2024-01-14 21:37:06
in short:
- The Lexus sports car is still defined as a prototype
- But shows promising data, for example 305 hp and dual drive
- The chances of reaching production are unclear
Lexus continues to make confident strides towards electric power, but for the sporty version of the LBX it chose the classic recipe of an internal combustion engine and power, plenty of it for the size. While it’s still in prototype status with no official production plans, it looks like one that won’t need too many changes on the way to the public road.
The full model name is LBX Morizo RR with the addition Morizo coming from the racing nickname of the CEO of the Japanese concern, Akio Toyoda, and who is after changing the gray image of Toyota and an attempt to give Lexus a more advanced image. The basis is the same 1.6-liter supercharged three-cylinder engine found in the sporty GR versions of Yaris and Corolla and is offered in its most powerful edition with 305 hp and 40.8 kg.
Unlike Toyota’s sporty versions that use a six-speed manual transmission to transfer power to the wheels, Lexus does it in a way that is more in line with its luxury status and uses an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Lexus does not provide performance data for the time being, but updates that everything has been adjusted to get the extra power – 169 hp, more than double compared to the regular LBX with a modest 136 hp. There is dual drive, reinforced chassis, upgraded suspension, improved brakes, limited slip differential and sticky tires.
For onlookers to spot the car as it drives by on the street, touches of yellow are incorporated at strategic points such as the top of the front grille, calipers and cabin.
what we think: The innocent-looking Lexus LBX has become a sporty and intriguing crossover in this version. It is not known for sure that it will reach production, but we like the unusual ideas of the two manufacturers, Toyota and Lexus. For example, a manual option in an electric car, a super-mini supercar like the Yaris GR. Keep it up please.
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