Lexus ’ U.S. executives are pressing their counterparts in Japan to give the L-Tuned division another chance, according to Automotive News. “There’s nothing to announce yet,” Jim Lentz, COO of Toyota Motor Sales said last week. “But the time is right to stretch Lexus as a core-luxury brand.”
Lentz said the first L-Tuned vehicles — which were built between 2000 and 2003 — were more about cosmetics than performance. Many observers feel this is the reason the program fizzled out so quickly. There’s speculation a new round of L-Tuned vehicles would more effectively target AMG and BMW ’s “M” division by offering tangible performance improvements.
In April, Lexus General Manager Bob Carter said a performance sub-brand had not been ruled out, but the company would “do high performance in a Lexus way.”
