As a major premium carmaker, Lexus is already present in most of the segments of the automotive industry. Sedans, sports cars, crossovers and SUVs are there, and now it’s time for a pickup if we can rely on the latest reports. Today’s market is mostly about crossovers, but there is still a big demand for classic body-on-frame vehicles. While SUV sales are declining, trucks are more popular than ever. Therefore, we expect to see pickups under premium badges as well. Of course, we count on a Lexus Pickup Truck as well.
At this point, it is all about rumors, but unofficial reports are suggesting that the new model is pretty much a certain thing. Currently, there is only one premium truck in the world, the X-Class from Mercedes-Benz, but it’s not available in North America. Therefore, this would be the first of its kind on the U.S. market. Allegedly, we could see a Lexus Pickup Truck concept version pretty soon, maybe already in a year or two.
Lexus Pickup Truck – Body-on-Frame or Unibody
The new Lexus Pickup Truck leaves a lot of room for speculations and one of the first things that come to mind is the platform. As you know, most trucks feature a traditional body-on-frame platform, due to obvious advantages in terms of utility and overall performances. Still, keep in mind that this would primarily be a comfort-oriented vehicle, so a unibody platform also seems likely. After all, Honda Ridgeline successfully competes with traditional trucks for more than 15 years. Therefore, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Lexus Pickup Truck based on a crossover like RX, based on the company’s new TNGA architecture.
Still, we are much closer to a body-on-frame platform. Toyota is a pretty conservative company when it comes to overall design policy. Moreover, the Lexus Pickup Truck would have a perfect basis, as the Japanese manufacturer makes some of the best pickup trucks in the world.
Lexus Pickup Truck Exterior Design
Another thing that comes to mind about this potential model is the size. Although we still don’t have any reliable information, most experts expect to see a mid-size truck. Therefore, the new model would be heavily based on the famous Tacoma, with most of the mechanical parts shared. On the other side, the Lexus Pickup Truck would come it completely new sheet metal and styling that completely follows the brand’s latest design language.
In practice, this would mean a front end that features the famous spindle grille layout, something that has been the company’s trademark for a long time. Also, we may presume that there won’t be many body styles in the offer. You definitely wouldn’t expect to see a single cab version of a Lexus pickup, but rather something that puts comfort in the focus. Therefore, a crew cab layout is what we expect to see from the new model.
Interior
As we’ve just mentioned, the model is expected to come in a crew cab layout. The main characteristics of the Lexus Pickup Truck interior should be a lot of interior space and a high level of comfort. A crew cab design would provide enough room in both rows. Still, that is something you can find in mainstream pickups as well. The thing that would separate this model from the crowd would be interior quality. Of course, we count on a hi-end quality of materials, as that is a pretty typical thing for all Lexus models.
Of course, we count on a lot of style as well, with elegant dashboard, probably borrowed for new-generation crossovers, combined with a bit of rugged, truckish details. Finally, count on a full load of standard equipment, including latest tech goodies, advanced safety features and more.
Lexus Pickup Truck Engine
Despite this will be a brand-new model, we presume that the company would rather stick to proven design solutions. Therefore, we may presume that the Lexus Pickup Truck would come with a well-known 3.5-liter V6, which is good for about 278 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque. However, we should see a new, 8-speed automatic transmission, instead of the current 6-speed gearbox. There is also a big chance to see a hybrid version in the offer. Of course, a familiar system from the RX 450h is the first one that comes to mind. This system delivers around 306 horsepower. Some reports are also suggesting a hi-performance version, with a large 5.0-liter V8, which is good for about 470 horsepower.
Release Date and Price
At this point, it is very hard to say when to expect the Lexus Pickup Truck for sale. The new model would probably come in some kind of a concept first, while the production version would probably come in about a year or two. When it comes to the Lexus Pickup Truck price, we know for sure that the new model won’t be cheap. However, we can’t say any more precise numbers at the moment.
