Lexus LX600 Rocks Serious Overland Conversion, Can Double as Your “Cabin in the Woods”

First, a little backstory on this latest-generation LX, which was unveiled back in 2021 as a more posh version of the J300 series Toyota Land Cruiser, with North American consumers in mind. At its peak, this is a proper premium SUV, with performance galore.

Power comes from a twin-turbocharged 3.4-liter V6 engine, good for 409 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque. If you want to purchase one today, it’ll cost you upwards of $92,915, which to be fair is a lot of money for a people hauler that’ll only do 0-60 mph in 6.9 seconds. It’s decent-ish, but nothing special.

What is special, is this particular 2022 example, built for charity by Overland Expo earlier this year, and subsequently modified by Mule Expedition Outfitters. It’s currently up for grabs to the highest bidder, with all proceeds going to the Overland Expo Foundation. We've covered this truck before, in anticipation of its auction deadline, which is today.

With a little over two hours left in the proceedings, the highest bid has reached $90,000, which is a hefty sum.

There are a lot of mods to go through, so let’s just start with what we can see. The body is finished in silver, with the front end featuring a custom ARB Summit Mk II bumper, ARB Intensity IQ variable-focus lights, and a custom 12.5k lb winch with a synthetic line. At the rear, you’ve got a CBI swing-out bumper, a Prinsu roof rack and Vision X LED perimeter lights.

Other visual mods include the 23Zero Armadillo A2 rooftop tent, a 23Zero Peregrine 270 awning, jerry cans, traction boards, and a set of black 17” Icon Compression alloys with 33x12.50” Kenda Klever RT tires. There’s also a spare wheel mounted on the rear swing-out carrier.

In terms of mechanicals, you’ve got a modified suspension with Total Chaos front control arms and rear links, plus Radflo remote-reservoir shocks. As for the previously mentioned twin-turbo V6 engine, it too has been modified (slightly) to feature an Optima yellow-top battery and a MagnaFlor Overland Series cat-back exhaust system.

Finally, we arrive at the interior, which looks pretty normal as far as the front and rear passengers are concerned. You’ve got your heated and ventilated black leather seats, woodgrain trim, a 12.3” touchscreen infotainment system, automatic climate control, a sunroof, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. It’s worth noting that the cruise control has been disable in favor of the custom front bumper. I reckon that shouldn’t be a problem for adventure seekers.

As for the cargo compartment, that’s where you’ll find additional mods – such as the Goose Gear Ultimate Chef sliding rack storage system, a refrigerator, an auxiliary power management system with a custom housing, an auxiliary battery, first-aid kit, outdoor table and chairs, custom tool kit, portable water jug (with faucet), and a two-way radio.

You could easily spend a lot of time in the wilderness with this Lexus SUV, and given how much work’s been done to it, you probably should – just so none of it goes to waste.

Better alternatives?

You can definitely find some, because as far as overlanding vehicles go, this Lexus truck is sort of a tweener. It’s not hard core enough to the point where you could maybe live in it comfortably for several months, instead of just days or even weeks. Some people actually do that, believe it or not. They leave the comforts of their homes just so they can live in the middle of nowhere for long periods of time.

You can find such individuals sharing their experiences on YouTube, and for nature and adventure enthusiasts, I recommend you begin surfing those channels. You won’t regret it.

Anyway, what most of those people (the ones who take overlanding super seriously) have in common, is the fact that their off-roaders were built for extreme terrain first and foremost, unlike the Lexus LX.

We’re talking custom Land Rover Defenders or something like this Mercedes Sprinter adventure van with an awesome pop top roof bedroom. You could live out of that Sprinter for years, not months, if you wanted to. All you need is fresh water, a bunch of amenities which are easy to install, and you’re all set.

You’ll also want a turbo-diesel powertrain, because there aren’t that many gas stations in the wild, at least not everywhere, and for example, the Lexus LX’s twin-turbo V6 may not be an ideal engine for this type of lifestyle. For the occasional getaway yes, but if overlanding is a lifestyle for you, I recommend a custom diesel van or SUV.

Then there’s the small matter of the rooftop tent, which on the Lexus doesn’t seem to be particularly roomy (or thick). Here’s an example of what you might consider a great bedroom for an off-roader, as seen on this Jeep Gladiator.