Lexus GX: 1st Generation

Motorweek has posted up their 2010 Lexus GX 460 video review:

You can definitely see the effect of the Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS) on the handling—the lack of body roll is surprising given the speed in the corners—which is a nice counter-balance, bringing that expected Lexus luxury to the body-on-frame underpinnings.

As a bonus, you can watch the Motorweek of the 2003 Lexus GX 470 to see just how much things have changed between generations:

One of the things throwing me off with the leaked 2010 Lexus GX photos was that, well, they weren’t Lexus GX photos at all, but the Toyota equivalent, the Land Cruiser Prado. To better picture the GX, I spent some time photoshopping a Lexus grille on the front end:

It’s probably the fact that the grille is lifted from the LX 570, but the similarities between this redesign and Lexus’ largest SUV is undeniable, particularly with the bulging headlights.

Really feeling this redesign so far. A lot will depend on the interior design and whether it gravitates towards the LX or RX. (Personally, I’d like to see a mixture of both.)

According to Ward’s Auto, the next generation Lexus GX will be launched this fall, and will be powered by the 4.6L V8 engine that debuted in the 2010 Toyota Tundra.

The 2010 GX 460 will see its exterior and interior redesigned, and should include Lexus’ Remote Touch system and a new rear door.

When asked by Ward’s, Lexus GM Mark Templin didn’t confirm or deny the new GX:

Lexus General Manager Mark Templin declines to confirm the new GX but says the brand wants a continued presence in the segment.

“The largest SUVs have been hit the hardest, but there’s still a segment of the population that wants those vehicles,” he tells Ward’s here during a media preview for the Lexus HS 250h sedan.

“(SUV owners) tow things. They play hard. They do a little bit of off-roading, not much. More than actually doing it, they want to know they can do it if they have to. We still think there’s a viable market with our GX.”

The new engine config is backed up, however flimsy, by the fact that Lexus has trademarked the GX460 name with the US Patent Office. A newly redesign 2010 GX has long been rumored (along with the fact that the exterior will closely resemble the LX), and with this new information leaking out, it seems almost guaranteed.

(Note: The above image is of the 2009 GX, not the rumored 2010 GX.)

[Source: Ward’s Auto]

Leftlane News has posted spy shots of either the 2009 Toyota 4Runner or the 2010 Lexus GX, you can take your guess picking which.

In all honesty, with those extended tail lights, it looks more like a transformer in mid-change — a very effective camouflage job, indeed. The rear looks widened, and even a bit longer, but it could just be a result of the tarp.

At first, the latest part in my Lexus Body Kit Series seemed to be taking the same road as my last feature, the ES 350, which yielded no kits at all. However, it turns out that there are a couple body kits for the GX 470.

Two of the kits come from Toyota, built for the Japanese-GX 470 equivalent, the Land Cruiser Prado, yet despite the manufacturer, both are rather underwhelming, and the remaining kit by Jaos is equally so.

Beyond the limited body kit availability, something about the GX seems to defy modification. To be honest, it’s one of my favorites in the current Lexus lineup, and I like it just the way it is. Still, I would definitely fit the factory spoiler, given the choice:

The 2008 Lexus GX 470 has been added to the Lexus USA website, and as expected, the changes are minimal and completely cosmetic.

What has changed?

• New dark metallic finish on the front grille
• Chrome roof rack side rails
• Liquid graphite on the standard 17-inch alloy wheels
• Clear rear combination lamp turn signal lens cover
• Two new exterior colors: Salsa Red Pearl and Desert Sage metallic
• New interior Brown Walnut wood trim and a chrome finish on the front door speaker grilles

Even as it nears the end of its lifecycle, the GX 470 is still a thoroughly modern -looking truck, and one of my favorites in the Lexus lineup. It never fails to impress me when I see one, and my hope is that the upcoming redesign (scheduled for 2009) doesn’t tinker too much. A more powerful engine, a redesigned interior maybe, but really, how much could they improve upon that exterior?