Lexus NX SUV to debut at Auto China

The Japanese luxury car brand has confirmed that its compact SUV, Lexus NX, will make its public debut at the Beijing Auto Show this year. The vehicle will be a descendant of the LF-NX concept car which was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show last year.

The LF-NX adopts the Japanese carmaker’s latest L-Finesse design philosophy. The concept car has a prominent spindle grille, sharp and narrow headlamps, LED daytime running strips and flared wheel arches.

The previously leaked images of the Lexus NX, however, feature a toned-down exterior design from the radically styled Lexus LF-NX concept. Upfront, the new SUV gets a tamer grille while the LED lights are replaced by the traditional projector lamps. The corner styling of the production SUV is far less aggressive than the concept car.

According to reports NX will introduce turbocharging technology to Lexus’ line-up. The range will include the NX200t – a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine tipped to produce about 300PS of power and 350Nm of torque. The NX300h is expected to be a petrol-electric hybrid.

This new compact SUV will compete with the likes of BMW X1, Audi Q3 and Range Rover Evoque among others.