AndyL

Some info about the tire sizes for NX sold in Japan-- it could be subject to change.

Credit goes to:
http://minkara.carview.co.jp/userid/...blog/33234845/

"ホイールに関しては、F SPORT専用の１８インチアルミと、同じデザインで、スポーク内側を黒に塗装した無料オプションがあります。
写真や動画で出ているF SPORTは黒塗装が多いのと、無料オプションという事もあって、黒塗装にする人が多いのでしょうが、
・車体色がソニックチタニウムだと、ダークプレミアムメタリックの方が統一感がある
・黒塗装は、ボディ色が黒、白、赤に似合うと思う
ということで、F SPORT標準のままにしました。

ちなみに、
F SPORT標準はタイヤサイズが235/55R18ですが、
黒塗装のホイールにすると、225/60R18になります。
外径＝直径ではたいした差ではありませんが、55と60という響きは差があるように感じます。"

For NX F-Sport sold in Japan -

18" wheel is standard. There are two choices of wheels which are of the same design but vary in the colour of the area inside the spokes -- one is silver and the other one is painted with black inside the spokes.

For the regular one, the tire size is 235/55R18

For the one with blackened inner spokes is considered a free option but the tire size would be 225/60R18.

It would be interesting to see how Lexus US and Lexus Canada treat these two types of wheels. Probably one is considered as an option wheel so that they can charge $$$.

corradoMR2

Personally, I hope the 235s are the tire as I find the 225/60s a little thin and high profile-looking on the F-Sport. I don't understand the logic to have the different tire sizes for the same F-Sport model. F-Sport should have the fatter tire personally, but not optimistic we will get that since the Sonic Quartz or Atomic Silver F-Sports we've seen with the machine-faced/black inner wheels at the Beijing, New York, Europe (etc) autoshows have had the 225/60s.

Fizzboy7

So far in all the pics I've seen, the wheels/tires are the biggest letdown. They are too skinny and tall to look sporty or sophisticated.

AndyL

Me, too, especially for those who need to switch to winter tires for snowy climate, it is not uncommon to reduce tire size to 17" for better traction and practicality. So in the summer, it is for handling and fun sake to have a more different and thinner profile tire configuration such as 235/55R18.

The idea of having two tire sizes on F-Sport is probably to cater the different type of consumers - they predict some people going for NX300h in F-Sport trim are more fuel economy conscious. Another possibility is to use the 225/60 tires on F-Sport to achieve a similar gas consumption figure as in non F-Sport NX equipped with 17" wheels.

Motor

MPLexus301

iTrader: (3)

30% of Lexus' global volume is hybrids, and by the end of the year, they will have 10 hybrid models globally.

PRETTY awesome stuff

spwolf

i guess the most important part is looks? 225 is fine for this car - AWD is standard and this is crossover, meant to be used in various ways, including bad weather and light offroad.

raylor4

Sounded like some serious editing at 3:07 when asked when can we drive the NX. He stressed how excited he was about the car.
Ray A.

rogerh00

I'm stressed out I can't see or drive this car yet. I feel I know all that need to at this point. I'm officially bummed out. Why did they release this so soon? Or what are they waiting for?

sg021

It seems like the US market is on the back burner, probably because the RX cleans up here. Lexus seems hot to get the NX hybrid to other markets as pricing is already announced in several other countries.

Waiting is no fun. If it makes you feel better / distracted, here is the LFA giving everyone the business at Nurburgring.

LexBob2

I wonder if there are any capacity issues? The NX will be sold in a lot of markets, maybe they have to launch it market by market initially.

corradoMR2

I bet this is a factor which can explain why in Canada we're only getting a handful in 2014. Seems to me Lexus International wants to push the NX out in markets where the compact market is hotter than in N.America first. - remember we have the RX here which sells like hotcakes so not as "urgent" a need for the NX here. Don't necessarily agree with this view but I sense this is their strategy.

corradoMR2

Love this video - music, video captured, lighting, etc.

PS, I bet the NX in this video has the 235/55/18 tires since (if you observe carefully) you can tell they look chunkier and lower profile.


Also, compare these two pics and you can see the first one on the 200t with the machined metal/black wheels has the skinnier and higher profile 225/60/18 Michelin Primacy tires while the graphite wheels on the 300h has the chunkier 235/55/18 Bridgestone Dueller's.





Personally, I hope N.America gets the 235s as it better highlights the sportier, more buttoned-down look. What's ironic is the Hybrid model should get the thinner tires to reduce rolling resistance and hence increase MPGs...

sg021

I think that's the case. For a vehicle they know has pent up demand you have to make choices for where to send it first.

I believe the Porsche Macan was available in Europe nearly a year before the US. I believe this was at least partially capacity related as I'd read somewhere that the first year's production was spoken for pretty quickly. It is only now arriving here, and I'm pretty sure I saw one the other day. The office I work at is down the street from the dealer so there are often Porsches driving around. Even though I'm unlikely to buy, I will definitely test drive one

LexBob2

This may have been discussed already, but is there any RAV4 production in North America where NX's could also be produced? Some ES production will be moved here (Kentucky) before too long.