The 10^th year of the annual awards – “Kiwami” being a Japanese word expressing “outstanding excellence” – has seen 16 Lexus Centres honoured, from among more than 300 eligible businesses.

Andre Schmidt, Head of Lexus Europe, said: “The retailers receiving the Kiwami Awards this year have each consistently delivered outstanding results and an extraordinary Lexus Omotenashi guest experience to their customers. This is the result of leadership, teamwork and an unwavering focus on putting the customers at the heart of everything we do.”

Omotenashi is a Lexus core principle, based on the finest traditions of Japanese hospitality where people’s every need is anticipated and catered for. This extends from the comfort, luxury and convenience designed into every Lexus vehicle, to the care and attention given to all customers. It is this commitment to outstanding service quality which differentiates the Lexus brand within the industry. The interaction between dealer and customer is an integral and consistent part of the overall luxury experience.

This year’s awards reached their climax in Oxford, a British city that is rich in history and culture and respected worldwide as a centre of learning and academic excellence. Representatives from the winning retailers joined Lexus executives for a three-day programme of activities from 31 August to 2 September. Their varied itinerary included craftsmanship skills learning, team challenges on the River Thames and sampling traditional British hospitality. The climax was a graduation-style awards presentation ceremony in the historic surroundings of the University of Oxford’s Brasenose College.

The 16 Kiwami Award winners for 2026:

Lexus Almaty, Kazakhstan

Lexus Belfast, United Kingdom

Lexus Bergamo, Italy

Lexus Brno, Czech Republic

Lexus Bucharest, Romania

Lexus Castellon, Spain

Lexus Kielce, Poland

Lexus Kraków, Poland

Lexus Kyiv West, Ukraine

Lexus Linköping, Sweden

Lexus Melun, France

Lexus Mühldorf, Germany

Lexus Orléans, France

Lexus Tblisi, Georgia

Lexus Varese, Italy

Lexus Zaragoza, Spain

Lexus has released additional visual assets from the Lexus LFA Concept battery electric supercar’s appearance at the 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed.

They include high-resolution studio shots and new images and summary video (B-roll) footage of the car on the festival’s hill climb course, together with the GAZOO Racing GR GT and GR GT3.

These, together with images and a press release that have already been published, can be viewed and downloaded on the official Lexus Europe media website here: https://newsroom.lexus.eu/lexus-sport-concept

Lexus sprang a major surprise at the Goodwood Festival of Speed with the world-first dynamic drives of its LFA Concept electric supercar.

Its appearance came 17 years after the original V10 Lexus LFA first appeared in prototype form at the world-famous celebration of motoring performance in the south of England.

Scheduled to appear only on static display in the festival’s Supercar Paddock, the LFA Concept was an unannounced addition to the high-speed sessions on the festival’s hill climb course. Its bodywork still bearing camouflage wrapping, it formed a trio of high-performance stars alongside GAZOO Racing’s prototype GR GT and GR GT3, with which it shares some common technologies. Together, they further signalled Toyota’s multipath approach to powertrain development, across a spectrum from road-going and circuit-tuned hybrid systems to ultra-high-performance battery electric technology.

Driving duties over the four days of the festival (9-12 July) were shared by a company of distinguished drivers, including Elfyn Evans from Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team (TGR-WRT), Toyota Racing Vice Chairman Kazuki Nakajima, GR GT, GR GT3 and Lexus LFA Concept development driver Hiroaki Ishiura, four-time Super GT Champion Sho Tsuboi, Super GT driver Yuichi Nakayama and German racing driver and Nürburgring specialist Uwe Kleen.

The Lexus LFA Concept presents Lexus’ vision for a next-generation electric sports car, blending advanced performance with emotional appeal and invoking the spirit of the original LFA.

Introducing the car ahead of its festival appearance, Project General Manager Yukihiro Yukita said: “The Lexus LFA Concept will pursue delivery of a multi-sensory experience unique to Lexus and challenge the possibilities of what a battery electric sports car can be, unlike anything that has gone before. 

“This next-generation LFA is a car that provides an immersive experience like no other, imitating nothing else. This sense of immersion was born from the pursuit of a high-level fusion of aerodynamic performance and sculptural beauty. Our focus is emotive performance that evokes ‘immersion’ and ‘lasting resonance’, creating a truly one-of-a-kind car.”

Born from motorsport rivalry and shaped by uncompromising feedback from the world’s most demanding circuits, the GR GT and GR GT3 embody GAZOO Racing’s philosophy of learning through competition. The Lexus LFA Concept builds on competition-honed insights and technologies, translating them into values that resonate directly with driver in an immersive, multi-sensory experience in which man and machine can feel as one.

They follow a bloodline established by past icons such as the Toyota 2000GT and Lexus LFA, reflecting the belief of Chairman Akio Toyoda, aka Master Driver Morizo, that the skills of sports car craftsmanship must be nurtured and passed on to future generations.

It’s an approach inspired by the principle of “Shikinen Sengu”, an ancient Japanese ritual in which a Shinto shrine is dismantled and rebuilt once in every generation to preserve and enhance the craftsmanship skills used in its creation.

The GR GT is a track-inspired road car with racing DNA, powered by a new 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbo engine paired with a single-motor hybrid system. In addition to high power and torque for exceptional performance, the car’s development focused on achieving a low centre of gravity, low weight with high rigidity, and aerodynamic performance.

The GR GT3 shares the GR GT’s core elements but has a different profile as a track-focused race car. It’s engineered to be highly competitive and deliver accessible performance.

Looking ahead, the Lexus LFA Concept presents Lexus’ vision for a next-generation electric sports car. It shares common technologies and aspirations with the GR GT and GR GT3, while blending advanced performance with emotional appeal and invoking the spirit of the original LFA. It aims to exceed customers’ expectations, drawing the driver into an immersive experience like no other.

The GR GT and GR GT3 will be on show and in action at the festival, appearing in the Supercar Paddock and making speed runs on the famous hill climb. Defined by steep gradients, tight corners and unforgiving barriers, the hill climb is one of motorsport’s most technical short courses for demonstrating acceleration, agility, aerodynamic stability and driver confidence. This will be the first European dynamic uncamouflaged appearance for both models. Meanwhile, visitors will be given a first close-up view of the Lexus LFA Concept in the Supercar Paddock.

GAZOO Racing’s competition stars

GAZOO Racing’s participation at the top tiers of international motorsport will be celebrated at the festival with appearances by the GR YARIS Rally1, the car which has delivered multiple World Rally Championship titles for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team, and the DKR GR Hilux, a winning contender in the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship.

A line-up of championship-winning and internationally renowned drivers will be demonstrating the cars’ performance on the hill climb and rally stage. Subject to confirmation, it will include all TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team’s drivers: the nine-time and reigning World Rally Champion Driver Sébastien Ogier; current WRC leader Elfyn Evans; Japanese star Takamoto Katsuta; team newcomer and Rallye Monte-Carlo victor Oliver Solberg; and Sami Pajari, a past WRC Junior and WRC2 champion.  Henk Lategan, a winner with TOYOTA GAZOO Racing in the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship and four-time South African champion, is set to take the wheel of the DKR GR Hilux.

TOYOTA RACING: from Le Mans podium to Goodwood

TOYOTA RACING will display the #7 TR010 HYBRID that recently achieved Toyota’s sixth victory in the Le Mans 24 Hours, driven by Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries. The team’s hard-fought victory in one of the world’s most challenging circuit races took the team to the top of the driver and manufacturer championship standings in the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship. The car will be on static view alongside the GR YARIS Rally1 and DKR GR Hilux.

Road cars infused with GAZOO Racing performance and design

The knowledge and experience gained by GAZOO Racing in the heat of competition feeds directly into the development of ever-better cars for the road. At Goodwood, this philosophy will be demonstrated by the GR Yaris Aero Performance, the latest development of the multi-award-winning performance hatchback. Also taking part in the festival’s “First Glance” programme will be the all-new RAV4 GR Sport, a version of the plug-in hybrid SUV that benefits from both GR-themed design details and a chassis and suspension tuned for sportier handling.

*The GR GT and GR GT3 cars appearing at the festival will be prototype/development vehicles.

A Lexus RC F LMGT3 race car was class runner-up in the 94th Le Mans 24 Hours to earn its first podium in the legendary French endurance race, the third round of the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).

The #78 Lexus RC F LMGT3 entered by AKKODIS ASP Team and driven by Tom van Rompuy, Hadrien David and Jack Hawksworth finished ahead of more established GT racing brands to stand on the podium.

A strong performance from AKKODIS ASP Team was completed by the #87 Lexus RC F LMGT3, driven by Petru Umbrarescu, Clemens Schmid and José María López, which finished fourth.

A milestone result at Le Mans further establishes Lexus’ motorsport credentials. In just its third season in WEC, Lexus is challenging more established racing rivals and pushing boundaries, whilst providing opportunities for different drivers – including young hopefuls and ambitious gentlemen drivers – to participate at the highest level of sportscar competition.

The RC F LMGT3 car, an authentic racing version of the high-performance RC F coupe which is homologated for competition, is a relative newcomer to WEC competition, having made its debut in February 2024. The 2025 season was a breakthrough campaign for the RC F LMGT3, which won two races and helped AKKODIS ASP Team finish third in the FIA Endurance Trophy for LMGT3 Teams.

The next race in the WEC season takes place in São Paulo, Brazil on 12 July.

INTRODUCTION

The significance of the all-new ES goes beyond being the latest evolution of the Lexus luxury sedan. Fulfilling the promise of the bold Lexus LF-ZC concept car, first revealed at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show, it presents new directions in design and technology and captures the essence of what luxury means to today’s customers.

The eighth generation of a model that has been part of Lexus since the founding of the brand, the all-new ES is more spacious than ever before. It is designed to deliver greater driving rewards and unprecedented comfort, supported by Lexus’ unique Omotenashi hospitality principles. The debut of a new, more powerful and responsive software platform opens up a wealth of new features and functions, including more sophisticated and wide-ranging information and entertainment, enhanced instrumentation and augmented safety functions.

The new model follows Lexus’ multipath philosophy for offering customers electrified powertrain options that meet their personal needs and preferences, while helping reduce emissions towards the goal of carbon neutrality. To this end, the all-new ES is available in both battery electric and self-charging hybrid forms, and with front and all-wheel drive options

A Lexus original 

The ES is an “original Lexus”. Its history goes back to the very start of the Lexus brand, first introduced alongside the LS limousine in 1989.  Since then, it has achieved global sales well in excess of three million units.

The ES’s European heritage is more recent. It arrived here in 2018 with the launch of the full hybrid seventh generation, ensuring Lexus continues to have a desirable sedan proposition in the marketplace.

Although the all-new ES is a larger car in every dimension than its predecessor, its Clean Tech x Elegance design delivers a sleek and elegant look, both inside and out. The investment made in comfort, refinement and luxury moves it closer to the quality, spaciousness and specifications associated with larger F-segment models. At the same time, its performance and handling, both in hybrid and battery electric versions, delivers the high levels of comfort, confidence and control that define the Lexus Driving Signature. 

The development programme was based at Lexus’s Shimoyama technical centre in Japan, where planning, design, engineering and evaluation teams were able to collaborate under one roof to systematically test and refine the car.  

DESIGN: “CLEAN TECH x ELEGANCE”

• Clean Tech x Elegance concept for exterior and interior design, inspired by the Lexus LF-ZC Concept
• A larger car in every dimension than its predecessor, but retaining elegant sedan proportions
• Extensive aerodynamic detailing helps maximise BEV driving range and hybrid fuel economy
• Clean, minimalist yet comfortable interior with craftsmanship luxury and Lexus’ Omotenashi hospitality
• Human-centred cockpit and introduction of new Hidden Switch technology

Across seven generations, the ES has distinguished itself as an elegant luxury sedan in the best traditions. Lexus designers were challenged to reinterpret these qualities as they worked on producing not just an all-new model, but the first ES to adopt a fully electric powertrain.

Exterior design

The design concept was defined by the term “Clean Tech x Elegance,” signifying a harmonious combination of functional, technology-inspired design with styling that expresses the premium quality and hand-crafted luxury that are fundamental to the ES and the Lexus brand. Inspiration was drawn from the Lexus LF-ZC Concept, which previewed Lexus design thinking at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show.

Designed on a new platform for new powertrains

The all-new ES is built on Lexus’ global architecture K-platform, redesigned to accommodate the model’s electrified powertrains. The design team applied the “golden ratio” principle to achieve an ideal relationship between the car’s dimensions (wheelbase, length, height and width) to create a sedan that is both elegant and visually striking and which and has a spacious cabin.

Sporty and elegant frontal design

Viewed from the front, the all-new ES displays the signature Lexus spindle body, extending across the bonnet to the edges of the bumper. Chief Designer Kumai wanted to retain a wide and low “face” and to keep the height of the front wings low to preserve the characteristic look of a premium sedan. The height difference adds a sporty touch while keeping a suitably dynamic sedan-style expression.

The low-set bonnet contributes to giving the driver an improved forward view. The hybrid models are distinguished from the BEVs in having an additional cooling aperture in the upper grille.

The car’s spindle body rises from the low-set nose: the distinctive shape expresses its electrified power and makes the car instantly recognisable on the road as a Lexus. Details include a new front light arrangement that creates a twin L-shape with outward-facing turn indicators and inward-facing daytime running lights, a new signature for Lexus’ electrified models.

Sleek and elegant side view

The side view is a key factor in capturing the elegant look of a sedan. Taking the height increase into account, the desired result was achieved by introducing a black side moulding. The effect is a reduction in the perceived height of the car, creating a slimmer, longer and sleeker appearance. The moulding is also used as design feature to link the front and rear sections of the vehicle.

The flowing silhouette creates a “trunkless” look with the cabin tapering to the rear. The contrasting lower body comprises both planar and sculpted surfaces and muscular aerodynamically efficient shoulders that are powerfully contoured and give the ES a “leap forward” profile.

A sweeping rear end

The rear end design has a smooth, flowing, rearward sweep, styling that has been a characteristic of successive ES models.

Chief Designer Yahiko Kumai explains: “The shape that cuts through the rearmost volume is a dynamic surface, unprecedented on sedan. We were very particular about its appearance and have a produced a beautiful broad surface. It gives the car an incredibly well-planted silhouette and while we have retained ample space in the cabin, it is strongly tapered to control airflow.” This tapering also emphasises the car’s low centre of gravity, generating a sporty and athletic look.

The rear illumination features a single, seamless light bar that integrates the LEXUS logo and incorporates the tail and stop lights. As well as amplifying the wide stance and enhancing the sculpted rear profile, the light bar also contributes to aerodynamic performance. In design-first for a Lexus, the rear combination lights are housed in signature L-shaped units located towards the lower rear corners, further emphasising the sedan’s wide stance.

Vehicle dimensions

The new ES is larger in all principal dimensions than its predecessor, increases that contribute to significantly more cabin and load compartment space.

At 5,140 mm, the overall length is greater by 165 mm; within that length, the wheelbase has been extended by 80 mm to 2,950 mm. Vehicle width is 1,920 mm (+55 mm) and height 1, 560 mm (+115 mm) for the BEV and 1,555 mm (+110 mm) for the hybrid model.

Aerodynamic efficiency details

In addition to the ES’s smooth, tapering exterior design, the model incorporates many detailed elements to manage air flow over, under and around the car and achieve excellent aerodynamic performance. This contributes to a comfortable, quiet and stable ride and overall fuel and energy efficiency.

The car has a full, dimpled undercover to smooth air flow beneath the vehicle. In a Lexus first, fins have been added to the undercover to suppress turbulence in the air flow away from the rear of the car, promoting a refined and stable drive. Further aero-stabilising fins are featured on the sills, to supress body roll, and on the rear light clusters and the rear bumper, again to enhance stability.

