Zagato-Lexus tie-up

Can the famous Italian styling house work its magic on the lexus RX350?

Auto Express Car Reviews

22nd August 2006

Italian styling house Zagato has gone to work on Lexus - and come up with one of the first 4x4s ever to wear the famous Z-shaped badge.

Only 250 examples of the Zagato RX350 will be built by Lexus' parent company Toyota's in-house design centre in Japan. Each will feature the same reworked front end, as well as flared wheelarches and a dramatic rear. To complete the package, the off-roader will be equipped with distinctive alloy wheels and extra cooling ducts at the front and rear, as well as new tail-lamps.

But despite the alterations to the SUV's exterior, under the skin the new car remains largely unchanged from the standard machine, with power coming from the conventional RX350's 272bhp 3.5-litre V6 engine. This is mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox.

Despite its exclusivity, the Zagato will be similarly priced to the standard car, which starts from £31,933 in UK showrooms.