After more than 10 years of evolution, the very famous Lexus hourglass grille it is undergoing a transformation. In keeping with the new era of electrified vehicles, the distinctive shape is evolving into a new “hourglass body”, as seen on the new latest generation Lexus RX SUV and all-electric RZ.
This type of front grille was an unmistakable feature of Lexus since its first appearance on the 2011 LF-Gh concept, basis of the fourth generation of the GS premium sedan launched the following year. Since then, it has been constantly updated to match the character of each new Lexus model, with different patterns, sizes and finishes. At the time of the design solution’s debut, then Lexus chief Kiyotake Ise said: “You should be able to immediately identify a car like Lexus. Instant visual recognition, for example, is the reason behind our hourglass grid. At first glance it may seem aggressive, this is intentional, but it also conveys its boldness with sophistication and elegance“.
As a result, the hourglass has become a distinctive design element Lexus L-finesseadopted not only for road cars, but also in the futuristic Skyjet spacecraft created for the film Valerian and the city of a thousand planets, supported by Lexus, and adopted as a design motif in the Loft, the award-winning lounge of Lexus and Brussels Airlines at the Brussels airport.
Today, however, the original grille concept is applied in a more radical way, as the design is more integrated. The grille is reinterpreted as a seamless unit that flows into the bodywork. The lower part retains a grid design, while the upper part accommodates the lower edge of the bonnet; the Lexus emblems are located in the center of the narrowest part of the hourglass. The same concept was applied to the electric RZ 450e, where the grill has not been maintained in its original function, that of cooling. However, the hourglass shape remains prominent in a central front panel, finished in the car’s body color. Its impact is accentuated by the adjacent front areas finished in contrasting black, the low bonnet line and bolder shaped front wheel arches.
#Lexus #hourglass #design #continues #evolution #FormulaPassion.it