During the 1990s, while sales of sedans slowed in the US market, demand for SUVs soared. The compact Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V were partly responsible for the trend, having shown that SUVs can be comfortable and drive like passenger cars. Prior to these two models arriving on the scene, SUVs had been derivatives of pick-ups trucks, riding on chassis frames which made them less comfortable and handling was not all that great.
Toyota watched the SUV trend taking off and saw that car-buyers tastes were changing. The image of the SUV was appealing, conveying a rugged and adventurous image – even if the owners never ventured further off-road than the beach. At Lexus USA, there was evidence that 15% of owners were buying a SUV as their next car but Lexus didn’t have a SUV then.
First generation RX300
Second generation RX350
This led to the development of the Lexus RX300 (Toyota Harrier in Japan) which, like the RAV4, was a ‘parts-bin special’ meaning it used many parts and systems from existing models, thereby lowering cost and reducing development time. For example, the front suspension was the same as that in the 1997 Camry and the 4WD system was from the Celica GT4, all proven mechanicals. This made it possible for the development time to be just 18 months and Program Manager T. Uchimoto recalled that the short program time was a considerable competitive advantage because the final design and specs could be set at the last possible moment.
Surveys showed that people liked the idea of the SUV but they also wanted comfort and good handling dynamics and of course, decent performance on the road. 4WD was not the most important thing though it was a selling feature.
Around the time the RX300 was being developed, Mercedes-Benz had introduced a new SUV, the M-Class, which brought refinement and luxury to the SUV class (up till then, only the Range Rover could claim that). Lexus, already acknowledged as the luxury segment leader in the US market, aimed to take on the M-Class but its engineers adopted a different approach; instead of using to the truck-based chassis-frame construction that the Germans believed was necessary to maintain off-road durability, the RX300 had monocoque construction, like a passenger car’s where the bodyshell and floorpan are welded as a single unit.
The result was a new benchmark in SUV design with the RX300 offering refinement, and comfort plus the things which people liked about a SUV such as high ground clearance and moderate ‘go-anywhere’ capability. Lexus didn’t boast about how the RX300 could take a family across the desert or search for ruins in the Brazil but it said that the model had full-time 4WD for poor weather and road conditions. The refinement was impressive (the engineers liked to say ‘NVH’ did not mean ‘Noise, Vibration and Harshness’ but ‘No Vibration and Harshness’!) as it was claimed that road noise in the RX300 was as low as that in the GS400 sedan.
The RX300 went on sale in March 1998 and in the years that followed, it became the top-selling luxury SUV in the USA. Demand was so great that Toyota decided to have it produced in Canada for the North American market, the first time a Lexus model was allowed to be made outside Japan (a move which some of the manufacturing people didn’t agree with as they felt that ‘Made-in-Japan’ was a significant feature for Lexus).
The RX has gone through two generations now and in Los Angeles yesterday, the third generation was shown to the world for the first time. Completely redesigned, it is said to set new benchmarks in areas that have made it such a success: innovation, styling, performance, utility and comfort.
Third generation (left) and second generation (right)
The exterior of the all-new RX has a strong stance and powerful new body design with the goal of enhancing comfort and maneuverability. The inverted-trapezoid design in the front and the horizontally integrated rear are incorporated together via a pronounced shoulder along the RX's profile. Overall dimensions are slightly increased but aerodynamic efficiency is still a segment-topping 0.32 Cd, thanks in part to a specially-designed undertray.
RX450h has unique styling features
The RX 450h hybrid will have its own unique styling features, including an exclusive grille, hybrid badging including blue-trimmed Lexus logos, unique front bumper, a special 19-inch optional wheel design, blue-tinted headlamps and taillamps, and optional LED headlamps.
The new RX350 (there might be a 3-litre engine for some markets) and RX450h hybrid have improved powertrains. The RX 450h gets an enhanced Hybrid Drive system with a 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine which delivers a total system output of 295 bhp, 27 bhp more than the powerplant in the RX hybrid before.
The RX 450h can be ordered with front-wheel or electronically-driven, part-time all-wheel-drive (AWD) which supplies the rear wheels with the optimal amount of torque as conditions demand. Unlike mechanical AWD systems that reduce fuel efficiency due to added weight and friction, the RX 450h's rear-mounted electric motor-generator allows all four wheels to perform regenerative braking, charging the hybrid battery more effectively.
The new RX 350 has an improved 275-bhp 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine mated to an electrically controlled, sequential-shift 6-speed transaxle. The AWD version has an Active Torque Control AWD system that optimizes torque depending on driving conditions, resulting in improved efficiency and performance.
The suspension has a new, uniquely designed double-wishbone rear suspension said to provide exceptional agility and control. To complement this new rear suspension and provide excellent dexterity and ride comfort, the front MacPherson strut geometry has been optimized.
RX350 instrument panel
RX450h instrument panel
The new RX offers a number of Lexus-first technologies that are intended to enhance the ownership experience. Customers can order a Hard Disk Drive-based navigation system with a "Remote Touch" controller that is both intuitive and ergonomic. Positioned on the centre console, it is as natural to the driver's hand as a computer mouse. While the RX will feature voice recognition as standard, the new navigation system will also include a new casual language voice-recognition system that acknowledges conversational commands.
The spacious 5-passenger interior includes a new "dual-zone cockpit" design. This intuitive layout helps the driver navigate the advanced interior of the new RX, which features two distinct yet integrated zones: a "display zone" and an "operation zone." The "display zone" assists the driver via an 8-inch, navigation display that is set back in the dash for improved visibility. A white Organic LED multi-informational display ensures exceptional readability from a wide angle. An optional Heads-up Display is also available and its high-intensity LEDs make the display bright enough to be read in direct sunlight. The "operation zone" provides access and control to a large range of information through the available "Remote Touch" navigation controller and the steering-wheel-mounted multi-information switch.
The third generation RX will go on sale in North America in early 2009 and other markets like Malaysia should see it being launched later in the year.
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