Other details include a revised bonnet front tip profile; door mirror covers shaped to improve airflow convergence; positioning of the wiper arm mounting system below the windscreen glass, reducing noise; flush belt mouldings; and semi-flush door handles. 

The battery electric models feature grille shutters which open and close automatically to control air flow to the motor or engine, reducing aerodynamic drag and helping maximise driving range and fuel economy.

Wheels and tyres

The ES is fitted as standard with 19-inch wheels with a two-layer construction comprising a frame and a resin aero cover with a multi-spoke design. The BEV models can be specified with optional 21-inch aero wheels with a dynamic lightweight design (designs are specific to the 350e and 500e). On higher grade models these have a thin-wall casting that reduces weight and allows for a finer multi-spoke design. 

Colour options

The exterior paintwork options include a new Skylight Blue, a sophisticated, solid-looking colour that perfectly complements the ES’s styling. Other choices include four sonic finishes – Sonic Copper, Sonic Titanium, Sonic Platinum and Sonic Grey – using advanced Lexus paint technology to achieve a deeper lustre and interplay of light and shade contrast across the bodywork. The palette is completed with F White and Graphite Black.

Interior design – simple and modern luxury

The interior of the all-new ES sedan follows the same Clean Tech x Elegance concept which defines the sedan’s exterior with an uncluttered, minimalist style that is not stark, but elegant and pleasing to the eye, communicating quality in every element. The aim was a perfect balance between producing a clean, open space while ensuring the key controls remain easy and intuitive to locate and operate.

The design and equipment features express the Lexus philosophy of “making luxury personal” and addressing every aspect of time spent in the car with the brand’s unique Omotenashi approach to hospitality. That means whatever the journey, whether you are driver or passenger, your every need is anticipated and seamlessly catered for in a perfectly relaxing environment.

With those priorities in mind, the design team created an interior that cleverly combines a light and open upper space with a lower cabin area that wraps comfortably around the occupants.

The low-slung instrument panel opens more space between the panel and the steering wheel and helps improve the driver’s forward view. The clean approach includes understated controls and new Hidden Switches (details below) that blend into the design environment.

Clever storage points have been created for stowing different small items, including a front tray ahead of the console which can carry two smartphones side by side, with adjacent USB-C charging ports. A single wireless charging tray is provided on all models; a twin tray on the BEV High and High+ grades.

Rear seat comfort package

With a more spacious cabin than previous ES generations, the new sedan introduces limousine-like seating for rear passengers. Notably, it provides a best-in-class front-rear couple distance of 1,102 mm, 77 mm more than the previous generation ES.

The High+ grade ES BEV is available with a rear comfort package. This features rear seats that can be reclined from 28 to 38 degrees and which have integrated heating, ventilation and massage functions. An extending ottoman-style leg support is provided for the seat behind the front passenger In addition, the front passenger seat and headrest can be power-folded forward to open up extra legroom and a more expansive view – a feature first introduced in the former Lexus LS flagship sedan – adding to the overall “class above” feel of the interior.

The centre armrest includes a control panel for seating and climate control functions, operated with touch-sensitive switches. The unit includes a tray in which two smartphones can be placed side by side, angled for at-a-glance viewing. Twin rear USB ports are provided with 45W power for fast device charging.

Easy access

The attention to luxury detail includes rear passenger compartment design features that enable easy entry and exit. The height of the seat from the ground (or hip point) has been precisely calculated. Also, the height of the sill, the space between the seat cushion and the car’s centre pillar and the softness of the side section of the seat have all been designed so that stepping in and out of the car is smooth and comfortable for passengers of all body shapes and sizes.

New generation front seats

The ES is the first Lexus to be fitted with new generation front seats. These have a lightweight, split construction with separate modules fitted on a frame, creating a slimline profile while providing greater support and comfort. There is also added comfort from a 17 mm increase in the extendable front cushion (compared to the previous generation); there is no gap between the extension and the front of the seat, so the occupant’s thighs remain fully supported.

New-design, slim headrests are also introduced for the first time.

Human-centred cockpit

Lexus’ Tazuna cockpit concept gives the driver a combination of excellent vision and easy intuitive access to controls and information so that driver’s focus can be kept on the road ahead.

The profile of the 12.3-inch digital combimeter has cut-off sides so that display does not extend beyond the circumference of the steering wheel. The information layout can be customised with six different layouts to suit the driver’s priorities and taste.

The steering wheel itself is a next-generation Lexus three-spoke design with a smaller diameter. It features integrated switches and paddle shifts (BEV models) for adjusting the brakeforce regeneration or, on the 500e, selecting virtual gears with Interactive Manual Drive. The telescopic wheel adjustment is 70 mm greater than previously, allowing an increase in the driver’s elbow bend angle.

Fine quality upholsteries and trims

Throughout the cabin, fine quality upholsteries and trims are used that enhance the luxury ambience. There is a choice of perforated or smooth synthetic leather or perforated semi-aniline leather, according to model specification. The new-design steering wheel is also trimmed in synthetic leather and is heated around its full circumference. The colour options are Black, Hazel and a new White.

In a Lexus-first, a new synthetic leather embossing technique is used to create precise patterns. This combines with the ambient lighting in the door panels to produce a clean, modern look.

Bamboo layering and surface illuminating trim

The ES is the first Lexus model to feature a new Bamboo Layering trim. Created using advanced printing and light transmission techniques, this has the appearance of natural bamboo in natural light, changing to illuminated colours that are synchronised with the cabin’s ambient lighting. This feature is included in the High grade specification.

Dynamic ambient lighting

The ambient lighting system helps set the mood for the journey, offering a choice of 14 themes and a 50 colour settings. In the new ES the effect can be further enhanced with dynamic lighting that changes the tone over time with looping patterns evoking six distinct atmospheres.

New Omotenashi welcome illumination co-ordinates the ambient lighting with the meters, smoothly bringing the interior to life the moment the car is switched on.

Hidden switches

The Lexus-first Hidden Switches are key to the clean and simple lines of the new ES’ instrument panel. The touch switches are set in a linear arrangement and remain concealed beneath the panel trim until revealed as illuminated icons when the car is switched on. The switches include the front window demister, rear window demister and door mirror heaters and the temperature control.

Audio excellence

The standard audio package is a 10-speaker system with simplified speaker shapes that allow for more refined sound expression with minimal distortion.

The High and High+ grade ES BEVs are equipped with a bespoke Mark Levinson Surround Sound system with 17 speakers that work in conjunction with the ambient lighting in the speaker grilles to create a multi-sensory experience and a harmony of light and sound. Sound quality is enhanced by the Mark Levinson PurePlay concept, which preserves sound purity by positioning speakers so there are no obstructions between them and listener’s ears. Mark Levinson Quantum Logic Surround (QLS) enables smoothly balanced frequency characteristics and high clarity and definition.

Perfect cabin climate

The triple-zone air conditioning system, featured in the Rear Comfort Package allows driver, front passenger and rear seat occupants to set their own preferred temperatures. The Lexus Climate Concierge co-ordinates operation of the ventilation/heating system with the heated and ventilated seats, front radiant heaters (where fitted) and heated steering wheel to provide prompt and efficient performance.

Air quality is also monitored to filter out odours and pollen, while the nanoeX^TM system introduces trillions of microscopic ions into the cabin air flow. As well as combatting odours, viruses and bacteria this has a beneficial moisturising effect on human skin and hair.

The air conditioning system in the ES BEV models is compact and highly efficient, providing the same level of heating and ventilation performance as competitors, with exceptionally quiet operation.

Load compartment

The new ES provides a capacious load compartment that has room enough for two 86-litre suitcases or four 9.5-inch golf bags. The space is greater in every dimension compared to the previous ES and matches or exceeds its principal competitors. Volumes are up to 517 litres for the BEV and 493 litres for the hybrids (including underfloor storage space).

Premium equipment grades

Across the board, all versions of the new ES – both hybrid and BEV versions – benefit from a luxury specification.

The ES 300h and ES 350h hybrid models are available in Core and Mid grades. Both are equipped with the new 14-inch multimedia display, while the Mid grade features include a digital smart key, digital interior mirrors and a Mark Levinson 17-speaker premium audio system.

The ES 350e and ES 500e grades are Core, High and High+. For these models the High specification also includes details such as Adaptive Variable Suspension and high-resolution Adaptive High-beam System headlights. The High+ models build on this specification with the comfort package for the rear seats, including ottoman-style leg rests and forward-folding front passenger seat.

The BEV models can be optionally fitted with 21-inch wheels: Luxury design for the front-wheel drive models and Aero for the all-wheel drive.

POWERTRAINS

• Lexus multipath electrified powertrains, giving customers options to suit their preferences and requirements for low and zero-emission mobility
• Battery electric ES 350e and ES 500e
• Self-charging hybrid ES 300h and, for eastern Europe, ES 350h, using new sixth generation Lexus hybrid technology
• Battery cooling, management and pre-conditioning functions enable fast, consistent battery recharging performance across a wide temperature range
• ES 500e equipped with Lexus DIRECT4 all-wheel drive Interactive Manual Drive virtual manual gear selection
• Hybrid models available with E-Four intelligent all-wheel drive

Lexus multipath powertrains –battery electric and full hybrid

The new ES fully embraces Lexus’ multipath philosophy of offering customers a range of electrified powertrains to reduce emissions towards the ultimate goal of carbon neutrality. The model range includes two battery electric versions, the ES 350e and ES 500e, and two self-charging hybrids, the ES 300h in Western European markets and ES 350h for Eastern Europe. Together these provide a breadth of power, performance and efficiency options to suit a wide range of customer preferences and requirements.

ES 350e and ES 500e battery electric sedans

The ES uses a new Lexus battery electric system that has been developed with a focus on delivering an evolution of the Lexus Driving Signature that creates a sharpened dialogue between driver and car. The fundamental BEV qualities and convenience have been enhanced including revised Lexus eAxles with increase motor power outputs and a higher capacity battery unit. The ES is also available for the first time with Interactive Manual Drive, enabling a more rewarding driving experience with virtual manual gear selection using paddle shifts. DIRECT4 intelligent all-wheel drive is also available, raising the level of dynamic handling while maintaining power efficiency. The all-wheel drive model incorporates an additional 88.3 kW rear eAxle for a strong balance of rewarding performance, cruising range and efficiency.

The key performance specifications for each battery electric model:

Lithium-ion battery

The ES is equipped with a high-capacity lithium-ion battery that has a new construction and features new cells and a water-cooling system to optimise charging and operational performance. The number of cells has been increased to achieve a higher output.

The unit is installed entirely beneath the cabin floor which avoids compromising space in the cabin and load compartment and helps give the ES a low centre of gravity. To guard against damage, it is fully sealed and is reinforced on each side.

Optimised charging performance

In low temperatures, a high-voltage coolant heater can be activated during battery charging.

A battery pre-conditioning function is also available to optimise battery temperature prior to charging, helping secure faster and consistent charging performance. This can be activated manually by the driver, or automatically at the optimum time before reaching a charging point that has been entered as a destination in the navigation system. Pre-conditioning can also be scheduled in advance for a specific time or journey.

Charging times

Thanks to the ES’s battery management and pre-conditioning functions, consistent charging performance is delivered in all temperatures. Fast charging from 10-80% with a 150 kW DC supply can be accomplished in 30 minutes, in temperatures as low as -10°C. With 22 kW AC charging, 10-100% will take four hours.

The ES has a new-design charging port lid which can be opened using a physical switch on the cover, the car’s multimedia system, or the LexusLink+ app.

Power supply unit

The power supply unit (PSU) integrates the vehicle’s charger, power supply and power distribution functions to support efficient AC charging. An AC inverter is integrated in the charger, which helps reduce the PSU’s size and weight.

Interactive Manual Drive

The new ES 500e is the second model to offer Lexus’ ground-breaking Interactive Manual Drive, a system which debuted on the new RZ 550e F SPORT.

This technology creates a manual gear-shifting experience in a battery electric vehicle, raising driver rewards and engagement. A virtual eight-speed transmission generates rapid gear shifts based on the driver’s use of the accelerator and the vehicle’s speed. The effect is heightened with the option for the driver to use paddle shifts to make the virtual gear changes.

New shift-by-wire system

All new ES models – BEV and HEV included – use a new shift-by-wire system. This is operated using a compact toggle control in the centre console, with smooth and easy forward or backward movements to select park/drive/reverse/neutral.

Lexus DIRECT4 all-wheel drive

The ES 500e is equipped with Lexus’ DIRECT4 intelligent electric all-wheel drive system. This provides continuous adjustment of drive torque distribution to all four wheels, according to driver inputs and the road conditions. This can vary from 100:0 to 0:100, based on data from sensors monitoring acceleration, wheel speed and steering angle. Adjustments are made in milliseconds – faster than any mechanical system. The driver experiences enhance steering response, feel and communication with smooth, on-demand acceleration and enhanced stability, handling and vehicle posture control.

Lexus eAxle

The eAxle integrates the transaxle, drive motor and power inverter into a single, compact unit. This allows efficient packaging while delivering highly responsive acceleration and dynamic performance. In models equipped with DIRECT4 all-wheel drive, the low height of the rear eAxle avoids compromising space in the cabin and load compartment.

ES 300h and ES 350h self-charging hybrids

The ES 300h and ES 350h are the first models to be powered by sixth generation Lexus hybrid technology.  The self-charging hybrid system combines a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, a front eAxle and a new lithium-ion battery. Together these deliver efficiency, refinement and performance, with the option of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive with - for the first time an ES model - Lexus’ E-Four system.

A new, bespoke drive control logic optimises use of the hybrid battery to deliver a combination of powerful acceleration and fuel efficiency. The engine benefits from increased rigidity, which reduces engine noise and vibration; vibration at start-up has also been reduced, helping achieve a quieter and more refined cabin atmosphere.

The key performance specifications for each full hybrid model:

¹ Available in Western Europe markets ² Available in Eastern Europe markets

Hybrid eAxle

The new front eAxle is compact and incorporates the hybrid system’s transaxle and power control unit (PCU). While size is kept to a minimum, output is higher than in previous versions. It houses two motor-generators (one for power generation, the other for driver forces) arranged in a multi-axis configuration to save space.

Other features include a new cooling mechanism that makes for easier parts lubrication and a new electric oil pump in place of the previous mechanical type, further contributing to the unit’s overall small dimensions.

ES versions equipped with E-Four all-wheel drive use an additional rear transaxle (details below).

Hybrid battery

Moving from a nickel metal-hydride to a lithium-ion unit with a new cell design for the ES has enabled a more compact and lightweight package with a higher output. The battery is located beneath the rear seats, avoiding loss of interior space. The hybrid system prioritises battery power and low and medium vehicle speeds, which reduces engine speed, noise and vibration.

E-Four all-wheel drive

Both hybrid models are available with E-Four all-wheel drive, which adds an additional electric motor on the rear axle. The system can adjust drive torque distribution between the front and rear axles, based on information on wheel speed, G-force, yaw rate, steering angle and other factors from the hybrid system’s ECU. This enhances performance, for example traction when pulling away or travelling on low-grip surfaces and supporting fuel efficiency when driving at a constant speed.

CHASSIS AND DYNAMIC PERFORMANCE

• Global architecture platform revised to accommodate both battery electric and full hybrid powertrains
• Engineered to deliver the Lexus Driving Signature - comfort, confidence and control at all times
• Strategic reinforcements and use of high-tensile steels, hot-stamp materials, adhesives and reinforcements to achieve high body rigidity
• First use of a multi-link rear suspension on an ES model
• Electronically controlled braking system gives responsive performance with a natural feel

Revised platform to accommodate Lexus multipath powertrains

The new ES is constructed on Lexus’ global Architecture K platform (GA-K), with revisions to address the multipath strategy of producing both battery electric and full hybrid models.

Measures were implemented to strengthen the core of the body, specifically by revising the frame and increasing localised rigidity, to increase overall body rigidity, even when incorporating large openings such as panoramic roof.

