Lexus GX homeowners are unusual. I’m one, I’m bizarre, and I don’t care. Whereas different folks pointed and laughed at shopping for one of many “oldest” new vehicles on the street, I nonetheless didn’t care. I purchased it particularly as a result of it’s previous. All over the world, the Lexus GX can be the Land Cruiser Prado, and its status and historic V8 engines are bulletproof—a number of the vehicles are, too. The primary gen’s 2UZ motor’s legend standing was minted some time in the past. The second gen’s 1UR will get the identical checkmark quickly.
That’s an extended street to say: Altering the GX isn’t strictly needed. If it ain’t broke, and so forth. So, the photograph launched Thursday of the upcoming Lexus GX that’ll bow June 8 made the again of my neck sweat and raised my pulse 20 bpm immediately. It’s not the primary teaser we’ve seen to date, however it’s the one that offers us probably the most intel on what’s occurring. Because of this photograph and the others, the brand new GX seems by no means to have met a proper angle it didn’t like. The boxy look is mimicked within the straight-line accents, such because the taillight that spans the width of the rear, and we are able to see small inserts within the rear roof pillar that visually separate the highest from the underside.
Alongside the edges, there seems to be a kink within the rear window that, coupled with the accent, offers me some fairly candy 80 Collection vibes. I’m nerding out on the chonky side-view mirrors—it’s what the FJ mirrors would appear to be in the event that they nonetheless made it as we speak, I’d wager—however true geekery lives on the rear. That small button on the rear glass? Meaning the glass goes up, and the rear gate could go someplace else. The GX could preserve its signature—and admittedly not at all times handy—swing gate. Or maybe the GX will get a tailgate now, however that’s an extra stretch as a result of that’s at all times been the provenance of the Land Cruiser. Or, maybe, the GX will get a boring previous liftgate now, which I absolutely hope not.
Nonetheless, paired with the other teasers we’ve seen, we all know that the GX’s uptown seems are happening within the mud, and I’m positive with that. What makes me nervous? I concern the V8 goes away, virtually assuredly changed with Toyota’s twin-turbo V6 and maybe a hybrid system. It wouldn’t be a shock as a result of, with full-time four-wheel drive, I handle mid-teens mpg on a regular basis, which is downright awful. We’ll discover out what’s below the hood and the way the again opens on June 8.
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