New Lexus GX firms for Australia

The Toyota Prado-based Lexus GX luxury heavy-duty off-roader could finally be headed Down Under.

And if it does come here, the new third-generation Lexus GX – based on the new fifth-generation Toyota Prado reportedly due to debut by September this year – would be one of three as-yet-unseen new Lexus models that will expand the premium Japanese brand into three new segments in Australia before the end of 2024.

Speaking at this week’s launch of the new Lexus RX, Lexus Australia chief executive John Pappas revealed the product expansion to media without naming model names.

“I can tell you there will be some very exciting product news coming from Lexus this year,” Pappas said.

“Globally we will reveal three fantastic new models in three new segments and they will expand our appeal to new types of customers as they land here over the next 18 months or so.”

The three new models are part of a global rollout of 20 new or updated Lexus models by 2025 that was promised in 2021.

In Australia, Lexus is launching the new RX, the RZ 450e electric SUV and an uprated UX 300e small electric SUV in 2023 as it strives to break the 10,000 sales barrier for the first time since it launched here in 1990.

The GX was first launched in 2002 and until now has been primarily a North American left-hand drive-only model.

The new-generation GX and the Prado it is based on have yet to be unveiled.

Significantly, however, Pappas’ timing would suggest both Prado and GX will break cover in 2023, as the former is usually revealed first.

The latest GX would fit into the Australian line-up between the brand-new RX large light-duty SUV and the full-size heavy-duty LX, based on the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series.

Right now there is a huge gap in price between the most expensive RX 500h at $126,000 and the cheapest Lexus LX500d at $147,991.

Speaking to carsales enthusiastically, Pappas backed the idea of the GX coming to Australia.

“If that was globally available and we could bring that in that would be something that we would look to being in,” Pappas said.

“That would bring totally new customers to our brand.

“But again we haven’t confirmed GX is one of those three vehicles.”

As carsales recently reported, the next-gen Prado and GX are expected to include the new 2.4-litre turbocharged petrol-electric hybrid drivetrain debuting here in the new RX.

A 2.8-litre turbo-diesel-electric hybrid has also been mooted for the new Prado generation.

The current Lexus GX 460 sold in North America (pictured here) has a petrol V8. The GX 550 badge has recently been patented in Costa Rica, with media suggesting it points to the use of the LC 300’s twin-turbo petrol V6 (not offered in Australia).

Pappas also emphatically knocked on the head the prospect of a new seven-seat crossover called the TX coming to Australia.

“As far as I am concerned that car is only being bult as a left-hand drive vehicle and it’s not in our plans at the moment.”

With the new RX being five-seat only and the TX not available, the GX’s seven-seat layout would be part of its appeal.

While the exciting new electric LFR supercar doesn’t seem a prospect for launch until later in the decade, Pappas said at least one of the three new models could be battery-electric.

“Possibly,” he cautioned. “We can’t confirm that.

“The most important things is they are in new segments for us so we are very excited by that because that can bring in new customers.”

The EV on the list could be a reborn IS mid-size sedan. Other rumoured possibilities include a sub-UX compact crossover potentially hinted at by the LF-SA concept, the return of a new-gen CT hatchback, a luxury LF-badged crossover, a reborn LFA supercar and a new hydrogen-powered GS sedan.

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