High Performance Lexus RX Spied Again

New spy shots capture the high-performance Lexus RX prototype we first showed you last month, this time running laps at the Nurburgring
New photos show less camouflage on the hood, revealing what looks like a functional intake, as well as a look inside the cabin for the first time
Moving from a static sightings to repeated Nurburgring testing is a strong signal Lexus is treating this as a real production program, not a one-off exercise

Last month we shared the first photos of a high performance Lexus RX prototype – possibly called the Lexus RX Morizo RR – caught parked close to the Nurburgring and clearly outfitted for serious performance with dual exhaust tips, Brembo brakes, aggressive Michelin Pilot Sport tires wrapped around lightweight Ray’s wheels, additional venting, and wider body work.

Today we have a new batch of photos, and this time the car is out actively testing on the Nurburgring with some of its camouflage peeled back to reveal new details.

New Hood Scoop: This RX Requires Serious Airflow

The most visible change is on the hood: A mesh-covered air inlet now sits front and center, ahead of the windshield, cut into camouflage that otherwise still covers the rest of the front end.

It is the kind of scoop or intake you would expect to feed an intercooler on a turbocharged, high-output engine, and it lines up with last year’s report that this RX would pair a four-cylinder engine with front and rear electric motors for a combined output somewhere around 600 horsepower.

Lexus has used hood scoops sparingly across the lineup, so seeing one here reinforces that this variant is meant to be taken seriously as a performance model, not just a styling exercise. In fact the only other Lexus model to have a hood scoop is the high performance RC F coupe, so whatever is under the hood of this RX needs cold air to breathe – and lots of it.

A First Look Inside: Part Production, Part Race Car

This round of photos also gives us our first glimpse of the interior, and it looks far more finished than you might expect from a car that is clearly still deep in validation. The driver’s seat is a heavily bolstered bucket with red contrast stitching that looks half race car and half luxury vehicle.

The center console tells a different story: it is stripped down with exposed wiring and a diagnostic tablet mounted where the infotainment would normally be, displaying an “Engine Start Procedure” screen.

Unfortunately we can’t make out additional details from the screen but the combination of production elements, prototype test equipment, and race-style seats is a good reminder that even a well-disguised prototype like this one is still very much a work in progress underneath.

Repeated Testing Means Lexus Is Serious

What stands out most about this second round of photos is that just weeks after seeing the prototype parked, Lexus is actively testing it on the Nurburgring, which is the same proving ground Lexus uses to validate its most performance-focused models before they ever reach a dealership. Automakers do not send prototypes to the ‘Ring for fun, and they do not keep sending them back for repeat sessions unless there is a legitimate development program in progress.

Taken together with the Morizo RR name recognition Lexus built with the LBX, this looks less like a rumor and more like a vehicle working its way toward production. We will keep watching for the next round of spy shots as more camouflage inevitably comes off.