The idea of a Lexus pickup truck has been around for quite a while, with rumors being particularly strong over the past few years. And now that the 2022 Lexus LX has joined its platform mates, the LC300 Toyota Land Cruiser and the 2022 Toyota Tundra full-size truck, the premises for a Lex-up version of the latter are there, especially given the more sophisticated nature of the vehicle. However, with the Japanese carmaker remaining tight-lipped on the matter, a digital artist has decided to take the matter into his own pixels and come up with a rendering portraying a Lexus truck.
Truth be told, with the previous Tundra having been introduced back in (ready for it?) 2007, selecting this as a base for a vehicle that has to meet to comfort standards of the Lexus brand might’ve been a difficult choice.
However, a quick X-ray of the new Tundra shows that the generation change has seen the vehicle gaining coil-spring rear suspension (a major asset for ride quality), a modern cabin, along with a twin-turbo V6 replacing the previous model’s N/A V8โthe motor works with a ten-speed auto for improved efficiency and pulling power.
And if we take a look at what Lexus actually builds, we’ll notice the carmaker isn’t afraid of preparing its lavish machines for trips into the wild. So, while the U.S. version of the new LX has to make do with a Torsen limited-slip rear differential, Japan gets an Offroad trim that comes with three locking diffs and smaller wheels (think: 18 instead of 22 inches) that can accommodate large-sidewall tires.
Then again, venturing into luxury territory might prove to be less than a success, as it has been the case with the Mercedes-Benz X-Class. The Germa automaker’s first truck, a mid-size offering based on the Nissan Navara, only spent three years on the market before being axed last year due to disappointing salesโ for one, the premium customers had to pay over the Navara seemed inconsistent with the quality of the X-Class cabin.
Perhaps future electrification efforts might see Toyota willing to make up for the lost ground in terms of full-electric vehicles by introducing a battery-powered truck, with the refinement provided by such a powertrain being more fitting for the Lexus brand.
Meanwhile, though, digital artist Theo (a.k.a. theottle) has given the 2022 Toyota Tacoma a Lexus nose job, with the YouTube clip below showcasing the pixel journey of the bed-gifted machine.
As for the “TX” nameplate the digital master chose for the project, it’s hard to argue with his logic: “Let’s call it TX, T from Tundra, X from LX. TX also sounds like Texas, where a big Lexus pickup truck might be popular,“