Concept Cars

New Lexus concept car looks like a Prius attempting to achieve Blue Steel

Eileen Falkenberg-Hull
Oct 23, 2019, 9:41 pm

The design of the Lexus LF-30 Electrified looks familiar.

Photo courtesy of Lexus

Toyota is busy trying how to best move the Prius back into a cutting-edge vehicle choice and Lexus is working to figure out exactly where electrification fits into their brand strategy.

The future of the Lexus Electrified generation of electrified vehicles was shown off for the first time today at the Tokyo Motor Show … and it looks awfully familiar.

Moving forward with the progress toward Akio Toyoda's "no boring cars" mantra, Lexus says that they are engineering future electrified vehicles to focus on driver enjoyment, control, performance, handling, and mobility.

Lexus LF-30 Electrified Sharp angles and futuristic design are at the rear of the model.Photo courtesy of Lexus

On the outside, the Lexus LF-30 Electrified looks like a Prius attempting to achieve Blue Steel. It's sucked in its cheeks, pouted, and is using its headlights to take on Hansel in a runway roll off.

The paint job is a metal-infused coating named "voltaic sky," which sounds like the name of Zoolander's mythical horse.

The cockpit of the LF-30 concept is driver-focused with a human-centered design. Its seats are designed to emulate the first class accommodations in an airplane. There are next-generation interfaces, including gesture control (something BMW already employs) and augmented reality, which shows a star-filled sky, videos, and navigation on the glass roof.

Onboard AI listens to vehicle occupant voices to differentiate between them and adjusts the interior environment to match the occupant including air temperature, audio, navigation, destinations, powertrain, and suspension.

Lexus LF-30 Electrified The interior of the Lexus LF-30 Electrified shows a mostly forward thinking concept.Photo courtesy of Lexus

A Mark Levinson audio system fills the cabin with high-quality sound. Speakers are built into the headrest, something that Nissan currently offers in the subcompact Kicks.

The rear seats of the vehicle use artificial muscle technology to mold to their occupant.

Lexus has equipped the LF-30 Electrified with the Lexus Airporter drone-technology support vehicle. The autonomous Lexus Airporter is capable of independently transporting baggage from a household doorstep to the vehicle's luggage area.

Lexus has designed the car to utilize sustainable materials included Yakisugi, a charred cedar that's traditionally used in Japanese design.

Lexus LF-30 Electrified Advanced technology displays fill the Lexus LF-30 Electrified's cabin.Photo courtesy of Lexus

It features a steer-by-wire system, something Infiniti currently utilizes in their vehicles.

The wheels of the car feature in-wheel electric motors that power the BEV.

The Lexus has Chauffer and Guardian mode, which can autonomously drive the vehicle and self-park it.

Lexus plans to launch its first battery electric vehicle in November 2019 in conjunction with the L.A. Auto Show. Plans for a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle are forthcoming and expected to come to fruition in the next few years. By 2025, all Lexus models will be available with electrified powertrains.

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New luxury full-size SUV

All-new 2022 Lexus LX 600 will be here soon

The new LX will go on sale in early 2022.

Lexus

The Toyota Land Cruiser and Lexus LX are among the most revered off-road vehicles of all time. Even so, Toyota is cutting the Land Cruiser in the U.S. after the 2021 model year due to slow sales. We will see its twin, however, as the 2022 Lexus LX was just announced. The full-size SUV will go on sale in the first quarter of 2022 and will bring all two new trims, more intuitive tech, and updated but familiar exterior styling.

2022 Lexus LX The new LX gets a twin-turbo V6 instead of a big V8, and its new platform shaves weight while improving rigidity.Lexus

The 2022 Lexus LX 600 comes in five trims: Standard, Premium, Luxury, F Sport, and Ultra Luxury. The new Ultra Luxury trim cuts the number of seats to four by replacing the rear bench with a pair of plush reclining captain's chairs. A rear entertainment system and large rear center console complete the top-level trim. Also new for 2022 is the LX F Sport, which brings Lexus' sharp appearance package to the LX for the first time. The F Sport gets exclusive 22-inch wheels, aggressive exterior styling, and sport seats with unique color schemes.

