Motor Trend Interviews Former Lexus Global General Manager Karl Schlicht

The 2013 Lexus GS almost didn't happen. According to Karl Schlicht, who was Lexus' product planning and marketing chief at the time of the car's conception, "The accountants wanted to combine the GS and [FWD] ES." The previous-generation GS had always been a sales disappointment, Schlicht said, and by early 2010 the car that ended up being the 2013 GS was in danger. Even Akio Toyoda, Toyota's CEO, was reportedly leaning toward canceling the car.

According to Schlicht, until 2011 there were six Toyota main board members whose remit touched Lexus, although none was really in charge. But then there was a radical shake-up, with Toyoda personally taking overall responsibility for Toyota's luxury brand.

Lexus LF LC Hybrid Sport Coupe Concept Front Three Quarters 2
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Toyoda reversed course on the GS and ordered Lexus be made more separate and accountable. "He attends the design reviews, and drives them all," Schlicht said. "Under the old management, character got averaged out. Now Akio says, 'If you don't get it right, I'm stopping the car.'"

Once the CEO was satisfied with the new GS, it was pushed past the accountants.

Schlicht, speaking to us at the Geneva Auto show in March, is glad the car survived. "It's important because it leads to the IS. Now we will get a new rear-drive compact," he confirmed. That includes an updated IS F.

Lexus LF Gh Concept Front Three Quarter
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On the subject of an F version of the new GS, he was optimistic but guarded. "There's no approval yet," he said. "But I'd love it." If it were to be built, it would likely resemble the LF-Gh concept seen at the 2011 New York auto show.

The daring-looking LF-LC coupe concept that made its debut at the 2012 Detroit show is another example of the new product planning process at Lexus. "It wasn't a good car to do in the economic crisis and tsunami aftermath. But we decided to do a concept to stretch the designers [at Toyota's California studio]. If we had done the business case for a production car first, then there would have been zero chance of it happening. But done this way, there's a 50-percent chance." Positive reaction from the public and especially dealers gave it impetus, and Lexus is discussing ways to squeeze it into the cycle plan, Schlicht said.

Some days after the interview, Schlicht was appointed to lead product planning, marketing and aftersales for Toyota in Europe. But we understand the new Lexus management culture is ingrained, and that includes a strong influence from North American managers on what Lexus builds.

Courtesy of MotorTrend