2016 Lexus LX570 SUV Makes Grand Unveil At Pebble Beach

Following some leaks that preceded its Pebble Beach debut, the 2016 Lexus LX570’s official unveil has finally come together at the annual Concours d’ Elegance in Monterey, California. Lexus has released an extensive amount of info on it too. 

We’ve got that covered.

Cars take centre stage for one week each year in August in Pebble Beach (usually a destination known for Golf), and Lexus has taken the opportunity to unveil their new LX570, their flagship SUV. The luxury arm of the Japanese automaker Toyota claims that it has been through a sweeping upgrade. Let's find out.

Keeping with the exterior, the spindle grille is even bolder this time around with a satin chrome finish and new LED headlights, turn signals, and fog lights to round off the new front end. New 20-inch 10-spoke wheels are available, with an optional 21-inch waiting in the wings. Toward the rear, there’s a new taillight and rear bumper design too.

Under the hood sits the V8 engine with designation-matching capacity of 5.7-litres, outputting 383hp while 90 percent of its 546Nm of peak torque is made available from 3,600rpm. That power plant is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission, replacing its predecessor’s 6-speed box.

To give the LX570 its off-roading chops, Lexus has outfitted it with a Torsen limited-slip locking central differential to provide full-time four-wheel drive, with a torque split of 40:60 under normal conditions, and a driver-selectable diff-lock available.

A four-wheel Active Traction Control system (A-TRAC) prevents wheel slip, with selectable modes such as Rock, Rock and Dirt, Mogul, Loose Rock, and Mud and Sand. They work in tandem with the transmission to handle a wide range of uneven and tricky terrain. Low-range capability gets support from Crawl Control with Turn Assist, Hill-start Assist Control and Variable Gear Ratio Steering.

The 2016 LX570 comes with, naturally, a bevy of luxury additions to pamper the driver and passengers. New wood trim selections include: Matte Walnut, Linear Dark Mocha, Linear Espresso and Dark Brown Walnut. Heating or ventilation is an available option for the middle row seats in addition to the front. A cool box embedded in the centre console is now a standard feature, as is the ambient LED lighting in the cabin and cargo area.

The new standard Climate Concierge feature automatically monitors the temperature of the four separate climate zones and adjusts not only the fans, but also the temperature of the seats and steering wheel individually.

A new 12.3-inch display dominates the upper portion of the centre console, it integrates Lexus’ Remote Touch Interface (RTI), full-screen maps, and a three-split option to show different functions at a glance. The available dual screen Rear Seat Entertainment System now uses dual 11.6-inch screens in place of the former version's 7.0-inch screens. Also new, the second-row provides USB ports and the armrest features controls for the air conditioning and audio.

Added smartphone integration is built in with Siri Eyes Free support for iOS devices, providing iTunes song sync and turn-by-turn navigation support from Apple Maps, with audio coming courtesy of the 19-speaker, 450-watt Mark Levinson Reference Surround Sound system.

Smartphones with Qi wireless charging compatibility can juice up when placed the charging tray - a nice touch. Lexus Enform Service Connect lets the LX570 make its maintenance needs known, and with the Lexus Enform Remote service (one-year trial included), customers can view and toggle certain aspects of their car such as locking and unlocking from a distance as well as remote starting, vehicle location, and climate controls - all from the companion smartphone app. 

Lexus hasn’t left safety out of the equation. Far from it. The new LX570 comes standard with their Safety System +, with a total of 10 airbags ensconcing the passengers. New standard safety equipment includes Pre-Collision System (PCS), Pedestrian Detection, Lane Departure Alert (LDA), Intelligent High Beam (IHB), and All-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control.

The cruise control uses a combination of millimetre-wave radar, front-facing camera to detect vehicles and objects, and uses that information to smoothly adjust acceleration and braking should the need arise. PCS can warn the driver of a possible collision and can initiate automatic braking with Brake Assist if necessary.

Being rather a large vehicle, all-round visibility is provided with the standard Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) system with Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA). The included Heads-up Display puts the most important information in the driver’s view such as such as vehicle speed, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, warnings, information icons, LDA, PCS and Intuitive Park Assist.

Have a look at the gallery below to fully take in the new 2016 Lexus LX570.