Key highlights
- Lexus RX Morizo RR prototype spotted with wider bodywork and a lowered stance.
- Reported 447kW hybrid powertrain could make it a serious BMW X5 M rival.
- Bigger Brembo brakes and 21-inch Michelin tyres point to genuine performance upgrades.
Lexus could be preparing to transform its family-friendly RX into a serious performance SUV with a new RX Morizo RR set to debut. A prototype spotted testing in Europe has been fitted with a much more aggressive bodykit, wider tracks and a lowered suspension setup and larger brakes.
Lexus has not confirmed the model but the hardware is far more than just a cosmetic exercise. The potential RX Morizo RR would follow the Lexus LBX Morizo RR, bringing Toyota’s Gazoo Racing expertise to another Lexus SUV.
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Lexus RX gets a serious performance makeover
The prototype appears to use the front bumper design from the RX 500h F Sport Performance but with wider front guards and extra body work. At the back the bumper has been modified to accommodate what appear to be twin exhaust outlets. The SUV also rides on covered 21-inch multi-spoke wheels with large drilled brake rotors and red Brembo calipers sitting behind them.
The test car is fitted with staggered Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV tyres, 265/40 ZR21 at the front and 295/35 ZR21 at the rear. That combination of larger tyres, bigger brakes and a lower height hints at a much sharper chassis than the regular RX. It also suggests that the prototype could look more like a genuine performance SUV rather than an RX wearing an aggressive appearance package.
Reported 600hp hybrid powertrain
The most significant change could be hiding underneath the bodywork.
Reports suggest that the Lexus RX Morizo RR could use an all-wheel-drive hybrid powertrain that will be built around Toyota’s upcoming turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine. The system is expected to use the petrol engine with two electric motors with a total output of around 600hp (447kW).
If that figure eventuates then the RX Morizo RR would be in seriously quick SUV territory, with the BMW X5 M and Audi RS Q8 supposedly performance benchmarks. For Lexus, using a high-output hybrid system would also fit in nicely with the brand’s wider move to electrified performance rather than a large capacity petrol engine.
When could the Lexus RX Morizo RR arrive?
Lexus has not officially confirmed the RX Morizo RR so there’s no Australian launch date, pricing or final specification to report. The timing suggests a 2028 market launch with the standard RX expected to get a facelift before then. Prototype testing of the updated RX has apparently included a larger infotainment display and modified styling.
For Australian buyers the big question is whether Lexus ultimately thinks the RX Morizo RR is suitable for its showrooms. The Australian market has a strong appetite for high-performance SUVs, but Lexus would be walking into a segment dominated by some seriously capable German rivals. If the reported 447kW hybrid system is made production, however, then the RX Morizo RR could have the hardware to make a compelling case.
For now it remains a prototype but the brakes, tyres, body work and chassis changes suggest that Lexus is taking the idea of a high-performance RX seriously.
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