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Lexus’ spindle grille has been a flashpoint for buyers and fans, but also gave Lexus a clear design identity
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Akio Toyoda directed designers to “break the spindle” Lexus grille
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A new design language appears to be taking shape with recent concepts like the LF-ZC, LF-ZL, Sport Concept, and LS Concepts
Whether you love it or hate it, Lexus’ spindle grille front end was nothing short of controversial when it debuted, but as it evolved with new models and iterations, it became synonymous with Lexus design.
Starting with the LF-Gh concept car and iterating across the lineup for more than a decade, Lexus’ trademark spindle grille has slowly been disappearing across newer models like the RZ, RX, and new ES, as well as new concept vehicles. But why?
CEO Akio Toyoda Directed Designers to “Break the Spindle”
In an interview with TopGear at the 2025 Tokyo Mobility Show, Lexus design’s GM Koichi Suga said, “When we started the spindle grille, we put it on every car. Then the chairman Akio Toyoda enquired ‘Why are you doing the same design every time?’ Seriously!”
“He told me ‘You should break the spindle.’ So then we designed the LBX and gradually started to evolve the expression of the spindle. Since then we’ve tried to input the icon, but with a different execution. So this [leads us to] the new design, the new proposal.”
From the LF-ZC and LF-ZL concepts to the newer Sport Concept and family of LS concepts, Lexus’ iconic spindle grille seems to be fading and giving way to a newer design language. Beginning with the RX, Lexus referenced a new “spindle body” design philosophy that integrates the spindle shape into the entire design instead of the front end alone.
Lexus’ latest production vehicle is the 2026 ES, which hasn’t exactly debuted to much praise for it’s design, though a subtle spindle shape is still evident on the front end.
“Spindle Body”… Or Something Different?
While the Lexus spindle grille began it’s life with controversy, most Lexus buyers and fans grew to love it and some would say Lexus design hit its stride with products like the LC 500, 2021-2025 IS series, and the 2024+ Lexus GX.
Lexus’ evolution of the spindle deserves praise for pushing the boundaries and making sure that no two iterations were exactly alike. Across patterns, colors, and trims, while the spindle was quickly recognizable as a Lexus, different models had unique identities and features that gave them unique appeal within the lineup.
Looking into the future, it’s difficult to project what Lexus’ next round of production vehicles could look like if the spindle grille is a thing of the past. The LS Concept, above, does have spindle inspiration though it looks to be provided by LED lighting instead of sculpted surfaces with unique trim and pattern.
From the RZ to the LBX and RX, to the new ES and refreshed IS, Lexus’ front end design continues to be unique and different across varying models. Concept vehicles tend to change significantly as they work towards production if that happens at all, but as we watch the future of Lexus unfold, we now have answers about why the spindle grille seems to be changing so dramatically.
Source: TopGear
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