These photos, taken just recently at Germany's famous Nürburgring racetrack, have caught a prototype Lexus LS sedan as it undergoes high-speed testing. At first glance the car appears to be a current production model, but looking closer one can note a modification to the hood on either side of the grille. Also note the large wheels, low-profile tires, and fender bulges front and rear to cover the extra-large tires.
All this indicates a future LS sedan with more performance than the current model. A look at the rear, however, shows rather small dual exhaust pipes and not two or even four giant pipes as would be likely in a turbo model or a real high-performance car. So what is this prototype? An educated guess would be a hybrid powerplant coupling a standard-size LS V-8 engine with Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive electric motors to give the LS improved performance while also improving fuel economy.
Honda and Toyota go through extensive lengths to hide their new cars, even placing the shell of the old car onto the new platform. The reason for the wierd fender bulges and bad cuts is because the platform does not fit the shell, indicating that this is a mule for the Totally redesigned LS
