New Lexus GX SUV Due This Fall
Thread Starter
CL Community Team
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 30,271
Likes: 349
From: Canada
New Lexus GX SUV Due This Fall
New Lexus GX SUV Due This Fall
By Christie Schweinsberg
WardsAuto.com, May 15, 2009 8:00 AM
NEWPORT BEACH, CA – Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc.’s Lexus brand will launch a next-generation GX SUV this fall, a source familiar with the plan tells Ward’s.
The GX, a midsize body-on-frame SUV that shares a platform with the Toyota Land Cruiser, debuted in the U.S. in 2003 as an ’03 model.
The upcoming model will get Toyota’s new 4.6L V-8 engine, the source says. The small V-8, which debuted in the ’10 Toyota Tundra, making 310 hp, will replace a 263-hp 4.7L V-8 in the ’09 GX.
The next GX also will receive a new interior design as well as updated interior features such as a next-generation navigation system. Additionally, it will sport revised sheetmetal and body panels including a different rear door, the source says.
Lexus General Manager Mark Templin declines to confirm the new GX but says the brand wants a continued presence in the segment.
“The largest SUVs have been hit the hardest, but there’s still a segment of the population that wants those vehicles,” he tells Ward’s here during a media preview for the Lexus HS 250h sedan.
“(SUV owners) tow things. They play hard. They do a little bit of off-roading, not much. More than actually doing it, they want to know they can do it if they have to. We still think there’s a viable market with our GX.”
Lexus hoped to sell 20,000 GX units in the SUV’s first full year of sale when it debuted in 2003 as a stopgap between the midsize RX cross/utility vehicle and large LX SUV. However, sales in recent years have underperformed that figure. Deliveries in April plummeted 66.1% from like-2008 to 2,210 units.
The GX’s best sales year was 2004, when it sold 35,420 units.
Ward’s data shows the GX’s segmentation group, Luxury Middle SUV, posted the fifth-largest decline of all U.S. light-vehicle segments in the first four months of 2009, losing 52.8% of its volume through April compared with year-ago.
By Christie Schweinsberg
WardsAuto.com, May 15, 2009 8:00 AM
NEWPORT BEACH, CA – Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc.’s Lexus brand will launch a next-generation GX SUV this fall, a source familiar with the plan tells Ward’s.
The GX, a midsize body-on-frame SUV that shares a platform with the Toyota Land Cruiser, debuted in the U.S. in 2003 as an ’03 model.
The upcoming model will get Toyota’s new 4.6L V-8 engine, the source says. The small V-8, which debuted in the ’10 Toyota Tundra, making 310 hp, will replace a 263-hp 4.7L V-8 in the ’09 GX.
The next GX also will receive a new interior design as well as updated interior features such as a next-generation navigation system. Additionally, it will sport revised sheetmetal and body panels including a different rear door, the source says.
Lexus General Manager Mark Templin declines to confirm the new GX but says the brand wants a continued presence in the segment.
“The largest SUVs have been hit the hardest, but there’s still a segment of the population that wants those vehicles,” he tells Ward’s here during a media preview for the Lexus HS 250h sedan.
“(SUV owners) tow things. They play hard. They do a little bit of off-roading, not much. More than actually doing it, they want to know they can do it if they have to. We still think there’s a viable market with our GX.”
Lexus hoped to sell 20,000 GX units in the SUV’s first full year of sale when it debuted in 2003 as a stopgap between the midsize RX cross/utility vehicle and large LX SUV. However, sales in recent years have underperformed that figure. Deliveries in April plummeted 66.1% from like-2008 to 2,210 units.
The GX’s best sales year was 2004, when it sold 35,420 units.
Ward’s data shows the GX’s segmentation group, Luxury Middle SUV, posted the fifth-largest decline of all U.S. light-vehicle segments in the first four months of 2009, losing 52.8% of its volume through April compared with year-ago.
Last edited by Gojirra99; May 19, 2009 at 07:45 AM.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,474
Likes: 2
From: Tennessee
The article says:
"The GX, a midsize body-on-frame SUV that shares a platform with the Toyota Land Cruiser, debuted in the U.S. in 2003 as an ’03 model."
