Lexus plans a 7-seater battle with BMW, Mercedes and Audi

Spy shots show what appears to be an elongated Lexus RX with larger rear doors - something that suggests that a 7-seater is just over the horizon.

Expected to go on sale towards the end of 2016, the engines are highly likely to be carried over from the new and refreshed (5-seater) RX. Those being 3.5-litre V6 units, one solely petrol and the other a hybrid, both developing in the region of 300 bhp.

With the firm’s recent XE and XF models planning to rival the hugely successful German saloons, it’s likely that Lexus has the £60k Mercedes GL-Class, £50k BMW X5 and £48k Audi Q7 in mind as its main rivals, although the £45k Volvo XC90 is more realistic. With the current 5-seater RX priced at £45k, it’s likely to lose many sales to the equally-desirable Land Rover Discovery Sport.

Lexus IS - new Advance trim

A Spring clean has meant Lexus has introduced a new trim level to the successful IS sports saloon range, the IS 300h Advance.  

The Luxury's (below Advance trim) standard kit is kept - the front and rear parking sensors, 17-inch alloys, automatic HID headlights and wipers, cruise control, auto-dimming rear-view mirror and dual-zone climate control. In addition, though, Advance customers get Lexus Navigation, heated and ventilated electrically adjustable front seats, leather upholstery and a reversing camera. 

The full-hybrid powertrain emits as low as 97 g/km of CO2.

The pricing has had a revamp too. Check out this table of savings: 

Lexus RX

Available in late 2015, the 4th generation RX will come with a 3.5-litre petrol V6 producing 300 bhp mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission or a hybrid using the same engine and producing the same amount of power.

It's obvious that the recently release NX has had an influence on its older brother as regards design cues.

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