A patent application recently filed in the US suggests
that Lexus has a new flagship model in the works. AutoGuide reports that Lexus applied to register the nameplate LQ for
“automobiles and structural parts thereof.” Now as anyone familiar with the
brand’s nomenclature will tell you, the letter L is typically applied to its
top models.
Q, is not a letter that Lexus
typically uses. That’s more Infiniti’s style. So what could Lexus have in store
for us? The simplest answer could be “nothing.” Automakers often register names
that never get used, whether they’re intended to or not at the time of
application. But let’s assume for now that Toyota’s luxury division actually
has a use in mind for the nameplate.
Arguably the most likely scenario, as AG points out,
is a new crossover. The model would sit above the UX, NX, and RX in the brand’s
crossover lineup. But LX is already used for the gussied-up Land Cruiser, and
apparently the automaker is keen on keeping that model in its lineup rather
than follow the lead of the Ford Explorer and Nissan Pathfinder in switching
from a truck-like body-on-frame to a more car-like unibody construction.
Lexus showcased such a concept in the form of the
LF-1 Limitless at the Detroit Auto Show this past January. And word has it that
a production version could debut in Tokyo next year. If and when it does, don’t
be too surprised to see it wearing the letters LQ – though its rivals at
Infiniti might have a thing or two to say about that.
