Rugged new Lexus NX PHEV Offroad Concept launched at Tokyo

Lexus went a bit off-brand for this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon, launching the ROV off-street buggy and this – an off-street edition of its famously tarmac-biased NX crossover. It is referred to as the NX PHEV Offroad Strategy, and it was created to demonstrate how Lexus can harmony driving fun with its local weather ambitions.

It is based on NX 450h+ and is run by the brand’s two.5-litre four-cylinder plug-in hybrid powertrain, the combustion portion of which creates 180bhp and 270Nm of torque. The petrol motor is supported by an eighteen.1kWh battery pack and a 53bhp electric motor mounted on the rear wheels, offering the motor vehicle four-wheel generate.

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To turn the common NX into the Offroad Strategy, Lexus started off by swapping its common wheels and tyres for more durable 17-inch off-street alloys, shod in BF Goodrich all-terrain tyres. The firm also bolted on some new matt-black roof rails and a provider basket.

Other beauty tweaks consist of a new Iron Oxide paint end, a Lexus-branded sunstrip across the windscreen, gloss black window surrounds and matt-black replacements for the car’s radiator grille, doorway handles and badges.

The car’s trip-top has also been raised a bit, to supply some further clearance for the knobbly off-street tyres. The lifted system also permits the Offroad Strategy to crest obstructions that would likely strand the street-likely SUV.

Although it is not a individual problem for this principle, the electric portion of the NX 450h+’s powertrain should really also permit the Offroad principle to go over at the very least thirty miles on EV power by itself – albeit only driving the rear wheels. 

Lexus has not confirmed the SUV’s pure-electric capabilities, but we anticipate the heavier alloys and off-street tyres will reduce the powertrain’s efficiency. For comparison, the common NX can go over 40 miles on electric power by itself, at speeds of up to 84mph.

Now read all the hottest on the new Lexus ROV concept…