The results are an agile driving feel that adds to the unity between the driver’s inputs and car’s chassis response on winding roads, and contributes to prompt, clear steering response. This strengthens the dialogue between driver and car, central to the qualities of the Lexus Driving Signature.

Increased strength and rigidity

Key elements include more extensive use of high tensile strength and hot-stamp materials in the main frame parts, maintaining and increasing rigidity.

Bracing and reinforcement is applied in key areas to increase rigidity in the front end, the floor and the rear, which has a strong annular construction.

As the hybrid models do not use the BEV’s underfloor battery, they have specific bracing and reinforcement linking the centre floor cross members to the rockers. This helps suppress vertical vibration and reduce displacement of the seat mountings.

Other measures contributing to the rigid structure include a twin bonnet lock and extensive use of high-rigidity structural adhesive – almost seven metres of adhesive in the front body and underbody of the BEVs and more than six metres in the hybrids.

Countering noise and vibration

Controlling the intrusion of noise and vibration is central to the new ES interior delivering the luxury and comfort of a personal lounge.

Demonstrating a high attention to detail, the measures include a redesign of the inner part of the front pillars into single component to connect the front suspension tower to the rocker, reducing vibrations felt when driving over minor imperfections in the road surface.

There are additional seals in the rear end to block external noise, while an advanced seal around the door glass reduces noise transmission. The side window glass itself has a high sound-insulating quality.

In the rear of the car, silencers, soundproofing materials and even the floor carpeting all contribute to improved NV performance. Further benefits are gained from more than six metres of sound and vibration-damping adhesive in the front floor and sound-absorbing materials in the engine compartment cover.

Suspension

The front suspension is a newly designed MacPherson strut arrangement while at the rear a multi-link system is used for the first time in an ES with the aim of enhancing the transmission of power to the road and smooth vehicle posture control.

The development goals were to achieve straight-line stability and ride comfort with smooth, lag-free steering response, a stable and natural posture when cornering and stable controllability at the car’s performance limits.

The front suspension tower is positioned lower and the characteristics of the suspension arm, bush and shock absorber have been refined to reduce shock and vibration when driving on uneven surfaces. The standard (non-AVS) shock absorbers generate damping force for even the slightest movement of the car’s sprung weight, for example when starting off or cruising on the highway. Other details include a highly rigid forged aluminium knuckle that saves weight while ensuring strength and which contributes to the ES’s linear steering response and comfortable ride quality. The anti-roll bar has a thin-walled, hollow construction that reduces weight while improving roll rigidity.

The rear suspension is designed for secure transmission of drive force to the road and suppression of changes in the vehicle’s posture, using highly rigid arms, components and installation. This contributes to the car’s handling stability and gives the driver a reassuring feel of the car’s rear end being in secure contact with the road.

Adaptive Variable Suspension is fitted to the higher grade battery electric models. This benefits from a linear solenoid to achieve rapid, fine adjustment of damping force for a more comfortable and stable ride.

Braking systems

The new ES adopt an electronically controlled braking system (AHB-C) which uses an electric cylinder in place of a pump motor to deliver ease-of-use and a natural braking feel that’s rigid, controllable and responsive.

Ventilated discs are used all round for the new ES: 340 mm front and 338 mm rear for the BEV models and 328 mm front and 317 mm rear for the hybrids.

Additionally, models that are not fitted with AVS benefit from Vehicle Braking Posture Control. When driving on a winding road or turning at junction, this adjusts braking performance to reduce roll, front dive and rear lift. This enhances handling stability and suppresses side-to-side rocking movement experienced by the car’s occupants.

Steering

The ES uses rack-assist electric power steering that accurately transfers the driver’s inputs into precise steering reactions. The motor control unit and reduction gear are located parallel to the steering gearbox, helping reduce the degree of steering operation force required.

The variable rack gear supports agile performance through tight bends and helps keep the car stable at high speeds.

NEW-GENERATION MULTIMEDIA

• First Lexus to adopt new generation LexusConnect multimedia system
• 14-inch touchscreen display synchronised with digital driver’s combimeter
• Introduction of new connected services bundles, giving access to new and advanced navigation, entertainment, information and vehicle security functions
• New-generation digital key

Lexus Europe took the lead in the development of LexusConnect and the new 14-inch  multimedia screen, directly integrating customer feedback through successive cycles of testing and refinement.

The system has four times faster processing speed, eight times greater storage capacity and a 256 GB memory. The multimedia screen is ultra-slim, with a maximum 10 mm thickness, contributing the interior’s Clean x Tech design concept.

One of the principal features of the new digital cockpit is combimeter mirroring: the the full navigation map is integrated in the driver’s combimeter, mirroring the multimedia display. This makes directions easier to follow and reduces potential driver distraction.

Similarly, Lexus Safety System + advanced safety and driving assistance features can now be easily accessed using the multimedia screen. The LexusConnect Driver Support menu lists all the available functions, with explanations and dynamic illustrations, and allows the driver to choose their safer driving options and performance parameters.

The new home screen concept, designed with European customers in mind, presents an intuitive interface with integrated climate controls, quick settings menu, Road Sign Assist mute button, a new Notification Centre and customisable widgets. This means all relevant information and functions are just a single click away.

The LexusConnect Voice Agent’s appearance and functions have also been enhanced. Instead of taking up the entire screen when activated, the feature is now more elegantly displayed at the bottom. The system can recognise whether it’s the driver or front passenger speaking, understands a more natural language style and responds more quickly.

An Intelligent Agent service is also available on subscription. With expanded functionality, it can respond to a much wider and more sophisticated range of user prompts. For example, it can provide information on flight status, stocks and shares data, sports news and many other points of information.

Connected services

The new generation LexusConnect multimedia comes with 256 GB of memory, eight times greater than the previous system. This opens up possibilities for a wide range of information, entertainment and security functions.

The established Standard Services bundle includes essential features with a 10-year pan-European trial period. These range from the LexusLink+ app’s “find my car” and EV coaching features, to cloud-based navigation with points of interest powered by Google and alerts for low emission zones - LEZ. Some of the remote services now operate four times faster than before, including setting of the climate control to heat or cool the cabin ahead of making a journey and door locking and unlocking.

The new multimedia software platform also enables the introduction of a next-generation Lexus digital key, the Smart Digital Key+. This can be integrated in the owner’s smartphone or smartwatch wallet so can be used without having to open an app, offering faster and more intuitive operation. Enhanced functionality allows the digital key to continue to work even if the NFC-compatible smartphone’s battery is depleted. Up to seven keys can be created so the owner can share access with up to six other users.

The new Connect & Drive bundle focuses on convenience. It includes smart navigation with live speed camera and average speed monitoring location information; direct access to the user’s Spotify account for music streaming; and the Intelligent Voice Agent (details above).

Connect & Secure completes the collection, providing extra security measures with new services: a Drive Recorder, Remote Immobiliser and Car Theft Assistant.

The Drive Recorder (on higher grade models) uses the ES’s integrated safety cameras to enabe 360-degree recording, constantly saving one-minute videos (up to a rolling limit of 90) of the car’s surroundings. A recording can be triggered automatically in the event of an impact, or manually by the driver, capturing the scene at least 10 seconds prior to and 10 seconds immediately after the incident. These can be extracted using a USB stick connected to the car’s head unit and may provide useful intelligence to help determine the cause of a collision or show incidents of poor driving or road discipline.

The Remote Immobiliser allows users to remotely control vehicle start-up by locking and unlocking the engine. For peace of mind, an Automode is provided so there need be no worries about whether the engine has been locked. The status can be checked by smartphone. A six-digit code wll then be required to unlock the engine.

The Car Theft Assistant provides structured support via the Lexus Link+ app in the event of the vehicle being stolen. First (depending on the vehicle’s equipment grade and alarm availability) the user will be notified when a potential theft is detected. Once the customer has reported the theft to the police, there is prompt and co-ordinated follow-up response. Vodafone liaises with the relevant local authorities to track the vehicle, while keeping the customer informed and using their preferred language throughout the recovery process.

Each bundle will be offered free for a trial period, with subscription available via the Lexus Link+ app. The availability of connected services may vary between countries/national markets.

Battery charging management

ES BEV customers can use the Lexus Link+ app and the LexusConnect multimedia system to manage all aspects of vehicle battery charging.

The Lexus Link+ app provides live information about the vehicle’s EV and fuel range, battery management and charging schedule and serves as the gateway to Lexus’ charging ecosystem. Using a single interface, customers can access the Lexus Charging Network, with more than one million AC and DC charging stations across Europe, using the Lexus RFID card or the app itself. Lexus Home Charge with integrated smart charging helps optimise charging times, giving greater efficiency and convenience.

LexusConnect navigation provides EV routing and dynamic re-routing, adding charging stations to a programmed route and updating recommended charging locations in line with changes in the battery’s state of charge and the driving conditions as the journey progresses, helping ease any range anxiety.

The multimedia system also provides a dedicated EV charging menu, accessible with a single click, that provides direct, streamlined access to all critical charging information and configuration options. The menu includes battery state of charge, total vehicle range, charging schedule management and charge limit settings.

Finally, over-the-air software updates enable Lexus Safety System + and LexusConnect to remain up-to-date with the latest functionalities and improvements.

ADVANCED SAFETY AND DRIVING ASSISTANCE

• All ES models equipped with latest-generation Lexus Safety System +
• Advanced active safety systems with new and expanded functionality, providing safeguards and warnings in a wider range of accident risk scenarios
• Driving assistance features include Blind Spot Monitor, Safe Exit Assist, Front and Rear Cross Traffic Alert as standard

Greater support and protection from the latest generation of Lexus Safety System +

The new ES is equipped with the latest generation of Lexus Safety System + active safety and driving assistance systems (ADAS) which operate proactively in a wider range of driving situations to support the driver and reduce the chances of an accident happening.

The developments include new and enhanced functions, with – for the first time on the ES – over-the-air updates enabling seamless software upgrades as technologies evolve further.

Lexus Safety System + provides a much wider field of detection. Upgrading of the sensor has increased the horizontal viewing angle by 115% and the detection distance by 170% compared to the previous generation.

The driver is given clearer and more wide-ranging ADAS information with a new display in the combination meter. The Driving Assist Display can show up to six vehicles at a time, in real time: in its own lane, the ES and two vehicles ahead; in adjacent lanes, up to two vehicles to the left and right.

This information can also be viewed in the head-up display (where specified). The new head-up display has a tilted image plane that creates a sense of depth, making information intuitive and easier to read. The display settings can be adjusted to suit the user’s preference; stored settings are linked to the driver’s seat memory function, so they are automatically applied when different drivers take the wheel.

Enhanced accident prevention

The ES’ Pre-Collision System (PCS) is now able to detect and respond to a wider range of static and moving obstacles.

The PCS operates in an expanded range of driving conditions and situations, and with shorter vehicle-to-vehicle distances than previously. Its evolved functionality includes Intersection Collision Avoidance Support, Emergency Steering Assist (ESA – also with active support) and low-speed acceleration suppression.

Dynamic Radar Cruise Control

The Dynamic Radar Cruiser Control (DRCC) features a new Map Connected Drive function. This enables the system to work in collaboration with map information to better anticipate acceleration and deceleration at T-junctions, roundabouts, stop and give way signs, toll gates and bends, giving smoother performance.

The latest development of the technology enables earlier recognition of vehicles cutting in in front, enabling gradual deceleration. The system can also predict an adjacent vehicle cutting in by recognising its turn signal.

Enhanced sensor accuracy also enables faster detection of the behaviour of the second vehicle ahead. When the second vehicle ahead draws closer, the DRCC will slow the ES smoothly, avoiding sudden deceleration.

Lane Departure Alert

The Lane Departure Alert (LDA) is now able to detect roadside structures such as utility poles and barriers, increasing its ability to prevent unintended lane departures when the road margins are indistinct.

First-time features for the ES

Front Cross-Traffic Alert (FCTA) and Lane Change Assist (LCA) are both included in the ES’ safety portfolio for the first time. FCTA detects a vehicle approaching from either side when entering a junction at low speed. It alerts the driver with an animation in the head-up display (where fitted); if the driver continues to accelerate despite the approaching vehicle, a visual warning appears on the multi-information display and buzzer alert sounds.

When Lane Trace Assist is engaged, sensors detect if the driver is correctly holding the steering wheel.

Lane Change Assist supports the driver in making safe lane changes on the highway, working in conjunction with DRCC. When the driver activates the turn signal to indicate a lane change, the system monitors the car’s surroundings and, if safe to do so, controls steering, acceleration and deceleration to make the manoeuvre.

Emergency Driving Stop System

If the driver becomes unable to operate the vehicle, the Emergency Driving Stop System (EDSS) slows the vehicle to a stop within its traffic lane and activates the hazard warning lights. The ES is also equipped with a Driver Monitor Camera which checks the driver’s alertness and condition. It delivers a warning if it detects driver tiredness, loss of attention or other abnormal conditions. Its operation is used to enhance the EDSS’ performance with earlier detection of driver issues.

Blind Spot Monitor, Safe Exit Assist and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert

Provided as standard on all new ES models, these systems provide warnings and safeguards when there is a risk of impacts with vehicles (including bicycles and motorcycles) passing alongside or behind the vehicle. In addition, a new Rear Vehicle Approach Indicator (RVAI) alerts the driver to a vehicle approaching from the rear with an audible alert, a warning in the combimeter and, where fitted, illumination of the digital rear-view mirror’s frame.  

New High-Definition Adaptive High-beam System

The High-Definition Adaptive High-beam System (AHS) for automatic headlight adjustment (featured on the ES BEV models) has been developed so that light control can now be adjusted both horizontally and vertically, using a four-lens system. This provides more precise shading than the previous system, allows for clearer illumination of objects such as road signs and reduces glare for vehicles ahead and pedestrians.

Lexus won pole position for the second round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) after the RC F LMGT3 race car delivered a spectacular qualifying performance at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium.

The #78 Lexus RC F LMGT3 entered by AKKODIS ASP Team earned pole position for the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, repeating the team’s achievement of last season.

Lexus is establishing its motorsport credentials by challenging more established racing brands and pushing boundaries, whilst providing opportunities for different drivers – including young hopefuls and ambitious gentlemen drivers – to participate at the highest level of sportscar competition.

The 22-year-old Frenchman Hadrien David set a best lap time of 2 minutes 16.612 seconds in his RC F LMGT3 on the demanding 7.004 km Spa-Francorchamps circuit during the decisive Hyperpole session. Earlier, his team-mate Tom van Rompuy had qualified the #78 car for Hyperpole.

Two RC F LMGT3 cars entered by AKKODIS ASP Team will compete in the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps on Saturday, the pole-sitting #78 of David, van Rompuy and Esteban Masson, and the #87 of Petru Umbrărescu, Clemens Schmid and José María López which qualified fourth.

The RC F LMGT3 car, an authentic racing version of the high-performance RC F coupe which is homologated for competition, is a relative newcomer to WEC competition, having made its debut in February 2024. The 2025 season was a breakthrough campaign for the RC F LMGT3, which won two races and helped AKKODIS ASP Team finish third in the FIA Endurance Trophy for LMGT3 Teams.

INTRODUCTION

Lexus today presents the world premiere of the all-new TZ, a six-seat, fully electric premium SUV that explores new horizons in travelling comfort and pleasure.

The online presentation and press conference are available to view here: https://www.youtube.com/live/BKB-OoniEVc

Embodying the new Lexus brand vision “Discover” and commitment to “imitate no one,” the TZ is designed around the concept of the Driving Lounge, a seamless blending of a relaxing cabin with dynamic performance that delivers an elevated travelling experience for everyone – passengers and driver alike.

A lounge-like space: the Driving Lounge concept creates a space and ambience that promote relaxation, enjoyment and conversation, enhanced by a wide, opening panoramic roof that extends above all three rows of seats. The sense of openness and the peaceful, comfortable atmosphere reflect the Zen-like tranquillity found in traditional Japanese homes and architecture.

