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NEWS
All-new Lexus IS250 coming 2013
Lexus Australia chief keen to get third generation IS in dealerships and wants to see compact SUV tooLexus showed off one of the true show-stopping concept cars at the 2012 Australian International Motor Show in Sydney, with the second LF-LC concept, but the company is not simply crossing its fingers for the stunning concept to become a reality – it has plenty of other new metal on its way.
Lexus Australia boss Tony Cramb confirmed that the next generation IS – including the IS250, IS350 and possibly hybrid and coupe models – will make its global debut in 2013, possibly as early as January at the Detroit motor show, and will be Australia bound in the second half of that year.
"IS is imminent, IS is coming next year [2013]," said Mr Cramb. "Are we talking Detroit, about IS? That is early next year, that's right, but we haven't announced at this point when we're debuting it," he said with a grin.
Lexus has been selling its current second generation IS series since 2006 and the new third generation model, widely expected to be inspired by the recent Lexus LF-CC concept (pictured), is long overdue. 2012 sales of the IS model range are down by around 20 per cent compared to the previous year.
"It would be wonderful to have a new IS right now, there's no doubt about it, but it's always the way isn’t it – when you get to the end of lifecycle that you want a new one. It'd be great to have a new car right now."
The third generation Lexus IS series is likely to go on sale in Australia during the second half of 2013, and we could see the volume-selling C/D-segment luxury car range expand, with rumours of a coupe and possibly even an extension to hybrid engines.
"I'd like to think there'll be a hybrid [IS in Australia]," commented Mr Cramb, who seemed upbeat when quizzed on the possibility of a coupe to rival the likes of the Audi A5 and BMW 3 Series Coupe.
"Time will tell, time will tell..." he chided.
Lexus has previously confirmed the LF-CC will form the basis of a D-segment coupe in the future, but Cramb reiterated: "We didn't confirm it was IS related".
After a local launch in November 2012 at the Melbourne Cup racing carnival, the heavily face-lifted Lexus LS series large car will be on sale in 2013, but will sell in very limited numbers.
Something that could sell in large numbers for Lexus is a compact SUV, a vehicle that has not been officially confirmed by the Japanese car maker, but is understood to be in development. Mr Cramb said the lack of a compact SUV did leave a gap in the Lexus line-up, and that most regional branches of the company are lobbying head office for an Audi Q3 or BMW X1 competitor.
"I don’t see big gaps, but the one area which is growing dramatically [for] which we need an entrant is the small SUV. That's an area that seems to be in demand from the luxury customer that we don't cover.
"Most of the distributors around the world on the [Lexus] Global Executive Council and most distributors are requesting strongly that we do something about that.
"We can't really talk about product plans but if we got the green light today then it's conceivably a five year wait [for the compact SUV].
"I don't know that it'd be the biggest seller in Australia, but it depends when it comes, if it comes. But it's a dramatically growing segment at the moment and it's definitely one we have to be in. It would definitely be a volume selling vehicle for us, there's no doubt about that, whether it's the top selling one I don’t know."
For the month of September 2012, the highest selling model in the local Lexus range was the CT200h petrol-electric hatch with 158 sales. The RX series was next with 141 units and the IS series was third highest seller with 136 cars registered.
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Written byFeann Torr
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