2018款雷克萨斯将于1月9日在底特律车展亮相，新车将替代上市已经有超过10年的现行版车型。而OmniAuto.it近日发布了该车合成图。有传言称，新车的车身尺寸进一步增加，内部空间更宽敞，车内将采用“一些很酷的配置”，而在豪华程度上也将达到雷克萨斯最高水平。另外车厂还将推出一款长轴距版，后排乘客可以享受到更充裕的腿部空间。日媒表示，日规车型将用摄像头替代传统后视镜，目前这一做法在日本是合法的。雷克萨斯已经表示，下一代LS将与LC采用相同的模块平台，这一全新的GA-L平台将应用于雷克萨斯一系列采用前置引擎后轮驱动布局的车型。现在就断言该车将搭载取自LC的471马力V8引擎和十速自动变速器还为时过早，或许引擎将进行不同级别的调校以适应这款车。同样，车厂还将推出取自354马力LC500h的混动版本。另外，由于LF-FC概念车还有燃料电池版本，因此也有可能变成量产版。现在还不清楚新一代LS是否提供全轮驱动，车厂公关部门告知正在考虑推出全驱版本。毕竟，如果没有全轮驱动将是非常减分的，德系竞争车型都提供了全驱版本。
2018 Lexus LS exclusively rendered
Debuting on January 9 in Detroit, the all-new LS (XF50) is a long overdue replacement for the current model, which has been around for more than a decade and it’s now the oldest model in its class. OmniAuto.it has decided to imagine what was hiding underneath the thick camouflage.
Rumor has it the new LS will grow in size to provide a roomier cabin featuring “some cool interior stuff” and packed with the best Lexus has to offer in terms of luxury amenities. A long-wheelbase derivative is also on the agenda for superior rear legroom.
Interestingly, Japanese magazine Best Car says the JDM-spec LS will have cameras instead of conventional side mirrors, which are now legal in the Land of the Rising Sun.
As far as the oily bits are concerned, Lexus has already told us the next-gen LS will ride on the same modular platform as the LC. Dubbed “Global Architecture-Luxury” (GA-L), the new hardware is set to underpin a series of Lexus models featuring a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. Seeing as how it will have a lot in common with the LC, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to assume the 471-hp V8 hooked up to a 10-speed automatic transmission will be available, albeit the engine might be offered in a different state of tune for the big luxury sedan. Using the same logic, the 354-hp hybrid setup from the LC 500h is probably on the agenda as well. In addition, the aforementioned LF-FC concept had a fuel cell setup, so it might make the transition to the road-going car.
It remains to be seen whether the new LS is going to be offered with all-wheel drive, but chances are it will happen taking into account Lexus’ PR department has informed us they’re thinking about it. After all, it would be a big minus not to have the option of AWD when its German rivals are available in 4Matic, xDrive, and Quattro flavors.