The Lexus mobility experience: the TZ’s dynamic performance delivers the control, confidence and comfort rewards of the Lexus Driving Signature. The travelling environment is clean and uncluttered, with functionality matched with contemporary style, as seen in the slim instrument panel and Lexus’ Responsive Hidden Switch design. Comfort for all is prioritised, demonstrated by a selectable Rear Comfort mode that adjusts the vehicle’s dynamic systems to minimise disturbance.

Exterior design:  the TZ’s design fuses simplicity with sharpness, pursuing the distinctive presence and character that are essentially “Lexus”. As well as being sleekly elegant, the styling features finely tuned, energy-saving aerodynamic details.

Sustainable materials: Lexus embraces the use of sustainable materials in its craftsmanship luxury, including the use of forged bamboo and recycled aluminium.

Chief Engineer Takeshi Miyaura explains: “We envisioned the Lexus target brand value – customers who value time and choose authenticity – and aimed to deliver a new Lexus experience. Electrification – a battery electric vehicle – emerged as the method for realising these values because it offers an ideal blend of driving enjoyment and evolution. In addition to the Lexus experience of ‘seeing, riding and driving,’ we now offer the new value of ‘spending time’ inside the vehicle.”

The Lexus TZ is revealed today ahead of its market launch in Europe in 2027.

INTERIOR: WELCOME TO THE DRIVING LOUNGE

Inside the TZ the emphasis is on a sophisticated ambience – a “driving lounge” that provides supreme comfort, quietness and luxury features, founded on Lexus’ unique Omotenashi hospitality and Takumi craftsmanship principles. It is a space where everyone can relax, enjoying the smooth, refined ride of a BEV, insulated from road and wind noise disturbance.

The long wheelbase, suspension design and accommodation of the battery entirely beneath the floor ensure there is space to comfortably accommodate six seats arranged in three rows. The second row features individual captain’s chairs while the third row offers generous head and leg room. The absence of a fuel tank allows the rearmost seats to be set lower, so that even taller adults can sit and travel in full comfort. This also makes for easier rear seat access, together with walk-in switches to forward-fold the outer second row seats, tread plates and assist grips

Up front, the driver and passenger seats are a new-generation Lexus design, formed using a lightweight, split construction with separate modules fitted to the frame.  This creates a slim profile and a sculpted look, while providing greater support and comfort. Their design complements the open and clean cabin appearance while offering excellent comfort and support. The front and second row seats have integrated heating and ventilation, and seat heating is also available in the third row grade – a rare feature in six or seven-seat SUVs. For added comfort, ottoman-style leg rests are available for the front and second row passengers, while radiant heaters are provided to warm the driver and front passenger’s knees and lower legs. Discreetly positioned below the instrument panel and steering column, these work in conjunction with the air conditioning system to provide energy-efficient heating, helping maximise the car’s driving range.

The cabin’s open feel is enhanced with a panoramic roof. It is the largest yet featured on a Lexus model, extending above all six seats.

The clean, minimalist cabin theme is reflected in the slim instrument panel which houses Lexus’ new Responsive Hidden Switch technology. The panel presents a clean, seamless upholstered finish, but a series of switch function icons illuminate when the driver or passenger’s hand passes above the surface. Although they have a flush finish, the switches provide physical touch-feedback when operated. Responsive Hidden Switches are also featured on the TZ’s steering wheel.

The doors have an easy-closing system. This detects when a door is half-closed and completed the action, quietly and with light force.

The door panels feature Lexus’ new bamboo layering trim panels, crafted using a Lexus-first film layering technique.  In daylight they have the appearance of natural bamboo, changing to surface-illuminated colour patterns when synchronised with the vehicle’s ambient lighting system.

For audio excellence, the TZ can be specified with a bespoke 21-speaker Mark Levinson audio system that provides a 3D sound stage with pure, distortion-free sound quality. This includes a Position Mode which creates a sound stage focused on the rear cabin, tailored to how the vehicle is being used, and enables rear-seat-specific tuning.

Human-centred design cockpit

The benefits of Lexus’ cockpit design concept are enhanced in the TZ with a hood-less driver’s instrument display – an asymmetric 12.3-inch combimeter – and a low, slim, horizontally aligned instrument panel that expands the forward view from the steering wheel. Using a polarised film on the display helps avoid glare and windscreen reflections that can obscure the meters and information read-out.

The attention to detail includes specific profiling of the front pillars to give the driver a better sightline when turning into a bend.

Packaging

The TZ measures 5,100 mm overall and has a 3,050 mm wheelbase, ensuring ample space for a comfortable six-seat cabin and accommodation of a large battery. By comparison, the Lexus RX SUV is 4,890 mm long with a 2,850 wheelbase.

A shorter front overhang contributes to the TZ’s ease of handling and weight distribution, while a longer rear overhang allows for more load space and helps overall stability.

With the third row of seats in place, there is space to carry four 55-litre or two 92-litre cases. The seats are foldable to create room to stow, for example, two bicycles or longer items.

Cabin quietness

Recognising how intrusive wind and road noise are more noticeable in a BEV than in a vehicle with an internal combustion engine, Lexus has applied detailed measures to ensure the cabin environment is as quiet as possible, creating a “sense of silence”.

Sound-absorbing and insulating materials are used strategically in the vehicle frame to offset resonance frequencies. Other details include using thicker window glass, installing an additional engine cover and producing a new aerodynamic door mirror design that minimises wind noise generation. The result is the highest quietness level among all Lexus SUVs.

“Comfort” drive mode

The TZ’s selectable drive modes include a new “Comfort” mode, focused on making the ride as comfortable as possible for rear seat passengers. It integrates Dynamic Rear Steering with optimum front-rear braking balance and the DIRECT4 all-wheel drive system to minimise unnecessary movement of the car’s body. As a result, passengers enjoy a smoother, composed ride with less side-to-side head movement.

EXTERIOR DESIGN: SUV PRESENCE WITH ELEGANCE AND REFINEMENT

Lexus demonstrates its distinctive, contemporary design flair in the TZ’s exterior in fusion of road presence with refinement and a sleek look. It stands apart from traditional SUV design values that emphasise performance and power with an appearance that is more refined and less aggressive. The result is a quality Lexus describes as “Provocative Simplicity” – elegant, with an edgy touch.

As well as being eye-catching, the design is detailed for wind-cheating aerodynamic excellence, helping maximise the vehicle’s range potential. The TZ has a 0.27 drag coefficient – a significant achievement for large-form SUV. 

The side view presents an elongated silhouette with sharp edges and high-quality surfacing that communicate strength and dynamism. Details include semi-flush door handles, strong character lines, textured surfaces and boldly styled aero wheels (20 or 22-inch according to equipment grade).

The frontal appearance broadcasts strength and confidence, generating the characteristic Lexus spindle body in a clean, unified mass. Geometric graphics add sharpness and strength while the new signature Lexus twin-L light units present distinctive inward and outward-pointing elements for the daytime running lights and turn indicators.

At the rear, there is a bold lowering of the roofline’s trailing edge and a tapering of the cabin. This has a positive aero effect but not at the expense of space and comfort in the cabin. The pronounced rear wings add to a wide, horizontal stance and powerful SUV posture. The rear L-shaped lamp units, strong 3D treatment of the back door and shaping of the bumper make the TZ instantly recognisable as a Lexus.

Colour options will include monotone and bi-tone finishes, including a new Sonic Tellus. Named after the Latin word for earth, this rich khaki green uses Lexus’ sonic paint technology to produce deep shading and subtle nuances of colour in generating a strong three-dimensional effect.

MULTIMEDIA AND CONNECTIVITY

The TZ benefits from Lexus’ new Arene software platform that supports a greater range of LexusConnect multimedia functions and provides fast, intuitive operation.

The central 14-inch multimedia display is synchronised with the 12.3-in multi-information display, which allows the full navigation map to be mirrored in the driver’s combimeter. This makes directions easier to follow, avoiding the need for the driver to adjust their glance to view information – a key element of the human-centred design cockpit design.

Owners will be able to access a wide range of new and enhanced information, navigation, security and convenience functions, delivered through a series of connected services bundles, available on subscription via the LexusLink+ app.

The Standard Services package includes essential features such as maintenance reminders, cloud-based navigation, a voice agent, access to remote services, such as door locking/unlocking and climate control operation, and convenient over-the-air software updates for the multimedia and safety systems.

A Smart Digital Key+ will be available, integrated into the wallet on the owner’s smartphone or watch and shareable with up to six other users.  Operation is faster and more intuitive, with no need to launch an app to operate the key. Enhanced functionality allows the key to operate even if the NFC-compatible smartphone’s battery is depleted.

A Connect & Drive bundle focuses on enhanced navigation and voice agent functions, with direct access to the user’s music streaming (Spotify) service account, while Connect & Secure provides extra security and peace of mind with a drive recorder, remote immobiliser and Car Theft Assistant.  

Battery management

Efficient battery management is a key element in electric vehicle ownership. TZ owners have easy access to end-to-end management of all aspects of their car’s battery performance and charging via the Lexus Link + app and LexusConnect multimedia system. These provide live information on available EV range, battery state of charge, charging scheduling and route planning that incorporates charging points as required.

The Lexus Connect multimedia system includes a dedicated EV menu that brings together all relevant data and information relating to the battery and vehicle performance.

THE DRIVING EXPERIENCE

The Lexus Driving Signature

Lexus worked to enhance fundamental performance through the TZ’s global architecture platform, while seeking to ensure delivery the Lexus Driving Signature with performance that delivers confidence, control and comfort at all times. This process, known as “Aji-migaki,” encompasses around 40 different themes across a wide range of performance domains.

To ensure these rewards were realised, the vehicle’s dynamics were perfected at Lexus’ Shimoyama technical centre in Japan, with extensive simulated and on-track testing programmes. The recently launched facility also allows design and engineering teams to work in close collaboration for more efficient, focused vehicle development.

The TZ marks the culmination of Lexus’ engineering knowledge and experience gained in body and platform development. By reinforcing key areas – the front, rear, rear floor and front floor – and strengthening the vehicle’s core structure, the TZ achieves a new Lexus driving feel that combines signature quietness and comfort with a smooth, unified sense of control.

Suspension and Dynamic Rear Steering

The suspension arrangement features front MacPherson struts and a rear multi-link system that has been developed specifically for the TZ, combining with the highly rigid body to contribute to the car’s high comfort and stability.

The TZ can be specified with a Dynamic Rear Steering system (DRS) which allows the rear wheels to turn up to four degrees, either in phase with or counter to the angle of the front wheels, according to the driving situation. At low and medium speeds, this enhances line-tracing, manoeuvring and steering response. At higher speeds it adds to the car’s stability, inspiring driver confidence.

There is a further benefit in a reduced turning radius – 5.4 metres with DRS and 5.8 metres without DRS – that is comparable to smaller D-segment SUV.

Braking

The braking system is electronically controlled and produces a natural braking feel that is rigid, controllable and responsive. It uses a pressurisation unit that enables adjustment brake force distribution between the front and rear wheels during braking, contributing to a seamless and confidence-inspiring transition from deceleration to cornering. 

The driver can also make use a regenerative braking system that can provide up to 0.2g of braking performance, reducing the need to use the brake pedal and making the job of driving less of a burden. The system provides five different levels of deceleration, selected using the paddle shifts on the steering wheel.

Interactive Manual Drive

Interactive Manual Drive brings the sensations of using a rapid-shift manual transmission to an electric vehicle. First introduced in the RZ 550e F SPORT, this Lexus technology equips the car with a virtual eight-speed transmission which generates shifts based on the driver’s use of the throttle and the vehicle’s speed.

For a deeper dialogue with their vehicle, the driver can select gears using paddle shifts. There is also a tachometer in the instrument display to help optimise shift points and selection is accompanied by a rousing simulated thermic engine note soundtrack and steering wheel feedback to add to the multi-sensory experience.

DIRECT4 all-wheel drive

The TZ’s handling capabilities are supported by Lexus’ DIRECT4 all-wheel drive system. This automatically distributes drive torque between the front and rear axles, in line with the driving conditions and the selected drive mode, giving linear, responsive acceleration and strong cornering performance.

POWERTRAIN

Battery electric system

The TZ’s new battery electric powertrain marks an evolution of the Lexus driving experience to deliver even greater rewards from the fundamentally quiet, smooth and highly responsive performance characteristic of Lexus BEVs.

The system is a development of that found in the Lexus RZ SUV and upcoming all-new ES luxury sedan, but with a higher capacity battery and increased electric motor power from both the front and rear eAxles to give the TZ power and performance appropriate for a premium six-seat SUV.

Lexus eAxles

The TZ is equipped with Lexus eAxles front and rear. These compact, lightweight units combine key electric powertrain components in a single housing, including the motor-generator, power control unit and inverter.

Their design differs according to their location. Thus, the front eAxle has a short length while the rear unit’s low height avoids compromising cabin space, helping ensure there is comfortable room to accommodate the third-row seats. Its design also takes collision safety performance into account.

Increased motor output

The motors have increased power outputs appropriate for the TZ’s size and performance: 167 kW / 227 DIN hp both front and rear. Each eAxle produces 268.6 Nm of torque.

Lithium-ion battery

The TZ uses a lithium-ion battery with extra-large 95.8 kWh capacity. This will enable an anticipated driving range of up to 530 km (according to model specification).

Provisional technical specifications

Provisional, prototype model performance data and technical specifications are shown below (all data remain provisional prior to model homologation): -

*¹ Varies by country / specification

The driver can select Range mode to maximise the potential driving distance. This limits power output and vehicle speed to mitigate deceleration and avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking.

High-efficiency battery charging

Lexus’ battery water-cooling, temperature management and pre-conditioning systems optimise the unit’s status for prompt and consistent charging. The battery pre-conditioning, operating automatically on navigation routes programmed with an EV charging destination, or manually by the driver ahead of a charging stop, ensures the unit is at an ideal temperature when recharging starts.

The TZ is equipped with a 22 kW onboard AC charger for at-home charging; a 150 kW DC fast charge from 10 to 80% is expected to take around 35 minutes (CCS-type DC charging).

An intelligent EV routing system can be used to plan energy-efficient journeys, with recharging points factored in and updated if necessary when the trip is in progress, in line with changes in the battery’s state of charge

SAFETY AND DRIVER ASSISTANCE

In its pursuit of a future where there are zero road accidents, Lexus constantly seeks to introduce advanced, intelligent systems and technologies that make driving safer and easier. The TZ benefits from the latest Lexus Safety System + package of active safety and driving assistance functions to provide wide-ranging safeguards and support.

Pre-Collision System

The Pre-Collision System’s (PCS) capabilities have been increased so that it can recognise and respond to a wider range of moving and static obstacles in an expanded area ahead of the vehicle. It can now operate at shorter vehicle-to-vehicle distances for collision warnings and braking intervention and recognise a greater range of hazards at intersections.

Dynamic Radar Cruise Control

The Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC) has a new Eco Run Mode that helps maximise power efficiency. This assesses the vehicle ahead for its impact on reducing the aerodynamic drag effect on the TZ, measured in five stages, so the driver can recognise the best vehicle to follow to preserve the car’s energy. When using this mode, acceleration response is moderated for relaxed and efficient vehicle tracking.

The DRCC’s new Map Connected Drive uses map information on a journey to optimise braking and acceleration for junctions, stop signs, bends and toll gates.

Lane Change Assist

Driver support on the highway is enhanced with upgrades to the Lane Change Assist system. This now provides quicker and smoother lane changes and operates across a wider speed range.

Lexus is presenting five works at the 2026 Milan Design Week, including the world premiere of the installation “SPACE,” together with four original contributions from “Discover Together 2026,” a co-creation project with emerging talents. The exhibition, hosted at Superstudio Più in Milan’s Tortona district, will continue through to Sunday, April 26.

