TEASER IMAGE: What Will The 2013 Lexus LS Look Like?

A few weeks ahead of its official unveiling, the 2013 Lexus LS has made its first appearance. Kind of.

Lexus released a smoky teaser image of the upcoming flagship sedan on Wednesday, posting a darkened photo on their Facebook page (which seems to be the norm these days, after the SRT Viper leaked out over several weeks and the Mazda6 is being gradually released in Facebook videos). The image doesn’t tell us much, unless you expect the 2013 LS to be made out of dry ice.

But it does leave some interesting hints that the 2013 LS may be the most athletic and bold design since the model launched in 1989. Here are three things we can learn from the teaser image:

• Family nose: This was to be expected, but it looks as though the new Lexus front fascia on the IS, ES, GS and RX models will carry over into the LS. The front of the car has a tell-tale dip at the nose, that is also apparent on the other models. Will they go full agro? Lexus is obviously trying to ditch their reputation for bland designs, but giving the LS such a bold face may be off-putting to customers looking for comfort.

• Pronounced fenders: That whisp of smoke to the left, just below the rear window, indicates a contour line from the taillights into the side profile of the car. That means the LS could have aggressive haunches over its rear wheels. The 2012 LS came equipped with 18 or 19-inch wheels – does the 2013 edition have a 20-inch set in its future?

• More coupe-like stance: Is Lexus taking a page out of the Mercedes-Benz CLS playbook? The LS obviously won’t fully commit to the sports sedan design, but this appears to be noticeable slimmer than the outgoing LS. This is interesting because it may signal a dramatic attempt to make the large sedan more athletic. Smaller dimensions may also reduce weight, improving performance and efficiency.

Of course, this is all speculation until the car is fully revealed; it’s also a lot of fun to guess. The LS will be up against tough competition in the Mercedes-Benz S550, BMW 740i and Audi A8 (which recently upped the stakes with 18/28 mpg). Powered by a 4.6L V8 engine, the 2012 LS made 380 horsepower and 367 lb.-ft of torque in RWD (357 hp and 344 lb.-ft in AWD). Expect more power and better efficiency from the 2013 LS, but considering the outgoing LS's reputation for luxury and safety, it will be a tough act to follow.

The 2013 Lexus LS will be unveiled later this month.

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