Back in late-2021 when Toyota and Lexus showcased an entire range – by range we mean 17 – concepts, nobody was surprised to see so many SUVs. In fact, out of the 17 models revealed, only a handful were cars, and all but one of those cars were wearing a Lexus badge. The highlight of the entire event, if you discount that potential Toyota MR2 successor, was the Lexus Electrified Sport Concept. The sheer popularity of SUVs and crossovers mixed in with their ability to support larger batteries (and more range) means the potential for cars like the Lexus Electrified Sport is dwindling by the day. Fortunately, Lexus doesn’t see it that way, because to Lexus, SUVs aren’t everything.

Lexus Could Distance Itself from Toyota with Bespoke Hardware

SUVs get our family around, but it’s sporty cars that drive our passion and our emotion. Fortunately, brands like Lexus understand this, and while the brand's first two EVs will be crossovers, that’s not all its future lineup will be made of. According to a new report from Autocar, Lexus’ European boss, Spiros Fotinos, admitted that the company simply “can’t ignore the demand for SUVs” but that the company isn’t just going to write off a vital part of its heritage – low-slung sedans and sports cars.

Fotinos even alluded to those Lexus Concepts from last year as a statement of intent saying that “we’re clearly working on alternative body types that would allow us to not only offer a wider range of vehicles but also meet the growth ambitions we have for Europe.” This alone stinks of the rumors about a successor to the Lexus LFA and that the company is potentially working on an AMG GT fighter as opposed to a new LC F.

The other big takeaway here is that Lexus will soon distance itself from Toyota, not in terms of branding but in terms of hardware. Right now, Lexus models are, for the most part, just rebranded and rebodied Toyota models. The company is also slated to start making good use of Toyota’s e-TNGA EV platform in the coming years. This platform sharing does cut down development costs in a big way, but it also limits what Lexus can do. As such, Lexus has determined that it can’t rely solely on that singular platform. The e-TNGA is “a great starting point,” but Lexus’ drive and ambitions mean it’s going to have to go beyond that shared platform.

Does this mean Lexus will build its own bespoke EV platform, perhaps the very same platform that will underpin an electric LFA Successor? Fotinos stopped short of confirming anything of this nature, but did say that “obviously, we’re looking at other opportunities as well.” Such a move would push Lexus a little further away from Toyota, allowing it to build models that are truly bespoke to the Lexus brand, but it could also force the brand upmarket due to the increase in R&D along the way.

Either way, it certainly looks like Lexus is aiming to take the world by storm through electrification, and I am certainly excited to see what Lexus can come up with to make us forget that sports cars are supposed to have a mean rumble.