Photo: Lexus
Lexus is not a carmaker we come across every day on the streets of the towns we live in. And despite what the company would have you believe with its current lineup, it's even less so a name one usually encounters off the beaten path.
Born in 1898 as the luxury arm of Toyota, Lexus has grown a lot these past few years, its rise fueled not in small part by the rise to power of the SUV, and at the time of writing it is selling on the U.S. market alone no less than seven distinct models. Even so, it remains niche enough to be special, and luxury enough for people not to really use its products for true off-roading.
That doesn't mean Lexus isn't aspiring to be more than it actually is, and that's probably why this week it revealed for the European market a special version of the NX mid-size luxury SUV called Overtrail.
The carmaker admits this thing is not a rugged off-roader, but the model does pack enough mostly visual upgrades compared to the stock version to have you believe it can be easily taken out for a spin on more challenging terrain. That's because Lexus fitted the NX Overtrail with enough extras to at least give that impression.
The SUV in this configuration comes with a raised suspension system (15 mm over the stock version, bringing the total height of the vehicle to 1,675 mm), and special 18-inch alloy wheels shod in all-terrain tires that really look ready for the unexpected. As a result of these changes, the SUV's ground clearance is now 200 mm.
The wheels are black, a color Lexus also uses elsewhere to give the SUV a meaner appearance, including on the mirror casings, door handles, wheel arch moldings, and roof rails. Offsetting the black is a metallic frame and mesh installed on the front end.
The overall (and main) color of the NX Overtrail is something called Moon Desert, but this version of the SUV can be had in six other colors as well. I'd personally go with the Moon Desert because it's a hue you won't find it anywhere else in the Lexus portfolio at the moment.
The interior of the SUV was upgraded as well, but don't go thinking you'll be treated with outdoor survival gear or other fancy equipment for use in the wild. What we get are black leather sport seats at the front, khaki door panels and center console, and Geo Layer trim inserts all around.
Lexus will be offering the Overtrail package on all NX versions that are available over in Europe, namely the 350h hybrid, 450h+ plug-in hybrid, and NX 350 gasoline, for prices that start at 52,700 euros. No mention is made of whether Overtrail will make it stateside anytime soon.
That doesn't mean Lexus isn't aspiring to be more than it actually is, and that's probably why this week it revealed for the European market a special version of the NX mid-size luxury SUV called Overtrail.
The carmaker admits this thing is not a rugged off-roader, but the model does pack enough mostly visual upgrades compared to the stock version to have you believe it can be easily taken out for a spin on more challenging terrain. That's because Lexus fitted the NX Overtrail with enough extras to at least give that impression.
The SUV in this configuration comes with a raised suspension system (15 mm over the stock version, bringing the total height of the vehicle to 1,675 mm), and special 18-inch alloy wheels shod in all-terrain tires that really look ready for the unexpected. As a result of these changes, the SUV's ground clearance is now 200 mm.
The wheels are black, a color Lexus also uses elsewhere to give the SUV a meaner appearance, including on the mirror casings, door handles, wheel arch moldings, and roof rails. Offsetting the black is a metallic frame and mesh installed on the front end.
The overall (and main) color of the NX Overtrail is something called Moon Desert, but this version of the SUV can be had in six other colors as well. I'd personally go with the Moon Desert because it's a hue you won't find it anywhere else in the Lexus portfolio at the moment.
The interior of the SUV was upgraded as well, but don't go thinking you'll be treated with outdoor survival gear or other fancy equipment for use in the wild. What we get are black leather sport seats at the front, khaki door panels and center console, and Geo Layer trim inserts all around.
Lexus will be offering the Overtrail package on all NX versions that are available over in Europe, namely the 350h hybrid, 450h+ plug-in hybrid, and NX 350 gasoline, for prices that start at 52,700 euros. No mention is made of whether Overtrail will make it stateside anytime soon.
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