2003 to electric concepts shown in 2023. It includes the LF-A, which became the LFA supercar, and the LF-LC, which led to the LC500. The series also introduced the L-finesse design language.
The Lexus LF series is a family of concept cars that Lexus, the luxury division of Toyota, used to preview design and technology from 2003 onward. The LF name stands for Lexus Future, and the range runs from the V10 halo car LF-A to electric concepts shown at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show. Several concepts previewed production models, and one of them became the LFA supercar.
What is the Lexus LF series?
The Lexus LF series is a set of concept cars covering coupes, convertibles, sedans, crossover SUVs and hatchbacks. The first, the LF-X, appeared in 2003. The concepts tested new technology such as advanced instrumentation, driver-selected configurations, hybrid and experimental powertrains and unusual driver interfaces, and several of them came close to production form.
The coupes and convertibles include the LF-A, the LF-A Roadster, the LF-LC, the LF-CC and the LF-C. The sedans are the LF-S, the LF-Sh and the LF-Gh, while the crossover SUVs are the LF-X and LF-Xh. The LF-Ch is a hatchback.
A concept series that tested the ideas behind the LFA, the LC500 and the L-finesse design language.
What does L-finesse mean?
L-finesse is the design philosophy that debuted on the LF concepts and then spread to every new production Lexus. The name combines the ideas of Leading Edge and finesse. Its three themes are intriguing elegance, incisive simplicity and seamless anticipation, and each concept interprets those themes in its own way.
The LF-LC, for example, uses the brand's spindle-shaped grille, which had debuted a few months earlier on the fourth-generation GS. The LF-Ch took a more aggressive reading of the language, with an arching roofline, a rear spoiler and a single-bar grille.
What was the LF-A and how did it become the LFA?
The LF-A was a two-door exotic concept built as a possible halo car for Lexus. Its first version debuted at the 2005 North American International Auto Show, and it used a 4.8-litre V10 that made over 550 hp (410 kW). Lexus later sold a production supercar called the LFA, priced at $375,000, which debuted in 2009.
The first LF-A was about five inches shorter than the Porsche 911 Turbo (996), while its wheelbase was about nine inches longer. Its height was close to the Ferrari F430, and it was 73.2 in (1,859 mm) wide. A rear transaxle was used, and the radiators were mounted at the back to keep weight distribution close to ideal. Top speed was around 208 mph (335 km/h).
A second version appeared at the 2007 NAIAS with a more complete interior and exterior, and it was positioned as a possible member of the Lexus F performance range. Its gauges showed a 9,000 rpm redline, although news reports speculated that the car might not reach production. The third version, a roadster, premiered in 2008.
Prototypes had been spotted at the Nurburgring since October 2004, often with automatic retractable rear wings and carbon ceramic brake discs. Pricing estimates ran from over $225,000 to close to $400,000. In December 2007 Auto Express reported an unofficial 7:24 lap record at the Nurburgring. The non-convertible production LFA premiered in October 2009.
The LF-A Roadster
The roadster version was first displayed at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit on 13 January 2008. Its V10 was under 5.0 litres and produced over 500 hp (373 kW), with a top speed over 200 mph (320 km/h). A retractable rear spoiler helped handling at speed, and side cameras replaced the standard mirrors.
The roadster was also shown at Pebble Beach, Geneva and at Lexus exhibits in Japan. The show car's F badges marked it as part of the Lexus F performance division, and it had a two-tone interior. In August 2009 reports suggested the car might be renamed the LF-L, to reflect its racing development, but the production car kept the LFA name.
Which LF concepts previewed Lexus sedans?
The LF-S, LF-Sh and LF-Gh each gave a preview of a future Lexus sedan. The LF-S influenced the third-generation GS, and the LF-Sh previewed the fourth-generation LS. The LF-Gh hinted at the GS that was scheduled for late 2011, and the LF-C pointed toward the second-generation IS.
The LF-S was unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in October 2003 and was designed to seat five passengers. It used side-mounted cameras instead of mirrors and a transparent panoramic roof. Its hybrid V8 with all-wheel drive marked the concept debut of a hybrid Lexus, and the RX 400h followed in 2005 as a V6 hybrid. It measured 193.3 in (4,910 mm) long.
The LF-Sh premiered at the Tokyo Motor Show in late 2005, and it predated the LS 460 debut in North America in January 2006. Its LED headlamps did not appear on the standard LS 460 but later arrived on the LS 600h, and its rear bumper exhaust vents were one-piece where the production car used chrome-plated ones. It had no interior, which allowed the interior reveal to happen at the 2006 show.
What did the LF-C and LF-CC show?
The LF-C was unveiled at the 2004 New York Auto Show. It used a retractable hardtop that could be set in four positions, allowing coupe, convertible, targa or speedster configurations. The V8 drove the rear wheels, and cameras replaced the door mirrors. Design cues from its front fascia appeared on the second-generation IS when it launched.
