Goodwood 2022 will play host to the first public presentation outside Japan of the Lexus Electrified Sport concept, the company’s vision for a future all-electric high-performance sports car.
This study for a radically styled coupe was a striking model among 16 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) revealed by Akio Toyoda, Toyota Motor Corporation President, in December 2021, as he outlined the company’s far-reaching strategy to achieve carbon neutrality.
Visitors to the festival will be the first to enjoy a close-up look at the concept, a car that has been greeted by the media as a potential successor to the legendary Lexus LFA. While the Lexus Electrified Sport concept represents what the “Lexus Electrified” vision may deliver in the next few years, Lexus will also be showing its new RZ 450e SUV for the first time in public following its recent world premiere, and the UX 300e compact luxury SUV, its first all-electric model, launched in 2021.
Goodwood 2022: Lexus Electrified Sport concept
With the essential bold proportions and low ride height of a sports car, it symbolises the future of the Lexus brand. Acceleration time (to 62mph) is expected to be in the low two-second range and the car will have a cruising range of more than 430 miles. It is possible that a production model may use new solid-state battery technology to achieve authentic high performance.
The Lexus Electrified Sport concept will feature in a bespoke display in the Festival of Speed’s Electric Avenue, an area dedicated to electrified vehicles.
Goodwood 2022: Lexus RZ 450e
The all-new RZ 450e received its world premiere in April, prior to its sales launch later this year. A luxury SUV, it is the first Lexus electric vehicle to be developed from the ground up.
It is not a vehicle that simply adopts battery electric power in place of a conventional engine; it goes much further to realise the exciting potential of new technologies that enhance performance and driving pleasure, true to the Lexus Electrified philosophy. Lexus has leveraged its extensive electrification experience to deliver the benefits of a BEV with the essential refinement and driving experience that are unique to its brand.
This is witnessed in an advanced drivetrain featuring optional by-wire steering with a new One Motion Grip yoke in place of a conventional steering wheel. The front and rear e-Axles work in conjunction with Lexus’ new DIRECT4 all-wheel-drive torque control to provide a precise response and secure, rewarding handling.
The RZ 450e is constructed on a new, dedicated electric vehicle platform, which brings high body rigidity and a low centre of gravity, and provides a long wheelbase that allows for a very spacious cabin. The powerful lithium-ion battery unit is fully integrated into the chassis, beneath the cabin floor, its quality finely controlled to ensure performance is maintained long-term. Like the Lexus BEV Sports concept, the RZ 450e will have its own display space within the festival’s Electric Avenue.
Lexus UX 300e
The UX 300e is an all-electric version of the Lexus UX compact SUV. Launched in 2021, it has been the pioneer of the Lexus Electrified strategy, combining zero-emission performance with the Takumi craftsmanship, quality and refinement that are hallmarks of the brand.
Lexus’s first production BEV in Europe uses a lithium-ion battery, housed beneath the vehicle floor so that a low centre of gravity is maintained. The electric powertrain produces 201bhp/150kW and gives the car a driving range of up to 196 miles (WLTP combined cycle figure).
The Goodwood Festival of Speed will take place from 23 to 26 June on the grounds of Goodwood House in Sussex.
