Lexus as you’ve never seen it before: details from Kenshiki Forum 2023

Several innovations and new models presented at the forum will make Lexus the world’s first all-electric premium brand.

Initially, the Lexus brand was created for the US market, that is, to suit the tastes and preferences of Americans. And they kept up with Middle Easterners more than Europeans, hence the brand’s not-so-confident start in the Old World. And now Lexus has launched a real expansion. Over the past two years, the model range (new generations NX, RX, LX) has been updated in our popular crossover segments D, E and F and the electric Lexus RZ has been released. And this year it’s time for niche models aimed at completely new audiences for the brand.

Push the boundaries

The LBX, the brand’s first subcompact, showed that Lexus performance can be achieved even in a small package. And the LM proved that the minivan format, rare for the premium segment, could be an alternative to limousines and executive sedans. Both new products underscore the brand’s ambitions and willingness to engage with new consumer groups.
As a result, by the end of the year the company expects sales in Europe to reach 74 thousand units, which is almost a 50 percent increase compared to last year. And brand representatives assign an important role here to new products.

Lexus LBX

This is the first model of the brand designed with Europe in mind, showing us the new style of the Resolute Look brand company. There’s nothing in the interior to even hint that the LBX is the youngest in the lineup. All the signs of the brand’s DNA are in front of you: semi-aniline leather, Mark Levinson acoustics, electromechanical door locks, all-round cameras, “50 shades” of lighting, etc.

Under the hood is a Yaris hybrid power plant with no recharging function from an external source. The only, but fundamentally important difference is a wider lithium-metal hydride battery. With this, the maximum output of the 1.5-liter gasoline “atmo” increases to 136 hp. and 185 Nm. The 1.3-ton SUV covers the first hundred in 9.2 seconds. In addition to the front-wheel drive version, you can order an all-wheel drive E-Four. True, the installation of a “personal” electric motor for the rear axle will require replacing the semi-independent suspension with an independent one, and the useful volume of the trunk will decrease from 332 to 300 liter.

The start of sales of the competitor Mini Countryman, BMW X1 and Audi Q2 is scheduled for the spring of 2024.

Lexus LM

The Luxury Mover is a clear example of how well Lexus opens up new market segments. It seems, what do a relatively conservative premium brand and minivans have in common? This format is purely Asian exotic. Originating in Japan, the fashion for premium minibuses has flourished in China, Korea, Malaysia, and Thailand. There they became a complete alternative to limousines thanks to the spacious interior and the ability to get into it without bending over. However, demand for the first iteration of the LM (a redesigned Toyota Alphard) exceeded plans several times over. The Japanese were clearly not ready for such popularity. In our case, we are talking about a completely original development, and a global development – Lexus will sell the minivan in 60 countries.

To increase comfort, the developers used the TNGA architecture, which made it possible, with a comprehensive increase in dimensions, to reduce the center of gravity and double (!) the torsional rigidity of the body. The revised suspension received adaptive and amplitude-dependent shock absorbers.

The most diverse basic equipment includes virtual instruments, large media system display, leather interior, Mark Levinson acoustics, all-round camera, a set of Lexus Safety System+ electronic assistants, etc.

The customer can choose one of two interior layout options. The standard configuration is 2+2+3, meaning three rows of seats for seven seats, and everyone will receive the attention they deserve because the voice assistant can recognize commands from anywhere in the cockpit. The seats in the middle row are separate and equipped with heating, electric drive and personal touch screen in the armrests.

But in the top version, the LM becomes a full-fledged limousine with improved sound insulation and an active noise absorption system. In the four-seat version, a partition appears dividing the interior into driver and passenger areas. A reduced electrochromic glass with an adjustable level of transparency is installed in its upper part, and a 48-inch wide-format HD monitor, a refrigerator and several boxes are installed in the lower part.

In the passenger side there are two seats with a group of adjustments, massages, ventilation and heating of everything encountered by rear passengers, including armrests and footrests. The seats are folded into place, and to prevent the passenger from sliding forward during an emergency or heavy braking, the assistance system raises the front edge of the cushion.

There is no choice regarding powertrains – in Europe the minivan is available exclusively in the 350h hybrid version. Petrol “four” (2500 cc), an electromechanical variator and an additional electric motor on the rear axle (E-Four) produce 250 hp. and 239 Nm, which accelerates the LM to 190 km/h.

Electrification plan

Among the models presented is the predecessor of the new BEV sedan, which will start production in 2026. At this time, Lexus should be the first premium brand with a fully electrified model range in Europe. That means every Lexus model will be offered only with electrified engines: a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or all-electric unit. By 2030, Lexus will offer all-electric vehicles in every segment. In Europe, the brand plans to sell exclusively carbon-neutral cars until 2035.

“Lexus has been a pioneer in technology since the brand was founded in 1989, – Pascal Rush, Vice President of Lexus Europe, commented on the results of the forum. “When it comes to electrification, we are once again pushing the boundaries in the world of premium cars. We have developed a new modular design and a new generation of batteries to not only enhance the performance of our electric cars, but to rediscover the pleasure of driving There will also be a revolution in software that will allow us to design cars with a high degree of personalization, making luxury truly individual for each of our customers.“

In addition, at the forum, the company’s top managers announced several new technologies and design principles that will be the basis for future models and will change the future of the automotive industry.

First, new products will be made using Gigacasting technology, which allows almost complete body stamping, giving more freedom during design. The new modular design divides the body into three parts, whereas now the front and rear sections alone consist of an average of 175 individual elements. Each module will take 2-3 minutes to manufacture, and cars will now automatically go through each stage of the driverless assembly line.

Second, Lexus will pioneer the use of a new lithium-ion battery that provides a range of 800 km (in the WLTP cycle), and charging time from 10 to 80% will take 20 minutes.

Third, the Arene operating system will emerge, creating an intelligent connection between the driver and the car, personalizing the character and feel of the driving experience. Using AI for voice recognition, it will provide a quick response to commands and make personalized and flexible suggestions. The developers compared running the operating system to having a personal butler.

Fourth, in an effort to bring back to drivers the familiar pleasure of driving a car with an internal combustion engine and manual transmission, the company will apply special transmission settings. Externally, these electric cars will be silent, but the driver will receive a full range of sensory sensations of the operation of the internal combustion engine and manual transmission, including sound and vibration. These functions will be possible thanks to the introduction of a remote control system and wireless access to software options.

Lexus LF-ZC

The LF-ZC (Lexus Future Zero-emission Catalyst) liftback shows the near future of the brand – its production version will reach showrooms in 2026.

Stylistically, both the exterior and interior of the electric vehicle are designed in the same paradigm of “provocative simplicity” as in the LF-ZL crossover. It combines functionality and sophistication at the same time, which should bring individuality and brand recognition to a new level.

The cockpit is designed around a digital instrument panel with a pair of additional screens on either side. The right one is responsible for communicating with the voice assistant and climate control settings. On the left are the interface controls and power plant data. The touchscreen of the multimedia system has been moved towards the front passenger. An all-wheel drive electric car is controlled “by wire,” meaning there is no physical connection between the steering wheel and the wheels.

Thanks to Gigacasting technology, the LF-ZC frame is welded from three solid forged elements, and a flat traction battery is included in the power structure of the frame in the best racing traditions. The range is twice as long as the current production of electric vehicles of this class – up to 1000 km.

We can already say that Lexus will be the most dynamic premium brand of the Old World and six-figure sales numbers are not far off. And after the new products were presented on the Kenshiki forum, there was no doubt about it.