CULTURE
Vernissage
An exclusive exhibition of Roberto Chabet’s personal ephemera; La
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In the olden days, the idea of a luxurious adventure was hard to imagine. When you envision an adventurer, a rugged, practically clothed individual with light baggage will come to mind. On the other hand, a person of luxury will draw up an image of a lady or gentleman immaculately dressed, perfectly accessorized, and embellished with pristine features.
Fast forward to a world of convenience where these lines have been blurred. Needs have changed, and people are more determined to get what they want when they want it.
There is an increasing demand to break free from the limits of what their cars are meant to do.
Lexus is known as the understated luxury brand. It’s not as flashy as its counterparts, but it is as luxe as it gets. It is the luxury insignia of the biggest car manufacturer in the world, Toyota Motor Corporation. Through the strategic combination of Toyota’s leadership advantage, technological advancement, and racing expertise, they were able to produce a more sophisticated and refined luxury line of vehicles.
The LEXUS UX adds a whole new level of design and sophistication to your thrilling adventure
TRAVERSING THE CONCRETE JUNGLE
The Lexus UX is inspired by the CrossCreate approach; the exterior design incorporates the distinctive features of an armored vehicle with a robust body and the agile performance of a race car. The target market is urban explorers who work hard but also pursue their spirit of adventure, making the UX the best gateway to Lexus.
The design cues mimic the marriage of a hatchback and SUV. The signature Lexus grille has a unique 3-dimensional block mesh pattern that radiates outward from the Lexus emblem, with its elements appearing to change shape when viewed from different angles.
There's a lot of new features on the Lexus UX, including the first use of the new Global Architecture Compact or GA-C (which delivers fundamental high structural rigidity and a low center of gravity), a new powertrain, and a new 2.0-litre petrol engine that reaps the performance and fuel economy benefits of high thermal efficiency.
A notable feature of the UX is its world’s first concept of aerodynamic wheels and Aero stabilizing blade lights for better handling. This new design helps prevent airflow from wrapping around the rear of the vehicle and keeps it stable when turning and driving in crosswinds.
AN ASSURED HIGH PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCE
A compact SUV is my vehicle of choice because of its size and agility. Having driven many Japanese and European SUVs, it was refreshing to drive the UX. It was an easy drive. Usually, SUVs have either a boat-like or harsh ride that seems too focused on performance. I felt comfortable to drive the UX from the first time I got into the vehicle. It gave me confidence in low and high-speed handling. So, of course, we took it to the race track! The UX held its own at the race track. We did a short test around the track and confirmed its agility through the various corners and various speeds at the
Clark Speedway.
Lexus engineers made sure that the UX will inherit the same driving experience in terms of feel and response introduced by the flagship LC. They even consulted their Lexus Master Driver and Toyota President Akio Toyoda to ensure that every UX owner will enjoy driving the machine.
CABIN IMPRESSIONS
The cabin does feel young in comparison to its older siblings. Having extensive experience with the Lexus NX, the back seat recline and the automatic parking brake on park mode are my favorite features. The UX has the latter because it's meant to be an owner-driven car. It has an impressive engine start show where the instrumentation dances to life, giving you a very memorable start.
The interior layout is derived from the Lexus “seat-in-control” concept, which provides a roomy, open upper space, and prioritizes a logical placement of steering and instrument panel controls for ease of operation. Most Japanese cars have a better seating angle than their European counterparts, especially with Asian profiles, and Toyota is known for this. This car allows the driver to enjoy a class-leading field of vision, regardless of stature, and despite a lower seating position.
Another first is the new trim grain finish that is inspired by the grain of Japanese paper, known as washi, familiar in traditional Japanese homes. Created using slush-molding and a carefully chosen surface finish, it exudes a calm and warm feeling.
With the all-new UX, Lexus introduces the world to a new genre of crossover. It is built for modern adventurers who live life to the fullest and unapologetically want to look good while doing it.