Lexus RZ it is the first battery-powered vehicle of the Japanese brand, and with its design it wants to start the electric adventure with a certain flair.
“Progressive design carries an element of risk. Not all SUV buyers want a different vehicle than usual, and some take time to get used to new design directions. But when designers dare to go further, the public’s taste often follows them“, Reads a Lexus press release. As for the RZ, its spaciousness is underlined by the long wheelbase, with the wheels pushed towards the corners and by the abundant headroom, evident in the rear profile of the passenger compartment. The all-electric propulsion is confirmed by the relatively low bonnet line and a conspicuously grille-free nose, a trend that curiously continues globally (the electric components need cooling as much as the internal combustion engine).
Even if the hourglass grid Lexus has disappeared, RZ is immediately recognizable as Lexus because this feature has been revived in the shape of the body. The hourglass shape is accentuated by the use of paint instead of the traditional black grille, the darkening of some components and the greater emphasis given to the shape of the wheel arches.
Takashi Watanabe, chief engineer of the RZ project, took inspiration from the “running” cheetah, and this thought has also been extended to the exterior design. Bent muzzle, high tail, hind legs that dig for grip and muscularity they are found in the RZ’s nose-to-tail proportions, in the flanks and in the way the rear tires are firmly planted on the ground. The volume of the bodywork seems to push back the rear tires and the rear wheel arches, like the front ones, are decidedly muscular. The roof spoiler consists of two separate elements, located at the outer edges of the body width, immediately behind the C-pillars. Some have compared this to horns. Daichi Kimura, head of design, admitted: “the cheetah is a bit of an extreme inspiration for a car“. True, but every time you show a little personality it is certainly not a fault.
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