The LX is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 that produces 409 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. It's paired with a ten-speed automatic transmission. The body-on-frame SUV rides on an all-new GA-F platform that Lexus says is 20 percent more rigid than that of the previous model. Lexus also carved 441 pounds out of the previous LX's platform weight.

2022 Lexus LX The LX is available in five trims, including a new top Premium Luxury model. Lexus

A new Active Height Control (AHC) system and adaptive suspension provide stability and a comfortable ride while retaining the LX's off-road capabilities. AHC allows the driver to select from three ride heights depending on the situation, and a low setting is available for entering and exiting the vehicle. Three wheel sizes are available, and the F Sport trim comes with a Torsen limited-slip differential.

Lexus updated the LX's cabin for 2022 with new infotainment system and a cleaner, more upscale design. A new dual-screen infotainment system is standard. The top 12.3-inch touchscreen handles audio and infotainment duties, while the lower 7.0-inch touchscreen is used for climate controls and related settings. The LX also gets Lexus' new infotainment software, which promises to be more intuitive and simpler than previous systems. Over-the-air updates will bring new features and update existing functionality, while voice controls can command audio, navigation, phone, and other vehicle settings.

2022 Lexus LX Ultra Luxury trim reduces seating capacity to four but makes the LX's cabin seriously plush.Lexus

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New compact luxury SUV

2022 Lexus NX gets new tech and PHEV drivetrain

The NX is all-new for 2022.

Lexus

The NX may not be Lexus' most popular SUV – that title goes to the RX – but it's got a lot to offer in a compact package. Lexus redesigned the NX for 2022, and the big stories are its new PHEV powertrain, updated tech, and improved safety features.

The 2022 NX 450h+ is Lexus' first plug-in hybrid vehicle. It's expected to deliver 36 miles all-electric range, 84 MPGe combined, a 0-60 mph time of six seconds. It's joined in the NX lineup by the NX 350h hybrid, which uses a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with two high-torque motor-generators that produce a combined output of 239 horsepower. The NX 350h is capable of returning 39 mpg combined and a 0-60 mph time of 7.2 seconds.

2022 Lexus NX New tech and updated safety features are headline changes for 2022.Lexus

A turbocharged gas engine rounds out the NX powertrain selection. It's a 2.4-liter unit that makes 203 horsepower and 184 horsepower. Surprisingly, it's weaker than both of the hybrid powertrains, and is only capable of a 0-60 mph time of 8.2 seconds with front-wheel drive. Fuel economy lands at 28 mpg combined.

The new NX comes standard with a 9.8-inch touchscreen that employs a new Lexus interface to make interactions smoother and easier. A 14-inch touchscreen is optional, and includes a three-year trial for a bundle of connected services. Lexus offers a new connected smartphone feature that allows drivers to store their vehicle profiles in the cloud and take them to other Lexus vehicles equipped with the tech.

2022 Lexus NX The NX gets a PHEV powertrain option for the first time.Lexus

The Lexus Interface also offers advanced voice controls and a new voice assistant feature. The automaker says that it was designed to recognize natural speech, and uses two microphones with noise cancellation, seat detection, and speaker location capabilities. Drivers can ask for the weather, traffic situations, control the audio system, and more with their voice.

The NX's safety features got a boost for 2022 as well. Standard features now include risk avoidance emergency steer assist, left-turn oncoming vehicle detection and braking, right/left turn oncoming pedestrian detection and braking, and dynamic radar cruise control with curve speed management.

2022 Lexus NX F Sport models get sporty interior finishes.Lexus

The 2022 Lexus NX should begin arriving on dealers' lots in December 2021. Pricing for the NX 250 FWD starts at $39,025, which includes a $1,075 destination fee. The range-topping NX 450h+ starts at $56,635.

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