Isn't it better to wait for the 2nd year after a new model comes out?

BTW it looks nice, 18" wheels?

 

...joystick? that scares me even more.

pull down levers for the rear seats...its not electronic? sigh

 

I do not like the "new look" it looks to down market like a Toyota. We pay a premium price, we want more than a Toyota in a tux. GM does that and look at them now! Not to be critical or rude, but I hope the build quality improves, like a lot. My first 08 was a real piece of junk (door handle fell off, dash rattle, moon roof rattle, water leaks, road noise, wind noise and yes the dreaded oil leak and transmission hunting, all that and more with 3300 miles. I hope the West Virgina plant gets their act together too on the current 3.5 and what ever engine will be going into the new RX. Oh, I hope Lexus finally clear coats their black cars for greater scratch resistance! The six speed sounds great if Toyota has improved the durability issues with that unit.Thank you for the info. My second RX is much better!

 

The new model has the look of a mini-van to me

 

why dont we all just wait for a more recent spy shot to come out... Ive seen a few spies, and they appear to cover up nothing at all alike the photos in this thread. I'm sure it will probably look like a Venza/LX570 considering that the new LX looks like a highlander/sequioa... i shall reserve judgement until a final pic

 

The new 3rd gen RX will NOT look like the Venza, I will bet anything on that. The only thing the Venza and the new RX will have in common is that they both have a sleek crossover shape/profile. The Venza in person should look like a Camry wagon. The new RX will look like well ... an RX, and nothing else.

The 2010 RX will look similar to the LF-Xh concept shown at the Tokyo Auto Show last year. For those that have not seen it or don't remember what it looks like:









I will be flat-out shocked if the new RX looks much different that the LF-Xh concept.

The rims on the concept as well as those headlights are likely to be the production rims and headlights for the next-gen RX hybrid. Expect to see some minor front and rear end changes for production and possibly a higher roofline than the concept.

Otherwise, this looks nothing like the Venza. It's much more chiseled, more stylized, and has more dramatic character lines. Also, the LF-Xh concept has a wheelbase almost 3 inches longer than that of the Venza, strongly hinting the new RX will ride on a new, non-Camry platform. Currently, the vehicle with the longest wheelbase that's based on the Camry platform is the Avalon, which uses a stretched Camry (MC) platform. The LF-Xh wheelbase is still over 1 inch longer than the Avalon's. I will be somewhat surprised if the new RX still uses the Camry platform (unless significant modifications are made by Toyota).

As for all the speculation, insider info, and rumours about the interior; I don't think Lexus will go for an I-Drive sort of controller. My prediction is a "virtual touch screen". I think that Lexus will implement a laptop-style "touchpad" for navigating the main screen. That will be far more intuitive and convenient than using an I-Drive sort of controller. A touchpad-like device would retain the ease-of-use of the touch screen setup on the current RX, without actually requiring you to physically reach out and touch the screen. That would remove some constraints and restrictions for the interior designers and engineers, such as placing the screen within arm's reach, or making the screen small enough that you can touch any point on it. It would also be a new and unique way of controlling an interior navigation screen in a vehicle.

 

the trunk lid is way to high on that concept. you cant see anything out of that rear windshield. i love the front, but the back looks ugly at this point, so i hope they un-concept the design by a lot

 

I don't think it's as high in person as it looks in pictures. Also I expect the new RX will have plenty of cameras to help you see around the vehicle, especially to see the rear. Why else have a rumoured 9" screen, if for nothing than to use it for cameras and navigation?

I personally love the back end. The whole design of the concept is polarizing and a love-it-or-hate-it affair. It's not as conservative as the current RX, and I personally like that Lexus design is getting bolder. It doesn't looks like any Toyota model, but it looks like a uniquely Lexus model.

 

i hope they keep the LED headlights...but i think they will stick with HIDs

 

I have a hopeful feeling we will see the LED headlights on the hybrid model. The LS hybrid already has them. I think all future Lexus hybrids could quite possibly have LED headlights to differentiate them from regular models and to make them stand out in general.

 

"I will be flat-out shocked if the new RX looks much different that the LF-Xh concept. "

I am sorry, but it will not look like this concept at all. Lexus would never take a radical design change on their best selling model. It does however take the more streamlined headlights and newer grille and slightly more muscular shape.
I have been working around the production model and I know it doesnt look like the LX-Xh

"My prediction is a "virtual touch screen". I think that Lexus will implement a laptop-style "touchpad" for navigating the main screen. That will be far more intuitive and convenient than using an I-Drive sort of controller. A touchpad-like device would retain the ease-of-use of the touch screen setup on the current RX, without actually requiring you to physically reach out and touch the screen."

It is not a touchpad or virtual touch screen. You could however call it a joystick, or mouse. It is in the location of where a BMW idrive controller would be. It does not look ugly or interfere with the gear selector either. It is a slick system, and works really well.

I am sorry that some of the people were expecting a radical redesign, but the production model wont look like that.

We are going to be building our own test models in the coming weeks on the factory lines. The production of the 2010 model starts in January '09. They will most likely reveal the model some time this summer/fall and you will understand what I have been talking about.

 

I just can't wait!

 

You seem to diagree with Amac who works with Lexus and seen the production prototype in person. Apart from the pictures you have posted do you have some new pictures?

IMHO, Lexus in general will not make radical changes to one of the best selling close to Luxury crossover especially the automobile market/economy is slowing down.

Hopefully Lexus has a good model in place. I am glad they stuck to the 5 seats,Othewise it will be the worst time to introduce a new model when SUV sales are plummeting.

I will not pass judgement on the removal of the touchscreen feature until looking at it.

Amac, Did you see signal mirrors on the production prototype?

 

Amac, I'm not doubting that you work at the Cambridge plant, but what I am doubting is that the new RX doesn't look like this concept at all, according to your own words. Think of it from Toyota's point of view. Why make this concept at all then? Why fool people into thinking the next RX will look like this? The reason I say this is that Lexus has a history of having production cars that are very close to concepts. The 1st gen RX looked very similar to a concept that Lexus had debuted months before the production vehicle. At the 2005 Tokyo Show, Lexus showed the LF-Sh concept, and the production LS looks almost exactly like that concept save for a few details. Going by past Lexus history, it would make a lot of sense that the next RX would look like the LF-Xh concept.

The LF-Xh is not a "radical redesign" compared to the current gen 2 RX. It's more of a logical evolution. The LF-Xh is bold and different from the current RX, but it's not radically different. It still looks like an RX.

You're saying that the new RX is just a slight evolution of the current model, and that to me sounds very dissapointing. I, along with many others were expecting a bigger change. I guess we will see soon enough in the next few months, but what you say certainly does sound dissapointing.

 

i want more details!!