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" /> Will Lexus Ever Build a Diesel SUV? – Lexus Enthusiast | Lexus Enthusiast

Will Lexus Ever Build a Diesel SUV?


Will Lexus ever make a diesel SUV? According to a Drive Australia interview with Lexus International executive vice president Mark Templin, there is a remote possibility:

Templin also reaffirmed the brand’s aversion to diesel engines, despite soaring sales of diesels in other luxury marques.

“At Lexus we don’t have plans for diesel at the current time, but the [parent company] Toyota brand is going to be doing diesel engines in some markets. We don’t see that as a long term, we see that as an interim step.”

However, he did leave the door open for diesel-powered Lexus SUVs in the future, while stressing there were no current plans.

“SUVs are a different story, there is the possibility some day in the future we’ll put diesels in SUVs, but there’s a very different market to the car market in our mind.”

Should Lexus develop a diesel SUV, it’s more likely to be an LX, GX or some brand new model — a RX diesel seems an unlikely fit given the crossover is already available as a hybrid.

(Combine this with last week’s mention of a possible LX hybrid, and there may just be a powertrain shakeup in store for Lexus’ larger SUVs.)

Read the Drive Australia Interview with Mark Templin

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    Laurie
  • November 14, 2013
Land Cruisers in Austrailia have a great V8 Turbo Diesel, should bolt right into an LX
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      spwolf
    • November 14, 2013
    I drove V8 diesel LC200... it is good engine that gets decent fuel consumption. However 300 UZ V8 also sold in LC200 is a LOT better in every possible way except for MPG. It is faster, sounds better, smoother... everything but MPG.
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    Joe
  • November 14, 2013
Lexus should stay away from diesel, even in its larger SUV's. Better develop hybrid for these models, to compete with the upcoming Range Rover hybrids. Diesel and Lexus just simply doesn't fit within the brand's positioning of Progressive Luxury. On the road to a zero emission future, diesel is the worst choice (a lot of fine dust particles, high NOx,...) !
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      LSIII
    • November 14, 2013
    The upcoming Range Rover Hybrid is a Diesel Hybrid.
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    Ayo DocMkize
  • November 14, 2013
Lexus should have diesel as a limited option same as Manual transmission on sport cars consumers should be able to given a choice not be restricted by future while we are in the present.
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    MT
  • November 14, 2013
The LC V8 diesel is excellent. Why not in a Lexus?
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    Dppower
  • November 14, 2013
It's not about developing... It's a simple decision, yes/no. Straight from the land cruiser into what is the same car. Then you have even better off road ability and appeal to much wider 4wd market with no impact on Lexus' progressive luxury standing. Easy.
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    F1orce
  • November 15, 2013
BMWs 3.0L Tri-Turbo Diesel with 780Nm of torque is what I call excellent. Heck even Hyundai's 2.2R Diesel is exceptionally strong and refined. Toyota's 3.0L D-4D is so bad that it's not funny!
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      MT
    • November 15, 2013
    The Toyota 3,0 D-4D is actually a very good and reliable engine. Just cause it hasn't that ridiculous BMW "power to displacement ratio" doesn't make it a bad engine. The BMW engines are fun to drive but a pain in the a... to maintain. And after a couple of years you can throw them in the bin.
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    BlackDynamiteOnline
  • November 15, 2013
Toyota WILL HAVE a diesel for the Tundra within the next two years, so that leaves the door open for the next Lexus LX to get that engine.... BD

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