The Lexus LBX Morizo RR Concept is a big name for a small car that – in genuinely surprising news – now packs a big punch. A GR Yaris-shaped punch. Because it’s got the engine from a Toyota GR Yaris.
Only in this concept iteration, revealed at the 2024 Tokyo Auto Salon, the three-cylinder, 1.6-liter ‘G16E-GTS’ turbo engine is able to generate 300hp and 400Nm of torque. This is considerably more than a regular Lexus LBX, which uses a Yaris Cross hybrid… oh, wait, you’ve already stopped listening.
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How does the revelation that “all key elements of the car have been honed for performance” strike you? Lexus tells us the body, suspension, the ‘packaging’ – heck, even the tires – have all been turned up to 11.
Plus, the development team have applied learnings from – genuinely – “high-speed air racing” to enhance the Morizo’s aerodynamic properties. Now all you’re imagining is sending this 4WD crossover through the air.
“The result is a car that embodies a sense of casual luxury and has the reassuring, rewarding quality of a trusted driving partner,” said Lexus. The regular LBX is a worthy small car. The RR concept turns it into a bit of a rally raider. Like it?
NOTE: This story first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
