Interview with Lexus RX Chief Engineer Takayuki Katsuda

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Lexus RX chief engineer Takayuki Katsuda has been in charge of the last two iterations of the mid-size crossover, and I had a chance to speak with him briefly during the media launch event in Portland a couple weeks back.
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Wicus Kriel

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Nice one. It's fantastic that the Lexus Enthusiast team manages to get facetime with such key stakeholders from Toyota Lexus.
 

OlFius

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And finally, I believe that it is the first time that I see a black RX (and not that dark blue, which is also OK)...
Heavy !
 

Carmaker1

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Unfortunately for competitive purposes and intellectual property confidentiality, he cannot reconfirm out loud the development timeline for the 4RX (AL20). It is quite annoying to hear how, Lexus decided to copy Nissan at the 11th hour and take on the floating roof design? What do the rest of you think about that theory? I already have the answer to that honestly...
 

CIF

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Unfortunately for competitive purposes and intellectual property confidentiality, he cannot reconfirm out loud the development timeline for the 4RX (AL20). It is quite annoying to hear how, Lexus decided to copy Nissan at the 11th hour and take on the floating roof design? What do the rest of you think about that theory? I already have the answer to that honestly...

Such media commentary I simply don't pay attention to. Knowing a fair amount of how vehicle development works, personally I think it was simply a coincidence that this happened.
 

Carmaker1

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Such media commentary I simply don't pay attention to. Knowing a fair amount of how vehicle development works, personally I think it was simply a coincidence that this happened.

It's not so much just media commentary, but the enthusiast and general public as well. There are Lexus owners that have made such comments, that are plain baffling and poorly thrown together. Even though it is not on a new platform, the basic design from its concept proposal is reaching 3 years old now, which of course means only what was available back then could be implemented into the 4RX.

The 2015 Murano was NOT one of those vehicles in public space, but simple-minded folk care to blather on otherwise about wrongly. The MY2015 Murano design was approved in April 2012, but no one really saw it until some spy shots well over 18 months later.
 
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CIF

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Media commentary heavily influences the average enthusiast. Also the average enthusiast most of the time does not do highly in-depth research of various brands out there.
 

Carmaker1

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Media commentary heavily influences the average enthusiast. Also the average enthusiast most of the time does not do highly in-depth research of various brands out there.

True, very true. For some odd reason, I nearly take that personally. I try to be impartial as possible and not get too biased as much as can. I work for a Lexus and Land Cruiser rival, yet I don't let that dictate my respect and appreciation for both brands (yes, I do consider Land Cruiser to be a sub-brand).
 

CIF

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True, very true. For some odd reason, I nearly take that personally. I try to be impartial as possible and not get too biased as much as can. I work for a Lexus and Land Cruiser rival, yet I don't let that dictate my respect and appreciation for both brands (yes, I do consider Land Cruiser to be a sub-brand).

I see what you mean. I've made peace with the media commentary and influence it has over the average enthusiast. I know that as an enthusiast, I am very much an exception and outlier, as I like to do highly in-depth research and examination into different brands. These days I have a lot less time for that, but I do what I can.