High-Mile LX 450 Overlander Only Just Begun Living Its Best Days
With just 292,000 on the odometer, modded 1996 LX 450 marks its first quarter-century with its sights set on the great wide open country.
When Lexus decided it needed a big SUV to go toe-to-toe with the giants in the United States, it chose Toyota’s iconic Land Cruiser as the basis for the LX. Though the 1996-1997 LX 450 rocked just a few changes on its exterior, it helped get Nagoya’s foot in the door as far the luxury SUV market was concerned.
While most LX models don’t see the unbeaten path, more than few fans know just how capable the big rig is. We found one LX 450 on Bring a Trailer down in Texas recently, ready to conquer the back country.
With a good foundation for upgrades already in place, this LX 450 was built to overland, and then some. There’s a snorkel to feed air into the 1FZ-FE inline-six while fording rivers, for one. Of course, the Old Man Emu lift keeps it all above water for a bit longer, as do the 16-inch Motegis wrapped in Yokohama Geolandars. There’s even room for a wench on the hefty front bumper, for when things get truly tough.
About that 1FZ-FE, though. Once upon a time, it delivered 212 horses and 275 lb-ft of torque to the rear or all corners via a four-speed auto and dual-range transfer case. While it likely lost some of that power over the past 25 years, it certainly racked up the miles. As of this writing, 292,000 miles have been logged on the inline-six. In Lexus terms, the LX 450’s only begun living its best days.
Of course, after 25 years, some things need some love to bring them back to what they once were. For the LX 450, the leather seats received reupholstering in tan leather. A modern infotainment system now occupies a place in the dash, and the front seats feature aftermarket heating elements.
This LX 450 lives for the unbeaten path. No matter where it goes next, it’ll be prepared for all the things an outlander could ask of it. May more LX models get to live life as full as this young whippersnapper.
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