The LF-CC was revealed at the October 2012 Paris Motor Show as a preview of the next-generation IS. It was a rear-wheel drive coupe that used a 2.5 litre four-cylinder Atkinson cycle engine with D-4S direct injection and an electric motor. The seats and instrument binnacle were upholstered in amber leather. The LF-C, by contrast, had suede bucket seats, crystal LED taillamps and a one-touch button for its roof.
How did the LF-LC become the LC500?
The LF-LC was a two-door concept that premiered at the January 2012 North American International Auto Show. Its styling was created by Calty Design Research in Newport Beach, California, the same studio that had designed the first-generation SC and the fourth-generation GS. It was built as a design study for a driver-focused car, and work began in May 2010.
Road and Track published an early look at the car before the show, which had not been planned. Lexus product planning gave the car a 50/50 chance of production, and later reports said it could be production-ready within three years. A production version was introduced at the 2016 NAIAS and it went on sale as the LC500 in the second quarter of 2017.
The production LC500 was based on Toyota's GA-L platform and the fifth-generation LS flagship. The concept's interior had two 12.3 inch (310 mm) LCD screens and a remote touchscreen control system, and reports said it would fill the gap left by the discontinued SC430. A second concept, the LF-LC Blue, was shown at the 2012 Australian International Motor Show and later at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
The LF-LC used a front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout with a next-generation Advanced Lexus Hybrid Drive system. Smartphone-sized touchscreens were set into the door armrests to supplement the main controls, so the cabin was built around the driver rather than the passenger.
| Concept | First shown | What it previewed |
|---|---|---|
| LF-X | 2003 | First LF concept, a three-row crossover idea on the GS 430 platform |
| LF-S | October 2003, Tokyo | Design cues for the third-generation GS |
| LF-C | 2004, New York | Front fascia cues for the second-generation IS |
| LF-A | 2005, NAIAS | Halo car that became the production LFA in 2009 |
| LF-Sh | Late 2005, Tokyo | Fourth-generation LS |
| LF-LC | January 2012, NAIAS | LC500 on sale from the second quarter of 2017 |
| LF-CC | October 2012, Paris | Next-generation IS |
| LF-NX | September 2013, Frankfurt | Production NX, unveiled April 2014 |
| LF-UX | 2016, Paris | UX subcompact SUV |
| LF-30 | 2019, Tokyo | In-wheel electric motors and wireless charging |
Which LF crossovers came first?
The LF-X was the first concept in the series. It was initially revealed as the HP-X, and it fitted between the RX crossover and the GX large SUV. It was built on the GS 430 platform with a 300-horsepower V8, and it could have seated three rows if it had been produced, instead of the RX's two. Its instrument panel could be customised for size, position and colour.
The LF-Xh was a hybrid crossover that first appeared at the October 2007 Tokyo Motor Show and returned at the October 2008 Paris Motor Show. It used a V6 with electric motors, LED lights and a concept interior. The LF-NX followed in September 2013 at Frankfurt as a compact crossover, and the production NX was unveiled in April 2014 at the Beijing Auto Show.
The LF-UX, shown at the 2016 Paris Motor Show, was a preview of a new subcompact SUV called the UX. It was designed at Toyota's ED2 studio. The LF-1 Limitless, revealed at the 2018 NAIAS, was a luxury crossover concept that previewed an upcoming flagship crossover.
How did the LF concepts explore hybrid and electric power?
The LF series explored hybrid and electric powertrains from early on. The LF-Ch was a four-door hatchback unveiled in September 2009 at Frankfurt. It had a hybrid 2.4 L inline-four with an electric motor, and it was intended to preview a compact premium model aimed at European buyers. Trademark filings for the model later used the names CT 200h, CT 300h and CT 400h.
Inside, the LF-Ch used wood, polished aluminium and semi-aniline leather, with paddle shifters and Lexus's Remote Touch controller. Rear passengers could dock an iPhone in headrest-mounted holders, which showed how the concept treated entertainment as part of the cabin.
The LF-Z Electrified was built on an all-electric platform with Direct4 all-wheel drive, which vectored torque to each wheel through two traction motors. It carried a 90 kWh lithium-ion battery and had an estimated range of 600 km (370 mi) on the WLTP cycle. It also claimed 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3 seconds. Its design later served as the basis for the RZ.
The LF-30 premiered at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show and featured four in-wheel electric motors and wireless charging. The LF-FC, revealed at the October 2015 Tokyo Motor Show, used fuel cells and previewed the next generation of the LS. In 2023 the LF-ZC luxury sedan and the LF-ZL luxury crossover were both shown at the Japan Mobility Show.
Did an LF concept appear in video games?
Yes. The LF-LC GT Vision Gran Turismo is a fictional rear-wheel drive coupe based on the LF-LC. It appears in Gran Turismo 6, Gran Turismo Sport and Gran Turismo 7.
The LF-C2 was unveiled at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show as one of the later additions to the series.
Why does the LF series still matter?
The LF series matters because it is the clearest record of how Lexus turned bold concepts into production. The LF-A became a supercar, the LF-LC led to the LC500, and the LF-CC and LF-NX gave clues to the IS and NX. The L-finesse language was later extended to all new production Lexus vehicles, so the concept series also set the brand's visual direction.
