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Lexus RX Outdoor Concept | Image: Lexus

Lexus Unveils Overtrail Project and Futuristic RZ Sport Concept


The Lexus RZ Sport Concept – an environmentally friendly vehicular fusion of performance and sustainability – was unveiled at Tokyo Auto Salon completing a trio of EV concept cars elevating the brand’s initial RZ electric offering. Announced alongside the Lexus Overtrail Project, two additional concept cars directed at “a range of outdoor experiences from simple picnics and camping to off-road adventures in challenging environments”, the carmaker’s focus is directed squarely at the “boundless possibilities for customisation and the excitement of outdoor adventure”.

Lexus RZ Sport Concept | Image: Lexus

Lexus RZ Sport Concept | Image: Lexus

The RZ Sport Concept (BEV) looks towards the future, giving electric motor enthusiasts a glimpse at what Lexus can bring to the EV market. Contributing to the development of the RZ production car is racing driver Masahiro Sasaki, who oversaw the customisation of the RZ Sport Concept.

Coinciding with the release of the all-new Lexus RX and the brand’s duo of electrified powertrains, making them the “most powerful and dynamic RX ever offered in Australia”, it’s an exciting time for Lexus and its “new hybrid hero(s)”.

Lexus RZ Sport Concept | Image: Lexus

Lexus RZ Sport Concept | Image: Lexus

The RZ Sport Concept, which sits 35mm lower to the ground, features high-output 150kW (201 horsepower) motors in the front and rear, “custom aerodynamic parts, large diameter tyres and racing-style seats”, and a “clean BEV performance” aesthetic complemented by a Hakugin exterior of “delicate shining texture” pure white base with blue accents.

Other changes to the RZ platform included a significantly more aggressive front bumper, a bonnet with hollowed-out sides, two rear fins, wider fenders, new side skirts and a gloss black air extractor. And if that wasn’t enough, on top of the colour-changing Lexus emblem, the visible inserts on the front turn blue.

Outside the Tokyo Auto Salon, Lexus also took advantage of the Tokyo Outdoor Show to introduce the Overtrail Project concept cars, including an updated version of the ROV (Recreational Off-highway Vehicle) Concept, first revealed in December 2021. Inheriting the same “off-road capabilities and the hydrogen-powered engine of the original ROV”, the offroad concept vehicle features the “exclusive exterior colour, Regolith, which combines matt texture, brilliance and toughness.”

Lexus RX Outdoor Concept and ROV Outdoor Concept | Image: Lexus

Lexus RX Outdoor Concept and ROV Outdoor Concept | Image: Lexus

Also sharing the exclusive colourway is the RX Outdoor Concept. Based on the all-new RX 450h+ plug-in hybrid electric SUV, the RX is “specially equipped for active outdoor lifestyles” and features a black grille, black stainless steel window mouldings, black door handles, an aluminium skid plate, mudguards, LED lights and 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tyres.

Sitting atop the RX is another standout feature, a custom aluminium rack and the Feldon Shelter Hawk Nest rooftop tent. Lexus also featured a Warn winch, a revised suspension, Toyo Open Country tires, a rooftop tent from Yakima, and a terrain khaki mica metallic paint to complete the outdoor offering.

Lexus ROV Concept | Image: Lexus

Lexus ROV Concept | Image: Lexus

However, as with any concept car, they’re just that: concepts. Australian drivers must wait for the “all-new Lexus RX” release in the first quarter of 2023. Included in the mix is the AUD$126,000 RX 500h F Sport Performance, which features a “first-time” parallel hybrid arrangement high-performance 2.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and a pair of electric motors to create DIRECT4 all-wheel drive. Altogether, it delivers 273kW of power with instant torque from the electric motors, setting “a new standard for the Lexus Driving Signature.”

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Lexus RX Australian Edition | Image: Lexus

Lexus RX Australian Edition | Image: Lexus