Chief Branding Officer Simon Humphries said: “All five works presented this year explore the potential of space. Last year, Lexus unveiled the LS Concept as its new flagship, While the ‘S’ in LS once stood for ‘Sedan,’ it will come to represent ‘Space’. This reflects the belief that luxury cars will no longer be defined solely by body type, but by the value of the space within. As human beings, we live with space every day and the way we move through it and give it meaning is fundamental to our lives. Through this exhibition, we hope visitors will experience the untapped potential of space.”

“SPACE” installation

Ever since the brand was founded, Lexus has constantly explored how it can give customers new values and experiences, both from the cars it makes and the services it provides. With this commitment to pursuing innovation, it has always been ready to challenge traditional conventions of what luxury means.

The search to discover new rewards and opportunities that mobility might offer in the future is the driving force behind this year’s installation at Milan Design Week, “SPACE”. Inspired by the new Lexus flagship LS Concept, it places visitors at the centre of an immersive vision that combines 360-degree visuals with sound and light.

The installation interprets how mobility is evolving from simple transportation to become a platform to give people new experiences and greater freedom. As land, sea and air become seamlessly connect, movement changes from being about reaching a destination to become a life-enriching experience.

Official website: https://discoverlexus.com/stories/milan-design-week-2026

“Discover Together”

Launched in 2025, “Discover Together” brings together emerging talent to produce work that interprets Lexus’ brand philosophy from their own perspectives. This year’s theme, “Discover Your Space,” also inspired by the Lexus LS Concept, focuses on the idea and meaning of personal space. The creative teams engaged in dialogues with Lexus and drew on their own expertise to bring their interpretations to life.

This year’s participants are Kyotaro Hayashi & Yumi Kurotani (Japan), Guardini Ciuffreda Studio (Italy), Random Studio (Netherlands) and a collaborative team bringing together Lexus in-house designers with master artisans of Japanese craftsmanship (Japan). Through dialogue across diverse cultures and disciplines, new perspectives and inspirations have emerged.

Official website: https://discoverlexus.com/stories/discover-together

Creator comments

“VISIBLE INVISIBLE” Kyotaro Hayashi & Yumi Kurotani

“We believe that the invisible movements of emotion bring richness to life. In Japan, there is a culture and philosophy that value what cannot be seen. We envisioned this space as a tearoom, where the passage of time and the presence of space are felt through the shifting of light. The tearoom transcends status and race, bringing people together as equals, and in its intimate scale, creates a space where spirits can truly connect. The “nijiri-guchi”, a low entrance that requires one to bow, momentarily resets the field of vision and physically marks the transition into the tearoom as a separate world. The tokonoma alcove and garden express the seasons and the passage of time, evoking scenes that resonate with memory and stir the emotions. By rendering this transition through moving images, we expand light and space to create an experience like a miniature universe.”

“WEARABLE SPACE” Guardini Ciuffreda Studio

“WEARABLE SPACE is based on the idea that the body is not only something that inhabits space, but something that can generate it. Through a coat embroidered with fibre optics, light emerges from the human gesture and expands into the surrounding space, transforming the act of wearing into an experience that connects matter, energy and presence.

Technology and sartorial tradition meet in a delicate balance, where innovation does not replace craftsmanship but amplifies it. Within this dialogue, fashion becomes both language and sensory experience: a threshold between intimacy and architecture, between body and environment.

WEARABLE SPACE invites us to imagine a personal, sensitive, and dynamic space, one that belongs to the body that inhabits it and ultimately reveals it.”

“A Moving Sanctuary” Random Studio

“A Moving Sanctuary reimagines the car as a space for stillness and reflection. The installation invites visitors to enter a padded, cocoon-like pod inspired by the quiet intimacy of the back seat of a chauffeur-driven vehicle.

Once inside, guests lie down as a thermal sensing system detects the rhythm of their breath. This data activates a responsive choreography of light and sound that unfolds across the interior. Each experience is unique, gently guiding the body toward slower breathing and calm, transforming the vehicle into a sanctuary for the mind.”

“The Crafted Cosmos” Japanese craftsmen with Lexus In-House Designers

“This installation focuses on the extraordinary craftsmanship created by Japanese artisans. From microscopic precision refined to within 0.1 mm to an infinitely expanding, cosmic scale, the delicate details shaped by artisans’ hands, together with light, unfold new expressions within the space. Through this work, the infinite potential of Japanese craftsmanship is revealed on a cosmic scale. Within this beautiful, handcrafted universe, a singular ‘Cosmos’, long sought deep within emerges, offering a moment of quiet fulfilment.”

Exhibition information

Discover Together creator profiles

Kyotaro Hayashi & Yumi Kurotani

Kyotaro Hayashi (left) and Yumi Kurotani

Filmmaker Kyotaro Hayashi and art director Yumi Kurotani are a creative duo exploring light and sound, space and imagery and the distinctive textures inherent in physical materials. By delicately weaving together these diverse elements, they seek to create experiences centered on beauty and human sensibility.

Kyotaro Hayashi is a filmmaker and photographer who graduated from Tama Art University and went on to build his career at DRAWING AND MANUAL. His work has been recognised with numerous honours in Japan and internationally, including a Special Prize at the Venice Biennale and an iF DESIGN AWARD Gold. He is currently a part-time lecturer at Tama Art University. Yumi Kurotani works as an art director, photographer and ceramic artist. She graduated from the Department of Environmental Design at Tama Art University and studied at Aalto University in Finland, where she was exposed to Nordic design philosophy. After joining Shiseido’s Creative Division as a new graduate, she established her independent practice in 2023. Her work has received multiple awards, including the Gold Prize at the Japan Spatial Design Awards, a finalist selection for the FRAME Awards 2020 Window Display of the Year Grand Prix and an ACC Gold Award.

Their work together transforms light into a language that stirs emotion, while layers of space are elevated into narratives that speak to human memory. Rather than positioning their works as objects for quiet observation alone, they are conceived as immersive installations that invite visitors to sharpen their senses and venture deeply into the experience themselves. By fusing thoughtful design with intuitive aesthetics, they continue to pursue experiences that leave a profound sense of wonder and an unforgettable impression in the minds of those who encounter them.

https://www.kyotaro.org

https://www.yumikurotani.com

Guardini Ciuffreda Studio

From left: Giulia Giavatto, Riccardo Stufano, Ananya Jain, Luigi Ciuffreda and Tiziano Guardini

The Guardini Ciuffreda Studio is a team formed through collaboration with emerging designers. It centres on the studio’s founders, designer Tiziano Guardini and architect Luigi Ciuffreda, alongside Ananya Jain (architecture), Giulia Giavatto (interior design), and Riccardo Stufano (visual design).

The studio’s philosophy is deeply rooted in sustainability, material intelligence and natural systems, expressed through a design language defined by organic forms, tactile surfaces and aesthetics inspired by nature. Bridging fashion, architecture, interior and visual design, the studio places fashion and space at the core of its pursuit of a research-driven practice that dissolves the boundaries between space and material. Materials become a language and form is transformed into narrative. The work invites surprise and engagement, unfolding as experiential installations that are meant not only to be observed, but also to be felt, both physically and emotionally. 

https://guardiniciuffredastudio.it/

Random Studio

Members Daan Lucas (left) and Dominique Rokebrand. Not pictured: Morgan Maccari, Jeremy Faivre, Sander Plug, Sebastian Price, Andrew Hill, Victor Roussel.

Random Studio is an independent spatial experience design studio based in Amsterdam and Paris. Its practice centres on creating innovative spaces that inspire surprise and invite interaction.

Specialising in creative strategy, experience design, spatial design and interactive technology, the studio advances projects through a multidisciplinary team. They have collaborated across a wide range of fields, including exhibition spaces, retail experiences and applied innovation programmes.

Always exploring new ways to combine disciplines and drive innovation, the studio develops projects that translate ideas into environments people can step into, experience and remember.

www.random.studio

Japanese craftsmen with LEXUS in-house designers

Members (clockwise from top left): Yuji Kuroda, Shikan Tategu Kogei Co. Ltd., Yuri Tamura, Lexus in-house designer, Shingo Yamashita, Lexus in-house wooden model craftsman, Kazuhiro Nakata, Tendo Mokko Co. Ltd., Moto Takabatake, Lexus in-house designer, Ryota Inagaki, Inagaki Sekizai-ten Co. Ltd.

In this collaborative team Lexus in-house designers join forces with master artisans of Japanese craftsmanship to take on the challenge of creating original Japanese art.

Their experience covers a rich and diverse array of skills and creativity: Kumiko craftsmanship from Shikan Tategu Kogei, passed down and continually refined over three generations in the foothills of the Suzuka Mountains in Mie; stone from Inagaki Sekizai-ten, which has pursued the beauty and potential of stone for more than a century; the tradition and innovation of Tendo Mokko’s bentwood, revealing new possibilities for wood through moulded plywood; and the handiwork of a WorldSkills Olympics champion wooden model craftsman whose skills have long supported Toyota’s car making. Through Lexus’ imagination, these elements are brought together and elevated into a form of art that transcends time.

Shingo Yamashita, LEXUS in-house wooden model craftsman: https://toyotatimes.jp/series/masters/049.html

Yuji Kuroda, Sashikan Tategu Kogei Co., Ltd.: https://www.sashikan.com/

Ryota Inagaki, Inagaki Sekizai-ten Co., Ltd.: https://inase-utsuwa.com/

Kazuhiro Nakada, Tendo Mokko Co., Ltd.: https://www.tendo-mokko.co.jp/

• Lexus-first Interactive Manual Drive creates a manual gear-shifting experience in a battery electric vehicle
• Heightened enjoyment and driver engagement with a unique muti-sensory experience
• First application in the new RZ F SPORT all-electric SUV
• Virtual eight-speed transmission generates rapid gear shifts based on the driver’s use of the accelerator and the vehicle speed
• Drivers can feel every moment of the journey with the option to make manual shifts using paddle controls, accompanied by rousing engine notes and tachometer display 

The new RZ premium SUV delivers further advances for Lexus Electrified with its introduction of new technologies that elevate the EV driving experience and take the Lexus Driving Signature to the next level, adding to its essential qualities of comfort, control and confidence at all times. One of the most advanced innovations is the introduction of Interactive Manual Drive, a virtual gear shift system that brings emotion to the daily drive, creating a deeper and more meaningful dialogue between driver and car.

Interactive Manual Drive opens up new opportunities for driving enjoyment by creating virtual gear shifts, either in response to the driver’s use of the accelerator, or manual selection using paddle controls on the steering wheel. The advanced system mimics the dynamic sensations of a combustion engine. The shifts are accompanied by appropriate changes in a virtually tuned engine note, to build a multi-sensory experience.

Operating the system

Interactive Manual Drive has been introduced in the new Lexus RZ F SPORT model, adding to the emotional appeal generated by the car’s dynamic styling and performance. The driver can engage the system simply by pressing the M mode button on the centre console.

Gear shifts are then automatically created, according to throttle use and vehicle speed. The driver’s digital instrument display changes to show a new meter that combines a power meter and a tachometer, indicating the shift points, or the optimum moment for the driver to make a manual shift using the paddle controls – right hand for upshifts, left hand for downshifts.

How Interactive Manual Drive works

The core component in the Interactive Manual Drive is a virtual powertrain and transmission integrated in the car’s BEV ECU.  Virtual power source torque is calculated according to the driver’s pressure on the accelerator and the vehicle’s speed. This is then multiplied by the virtual gear that has been selected. Torque thus changes with the virtual gear selection to suit the driving situation – for example when shifting to a lower gear on a twisty road or an uphill climb. The result is a driving experience that is like using a rapid-shifting transmission attached to a combustion engine.

The drive force can also be managed by the driver’s use of the paddle shifts, which produce a quick and responsive shifting experience, generating deeper interaction between driver and car.

Using the shifts, the driver receives rewarding multi-sensory feedback in real time through throttle response, G-forces, engine sound simulation, and the tachometer display.

Sound generation

The sound generated by the system is specific to the Interactive Manual Drive and has been precision-tuned to generate more driving pleasure and an exhilarating experience. There are three sound levels to choose from, to suit the drive and driver’s mood.

The sounds produced are closely synchronised with the vehicle’s speed and drive torque and are relayed through speakers in the RZ’s cabin, adding to the dynamic and immersive driving.

A duality of driving experiences

With Interactive Manual Drive, Lexus gives the driver freedom to adapt the driving experience to suit the scene or their mood. Uniquely, they can choose the smooth, comfortable, powerful performance that is characteristic of Lexus BEVs, or opt for a style that delivers more visceral excitement and engagement.
 

• Lexus attention to detail produces unique, brand-defining quality and is key to delivering amazing experiences to customers
• The campaign includes films for cinema, television and online channels, featuring the new Lexus RZ electric luxury SUV 

Where Lexus is concerned, details make the difference and are key to its philosophy of “making luxury personal”. This is the message conveyed in a new pan-European brand campaign that illustrates how Lexus’ attention to detail and application of master craftsmanship techniques give its luxury products special quality and appeal.

The campaign, entitled “Details”, uses the recently launched new Lexus RZ luxury SUV to present impactful examples of Lexus’ human-centred innovation and unwavering focus on detail that delivers the brand’s famous Omotenashi hospitality – unparalleled comfort and convenience for everyone, on every journey.

For Lexus, details are not small things, they are everything; and when they combine, they create amazing experiences for Lexus customers.

The campaign, developed in collaboration with T&P, includes master films for cinema, television and online video, together with a rich suite of social assets and stills. They present a deconstruction of the RZ to focus in on contrasting elements in the car, each one demonstrating Lexus’ commitment to perfecting the details.

They include Lexus’ groundbreaking steer-by-wire system and radical new steering wheel design; advanced sonic paint technology that produces an exceptionally deep and lustrous finish; the measures taken to produce a supremely quiet and serene cabin environment; and the design of the Lexus signature L-shaped headlight units.

Lexus, long-established at the forefront of luxury automotive innovation, blends cutting-edge technology with exquisite, distinctive design and unmatched quality. The campaign details these achievements and will inspire discerning consumers to appreciate the artistry and dedication that are invested in every Lexus vehicle.

Filip Belmans, Lexus Europe Head of Brand, said: “With the “Details” campaign we highlight how meticulous attention to every detail makes Lexus cars truly special. The new RZ showcases this philosophy, bringing together design, comfort and quality with advanced technologies such as steer-by-wire to deliver superior driving and, ultimately, the Lexus ‘Amazing Experience’.”

Andre Moreira, Global Chief Creative Officer at T&P, said: “We wanted to move away from the usual ‘car on a winding road’ tropes and look under the skin of what makes a Lexus so unique. By deconstructing the car, we’re showing that these aren’t just technical specs, they are the result of real human obsession. When you see how much care goes into a single stitch or the way the light hits the paint, you realize that ‘Experience Amazing’ isn't just a slogan; it’s a promise that every tiny detail has been considered.”

• “SPACE”, a new immersive installation inspired by the new Lexus LS Concept, expressing the brand’s vision of “space” in the context of a luxury lifestyle
• Milan Design Week presentation also to feature four new works from Discover Together 2026, a collaboration between emerging creators and in-house Lexus designers
• This year’s theme, “Discover Your Space”, explores personal, private space in an unprecedented way, through immersive works that share the Lexus LS Concept as a motif
• On public view at the Superstudio Più in Milan from April 21 to 26

Lexus will present the world premiere of “SPACE”, an immersive installation inspired by its flagship Lexus LS Concept, at the 2026 Milan Design Week.

“SPACE” will be unveiled at the leading showcase for international design, taking place in Milan, Italy, from April 21 to 26. It will be presented together with four new works from Discover Together 2026, a collaboration with emerging creators and Lexus in-house designers, at the Superstudio Più in the heart of the city’s Tortona creative district.

