Lexus has just announced a special version of the LBX that has a personal touch from Toyota Motor Corporation’s chairman Akio Toyoda.

Called the LBX Morizo RR, the special model gets its name from Toyoda-san’s racing and testing cars nom de plume ‘Morizo’. The RR in the nameplate refers to Rookie Racing.

Priced from $89,900, it will be in New Zealand dealerships later this year with customer orders arriving in February 2025.

“Morizo is a person who loves cars, not only Toyota and Lexus but all cars. Morizo is fun,” says Toyoda-san.

The LBX Morizo RR is powered by a turbocharged 1.6 litre, inline three-cylinder engine that delivers 206kW and 390Nm, driving all four wheels through an electronically controlled system and a Direct Shift eight-speed automatic transmission. 

All key elements of the car have been honed for performance, including the body, suspension, brakes and tyres. 

To optimise aerodynamics, the development team applied technologies developed in collaboration with Lexus Pathfinder Air Racing.

The LBX Morizo RR is also Toyoda-san’s personal car that he often takes away for the weekend, including driving at his favourite Fuji Speedway until the fuel tank runs dry. 

“The LBX Morizo RR is kind of a casual luxury, the car is as comfortable as my sneakers,” he says.

“People think that big is luxury and small is economical. But that is not true. To me smaller cars are more fun to drive. 

“This LBX is a special edition with more high performance. The 1.6L inline-three intercooled turbo engine delivers exhilarating torque and power. Fun to drive is not just about driving, it is the sound, the smell, all the ingredients.” 

Lexus New Zealand Vice President Andrew Davis says the development aim for the LBX Morizo RR was to create a ‘partner’ that could provide a thrilling out of the ordinary experience and bring a smile to the face of the true enthusiast, someone like Toyoda-san.

Davis says the result of the development work and hands-on involvement of Toyoda-san and professional driver Masahiro Sasaki at the Toyota Technical Center Shimoyama, is a car that embodies a sense of casual luxury and has the reassuring, rewarding quality of a trusted driving partner. 

Arriving in New Zealand later this year, the Lexus LBX Morizo RR will bear a close relationship to the recently introduced hybrid LBX but will feature a completely different powertrain and many unique styling features.

Wider than the hybrid LBX by 15mm, the Morizo RR edition has extended body-coloured wheel arches housing 19-inch Super Gloss Black Metallic alloy wheels. 

It is also slightly lower and the driver’s hip point has been lowered 10mm to create a greater sense of unity with the car.

A dedicated platform was implemented to achieve a balance between agility and power. Body rigidity has also been significantly increased, with an additional 469 spot welds and the use of underbody bracing, a rear performance damper and an additional 12.8m of structural adhesive. 

To maximise performance during sports driving, the Direct Shift-8AT transmission was incorporated to enable smooth and exhilarating acceleration while pursuing an emotional sound.

 Inside, the special LBX features Semi-Aniline Leather and Ultrasuede accented sports seats, aluminium sports pedals, coloured wheel arch and Piano black lower door mouldings on the exterior.

Other interior features comprise the latest 13-speaker Mark Levinson premium audio system, a 12.3-inch digital meter, head-up display, and a 9.8-inch touchscreen display.

Check out the video below of Toyoda-san talking about (and driving) the Lexus LBX Morizo RR.