Will Lexus follow Mercedes-Benz with a luxury pickup truck of its own?
2014 Lexus GX 460
Enlarge PhotoIt’s a possibility, according to a senior executive at the Japanese firm.
Speaking with Australia’s Motoring , Lexus product chief Makoto Tanaka said a pickup based on the mid-size Toyota Hilux platform was one of the vehicles currently being studied, though it’s near the bottom of the list in terms of priority. More important to Lexus at the moment are a compact crossover and seven-seat version of the RX.
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Mercedes has already released a teaser shot of a mid-size pickup truckit is developing together with its alliance partners Nissan and Renault. However, Mercedes has a tradition of offering commercial vehicles, so it’s not unusual to see it offer a pickup. Lexus, on the other hand, is known mostly for its refined, cossetting lineup of passenger vehicles.
If built, we wouldn’t expect to see a Lexus pickup sold in the United States. Instead, such a vehicle would likely be used to help Lexus expand in new markets such as the Middle East, Russia, South America and parts of Asia.
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