Lexus Gives New Meaning To Luxury Offroading

Jan. 15, 2022 5:12 PM ET by Michael Butler Electric Vehicles / 3 Comments

Two new concepts show the Japanese carmaker has an adventurous side.

Traditionally seen as a bit of an old-folk brand, Lexus has been clawing back a bit of cool in recent years, and its current model lineup, although decidedly premium, has a definite edge that was sorely missing in the early 2000s. Lexus is pushing hard to stay on trend, and besides its plan to launch 16 new EVs in partnership with Toyota, it's also getting ready to reveal two exciting vehicles at this year's Tokyo Auto Salon that are sure to appeal to a younger, more active crowd.

The popular Lexus NX SUV will be showcased as a PHEV off-road concept complete with chunky tires and adventure accessories, and the badass hydrogen-powered ROV Concept will show its feisty little face.

The Lexus NX PHEV Offroad Concept will be showing its face for the very first time, and forms part of Lexus' strategy to expand its product offering to different lifestyle sectors, all while realizing a carbon-neutral future. This sounds like a tall order, but Lexus seems confident that it can pull it off. The Offroad Concept is based on the NX 450h+ which went on sale in November 2021, and features an Iron Oxide exterior paint job with smoked Lexus emblems and a matte black grille, roof rack and door handles.

This futuristic off-roader also features a lifted platform, large 265/65R17 all-terrain tires and 17x7J wheels, and is powered by a 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine and a plug-in hybrid electric powertrain, which sends 302 horsepower to all four wheels.

The awesome-looking ROV Concept is a dune buggy with a big difference: this little adventure machine is powered by a 1.0-liter hydrogen engine that uses a high-pressure tank and direct injectors to introduce hydrogen into the combustion chamber. The result is a motor that produces virtually zero CO2 emissions. Power is sent to the rear, or all four wheels via a sequential paddle shift transmission and a rear diff-lock has been thrown in for good measure. The compact body features a rugged pipe frame, and L-shaped headlights, while the interior boasts a leather steering wheel and shift knob.

To top it all off, Lexus will also be showcasing a 1/3 scale model of Yoshihide Muroya's Zivko Edge 540 V3 airplane which will be participating in the Air Race World Championship later in 2022 with the "Lexus/Pathfinder Air Racing" team. Lexus is clearly down with the kids.

Lexus Gives New Meaning To Luxury Offroading

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Lexus Gives New Meaning To Luxury Offroading

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