The new model, called LBX, could become the brand’s best seller.
Lexus is adding a new model to its European lineup called the LBX.
The car will be unveiled on June 5, Lexus said.
Lexus didn’t provide details about the vehicle, but the “X” in a model name means an SUV in Lexus’ naming structure.
The addition of the letter “L” is new for the brand, which currently only uses two-letter names for its model range.
Media reports say the car is a small hybrid SUV based on the Toyota Yaris Cross platform.
The teaser images include part of the front end with the new Lexus grille style blending into the body. A second image shows the tail light graphic running across the back of the car.
A small SUV would sit below the Lexus UX compact SUV to give Toyota’s premium brand potentially its largest volume model to date.
The UX was the best-selling Lexus model in Europe in the first four months, with 1,443 sold out of a total of 3,785 for the brand, Dataforce figures show. UX sales increased by 85% during that period, helping to boost Lexus sales by 80%.
Lexus has big plans for Europe
Lexus is targeting the European market as it prepares to launch the LM MPV in Europe with an exclusive hybrid powertrain.
The manufacturer aims to fight the Mercedes V-Class luxury vans in Europe with the LM minivan.
The second generation LM was unveiled at the Shanghai Motor Show.
The European version — the first time the LM will be sold in the region — will go on sale in the fall with an exclusive hybrid powertrain, Lexus said.
“It’s a high-end luxury space aimed primarily at drivers,” Lexus CEO Takashi Watanabe told Automotive News Europe.
Lexus’ main competition will be the Mercedes Viano mid-size pickup truck. The LM is based on the same platform as the large RX SUV, which gives it an advantage over the van-based Mercedes, a spokesman said.
Class V vans are available in three lengths, from 4,895 to 5,370 mm long. The LM is 5,125mm long, says Lexus.
Lexus says the new model increases torsional rigidity by 50 percent compared to the previous model, reducing vibration and increasing ride comfort.