“SPACE” and a new era of mobility

Ever since the brand was founded, Lexus has chartered its own course, challenging convention and redefining the principles of luxury mobility. Guided by its innovation mindset, it continues to push the boundaries for better products and services creating new experiences for its customers.

“SPACE” is shaped by Lexus’ constant pursuit of going beyond expectation and centres on the Lexus LS Concept to explore the meaning of “space” in the context of a modern luxury lifestyle.

Today the automotive industry is transitioning from the traditional concept of the car to a new era of mobility and future that will deliver freer movement and enriched lifestyles. Work, personal life and movement are becoming increasingly and seamlessly interconnected, empowering people to pursue lifestyles that can feel more authentic and fulfilling. In this future, mobility transforms from simple transportation into a new experience that reimagines space itself. “SPACE” is an opportunity to discover a new vision of mobility that is yet to be defined.

Discover Together

Launched in 2025, Discover Together is an initiative that brings together emerging creators who resonate with Lexus, transforming the brand’s vision and philosophy from their own perspectives into works that express new values. With the Lexus LS Concept as a shared motif, they have collaborated with Lexus to produce immersive, experiential works that explore the possibilities of space. These works will be unveiled at Milan Design Week 2026.

This year, the participants include include Kyotaro Hayashi and Yumi Kurotani (Japan), Guardini Ciuffreda Studio (Italy), Random Studio (the Netherlands) and a collaborative team bringing together Lexus in-house designers with master artisans of Japanese craftsmanship (Japan).

Official web page: https://discoverlexus.com/stories/discover-together

Exhibition information

Discover Together creator profiles

Kyotaro Hayashi & Yumi Kurotani

Kyotaro Hayashi (left) and Yumi Kurotani

Filmmaker Kyotaro Hayashi and art director Yumi Kurotani are a creative duo exploring light and sound, space and imagery and the distinctive textures inherent in physical materials. By delicately weaving together these diverse elements, they seek to create experiences centered on beauty and human sensibility.

Kyotaro Hayashi is a filmmaker and photographer who graduated from Tama Art University and went on to build his career at DRAWING AND MANUAL. His work has been recognised with numerous honours in Japan and internationally, including a Special Prize at the Venice Biennale and an iF DESIGN AWARD Gold. He is currently a part-time lecturer at Tama Art University. Yumi Kurotani works as an art director, photographer and ceramic artist. She graduated from the Department of Environmental Design at Tama Art University and studied at Aalto University in Finland, where she was exposed to Nordic design philosophy. After joining Shiseido’s Creative Division as a new graduate, she established her independent practice in 2023. Her work has received multiple awards, including the Gold Prize at the Japan Spatial Design Awards, a finalist selection for the FRAME Awards 2020 Window Display of the Year Grand Prix and an ACC Gold Award.

Their work together transforms light into a language that stirs emotion, while layers of space are elevated into narratives that speak to human memory. Rather than positioning their works as objects for quiet observation alone, they are conceived as immersive installations that invite visitors to sharpen their senses and venture deeply into the experience themselves. By fusing thoughtful design with intuitive aesthetics, they continue to pursue experiences that leave a profound sense of wonder and an unforgettable impression in the minds of those who encounter them.

https://www.kyotaro.org

https://www.yumikurotani.com

Gaurdini Ciuffreda Studio

From left: Giulia Giavatto, Riccardo Stufano, Ananya Jain, Luigi Ciuffreda and Tiziano Guardini

The Gaurdini Ciuffreda Studio is a team formed through collaboration with emerging designers. It centres on the studio’s founders, designer Tiziano Guardini and architect Luigi Ciuffreda, alongside Ananya Jain (architecture), Giulia Giavatto (interior design), and Riccardo Stufano (visual design).

The studio’s philosophy is deeply rooted in sustainability, material intelligence and natural systems, expressed through a design language defined by organic forms, tactile surfaces and aesthetics inspired by nature. Bridging fashion, architecture, interior and visual design, the studio places fashion and space at the core of its pursuit of a research-driven practice that dissolves the boundaries between space and material. Materials become a language and form is transformed into narrative. The work invites surprise and engagement, unfolding as experiential installations that are meant not only to be observed, but also to be felt, both physically and emotionally. 

 

https://guardiniciuffredastudio.it/

Random Studio

Members Daan Lucas (left) and Dominique Rokebrand. Not pictured: Morgan Maccari, Jeremy Faivre, Sander Plug, Sebastian Price, Andrew Hill, Victor Roussel.

Random Studio is an independent spatial experience design studio based in Amsterdam and Paris. Its practice centres on creating innovative spaces that inspire surprise and invite interaction.

Specialising in creative strategy, experience design, spatial design and interactive technology, the studio advances projects through a multidisciplinary team. They have collaborated across a wide range of fields, including exhibition spaces, retail experiences and applied innovation programmes.

Always exploring new ways to combine disciplines and drive innovation, the studio develops projects that translate ideas into environments people can step into, experience and remember.

www.random.studio

Lexus in-house designers

Members (clockwise from top left): Yuji Kuroda, Shikan Tategu Kogei Co. Ltd., Yuri Tamura, Lexus in-house designer, Shingo Yamashita, Lexus in-house wooden model craftsman, Kazuhiro Nakata, Tendo Mokko Co., Ltd., Moto Takabatake, Lexus in-house designer, Ryota Inagaki, Inagaki Sekizai-ten Co. Ltd.

In this collaborative team Lexus in-house designers join forces with master artisans of Japanese craftsmanship to take on the challenge of creating original Japanese art.

Their experience covers a rich and diverse array of skills and creativity: Kumiko craftsmanship from Shikan Tategu Kogei, passed down and continually refined over three generations in the foothills of the Suzuka Mountains in Mie; stone from Inagaki Sekizai-ten, which has pursued the beauty and potential of stone for more than a century; the tradition and innovation of Tendo Mokko’s bentwood, revealing new possibilities for wood through moulded plywood; and the handiwork of a WorldSkills Olympics champion wooden model craftsman whose skills have long supported Toyota’s car making. Through Lexus’ imagination, these elements are brought together and elevated into a form of art that transcends time.

Shingo Yamashita, LEXUS in house wooden model craftsman: https://toyotatimes.jp/series/masters/049.html

Yuji Kuroda, Shikan Tategu Kogei Co. Ltd.: https://www.sashikan.com/ 
Ryota Inagaki, Inagaki Sekizai-ten Co. Ltd.: https://inase-utsuwa.com/ 
Kazuhiro Nakata, Tendo Mokko Co. Ltd.: https://www.tendo-mokko.co.jp/

• Lexus’ all-new premium model interprets classic sedan styling for the electrified era
• New model adopts signature Lexus features, including a spindle body
• Sleek, streamlined silhouette with tapering cabin and sweeping rear end
• “Clean Tech and Elegance” interior design principles produce an open, roomy and sleek cabin space
• All-new Lexus ES to be introduced in Europe later in 2026

Across seven generations, right from the launch of the Lexus brand more than 35 years ago, the ES has distinguished itself as an elegant luxury sedan of classic proportions. Lexus designers were challenged to reinterpret these qualities as they worked on producing not just an all-new model, but the first ES to adopt a fully electric powertrain, scheduled for introduction in Europe later in 2026.

The concept was defined by the term “Clean Tech x Elegance,” signifying a harmonious combination of functional, technology-inspired design with styling that expresses the premium quality and hand-crafted luxury that are fundamental to the ES and the Lexus brand. 

Lexus International Chief Designer Yahiko Kumai explains that the car goes beyond being a simple evolution of the current ES. More than that, it was developed using a new approach with the team starting with an “super-ideal” design, then refining it into something that could be delivered, rather than working incrementally from the existing model’s design.

A sedan with new proportions

The all-new ES is built on Lexus’ global architecture K-platform, redesigned to accommodate the model’s electrified powertrains. The design team applied the “golden ratio” principle to achieve an ideal relationship between the car’s dimensions (wheelbase, length, height and width) to create a sedan that is both elegant and visually striking and which offers SUV-like interior space. “Finding the optimum proportions and a silhouette that expresses the stylishness of a sedan was our main focus”, says Kumai.

Sporty and elegant frontal design

Viewed from the front, the all-new ES displays the signature Lexus spindle body, extending across the bonnet to the edges of the bumper. Chief Designer Kumai wanted to retain a wide and low “face” and to keep the height of the front wings low and so preserve the characteristic look of a premium sedan. “The height difference adds a sporty touch while keeping a suitably dynamic sedan-style expression,” he explains.

The car also displays a new spindle body that rises from the low-set nose. The distinctive shape expresses its electrified power – both battery electric and full hybrid – and makes the car instantly recognisable as a Lexus on the street. Details include a new front light arrangement that creates a twin L-shape, a new signature for Lexus’ electrified models.

Sleek and elegant side view

The side view was crucial in ensuring the car expressed the elegant look of a sedan. Taking the height increase into account, the desired result was achieved by introducing a black side moulding. The effect is a reduction in the perceived height of the car, creating a slimmer, longer and sleeker appearance. The moulding is also used as design feature to link the front and rear sections of the vehicle.

The flowing silhouette creates a “trunkless” look with the cabin tapering to the rear. The contrasting lower body comprises both planar and sculpted surfaces and muscular aerodynamically efficient shoulders that are powerfully contoured and give the ES a “leap forward” profile.

A sweeping rear end

Chief Designer Kumai is particularly proud of the rear end design, which captures the smooth, flowing rearward sweep that has been a characteristic of successive ES models.

“The shape that cuts through the rearmost volume is a dynamic surface, unprecedented on sedan. We were very particular about its appearance and have a produced a beautiful broad surface. It gives the car an incredibly well-planted silhouette and while we have retained ample space in the cabin, it is strongly tapered to control airflow,” he explains. This tapering also emphasises the car’s low centre of gravity, generating a sporty and athletic look.

The rear illumination includes L-signature lights and a single, seamless light bar that integrates the LEXUS logo and incorporates the tail and stop lights. As well as amplifying the wide stance and enhancing the sculpted rear profile, the light bar also contributes to aerodynamic performance and the management of airflow away from the back of the car.

Interior – simple and modern luxury

The basic design principle for crafting the new ES’s interior was “Clean Tech and Elegance,” producing a simple and modern aesthetic. Chief Designer Kumai talks of “eliminating visual noise” when describing how surfaces have been rendered clean and uncluttered, focusing on the priorities for a roomy and comfortable space.

Lexus recognises the importance of physical controls, not least for safety reasons, but has produced a solution – Hidden Switches – that combines practicality with a new aesthetic. Reflecting the Lexus hospitality principle of Omotenashi, the switches have a minimalist, unobtrusive design that blends seamlessly with the interior. When the car is turned off, the switches are not visible beneath the dashboard upholstery; when the driver switches the car on, they light up and are revealed. While having the smooth look of a touch-panel, the switches give satisfying tactile feedback when used.

The designers used printing and light transmission technology to create a Lexus-first surface-emitting illumination. A bamboo-effect film is used for the door panel trims and is layered using advanced printing techniques. Light transmission technology then creates a surface illumination effect over the panels that is perfectly synchronised with the cabin’s ambient illumination.

Seat design has been rethought to create a slimmer look and a profile that doesn’t intrude in the cabin space. Where car seats traditionally have a large, solid form that is completely upholstered, the design team divided the seat into two parts, each one covered separately.

The cockpit design follows Lexus’ Tazuna principle, focusing the driver’s attention on the road ahead by arranging controls and information sources so they can be operated and recognised with just the slightest movement of hand and eye.

The upper section is wide open to prioritise the driver’s view, while the instrument combimeter is presented in an asymmetrical 12.3-inch digital array, allowing for a lower meter hood to be used. Material quality is raised with soft leather-like accents and dynamic lighting effects.

• Lexus-first steer-by-wire system debuts in the new RZ electric SUV
• Performance reinforces the Lexus Driving Signature – driver confidence, control and comfort at all times
• Innovation with multiple rewards – precision, responsiveness and constant sense of connection between the driver and the road
• A core technology in the delivery of next-level autonomous driving
• Steering inputs transmitted as electronic signals to the front wheels, with prompt and direct response, strengthening the dialogue between driver and car
• New-design compact steering wheel with hand and-over-hand wheel turning almost eliminated
• System communicates relevant feedback from the tyres, with unwanted vibrations filtered out
• Steer-by-wire and Lexus’ DIRECT4 electric all-wheel drive synchronise to elevate the driving experience 

Lexus has a proud history of technical innovation. It constantly explores opportunities to raise levels of safety, performance, comfort and, not least, driver rewards. It’s in this spirit that it has successfully introduced the Lexus-first steer-by-wire system, a radical technology that brings a new dimension to the driving experience.

Making its debut in the new RZ electric luxury SUV, Lexus steer-by-wire offers a duality of rewards. It delivers the control, precision and instant, faithful response that are valued by the world’s top professional drivers. At the same time, it is smooth and easy to use and generates a reassuring sense of constant connection with the road, building the driver’s dialogue with their vehicle and enhancing the pure pleasure of being at the wheel.

As well as being responsive and intuitive to operate, the system filters out unwanted vibration, opens up the cockpit for a clearer forward view and enhances the pure pleasure of driving.

Furthermore, steer-by-wire is a core technology in the development of next-level autonomous driving.

The technology: steering by electronic signals

Unlike a conventional mechanical steering system, Lexus’ steer-by-wire has no mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the front wheels. Instead, the driver’s steering inputs are communicated as electronic signals, relayed via a steering torque actuator to a steering control actuator on the front axle. Response is quick and direct, inspiring confidence.

Safeguards are in place, with a back-up system that will intervene immediately to provide uninterrupted performance, should the steering system experience any issues.

The new-look steering wheel

The driver uses a compact, new-look steering wheel. Designed without the traditional upper and lower curved sections, it is visually like the controls found in an aircraft. This not simply a design exercise: steer-by-wire allows for the lock-to-lock turn angle to be set to plus or minus 200 degrees. Steering thus becomes easier, with the need for hand-over-hand turns almost eliminated. Just small movements are all that’s required, with the driver “aiming” the car in the direction they want to travel.

The wheel’s compact dimensions have allowed for the driver’s cockpit to be opened up, with a clearer, uninterrupted view of the road ahead and more space between the wheel and their legs.

This further enhances the fundamental qualities of the “Tazuna” concept cockpit design, which prioritises the driver’s forward focus by organising controls, instruments and information displays so they can be used with minimal movement of hand or eye.

Steering that adapts to the situation

Lexus’ steer-by-wire has the added benefit of a variable steering gear ratio that automatically optimises performance according to vehicle speed.

Steering operates at a lower ratio in low-speed situations, making manoeuvring effortless when turning at an intersection or navigating a parking space. At medium speeds, for example when driving on winding roads, only minimal inputs are required for nimble, exhilarating and fun-to-drive performance. And at high speed, the ratio is automatically increased to promote stable vehicle behaviour and a confident driving experience.

Feedback from the road

As well as receiving electronic signals from the steering wheel, the Steering Control Actuator senses forces generated from the road surface. It is able to filter out unwanted vibrations, for example from the brakes or generated by sudden tyre movements on uneven surfaces, and transmit feedback to the steering wheel via the Steering Torque Actuator.

This means the driver still receives authentic and accurate feedback. A clear steering feel gives them a constant sense of connection with the road and a natural sense of how the car is behaving.

With steer-by-wire, the wheels are also less likely to move contrary to the driver’s intention, even when driving on slopes.

Compatibility with battery electric technology

As well as being able to adjust operation according to the driving situation, the steer-by-wire works in combination with Lexus’ precise and highly responsive DIRECT4 electric all-wheel drive system. Together, they produce closer, more rewarding synchronisation of the driver’s actions and the car’s behaviour, raising the level of driving rewards.

Lexus steer-by-wire is available now, provided as standard on the new RZ 550e F SPORT, together with DIRECT4 electric all-wheel drive and the groundbreaking new Interactive Manual Drive. It is also available as an option, with DIRECT4, on the new RZ 500e Luxury model.
 

