Until now the large Lexus LX series SUVs have only been sold here with a 5.7-litre twin-cab petrol V8, if you wanted a turbo-diesel you had to opt for the LX’s close cousin, the Toyota LandCruiser 200. The reasoning being that diesels didn’t necessarily give the sort of near silence and refinement the upmarket Japanese marque has been renowned for.
These days diesels are almost as refined as petrol units so Lexus has added a diesel LX, the 450d. With a capacity of 4.5 litres this twin-cam, twin-turbo V8 diesel has 650 Nm of torque between 1600 and 2800 rpm.
Peak power is 200 kW, an astonishing output that illustrates just how far designers of so called ‘oiler’ engines have come in the last decade or so.
Lexus LX 450d has 20-inch alloy wheels with 285/50R tyres, tyre-pressure warning, LED headlights, daytime running lamps and sequential turn signals.
Inside, the new turbo-diesel Lexus LX has a 12.3-inch high-definition screen, satellite navigation, and four-zone climate control air conditioning with climate concierge function and nanoe technology.
The premium audio system is a nine-speaker seven-channel unit with digital sound processing, DAB+ tuner and Bluetooth.
Heated front seats are standard on both rows of seats have leather-accented trim. The three-spoke steering wheel has a leather and shimamoku-woodgrain rim.
Recommended retail price of the Lexus LX 450d turbo-diesel is $134,500.
Lexus 450d will sit alongside long established LX 570 petrol with its twin-cam 5.7-litre V8 on showroom floors Australia wide.
