Critical timing: Lexus' Suguya Fukusato tells Graham Heeps that with only 13 months development time from styling freeze to Job One, scheduling is everything

摘要

Even among Japanese OEMs famed for their short vehicle development programs, the new Lexus IS is something of an exception: by the time the car goes into production in September this year, just 13 months will have elapsed since the styling freeze "It's a unique case," says chief engineer, Suguya Fukusato, of this work in progress. "Styling is essential [to this car], so in order to give the customers a very fresh design, we made the lead time as short as possible. Doing it in 13 months is a record, and a very, very tough job." Nevertheless, speaking at the Geneva show in March - halfway through that 13-month period - he was confident of making the September deadline: "The whole schedule is still underway, so we're not finished with the IS yet, but we can do it."