• World premiere of the Lexus LFA Concept

• A BEV sports car concept designed to embody Lexus’ “Discover Immersion” and exceed customers’ expectations

• Concept shares core technologies and aspirations with the GR GT and GR GT3 while exploring the potential of BEV sports cars

Lexus today presented the world premiere of the Lexus LFA Concept, a study for a battery electric vehicle (BEV) sports car.

Born from the strong conviction of Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) Chairman Akio Toyoda, aka Master Driver Morizo, that certain car-making techniques and skills must be preserved and passed on to the next generation, the Lexus LFA Concept is a BEV sports car concept model being developed alongside TOYOTA GAZOO Racing’s GR GT and GR GT3.

Following in the footsteps of the Toyota 2000GT and Lexus LFA, the Lexus LFA Concept embodies Toyota’s “Shikinen Sengu” principle of techniques and skills being passed on by car-making veterans to a younger generation so they can be learned and evolved. While pursuing both driving performance and styling excellence, Lexus is striving in a “one-team” effort to create a BEV sports car that exceeds its customers’ expectations.

Lexus intends to continue taking on the challenges of the future of car-making through ever-more refined electrification technologies and inherited techniques and skills.

A next-generation BEV sports car that shares the aspirations behind the GR GT and GR GT3

The Lexus LFA Concept is a next-generation sports car concept model that embodies, along with the GR GT and GR GT3, Toyota’s “Shikinen Sengu”. Centred on the three key elements of a low centre of gravity, low weight with high rigidity and the pursuit of aerodynamic performance, it shares the techniques and skills used in developing the GR GT and GR GT3 while exploring potential that is unique to BEVs.

Lexus began with elements such as a light, high-rigidity all-aluminium body frame and an ideal driving position that enhances the sense of unity between car and driver. Lexus, a leader in vehicle electrification, has given form to a sports car that is fit for the electrification era with a desire to deliver driving pleasure and demonstrate the potential of BEV sports cars. Its pursuit of optimal BEV packaging has resulted in a fusion of high-level driving performance, stemming from the GR GT and GR GT3, and timeless styling that will prevail well into the next generation.

The model name “LFA” is not bound to vehicles powered by internal combustion engines. It symbolises a vehicle that embodies technologies its engineers should preserve and pass on to the next generation. From the past to the future: the Lexus LFA Concept is a testament to how Lexus is preserving and passing on the value of sports cars and car-making knowledge so they can be retained and evolved.

“Discover Immersion”—a new immersive driving experience

The thrill of driving is a constant value in the appeal of sports cars, even as times change. The Lexus LFA Concept is conceived as a car that can enable deeper and purer enjoyment of that quality, drawing the driver into an immersive experience like no other before. This is the essence of “Discover Immersion”.

The sense of immersion was born from the pursuit of achieving a high level of fusion between aerodynamic performance and sculptural beauty. The cockpit, centred on an ideal driving position, has been refined down to the minutest details. The harmony of function and beauty in the overall design transforms operation into an extension of the driver’s consciousness, deeply immersing them in the driving experience

Highly flexible packaging and beautifully balanced styling made possible by being a BEV

The Lexus LFA Concept pursues a refined styling balance of timeless value that will prevail well into the next generation. Using the all-aluminum body frame of the GR GT as its base has resulted in a form that maximises sports car performance. At the same time, its low, flowing nose-to-rear silhouette inherits the Lexus LFA’s sculptural beauty while displaying classic coupe proportions. It presents a new ideal sports car form with universal appeal that transcends boundaries of nations, cultures and time, and stirs the heart.

Lexus LFA Concept exterior

An immersive cockpit created by the ideal driving position

The immersive cockpit features the same ideal driving position as the GR GT and GR GT3, enhancing the sense of unity between car and driver to deliver unprecedented driving pleasure.

The interior has been crafted with simplicity throughout, with functional components located around the driver, generating a sense of anticipation. The steering wheel has been designed for sports car use, eliminating the need for changing the hand grip as you turn, while the layout of the switches makes blind-touch operation possible for intuitive vehicle control. Overall, the minimalist approach weaves together the appeal of mechanical design and a simple interior space to create a uniquely immersive environment.

Lexus LFA Concept interior

Lexus LFA Concept

The Lexus LFA Concept is a BEV sports car concept model, the exterior and interior of which were revealed as the “Lexus Sport Concept” at Monterey Car Week and the Japan Mobility Show in 2025. It is now being announced anew with partial specifications and a new name.

Lexus LFA Concept main specifications

^* Shikinen Sengu: A ritual in which a Shinto shrine is periodically rebuilt

The event will be live-streamed (with English interpretation) on this webpage : https://global.toyota/en/newsroom/corporate/43567793.html

Following the premiere, a video of the presentation will be archived and the full text of the presentation and official photos will also be posted on this page.

In addition to this site, the live stream can also be watched on an official YouTube channel. A reminder can be set by logging in to your YouTube account and accessing the URL below.

YouTube: 　　https://youtube.com/live/vavduEEE85k
 

Live stream details

Date/Time:

Friday, December 5, 11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. JST / 03:00 am – 03:30 am CET

* The time may be subject to change depending on circumstances.

Language:

Japanese /English (English interpretation provided)

Toyota Motor Corporation Attendees:

Akio Toyoda, Chairman of the Board of Directors (Representative Director)

Simon Humphries, Operating Officer, Chief Branding Officer

Lexus brought the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season to a successful finish with victory in the hotly-contested LMGT3 category at the 8 Hours of Bahrain.

Lexus is establishing its performance credentials by challenging more established racing brands and pushing boundaries, while providing opportunities for drivers – including young hopefuls and ambitious gentlemen drivers – to participate at the highest level of sportscar competition.

The #87 Lexus RC F LMGT3, entered by the AKKODIS ASP team and driven by Petru Umbrarescu (Romania), Clemens Schmid (Austria) and José María López (Argentina), started the race from fourth position.

From the start of the race, the Lexus RC G LMGT3 showed impressive performance against intense competition. The #87 Lexus RC F LMGT3 negotiated a challenging eight hours around the demanding Bahrain International Circuit to take the chequered flag in first place.

The #78 car of Arnold Robin (France), Finn Gerhsitz (Germany) and Ben Barnicoat (Great Britain) had set the pole position time on Friday but suffered misfortune in the race.

Victory secured a podium finish in the final standings as well, with the #87 Lexus RC F LMGT3 finishing third in the 2025 FIA Endurance Trophy for LMGT3 Teams in just Lexus’ second season in the World Championship.

The RC F LMGT3 is an authentic racing version of the high-performance RC F coupe which is homologated for competition, and a relative newcomer to WEC competition, having made its debut in February 2024. Since then, the AKKODIS ASP team and its drivers have grown stronger together with their RC F LMGT3 and finishes the season as a multiple race winner.

Lexus today announces that it will continue its successful association with the ATP in a further three-year partnership with the top tier of men’s international professional tennis. From 2026 to 2028 the luxury brand will again be the Official Automotive Partner and Platinum Partner of the ATP Tour, building on the relationship it first forged in 2023.

Driven by a spirit of innovation and a passion for creating memorable experiences, Lexus brings its unique vision to the world of tennis — where emotion, elegance, and performance come together in perfect harmony. This partnership reflects the values our customers care about most: refined performance, personal choice, and a commitment to excellence — both on the road and on the court.

Andre Schmidt, Head of Lexus Europe, commented: “Lexus’ partnership with the ATP Tour reflects our shared commitment to excellence, precision, and passion — values that resonate deeply with our brand. Through our electrified portfolio, we offer a range of choices that make luxury a personal experience, perfectly aligned with the spirit of world-class tennis.”

Eno Polo, ATP CEO, said: “Lexus is a partner that truly adds value to our Tour. Since we began our journey together, they have shown a genuine commitment to tennis – elevating the experience for our players and staff at key events and helping advance our sustainability efforts through ATP Serves. That purpose-led approach is what makes this partnership stand out. We’re proud to keep building on this.”

The Lexus brand enjoys synergies with the world of premier tennis competition, sharing a dedication to excellence and achievement founded on attention to detail and continuous improvement.

Lexus also confirms that it will feature as the Official Automotive Partner and Platinum Partner of the Nitto ATP Finals, the season climax contested by the world’s eight top-ranked men’s singles and doubles players.

Lexus plays a key role at the Rolex Paris Masters as the Official Car of the tournament, reinforcing its presence across the ATP Tour and its dedication to supporting world-class tennis events.

Lexus will continue to help build fan engagement with tennis and its brand in its role as Title Partner of ATP Head2Head, the online series in which top stars are pitted against each other in a variety of fun sporting contests away from the tennis arena.

Lexus will continue to provide a fleet of electrified vehicles at sponsored events to support the transportation of players, officials and guests. With a portfolio of self-charging hybrid, plug-in hybrid and all-electric models, the brand’s leadership in electrification aligns closely with the ATP Tour’s sustainability ambitions under ATP Serves and UN Sports for Climate Action, which targets Net Zero emissions by 2040.

The partnership will deliver local Lexus sponsorship of ATP Tour tournaments in key locations throughout 2026, detailed below. Lexus will also continue to support several WTA and ATP Challenger Tour events through its partnership with the LTA.

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ABOUT LEXUS

Launched in 1989, Lexus is a global luxury lifestyle brand offering a full range of premium vehicles in Europe, including the LBX, UX, NX, RZ and RX crossovers, the GX and LX SUVs, the ES sedan and the LM “Luxury Mover” people carrier.

Lexus seeks to ‘make luxury personal’ through imaginative technology, meticulous craftsmanship, refined elegance, and ‘omotenashi’ - the Japanese tradition of providing the finest hospitality.

With more than 3.5 million self-charging hybrid, plug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicles sold so far worldwide, the Lexus Electrified vision is built on the brand’s experience of electrified vehicles and targets a fundamental leap in vehicle performance, handling, control, and driver enjoyment through electrification technologies.

In 2024, Lexus delivered more than 850,000 vehicles globally including a record 88,184 in Europe, of which more than 90% were electrified.

ABOUT The ATP

As a global governing body of men’s professional tennis, the ATP’s mission is to serve tennis. We entertain a billion global fans, showcase the world’s greatest players at the most prestigious tournaments, and inspire the next generation of fans and players. From the United Cup in Australia, to Europe, the Americas and Asia, the

stars of the game battle for titles and PIF ATP Rankings points at ATP Masters 1000, 500 and 250 events, and Grand Slams. All roads lead towards the Nitto ATP Finals, the prestigious season finale held in Turin, Italy.

Featuring only the world’s top 8 qualified singles players and doubles teams, the tournament also sees the official crowning of the year-end ATP World No. 1, presented by PIF, the ultimate achievement in tennis. For more information, please visit www.ATPTour.com.

The following press materials are now available:

• Replay of the Toyota, Lexus and Century press conferences
• Toyota Group press conference script
• Lexus press conference script
• Century press conference script
• Pictures of Century, Lexus and Toyota displayed vehicles and press conferences

It is further reward for a groundbreaking initiative which has seen thousands of passengers enjoy Lexus’ unique Omotenashi hospitality in stylish and luxurious surroundings. The lounge concept complements the distinctive attention to luxury detail the brand invests in its cars, anticipating the needs and preferences of travellers and drivers alike.  

Dominique Bloch, THE LOFT Project Manager at Lexus Europe, commented: “Lexus has brought its spirit of Omotenashi and Making Luxury Personal to life in THE LOFT, not only through the lounge's design, but also by inspiring the lounge staff, creating a unique experience for passengers. We’re proud of the teams who have so naturally embraced and embodied Lexus values; this award is for them.”

Yves Bernaerts, Lounge Manager, Brussels Airlines, said: “This lounge has been recognised seven times as Europe’s Leading Airline Lounge because we never took the award for granted. Over the years we have consistently worked to ensure that we remain at the top.”

The original concept for the lounge took Lexus beyond the automotive world to expand its profile as an international luxury brand. Focusing on the principle of Omotenashi, the venue was designed to offer guests the highest level of hospitality service, anticipating their needs and providing them with a welcoming place in which to relax, work or recharge. 

Facilities included individual spa rooms with Grohe showers; dedicated spaces for work or relaxation; shiatsu massage chairs; and sleep rooms with starlight-effect ceilings. Hot and cold food is served and the venue even has its own in-house chocolatier. Visitors to the lounge, which extends to more than 2,000m², are welcomed by Lexus ambassadors, who have earned particular praise for their exceptional efforts to ensure all guests enjoy the best possible experience.

• Lexus luxury that engages all the human senses
• Making luxury personal for every customer
• Colours, materials and finishes key to the sensory experience
• Givaudan, bringing fragrance to the journey
• Audio excellence with Mark Levinson

The Lexus approach to luxury is not defined by a single element. It’s about the complete experience when you’re inside your car.

As driver or passenger in a Lexus, everything you see, hear, touch and even smell combines in harmony to create a perfect multisensory environment.

What’s more, you can adjust the elements to suit your mood or the type of journey you’re making.

Feed your wellbeing with calming lighting and soothing sounds. Or energise your trip with refreshing fragrances and up-tempo beats.

It’s an attention to detail that requires craftsmanship skills, deep insights into human sensory perceptions and the application of precision technologies.

Today Lexus designers and its specialist partners are brought together in a mission to break new boundaries in multisensory experiences, closely monitoring the latest trends, pursuing sustainable solutions and taking the concept of the in-car luxury experience to an even higher level.

MAKING LUXURY PERSONAL WITH THE LEXUS LBX

Lexus’ wants to “make luxury personal”. That means giving every car owner more opportunities to make their car an expression of their individual style and values.

It’s an approach that’s being pioneered with the LBX, Lexus’ groundbreaking new small SUV.

This is an authentic Lexus in every detail, but it opens up new interpretations of luxury. Your car not just a means of travelling from A to B, but a place where you can live your life – in comfort, connected, rewarded, safe and secure.

That’s the message in Lexus new “Living in my LBX” campaign.

Rather than traditional luxury, the LBX offers something that’s more in tune with today’s desire for a more relaxed “premium casual” feel.

This contemporary twist means options for bolder colours inside and out, new upholstery textures, eye-catching detailing and tactile finishes, pleasing to the eye and rewarding to the touch. But the LBX is still very much a “Lexus” in every detail, delivering luxury beyond what customers might expect in a car of its size.

To emphasise the importance of how you feel inside your car, the LBX doesn’t conform to the familiar grade structure where at each level you pay more for extra comfort and features.

Instead, you choose from different Atmospheres, where individual details are harmonised to create a different mood and feel. It’s your choice from Elegant, Relax, Emotion and Cool, each evoking a contrasting character through style and sensory appeal.

COLOUR, MATERIAL, FINISH: THE LOOK AND FEEL OF MODERN LUXURY

How a car looks is the first thing you will notice, and that includes interior furnishings that you will experience on every journey you make. That makes Colour, Material and Finish – CMF for short – a critical consideration for vehicle designers.

The Lexus philosophy

There are three guiding principles in Lexus design: -

• Omotenashi – the Japanese spirit of hospitality and service
• Takumi – the finest craftsmanship, rooted in artisan traditions
• Time – applying a respect for Japanese heritage and tradition to create a valuable experience whenever you spend time in a car
• “Time” is the foundation on which we design our products. We don’t want just to make beautiful products, we also focus on how people will experience their time in our cars.

Viviana Hohenstein is a Lexus designer and specialist in CMF, working at our European Design and Development centre in the South of France. She explains: “We want to provide meaningful value for our customers, society and the planet. For us, sustainability goes beyond reducing CO₂. It involves respecting ‘Time,’ preserving our heritage while also bringing innovation to craftsmanship to create products that deliver value and appeal to our customers.”

Lexus sensory luxury evolution

It began with the first Lexus. In 1989 the LS, the original Lexus limousine, introduced an authentic Japanese flavour to luxury motoring. Finest soft leathers, rich wood trims and calming tones were all applied with a minimalist aesthetic.

