Lexus LX to Go Further Upscale?

In the Lexus lineup, no vehicle is larger — or older ⁠— than the LX 570, a true luxo barge if there ever was one. Riding atop a platform shared with the Toyota Land Cruiser and Tundra, the current body-on-frame LX 570 appeared in the spring of 2007, going on sale later that year as a 2008 model.

A redesign isn’t expected for another few years, making this model generation longer-lived than most marriages. And yet a clue exists of a new LX to come — one that scraps the LX 570 name for a loftier number.

A U.S. trademark filing spotted by Autoguide reveals Lexus has a new model in mind: LX 600.

Such filings tell us nothing about the vehicle except to point out whether a name is indeed bound for the exterior of a vehicle, which this one certainly is.

While the current model name denotes the presence of a 5.7-liter V8 that’s carried the model for many years, the LX600 name can be taken two ways. Either Toyota has a larger displacement in mind for the model’s eight-banger, or it plans to do away with naming convention and lend the “600” designation to a lower-displacement engine with more power than the old mill.

Despite putting out 383 horsepower and 403 lb-ft of torque, the LX’s acceleration is hampered by a prodigious curb weight born of its ancient platform. While fine for cruising and getting up to highway speed in normal driving, it’s not as fleet of foot as some rivals.

Lexus is said to have a number of new big-vehicle powerplants under development, including a twin-turbo V8 of considerable less displacement than 5.7 liters, as well as a hybrid V6 bound for the next Tundra. Given that the trademark filing is for LX 600 and not LX 600h, it’s safe to assume an upcoming LX will offer the larger of these engines.

As for when it will appear, that’s another mystery. Some reports have placed the new Tundra’s introduction as early as the 2021 model year; Automotive News’ Product Pipeline, however, cites an intro date of 2023 for the next LX, which borrows the Tundra’s new, lighter weight platform. Of course, engine upgrades don’t have to coincide with a bottom-up revamp.

[Images: © 2019 Chris Tonn/TTAC]