The Lexus LF-C is a concept car unveiled at the 2004 New York Auto Show. It was a rear-wheel-drive coupé with a V8 engine and a retractable hardtop that could take four different shapes, and it belonged to the LF family of design studies.
Lexus LF-C at a glance
| Type | concept coupé, part of the Lexus LF series |
|---|---|
| Unveiled | 2004, New York Auto Show |
| Name | Lexus Future-Coupe |
| Roof | retractable hardtop with four positions |
| Configurations | coupé, convertible, targa and speedster |
| Engine | V8 |
| Drive | rear-wheel drive |
| Length | 4,539 mm (178.7 in) |
| Width | 1,850 mm (73.0 in) |
| Height | 1,358.9 mm (53.5 in) |
| Wheelbase | 2,790 mm (110.0 in) |
based on one source (English Wikipedia); the LF-C is described in a section of the article on the Lexus LF series, and no free photographs of this concept are available
History of the Lexus LF-C
The LF-C was shown at the New York Auto Show in 2004. Its lettering stands for Lexus Future-Coupe, and it was one of a series of LF concepts that began with the LF-X in 2003. The LF family introduced the L-finesse design philosophy, built on the ideas of Intriguing Elegance, Incisive Simplicity and Seamless Anticipation, which later spread to all new production Lexus models.
The centrepiece of the car was a retractable hardtop with a four-position glass roof that let the same bodywork be a coupé, a convertible, a targa or a speedster, changed by a one-touch activation button. The LF-C had a V8 engine and rear-wheel drive, crystal LED tail lamps, suede bucket seats, a three-dimensional instrument panel, drive-by-wire controls and a translucent crystal centre console with blue backlighting. Retractable rear-view cameras replaced the door mirrors and were fitted in the doors and the rear bumper.
The design pointed clearly at a convertible version of the IS 250 and IS 350, and its front-end cues appeared in production form on the second-generation Lexus IS. Lexus later continued the idea with the LF-C2 concept of the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show, and the LF series as a whole included the LF-A sports cars, the LF-S, LF-Sh and LF-Gh sedans, the LF-X and LF-Xh crossovers and the LF-Ch hatchback.
Design and features
- Four roofs in one: a four-position glass hardtop allowed coupé, convertible, targa and speedster bodies.
- Cameras instead of mirrors: retractable rear-view cameras were mounted in the doors and rear bumper.
- Crystal console: the interior used a translucent centre console with blue backlighting and a 3D instrument panel.
- Production influence: the front-end styling carried over to the second-generation IS, and the concept previewed the IS convertible.
Lexus LF-C versions
- LF-C (2004): the original V8 concept coupé shown in New York.
- LF-C2 (2014): a later concept shown at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
The LF-C belongs with the other design studies of the family, the LF-Ch hatchback and the LFA supercar, and its ideas reached the road in the IS. More cars are in the Lexus collection.
Sources
- Lexus LF, English Wikipedia: LF-C design, roof, technology, influence
