2013 FACELIFTED LEXUS LX DEBUTED

           2013 FACELIFTED LEXUS LX  DEBUTED

Lexus has put the LX 570 under the knife for 2013. The sprawling SUV makes its debut at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show wearing a revised front fascia, complete with the company's "spindle" grille design and new LED daytime running lights – very similar to its sister SUV, the Toyota Land Cruiser. The vehicle's side-view mirrors now come equipped with integrated turning indicators for the first time, and around back, the 2013 Lexus LX 570 wears redesigned tail lamps alongside a revised rear valance with stainless steel accents. A new 20-inch wheel design is also part of the update.

Indoors, the 2013 LX 570 comes equipped with a new Easy Access system for the driver, which automatically retracts the steering wheel and driver's seat for easier ingress and egress. Designers sprinkled new mahogany wood trim throughout the cabin as well as additional 120-volt power adapters. Likewise, the instrument cluster now comes in a new color scheme for 2013. Snazzy.

Otherwise, expect to find the same 5.7-liter V8 underhood that's powered LX 570 models of yore. That means buyers can look forward to a stout 383 horsepower and 403 pound-feet of torque. Click past the jump for the full press release.

         Lexus Introduces 2013 LX 570 Luxury Utility Vehicle at

                  North American International Auto Show

                  New Look Highlighted by Lexus Spindle Grille

                 Interior Features Mahogany Wood Trim and Other Enhancements

         Combines Advanced Safety Features, Luxury and Off-Road Performance

Sporting a new Lexus spindle grille, new 20-inch alloy wheel design and upgraded interior for the 2013 model year, the eight-passenger LX 570 continues to

deliver on challenging off-road adventures as well as luxurious daily driving.

The 2013 LX 570 gets a new look at both the front and rear. New LED daytime running lights complement new headlamp design and new larger fog lamp bezels. Taillamps are also updated, while the rear license plate surround gets a revised look and the tow hitch cover is more integrated. Both front and rear bumpers are refreshed, and the rear bumper protector is enhanced by a stainless steel accent.

Turn signals have been added to the side mirrors, and wider bodyside moldings sport a new look. The spacious, eight-passenger cabin of the LX 570 receives a number of upgrades and changes. The driver's seat gets a new Easy Access system, which makes entering and exiting the vehicle easier. The steering wheel and driver's seat automatically retract when the ignition is turned off. Front seats also feature improved cooling, and a 120-volt power outlet has been added to the middle row. The instrument panel has been updated and a new color display is applied. A dark chrome finish for the center instrument cluster and front side air vents, along with a new chrome accent above the glove box, freshen the look of the instrument panel as well.

T

he cabin of the 2013 LX 570 also gets mahogany wood trim. Parchment replaces Cashmere as an interior leather trim color. Two new exterior colors are available: Medium Nebula Gray Pearl and Satin Cashmere Metallic, replacing Twilight Gray Metallic and Golden Almond Metallic.

Engine/Transmission/Drive-train/Performance

The LX 570's 5.7-liter V8 delivers the punch and towing power demanded in this segment. The powerplant produces 383 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and peak torque of 403 lb.-ft at 3,600 rpm. Crucial to LX customers who tow with their vehicles, 90 percent of peak torque is available at just 2,200 rpm.

The LX 570 is equipped with an electronically-controlled six-speed automatic transmission that estimates road conditions and predicts the driver's intention in order to select the appropriate gear ratio for the vehicle's speed and the driving conditions. A sequential shift mode allows the driver to select gears manually. Even at very low speeds, such as trail driving, the transmission operates smoothly and imperceptibly.

The LX 570's transfer case provides full-time four-wheel drive that is equally adept at handling the rigors of slippery winter weather or deep mud or snow. The system uses a TORSEN® limited-slip locking center differential to distribute power 40:60 front-to-rear, directing more power to the wheels with the best grip should slippage occur. Four-wheel Active Traction Control (A-TRAC) employs both brake and throttle intervention to help control wheel spin.

Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) helps maintain directional control during cornering and can be disengaged via the "TRAC off" switch. The updated Crawl Control feature provides optimum throttle and brake modulation when maneuvering over rough, uneven or difficult surfaces. The new Turn Assist feature also helps by tightening the turning circles by adding more brake force to the inside rear wheel.

The new Multi-terrain Select also allow you to optimize performance by choosing from five types of terrain. Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) helps provide additional control for off-road driving by helping to keep the vehicle from rolling back when your foot moves from the brake to the gas pedal on a steep incline or slippery surface.

Chassis/Body/Suspension/Tyres/Brakes

The LX 570's highly capable chassis is equipped with an advanced suspension system. The high-mount, independent double-wishbone front suspension allows for nine inches of total front wheel travel for outstanding articulation over rough roads and obstacles. The four-link trailing-arm rear suspension retains the solid-axle configuration for strength and durability. Body- on-frame construction provides ruggedness and durability in challenging driving conditions, plus impressive ride isolation characteristics and a 7,000-pound towing capability.