No it doesn't... at least not with the Land Cruiser sold in the US. In the US it only shares its platform with the 4Runner, FJ Cruiser, and Tacoma. There's a smaller less expensive Land Cruiser sold in many other parts of the world... I think called the Land Cruiser Prado, which shares its platform with the GX although IIRC it's not quite as luxurious and has an available small diesel engine. But that vehicle has basically nothing in common with the US sold Land Cruiser.
"The GX, a midsize body-on-frame SUV that shares a platform with the Toyota Land Cruiser, debuted in the U.S. in 2003 as an ’03 model."
No it doesn't... at least not with the Land Cruiser sold in the US. In the US it only shares its platform with the 4Runner, FJ Cruiser, and Tacoma. There's a smaller less expensive Land Cruiser sold in many other parts of the world... I think called the Land Cruiser Prado, which shares its platform with the GX although IIRC it's not quite as luxurious and has an available small diesel engine. But that vehicle has basically nothing in common with the US sold Land Cruiser.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,231
Likes: 0
From: Los Angeles/Vancouver
The article says:
"The GX, a midsize body-on-frame SUV that shares a platform with the Toyota Land Cruiser, debuted in the U.S. in 2003 as an ’03 model."
No it doesn't... at least not with the Land Cruiser sold in the US. In the US it only shares its platform with the 4Runner, FJ Cruiser, and Tacoma. There's a smaller less expensive Land Cruiser sold in many other parts of the world... I think called the Land Cruiser Prado, which shares its platform with the GX although IIRC it's not quite as luxurious and has an available small diesel engine. But that vehicle has basically nothing in common with the US sold Land Cruiser.
"The GX, a midsize body-on-frame SUV that shares a platform with the Toyota Land Cruiser, debuted in the U.S. in 2003 as an ’03 model."
No it doesn't... at least not with the Land Cruiser sold in the US. In the US it only shares its platform with the 4Runner, FJ Cruiser, and Tacoma. There's a smaller less expensive Land Cruiser sold in many other parts of the world... I think called the Land Cruiser Prado, which shares its platform with the GX although IIRC it's not quite as luxurious and has an available small diesel engine. But that vehicle has basically nothing in common with the US sold Land Cruiser.
and that the GX was introduced in US in 2003, not the land cruiser
Trending Topics
Lexus Champion
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,474
Likes: 2
From: Tennessee
To me I don't think the author knows it's related to the Prado which is only sold outside of the US... otherwise they wouldn't have included such a meaningless fact in their article... they would have instead stated its relationship to something sold in the US, or at least specified that for some reason they were mentioning a version of the Land Cruiser completely different from the US-sold LC.
To me it smells like an author that googled around for some facts, read something about its relationship to the Land Cruiser, and hurried back to her article to insert the fact without researching it any further.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,474
Likes: 2
From: Tennessee
I remember several years ago hearing about Lexus working on a GS-based SUV... that would have been meant to compete with the above, but so far we've seen nothing in that category.
Say whatever you want but if the above 4 go off-roading with the GX, the GX will clean the house...
All of the SUVs you mentioned are unibody chasses in some respect, while the GX is a body-on-frame SUV.
If you want a true offroader...the choice is clear. GX hands down.
If you want an on roader...get an RX or FX.
If you want a mix of both get a Cayenne, Touareg, Q7, etc.
Lead Lap
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 4,892
Likes: 14
From: Virginia
While a body on frame GX might be apples to oranges against the other SUV's listed, it's still going to get cross shopped against them because of exactly that, the pricing, luxury badge, 3 rows of seating etc.
That said, if they came out with a SAV with 3 rows of seats that was something like an extended Venza (dramatic styling, more car-line than truck-like) with an optional hybrid powertrain, I really think they would have a hit on their hands, even in this market.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 8,349
Likes: 0
From: QC/FRANCE
Honestly I don't mind if they don't really do anything to the exterior. Just give me a new engine and new tech and I will be happy. Oh yah and keep the ML standard on the Canadian version for the love of god!
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 6,806
Likes: 7
From: californication
hopefully lexus doesn't botch the exterior design of this thing.
Imagine an HS250 station wagon on big wheels. that's probably the worst they could do.
lexus models have a lot of catching up to do. they are all way way way behind the game.
Imagine an HS250 station wagon on big wheels. that's probably the worst they could do.
lexus models have a lot of catching up to do. they are all way way way behind the game.