BMW took its sweet time coming after the Mercedes GLS as it was only in 2018 when the X7 came out. The three-pointed star has been offering its fullsize luxury SUV since 2006 as the GL before the facelifted second-gen model switched to the GLS moniker for 2016. The competition is about to heat up if we were to rely on a new report from Automotive News.
It would seem Lexus is preparing its belated answer to the X7 and GLS. Some would argue the GX and LX already fulfill those duties, but they’re more rugged body-on-frame SUVs. Consequently, Toyota’s premium division is believed to be working on a posh unibody product to go up against the two German giants.
Rumored to go by the name of TX, the new large SUV is believed to be bigger than the RXL, which is 196.9 inches (5,000 millimeters) long. For the sake of comparison, the BMW X7 stretches at 202.8 inches (5,151 millimeters) whereas the Mercedes GLS is even longer, at 205 inches (5,207 millimeters). While the German duo offers seating for up to seven people, the new high-end family hauler from Lexus is said to come with an eight-seat cabin.
The TX is believed to come for the 2024MY and share its oily bits with the unannounced Toyota Grand Highlander. The latter will be the first to hit the market by arriving at dealers in the US in mid-2023. The Lexus equivalent is programmed to hit showrooms about six months later. When contacted by Automotive News, a spokesperson for Toyota refused to comment about the prospects of two fullsize SUVs.
The Lexus TX Will Be Green And Big
However, the models might have been indirectly announced already. A year ago, Toyota revealed plans to invest $803 million into its Princeton, Indiana plant and add 1,400 jobs. At that moment, it only mentioned a pair of three-row SUVs for Toyota and Lexus. They’re believed to be the Grand Highlander and TX, respectively.
Unlike the BMW X7, the Lexus TX is expected to offer a hybrid powertrain. Parent company Toyota is offering an electrified setup for most of its products around the world. It’s not known whether it’ll be a self-charging hybrid or a PHEV. What we do know is the TX and Grand Highlander will share a remote parking function. In addition, the SUVs will have support for a digital key and offer hands-free driving under certain conditions.
Beyond unibody fullsize luxury SUVs, Jeep has joined the luxobarge fray with its Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer truck-based behemoths. These recently gained long-wheelbase derivatives with even more spacious interiors.
Source: Automotive News
