Lexus GS Coupe planned for 2013

Lexus is planning on adding coupes to its range, the first being the Lexus GS Coupe – as the Lexus GS 350 Coupe – in 2013, according to a Lexus manager.

We do have a habit of complaining that Lexus cars have a paucity of appeal in the driving and styling departments, but maybe plans for a new Lexus GS Coupe will change our minds.

It looks as though Lexus are looking seriously at adding coupes in to their range, at least according to Lexus Product Planning Manager Ben J. Mitchell, who confessed as much in conversation with Inside Line.

Mitchell says that Lexus are “…trying to increase the emotional qualities of our brand. We want to emphasize exterior styling and dynamics.” Which sounds very promising to us.

The frustration for those who love to drive and like a bit of dynamism in the aesthetics of a car is that Lexus has its main focus elsewhere. We have no arguments with build quality being a big part of the Lexus USP, although we do think all their eggs in the hybrid basket is a bit of an own goal.

The shame is that Lexus has proved it can make cars which appeal to the driver and the aesthete, with cars like the LFA and even – to some degree – with the IS-F. That they then choose to concentrate their designs on the corporately bland and their cars performance on being squeaky-green is a shame. Why not do both green and hot?

We had hoped that Lexus would take the opportunity with the 2012 GS – due to be revealed next month at Pebble Beach – to add a high-end GS-F. The GS is already our favourite of the current crop of Lexus – mainly because its hybrid set-up can be used for fun as well as green-ness – and the news that Lexus are planning a GS Coupe gives us even more hope that an ‘F’ may be added to the GS range.

More when we get it.