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Next Lexus RX looks ready to roll

Lexus' bread-and-butter crossover, the RX, has been long overdue for a substantial redesign, with the current third-gen crossover entering its sixth year on sale. Considering this, it's no surprise that the fourth-generation RX is well on its way to production readiness, as evidenced by our latest round of spy photos. This new model looks larger than the current RX, like the wheelbase has been stretched, which would likely explain reports that the company was looking at an optional third-row for the mid-sizer. Aesthetically, the Lexus spindle grille is easy to spot, as are its aggressive headlamps. It's unclear based on these images if the RX will adopt the same styling statement seen on the RC, IS and NX, with sharp LED running lamps mounted below the actual headlights, but it certainly seems likely. Besides the design changes, our spies report that Toyota will be working hard to shed weight, likely through the use of aluminum for the doors, hood and rear hatch. Underhood, expect the typical combo of a gas-powered six-cylinder as well as the V6/hybrid setup found in Lexus' 450h models. As for when we could expect to see the next-gen RX, your guess is as good as ours. Geneva is, as always, a candidate, as is April's New York Auto Show. Of course, should we confirm a debut at either show, we'll be sure to let you know. Stay tuned.

Lexus builds an actual hoverboard [w/video]

Sometimes a story comes along that your heart desperately wants to be true, but every brain cell is screaming that something is amiss. For one of the best examples of this in recent memory, take a good look at the Lexus Hoverboard. Despite seeming like pure science fiction, the company vehemently claims this vision of the future isn't a joke or a hoax. It all seems so hard to believe, though. Like us, your first question is probably how this thing works if it is real. Unfortunately, Lexus is being very cagey with the details at this time. The Hoverboard allegedly runs on "magnetic levitation with liquid nitrogen-cooled superconductors and permanent magnets." That's all we know for the moment, but the Japanese automaker claims to be working with "experts in super-conductive technology." While not the first functioning hoverboard, this one can apparently work on concrete, based on the teaser video. The company's spokespeople aren't giving away any of the tricks, either. "It is indeed real. We have worked with companies to make this happen, and there will be more demonstration of this later this summer," Nik Pearson, Press Relations Manager for Toyota and Lexus in the UK, said to Autoblog. "The technology mentioned in the release is accurate." According to Lexus, the Hoverboard prototype is being tested in Barcelona. So any readers in the Spanish city should keep an eye out for someone floating by. Get any Back to the Future 2 dreams out of your head right now, though. The company is clear that this thing isn't going on sale. Pearson also reiterated that point to Autoblog: "Don't expect it in showrooms any time soon." The teaser video below shows off more of the board but still raises a lot of questions. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. LEXUS CREATES ADVANCED HOVERBOARD Design and technology collaboration achieves creative breakthrough for new Lexus Amazing in Motion project A Lexus has always been a vehicle that rides on wheels, in contact with the ground. Until now. This summer a new Lexus takes flight, bringing the stuff of science fiction closer to real world fact. Lexus has worked with experts in super-conductive technology to create one of the most advanced Hoverboards the world has seen. The concept is the fourth project in its Amazing in Motion campaign, demonstrating its commitment to pursuing new possibilities in advanced design and technology.

Lexus LF-30 Electrified Concept announces the brand's entry in EVs

The star of the Lexus booth at the biennial Tokyo auto show is an extremely futuristic concept named LF-30 Electrified that previews the firm's cars could look like — and be powered by — in 2030. The LF-30 Electrified uses clever technology to take Lexus into the electric vehicle segment for the first time. Lexus has leveraged parent company Toyota's expertise in the field of hybrid powertrains to become one of the industry's pioneers in the segment, but it has always shunned fully electric drivetrains. The LS-30 signals an about-face. Drawing on lessons learned while designing hybrids, engineers developed a 536-horsepower drivetrain that consists of a mammoth, 110-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack and four in-wheel electric motors that can deliver front-, rear-, or all-wheel drive. Don't let the press images fool you; the LS-30 is huge. It's nearly as long as the firm's LS flagship sedan, closer to a Chevrolet Suburban in width, and it weighs almost 5,300 pounds. It can nonetheless reach 60 mph from a stop in 3.8 seconds, and it can travel for up to 310 miles on one charge according to the overly optimistic WLTP testing cycle. Those figures might be irrelevant, because the driver can become a passenger by turning on the on-board autonomous technology and letting it worry about how quickly to accelerate, and when to charge. There's even a drone that Lexus calls an Airporter that autonomous transports luggage, for example, from in front of the owner's house directly to the car's trunk. Odds are you won't even need to tip it. Traveling in the LF-30 feels different depending on where you're sitting. The driver experiences a new concept Lexus calls Tazuna that draws inspiration from how a rein can create a mutual understanding between a horse and a rider; it sounds similar to what Mazda aimed for with the Miata, which famously channeled Jinba Ittai, or horse and rider as one, but it's a completely different take on it. The driver can adjust the stereo or dial a destination in the navigation system without taking his or her eyes off the road thanks to steering wheel-mounted switches and a large head-up display. The driver feels a lot like a jet fighter pilot, then. The passenger, on the road hand, is traveling first-class thanks to a seat inspired by high-zoot air travel, and a gesture-controlled screen. The rear seats recline, and the folks sitting in them can watch movies on a voice- and gesture-controlled glass roof called SkyGate.