The market for sport utility vehicles is currently booming, with hardly any automaker disregarding them—even Ferrari. Aston Martin’s DBX is proving to be the bestseller for the British marque, while Lamborghini’s Urus is outselling the sleek Huracan at a rate of two to one. Lexus is also embracing this trend with its introduction of the 2023 RZ450e, its first electric vehicle for the North American market, as a crossover; furthermore, the RX and NX family haulers are leading the way as its top-selling models. According to Autocar, Spiros Fotinos, the head of Lexus in Europe, insists that the brand is not neglecting sedans and sports cars in its transition to electric vehicles.
“[We are] exploring alternative body styles that will enable us not only to broaden our range of vehicles but also to achieve our growth goals for Europe.” This is encouraging news, as I would hate to see iconic designs like the LC500h phased out once the brand shifts entirely to electric. Perhaps we may even witness the rumored successor to the LFA.
As you may recall, Akio Toyoda, the Toyota King of Exuberance, revealed the company’s plans for electrification in late December of last year. Despite initial reservations about the shift to electric in previous times, the CEO is now fully committed, pledging $70 billion for EV development across 30 Toyota and Lexus models.
Even though the RZ450e will be built on the BEV-specific e-TNGA platform, Fotinos from Lexus remains open to new concepts.
“Considering the ambitions we hold as a company and a brand—to be fully prepared for BEVs, offering an electric option in every segment we participate in—it would be technically unfeasible to achieve this with just one platform, so naturally, we are exploring other possibilities,” Fontinos explained. “We are keeping all options open. Our primary focus will be on the segments in which we compete and those that are the highest sellers in Europe.”
From my perspective, this is wonderful news. It is evident that European markets demand smaller vehicles that can fit into snug street parking spots. If you have ever visited across the pond, you would have noticed the intricate parking maneuvers drivers perform to parallel park. Here in the U.S., we tend to prefer our large vehicles, but I am optimistic that the market will bring about more innovative designs and a diverse range of body styles.
Have a hot tip? Feel free to send it to kristin.shaw@thedrive.com.
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