Och

iTrader: (3)

They should make the next LX with independant suspension. Majority of LX owner do not take it offroad, so the offroad prowess is useless, but they could benefit from the increased comfort of independant suspension.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

The LX470 already comes with front independent suspension. Logic tells me that the next LX570 will also have front independent suspension.

Och

iTrader: (3)

I meant rear independent suspension

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

hrm..I dont think the Pros outweighs the Cons in this case. Usually I'm all for IFS/IRS, but not in a truck

Och

iTrader: (3)

Well, why? Drive some SUVs with IRS - they ride and handle much much better than ones with solid axle.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

I've driven plenty of SUVs like the highlander, rx330, pilot, etc. But they are all small SUVs that are made for light and medium duty. We're talking about a big SUV here that handles heavy duty work. It's a completely different ball game. Those other small SUVs can get away with car-based setup because well..they are based on a car platform

People who actually tow or carry heavy loads in their truck will benefit from a solid live axle.

-When towing a heavy load, the tongue weigh will push down on the rear suspension a lot more than the front (that's a given). On an independent suspension, if the spring is not stiff enough, the rear end will sag and you'll get negative camber, sometimes even more than you want. I'm sure you know negative camber reduces the outer rubber contact to the ground. If I was towing, I would want my tires to be pushed down on the ground evenly. You can increase the spring rate on the independent suspension so that the rear end wont sag as much, but then you're back to square one with a stiffer ride.

-Same situation if you're full of passengers. The payload will be applied more towards the center and rear of the SUV than the front. This is why an IFS is okay, unless you plan to drive home with an elephant on top of your hood.

-Secondly, your CV joints will undergo more stress since the joint is now angled more relative to where it was when not under load. This can rob power to the wheel. Maximum power transfer occurs when the CV joint is at 180 degree of each other, which is not the case if load is present.

-There are simply more parts on an independent suspension. Solid live axles are proven to be durable under rugged test.


Lexus makes one of the most comfortable vehicles on the face of the earth. If they knew a rear independent suspension setup would benefit the LX, they would have equiped the suspension from the start.

EDIT: Not to mention, taking away its suspension would take away what defines the LX. That's like saying we should take the honda S2000 and put softer springs on the car because it'll ride smoother and not a lot of people track their s2000 anyways

STIG

My favorite SUV of all time gets long needed update! Good news.

Och

iTrader: (3)

Not necessarily true. Acura MDX is fairly large, Mercedes GL is even larger. Then you have Honda Odyssey and Toyota Previa, or whatever the current name of Toyotas minivan is. Even though they are minivans, they are as large as LX, and certainly do fine with carlike suspension.


I've only seen an SUV towing something ONCE! Just once, out of hundreeds of SUVs I see every day.

Agree with that, but like I said before, SUV owners dont usually tow anything, especially luxury SUV owners. And surely, independant suspension is a lot more complex and requires a lot more maintenance, but if it wasn't worth it perhaps all RWD car would still use solid axle, and FWD cars would use rear beam axle. How would you like LS460 with Lincoln Towncars rear axle? Or ES350 with old Maxiams rear beam?


I doubt that, its just that its much cheaper for them to design several vehicled (LX, Landcruiser, Tundra, Sequola) on the same platform.


I agree with that, but what defines the LX isn't really needed or appreciated by most of it's buyers. Sure, the LX and Landcruiser are somewhat legendary offroaders but thats not the reason people shell out $70K for them.

xcntuatd77

man, as much as this is SOMETHING that lexus is showing besides the detroil unveilings....... who cares about some big bulky truck/???? I dont think they are showing anythign in new york unless they announce it in the next few days. And besides new york, chicago, and detroit, there arent any other big autoshows in the nation.

i was hoping they would debut the next SC in NY... Now, theyll probably either show it at Paris, or Tokyo.

Im going to guess Paris since the LFA - production chances are very high for being debuted at Tokyo in October.

JessePS

how long has it been? a decade or so lol.

man oh man lexus is way to conservative.

Lexus should redesign their fleet like max every 6 years, but update every 1.5 years little tweaks and what not.

JessePS

LF-A for sure Tokyo.

One thing wouldnt they have announced also today that they would have the SC or they want an element of surprise?!?

Oh yah ... hopefully starting in 2008 models the Lexus's sold in Canada wont be outrageously more expensive than the ones sold in the US

2007 Lexus LX470 (CANADA): $101,400 CDN = $86 570.47 USD
2007 Lexus LX470 (USA): $68,110 US (w/delivery) = $79 777.24 CDN

Hopefully it be like $70,000 USD and it be $80,000 CDN. The odds of them bringing the price down at slim to none lol

MR_F1

wasn't it rumored that they were working on a direct injection version?

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

Look at their towing capacity though. The LX470 suspension is suitable for heavy towing and off-road ruggedness. The thing limiting the LX from having a higher tow rating is its power limitation. The suspension is certainly up to the task.

It's the manufactor's goal in mind that sets them to build a vehicle the way it is. Certainly I see many cars traveling at the speed limit (give or take 10mph ), yet we have cars with 400hp+. It's not practical, but it's there for those "just in case" moments. How the consumers use their cars/truck is up to them, but Lexus built the LX470 with a goal in mind.

The theory cannot be applied to a passenger car. SUV/trucks and passenger cars are different. An SUV/truck is something that should be able to carry heavy load or go off-road. The suspension needed for that purpose is entirely different from that of a car. Passenger cars can get away with 4 wheel independent suspension because it works well. It just does, but it happens that Lexus didn't have towing in mind when they designed it. They would have to be on crack to even touch the subject.

Agreed. They could have started out with a rear independent suspension from the start and have all their trucks/suv share the same chassis, but they didn't . The new tundra still uses the leaf suspension with solid axle. Looks like the LX570 will be using solid axle again


It's the reputation that sells. Who in their right mind would put down $70k for an LX470 if it didn't have its off-road capbility, reliability, etc. If they didn't want that, they would have gone with a sienna AWD that is cheaper and offers more space. Without the status/reputation, the LX470 is just another big SUV. Practicality isn't always the case. If it was, then half the cars on earth wouldn't be sold.

I think I'm done with the subject now

LexFather

Lexus has shown a major new vehicle or concept almost 3 years running now, an unprecedented run for a Japanese luxury car company. It began with LF concepts in 2005, it continues with the new LX. No Japanese luxury company is even close (you can combine both) to providing as many concepts and new production cars and they are no par with the Germans.

A lot of people care for a new LX.

Pearlpower

iTrader: (2)

Raising the bar once again-looking forward to the new LX.