The Active Height Control system lowers the chassis by about two inches for easy entry and exit and returns automatically to its normal height when the vehicle begins to accelerate. An Easy Access mode allows the driver to also lower the vehicle when it is parked. For improved aerodynamics, the AHC system lowers the vehicle at highway speeds. When the transfer case is shifted into low range, AHC raises the vehicle to provide additional ride height in driving situations where chassis clearance is at a premium.

The Adaptive Variable Suspension system provides three modes to control the spring rate and shock absorber damping force to provide optimal handling and comfort for on-road or trail driving. Comfort mode provides a softer response on extremely bumpy roads, while the Normal and Sport modes help provide increasingly greater levels of control for driving a heavily loaded vehicle, driving at higher speeds on paved roads, or driving on unpaved roads.

The standard split five-spoke, 20-inch alloy wheels with Liquid Graphite finish wear 285/50R20 tires. The multi-terrain ABS system determines road-surface conditions and automatically optimizes lock-up control, selecting the suitable ABS profile for on- and off-road driving surfaces. Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) employs the ABS to properly balance braking forces between the front and rear wheels, while Brake Assist (BA) provides auxiliary force to assist the driver during emergency braking.

Standard/Safety/Security Features

The LX 570 is equipped with 10 standard airbags, including driver- and front-passenger knee airbags, front and second-row seat-mounted side airbags in the outboard seating positions, and roll-sensing side curtain airbags that cover all three rows. All eight seating positions feature three-point seatbelts. The second-row seatbelts integrate pre-tensioners for the outboard seats and an ALR/ELR (Automatic Locking Retractor/Emergency Locking Retractor) seatbelt for the The LX 570 was the first vehicle in its class to use Active Front Headrests which move upward and forward in the event of certain low speed rear-end collisions when the force of the occupant's body is applied to the seat back.

The LX 570 was also the first in its class to offer available Pre-Collision System with Dynamic Radar Cruise Control. In addition, LX 570 was the first Lexus to offer the optional Wide-view Front and Side Camera feature designed for use in tight settings, such as parking garages. With cameras located within the front grille and under the passenger outside mirror, the driver can check hard-to-view areas by simply pressing a button on the dashboard and viewing the camera images on the standard navigation system screen. The Wide-view Front and Side Camera functions up to a vehicle speed of about 7.5 mph and can display the front and side views simultaneously in split-screen mode.

Luxury/Comfort/Convenience

A full array of standard luxury amenities includes four-zone independent climate control, front-seat power-seat cushion extenders, a rear back-up camera, Lexus Navigation System and nine-speaker Lexus Premium Sound system with iPod/USB connectivity, HD radio with iTunes tagging, and streaming music via Bluetooth®.

The Lexus Navigation System includes Lexus Enform® with Safety Connect® (includes complimentary one-year trial subscription), Voice Command casual-language voice recognition and Bluetooth phonebook download. The system now comes with the next-generation Lexus Enform® Application Suite, the system that leverages the customers' mobile phone technology to provide a new level of connectivity and information management. Users can conduct local searches through Bing, or utilize voice-enabled apps to make restaurant reservations through OpenTable, get movie tickets via MovieTickets.com or tap into internet radio, including Pandora®

Users will also appreciate the ability to check-in on Facebook, and search for various business reviews including restaurants on Yelp. SiriusXM data services offer information on stocks, traffic, weather, sports and fuel prices. Enform® is supported on iPhone, Android and Blackberry. SiriusXM services offer complimentary 90-day trial subscriptions and require separate audio and data subscriptions.

The standard power-sliding second-row seat slides forward and aft 3.5 inches for passenger comfort and cargo storage versatility. The second-row seatbacks provide a convenient 40/20/40 split. The second row seat is specially engineered to make tumbling it forward easy for anyone. A power retractable third-row seat is standard. The split rear tailgate features a power upper door, while the bottom section raises and lowers with minimal effort.

The LX 570 offers an optional Luxury Package that includes a cool box for beverages; semi-aniline leather-trimmed upholstery with contrast stitching, heated steering wheel and

mahogany wood trimmed door door switch plates; heated and ventilated front seats and heated

2^nd -row seats (outboard position only); & Smart Access.

In addition to the Luxury Package, the new LX 570 now features a rear dual screen rear-seat entertainment system with wireless headphones and three-prong electrical outlet. This system allows two video sources to be viewed at the same time – for instance, one can be used as a DVD player while the other as a game console or audio player.

For audiophiles, a 19-speaker Mark Levinson® Reference Surround Sound audio system is also available with 450-watts maximum power and 15 channels.

Source - autoblog