Lexus LX 570: The Luxury Gadget Tank Motoring
Channel Staff - 3/Apr/2008 | 
Lexus LX 570
With more advanced features than it's German and
British rivals, the new LX 570 is a high tech tank
Touch screens, frigdes, front, side, and rear cameras
and motorised rear seats mark this as a class-leader
Lexus Goes LargeIf imposing SUVs are
your thing, the new Lexus LX 570 will be at the top of your list - up
there with the new Mercedes-Benz GL-Class as one of the largest luxury
SUVs on the planet. This 8-seater barge gets a range of advanced
chassis features that will allow it to get off the beaten track, and
the engine has been beefed up from 4.7- to 5.7-litres ensuring the
hulking vehicle isn't lacking pace. As for the new design, it's
clear as day that its heritage is entwined with the Toyota LandCruiser
- the profile being the giveaway - but unlike the previous LX 470
model, there's more differentiation here, especially in the pinched-off
headlights. It won't come cheap though - prices start at $136,700 and rise to $151,700. - Feann Torr, Editor |
With an angular new look and a powerful new V8
engine, the new Lexus will rival the Range Rover
From this view the LX 570's off-road roots are
clearest; it is based on the Toyota LandCruiser
With more gadgets than a Tokyo tech store, the
Lexus LX 570 will set the luxury SUV benchmark
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Sydney, Australia —
Touting the new LX 570 as the its most capable off-road vehicle ever
designed, Lexus concedes that only a tiny percentage of owners will
ever get the vehicle dirty. Available from April 10, 2008, the new Lexus LX 570 does not offer many options but will ship in two styles:  Lexus LX 570 Prestige: $136,700
Lexus LX 570 Sport Luxury: $151,700
Based
on the new LandCruiser 200, the Lexus 570 is big. It weighs more than
2700kg - almost three times as heavy as a compact car - and comes
equipped with the usual luxury items - proximity key fob, touch-screen
infotainment system, a remote boot, fridge, and Bluetooth connectivity. Some
of the more boastful features are 10 airbags as
standard, a quad-zone climate control system with 28 vents,
power-sliding second-row seats and a 19-speaker Mark Levinson premium
audio system. Based on the LandCruiser, it's also very
capable off-road vehicle and features things like full-time 4WD, a
four-wheel hydro-pneumatic suspension package with Adaptive Variable
Suspension (AVS) and Active Height Control (AHC). These
last two features allow the driver to change the suspension comfort
settings from firm to soft and also change the ride height of the
vehicle to suit terrain, whether off-road in the bush, or cruising down
the highway at 110km/h. The Lexus LX
570 also has rugged driving aids like the new Crawl Control feature and
a specialised Multi-terrain ABS braking system which the
company says was designed to
help reduce stopping distances on slippery surfaces such as sand or
gravel. John Roca, the chief executive of Lexus Australia, said the
LX 570 would empower Lexus owners, giving them the ability to take
their Lexus just about anywhere. "LX owners are some of
the most loyal Lexus customers," he said. "They have been waiting 10
years for a new vehicle and the LX 570 is sure to impress" The LX 570
combines outstanding off-road capabilities with all the comfort and
convenience features for which Lexus is renowned.
"The new LX 570 will effectively take luxury where it has never been before," Mr Roca said. The $151,700 Sport Luxury model is one of the world's first vehicles to wide front and side cameras, mounted in the
grille and passenger-side mirror that allow drivers to objects that may be
obscured from view - such as small children or low obstacles. Both Lexus LX 570 grades are equipped with a 5.7-litre V8 petrol engine. This produces 270kW of power and 530Nm of torque. While
the engine provides the 2.7 tonne luxury behemoth with strong
acceleration, able to accelerate from zero to 100km/h in under 8
seconds, it is thirsty, drinking 14.8L/100km on the combined cycle. The
big Lexus uses a new 6-speed sequential-shift automatic transmission to
get the power, which the company says has been designed and built for
heavy-duty driving and towing. Lexus expects nine out of 10 buyers to use the LX 570 for towing, and it can lug a trailer weighing up to 3500kg. The
Japanese company claims the new V8 engine that powers the LX 570 has
undergone 1.3 million kilometres of durability testing, or
about 100 times around the planet. Lexus maintained that one
of the key goals of Lexus engineers was to ensure that the LX 570 was
not only the world's best luxury four-wheel drive, but also the world's
most capable. Testing took place on and off-road in "the severest
of conditions" including in the dunes of the Middle East and the dirt
highways of Australia, which also ensured the 28-outlet climate control
system could function in extremes. Locally, Lexus explains that
advance prototypes of the LX 570 went through some 240,000 kilometres
of testing through various conditions. "Our goal when developing
the all-new LX 570 was to ensure that it was the most capable off-road
vehicle ever produced, while not sacrificing the levels of luxury for
which Lexus sedans have become renowned," said Sadayoshi Koyari, the
chief drivetrain engineer for the Lexus LX 570. "Overall the new LX includes more than 35 new features, including a first for Australia in the new Wide View Blind Spot monitor. "In
developing the LX 570 I wanted to deliver an experience for the driver
and passenger that was like being in a Lexus sedan, but with the added
feature of superior off-road capability. I am confident that the LX 570
not only exceeded our goal, but gives owners the confidence to take
their Lexus to places they have never been before," added Koyari. Related
articles:
- Lexus IS-F Sports Car (2008)
- Lexus GS450h (Road Test)
- Lexus
IS250 (Road Test)
- Lexus LS460 (2007)
- Lexus
LS
600h L (2007)
- Lexus
GS430 (Road Test)
- Lexus LF-Sh
(concept)
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