Ls Prototype Vehicles - Anyone Ever Seen Any Of Them?!

[CanadaCraig]

Hi Guys!! :)

I hope you're OK.

There is an ad for the Lexus LS in the June 1989 issue of Motor Trend.

IN that Lexus ad it says [among other things] that there were 450 prototypes.

Has anyone ever SEEN any of those prototypes?!

I'd love to see some of them.

If you have any or know of any website that has any - please let me know.

Thanks,

Craig!! :)

[scottelble]

Hi Guys!! :)

I hope you're OK.

There is an ad for the Lexus LS in the June 1989 issue of Motor Trend.

IN that Lexus ad it says [among other things] that there were 450 prototypes.

Has anyone ever SEEN any of those prototypes?!

I'd love to see some of them.

If you have any or know of any website that has any - please let me know.

Thanks,

Craig!! :)

Craig, good morning.....I do know there is a link on lexus's main website for concepts. I don't remember what models it showed(i haven't checked it out in awhile) but, it did show some pretty space age looking concepts. Anyway if you happen to find some of the supposed 450 LS proto's please post a link as i would love to check them out!

Have a great day:)

[jainla]

I haven't seen any pictures on the web..you'll have to go to Borders or call Sewell in Dallas and order a copy of the "Lexus Story" book; they have some pictures of the early design sketches and pictures of some of the later prototypes. From my memory the early sketches look very zoomy; like a subaru SVX crossed with an ES250.

Hi Guys!! :)

I hope you're OK.

There is an ad for the Lexus LS in the June 1989 issue of Motor Trend.

IN that Lexus ad it says [among other things] that there were 450 prototypes.

Has anyone ever SEEN any of those prototypes?!

I'd love to see some of them.

If you have any or know of any website that has any - please let me know.

Thanks,

Craig!! :)

Craig, good morning.....I do know there is a link on lexus's main website for concepts. I don't remember what models it showed(i haven't checked it out in awhile) but, it did show some pretty space age looking concepts. Anyway if you happen to find some of the supposed 450 LS proto's please post a link as i would love to check them out!

Have a great day:)

[1990LS400]

There were photos of LS prototypes published in auto magazines in the 1980's -- but I didn't save any of the old mags. They were the typical "Death Valley" photos where the LS was being subjected to intense heat. The only "old" magazine I saved was the 1989 Automobile magazine with the comparison test article (BMW 535, Mercedes E300, Infinity Q45, Lexus LS400) that led me to buy my first LS400 a few months later. Crap, I used to have every R&T magazine back to the mid-50's but they were taking up too far much space and I threw them all away in a fit of cleaning frenzy.

It was fairly widely reported/rumoured in the automotive press in around 1997 that Toyota was considering marketing a long wheelbase Lexus "LS500" with a 5 litre, DOHC V12 engine similar to the engine in the Japanese market Toyota Century limo. Supposedly a number of prototypes were made but of course the project was cancelled. And I never saw one or even a photo of one.