The approach has evolved with the times. Colours, materials and finish have been used to help give cars a stronger emotional quality and, more recently, an edgier feel, while remaining true to an essentially Japanese concept of luxury.

“We are now in an era of CMF design that uses sensory experiences to create personalised and immersive luxury,” says Viviana Hohenstein. “Today, the role of CMF is not limited to visual and surface aesthetics. It is also about sound, touch and smell, using all five human senses to optimise the user experience.”

Concept

The CMF design process breaks down into two principal areas: Concept and Execution.

In the Concept phase, we define our mission statement and design narratives, then explore inspirations and research.

In the Execution phase, we curate different physical materials and colours we want to use. Software is used for digital visualisation, then we move to sensory design development before creation of the actual physical design.

Execution

In the execution phase, Lexus transforms CMF concepts into reality through a structured, multi-sensory design process. This phase is where inspiration, research, and narrative are translated into tangible materials, colours, and finishes that define the look and feel of each vehicle.

Innovation with tradition

Japanese textile traditions have developed over more than 1,200 years.  Today, Lexus’ CMF designers explore how long-established materials and techniques can be used to create something new in contemporary design.

It’s another example of how Lexus applies its Time principle to preserve heritage while bringing innovation to craftsmanship to create appealing products for today.

Bamboo – a sustainable option, rooted in culture

Bamboo has been a familiar part of daily life in Japan for centuries, used for many different purposes, from furniture and storage to tools and transport.

Lexus has been pioneering the use of bamboo in its cars as a versatile and sustainable material that has less environmental impact. As a raw material, it can be transformed into a great range of materials, from an alternative to leather and plastic to composite materials and carpet textiles.

Using bamboo contributes to a circular design principle, while delivering something that feels luxurious while being responsible. You will see it featured prominently in many of our latest advanced car concepts and production models. Promoting its use also reflects Lexus’ commitment to society and its desire to “give something back” to the communities in Japan that produce and harvest bamboo.

GIVAUDAN, A WORLD LEADER IN FRAGRANCE

Givaudan is a world leader in fragrance, beauty, tastes and well-being, making it an ideal partner in Lexus’ exploration of new sensory experiences.

Givaudan celebrates the beauty of human experience by creating for happier, healthier lives with love for nature. Its Fragrance and Beauty unit crafts inspired fragrances to perfume lives and memories, and develops innovative beauty and wellbeing solutions that make people look and feel good all over the world.

Drawing on more than 250 years of creativity and innovation, nature is both Givaudan’s responsibility and most precious muse. Givaudan is just as committed to sustainability as it is to creating innovative products that satisfy consumer needs and anticipate their desires.

With a collaborative approach that favours co-creation, Givaudan has built a diverse portfolio across personal care, fabric care, hygiene, home care, fine fragrances, and beauty, reflecting its multidisciplinary expertise.

The power of smell

Smell is a critical element in our sensory experiences. It’s one of the first senses we develop from birth and one of the most sensitive.

There are 20 million receptor neurons in our noses, giving us the ability to detect around 1 trillion different smells. Every day, smell will trigger up to three quarters of our emotional responses.

A creative partnership

With a shared commitment to craftsmanship, creativity and passion, Givaudan and Lexus are working together to create in-car fragrance systems which can add another dimension to every journey.

This partnership focuses on: -

• Authenticity
• Sustainability
• Innovation
• Emotion

 Givaudan has produced a new bamboo accord that has been tailored specifically for Lexus to create a signature element in five new fragrances developed for use in its future vehicles. It is designed to express a unique perfume that captures the atmosphere of Japan’s bamboo forests. 

Using bamboo as a natural source connects with its wider use by Lexus as a sustainable material with the potential for multiple applications – from in-car trims to textiles and alternatives to plastic and leather.

A sensory concierge for your journey

The upcoming all-new Lexus ES luxury sedan will be the first model to offer a Sensory Concierge*, a system that seamlessly co-ordinates the car’s climate control, interior lighting and fragrance options to create an appropriate mood. That might be calming, refreshing, energising or relaxing, according to personal taste or the purpose of the trip.

This innovation is a demonstration of Lexus’ commitment to “making luxury personal”. It also aligns with its principle of Omotenashi, using the finest traditions of Japanese hospitality to deliver complete comfort and convenience for every driver and passenger.

 *Initially to be made available in China

MARK LEVINSON: THE RECIPE FOR AUDIO EXCELLENCE

The world’s finest chefs will tell you that successful recipes are about the best balance of ingredients, flavours and textures. The same approach can be applied to achieving the finest sound reproduction from a prestige audio system.

Partners for more than a quarter of a century

Mark Levinson, part of the HARMAN International Corporation, has been Lexus’ exclusive premium audio partner for more than 25 years. Today, every new Lexus model gives customers the option to enjoy exceptional on-board entertainment from bespoke systems, specifically tailored to the shape and size of the car’s interior.

In fact, Mark Levinson acoustics specialists work alongside Lexus’ designers and engineers from the early stages of new car development to be sure of delivering the best results.

And performance must be consistent, whatever style of music or performance you prefer. Whether it’s the grandeur of a symphony hall, the intimacy of a jazz club or the thrill of stadium show, Mark Levinson’s systems for Lexus are designed to give you the sense of being at the heart of the event.

Full-blooded, balanced and clear

The near-silent LBX cabin provides the perfect setting for the new custom-engineered 13-speaker Mark Levinson^® Premium Sound audio, including a 22.4 cm subwoofer beneath the load space floor.

Using the new Mark Levinson Quantum Logic Surround Technology with Clari-Fi®, this array creates an accurate and full-blooded sound stage with smoothly balanced frequency characteristics and high clarity and definition.

GOURMET TASTES BROUGHT TO THE ROADSIDE WITH OMOTENASHI-ON-THE-GO

Lexus is taking its principle of Omotenashi supreme hospitality beyond the car to serve up a unique take on the roadside food truck.

Omotenashi-on-the-Go offers taste sensations with haute cuisine presented by a sleek and stylish mobile kitchen.

This is no conventional vehicle. Measuring more than six metres long, weighing two tonnes and finished in an elegant, black and copper Lexus livery, it is an innovative interpretation of the brand’s aesthetic DNA.

“We didn’t simply want a food truck. We wanted an authentic piece of automotive design, where every curve, texture and finish speak the Lexus language,” the Lexus Europe design team explains.

The interior displays all the attention to detail you would find in a Lexus luxury car. It has been conceived working with professional chefs and includes high-performance stoves, precision cooling systems and ergonomic preparation stations.

It has the capacity to serve more than 50 guests simultaneously.

As well as being a highly functional space, it is finished in fine quality materials with copper, wood and ceramics integrated in a countertop that’s inspired by the grille featured on Lexus vehicles.

The sensory experience is not confined to the taste of top-quality dishes. One of the most distinctive elements of the interior is the “Iris” lamps. These were created by German designer Sebastian Scherer, who won the Lexus Design Award in 2014.

Evoking the beauty of soap bubbles, the lamps have delicate blown glass spheres. These emit iridescent reflections that change colour according to the angle of view. Each unit is a suspended sculptural piece that transforms the space and generates a warm, enveloping light.

There are great sounds to enjoy, too, with a Mark Levinson audio system that has been integrated in the food truck’s interior.

“It’s about recreating the sound experience of a Lexus in a completely different environment. We want people not just to listen but to also feel the music,” the development team explains.

Lexus is delighted to celebrate the winners of the 2025 Lexus Kiwami Awards, recognising the top-performing centres across its European region.

Since their introduction in 2016, the Kiwami (“outstanding excellence”) Awards have highlighted the dedication and innovation of our retailers. With more than 340 official Lexus centres eligible this year, the level of competition and achievement has been truly inspiring.

This year, 19 retailers have been recognised for their exceptional business performance and their commitment to delivering the unique Lexus experience, defined by “Omotenashi” hospitality. Each winner embodies our philosophy of ‘making luxury personal’, with retailer staff demonstrating exceptional attention to detail—not only in how they prepare for every customer interaction, but in every aspect of their day-to-day operations. This dedication ensures that every guest is treated with the care and consideration reserved for someone welcomed into one’s home.

Andre Schmidt, Head of Lexus and Omnichannel Experience at Toyota Motor Europe, commented: “The Kiwami Awards are a testament to the passion and dedication of our retailer partners. Each winner has demonstrated not only outstanding business performance, but also a deep commitment to delivering a one-of-a-kind personalised hospitality that defines Lexus. My sincere congratulation goes to all this year’s winners—your achievements are an inspiration to the whole Lexus family in Europe to continuously raise the bar for excellence. And it is exactly this relentless focus on delighting our customer that is fuelling our growth in Europe”

Our winners have enjoyed an unforgettable three-day experience in Budapest from 11th to 13th September, blending immersive team-building, a gala evening, and creative cultural activities inspired by the city’s rich traditions. It was an inspiring mix of creativity, challenge, collaboration and celebration—an experience beyond the ordinary.

Congratulations to all our winners for setting new standards in business and customer service. Your passion and commitment continue to drive Lexus forward.

The 2025 Kiwami Award winners:

Lexus Bergamo - Italy

Lexus Cambridge – United Kingdom

Lexus Coruña-Vigo - Spain

Lexus Frankfurt - Germany

Lexus Fréjus - France

Lexus Galway - Ireland

Lexus Haifa - Israel

Lexus Kifisias - Greece

Lexus Leipzig - Germany

Lexus Odesa - Ukraine

Lexus Orléans - France

Lexus Ostrava – Czech Republic

Lexus Sevilla - Spain

Lexus Shymkent - Kazakhstan

Lexus Stoke - United Kingdom

Lexus Szczecin - Poland

Lexus Tbilisi - Georgia

Lexus Vicenza - Italy

Lexus Warszawa-Wola - Poland

• Completion of another successful festival with Lexus as Sponsor and Official Car 
• Stars of the movie world accompanied to red carpet events by Lexus’ fleet of electrified luxury models 
• Showcase for a preview of the all-new Lexus ES sedan 
• Presentation of the Lexus Visionary Award at Venice Film Week’s Reply AI Film Festival 

The 82^nd Venice International Film Festival – La Biennale di Venezia – has reached its conclusion with the competition jury awarding the prestigious Golden Lion to Jim Jarmusch, director of the feature Father Mother Sister Brother. This year’s edition maintained the festival’s fine tradition of presenting audiences with films that excited and stirred the emotions.

Artists, creators and international guests were once again accompanied to red carpet events at the Palazzo del Cinema by cars from Lexus’ electrified range. As a Sponsor and the festival’s Official Car, Lexus provided a fleet of 30 luxury vehicles, ranging from the compact UX to the spacious NX and RX SUVs, together with the pure electric RZ crossover.

Travelling the roads around the Venice Lido, they demonstrated the breadth of Lexus’ electrification technologies, with full hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery electric models. This multi-technology approach is based on Lexus’ belief that there is no single solution for sustainable mobility and that a range of options are required to suit different users’ requirements. 

This year’s festival provided a high-profile showcase for a preview of the next Lexus innovation, the all-new ES flagship sedan. This upcoming model is rich in the qualities that define the Lexus brand, with exceptional attention to detail, precision craftsmanship and the application of advanced technologies for performance, safety, connectivity and comfort.

The festival experience reaffirmed the connection between Lexus and the world of film-making with their common desire to deliver unique and unforgettable experiences, whether on a grand scale, or in small but telling details.

The Lexus Visionary Award

It is in this shared creative spirit that Venice Film Week 2025 saw the presentation of the Lexus Visionary Award. This was a special prize in the second edition of the Reply AI Film Festival, an international competition is for creatives, directors and video makers producing short films using Artificial Intelligence tools. The festival jury was chaired by Italian film director and screenwriter Gabriele Muccino and included Paolo Moroni, Director of Lexus Italy.

Paolo Moroni had the honour of presenting the Lexus Visionary Award to Marcello Costa Jr. for his work “Instinct”.

Through its participation in the Reply AI Film Festival, Lexus sought to promote innovation as a tool for creating works that stimulate authentic emotions and a deep sense of connection. As AI helps cinema evolve, so Lexus is also exploring new technological languages to transform the driving experience.

At the conclusion of the festival, Paolo Moroni said: “This is also the end of an extraordinary event for Lexus. Every year, Venice Film Week produces the kind of unique emotions that we want to give to customers when they experience our brand. We are proud to have taken part in this prestigious international event and to have accompanied its most illustrious guests to the red carpet. It was also an exceptional opportunity for us to present a preview of our new flagship ES and share our concept of mobility based on “Making Luxury Personal,” with personalised details that anticipate customers’ needs and preferences and create an even more exciting and rewarding driving experience.”
 

• New special version of Lexus’ top-selling compact crossover 
• Focus on sporty, dynamic style that enhance the model’s “one segment up” qualities 
• Black-themed exterior design details, including matt-finish 18-inch alloy wheels 
• Bi-tone and monotone paint finish options 
• Luxurious semi-aniline leather upholstery in Black and contrasting Dark Rose 
• High equipment specification including power-adjustable driver’s seat, 64-colour ambient cabin lighting, wireless charger, nanoe-X air quality technology, and paddle shift sequential gear selection 
• Limited edition model with production run from September 2025 to May 2026 

Since its 2023 launch, the LBX has delivered on its promise to introduce an exciting new dimension to the Lexus brand and draw in thousands of new customers intrigued and attracted by the small SUV’s fresh “premium casual” approach to style and luxury. Those qualities are being reaffirmed and enhanced with the announcement of a special LBX version, the upcoming new Vibrant Edition.

As its name suggests, the Vibrant Edition gains eye-catching styling details that emphasise the LBX’s modern, street-smart looks. Adding yet more choice to the rich and diverse LBX range, it’s a perfect expression of the Lexus’ principle of “making luxury personal”.

Andre Schmidt, Head of Lexus Europe, commented: “The LBX has quickly established itself as a core model for Lexus in Europe, building a strong presence in new market territory and succeeding in its key role to bring new customers to our brand. It is already our second best-selling model, with more than 23,000 sales achieved in 2024. With the new Vibrant Edition, we are increasing choice and adding exclusive styling features that enhance its sporty, dynamic look. We are confident it will further enhance the LBX’s proven ability to attract conquest customers as an authentic Lexus, just smaller in size.” 

Dedicated new features strengthen the sporty, agile credentials of the LBX Emotion model, including 18-inch matt black alloy wheels, black front and rear lip spoilers, black window and door mouldings and piano black insets in the bumpers. There is also a black chrome finish to the garnish above the front grille and the grille itself has jet black plating – inspired by the high-performance LBX RR Morizo concept model.

Three exterior colour-ways are available: bi-tone options combining an Astral Black roof and pillars with Ruby Red or Sonic Quartz bodywork, and a monotone Astral Black finish. As a finishing touch, the model’s special status is expressed by Vibrant Edition badging on the rear pillars.

In the cabin, the city SUV’s “vibrant” character is captured by Black semi-aniline leather upholstery with contrasting Dark Rose bolsters, shoulder sections, knee pads and centre console and front door arm rests. The sporty feel and Lexus craftsmanship luxury are evoked by red double-track Tatami feature stitching on the seatbacks and Dark Rose seat belts.

The LBX’s “class above” quality is reflected in a high equipment specification. Key features include an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, ambient cabin lighting with a spectrum of 64 different colours, wireless charger, nanoe-X air quality technology, and paddle shifts for “Shiftmatic” manual sequential gear selection.

The Vibrant Edition is equipped with the latest Lexus hybrid system, featuring an ultra-efficient 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine, producing a maximum 136 DIN hp/ 100 kW. As the most compact model in the current Lexus range, it is ideally suited to navigating urban streets, with an elevated view from the driver’s seat and a tight, 10.4 m turning circle.

The new Lexus LBX Vibrant Edition will be a limited edition with planned production from September 2025 to May 2026 only.