Lexus Unwraps Topless Roadster Concept in L.A.
Multilayered paint over various planes, edges and curves create different characters when viewed in differing lighting conditions, designer Yasuo Kajino says.
November 19, 2014
LOS ANGELES – Lexus stages the global unveiling of its 2+2 open-air roadster concept today at the 2014 Los Angeles auto show.
The car, called LF-C2, “shows what’s in store for our brand’s future design direction,” Jeff
Bracken, Lexus group vice president, says in a statement. “This concept shows consumers around the world Lexus’ devotion to emotional designs as well as our passion for an exceptional driving experience.”
The car, devoid of a roof, has edges, planes and curves to create a different character under differing lighting conditions, Lexus says.
The concept’s golden yellow paint is multilayered, with a primer coat that is followed by silver, then a clearcoat, the yellow and a final topcoat. Luster is created by the yellow’s reflection r off the silver, Lexus says.
“When you put something in the right light, people see it in a way they never have before,” LF-C2 Chief Designer Yasuo Kajino says in a statement.
Lexus’ signature spindle grille is more experimental on the LF-C2, the brand says, with a refined braided mesh that changes appearance when viewed from various angles.
Triangular LED headlights and indicator lamps, at which the character line begins, are other front fascia design flourishes.
Functional up front are vents in the bumper which send cool air to the car’s brakes and improve front-end stability at high speeds.
Lexus describes the car as arrow-shaped thanks to a sweeping character line, which ends at an abbreviated rear deck.
The A-pillar is steeply angled, while the side vents in side sills not only are for looks but also send air to rear brakes and out fin-like rear diffusers, Lexus says.
L-shaped tail lamps, chromed quad exhaust tips and “an expressive rear diffuser design” are elements of the LF-C2’s rear fascia.
The car rides on 20-in. 5-spoke alloy wheels.
The roadster’s interior is an extension of the exterior, with the center console originating at the rear deck and extending to the instrument panel.
Lexus calls the concept’s instrument cluster attractive yet straightforward, with a screen controlled by the brand’s Remote Touchpad centrally located and an analog clock between central air vents.
The steering wheel is wrapped in leather, meant to evoke a driver’s car feel.
White and gray leather surfaces and LED lights spanning the length of the interior “instill a balanced atmosphere of power and simplicity that harmonizes with our primary senses,” Lexus says.
There’s no mention from Lexus if this concept hints at a production version of a long-rumored successor to the discontinued SC drop-top. At 185.6 ins. (4,715 mm) long, the LF-C2 is roughly 7 ins. (178 mm) longer than the last-generation SC, about the same width and slightly shorter in height.
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