We won’t blame you for thinking out loud that the prototype model with the zany zebra stripes pictured above and below looks like a Lexus CT 200h riding on a jacked up suspension and crossover-like wheels, because partly, that’s what it is. However, it’s also a test mule for the Japanese brand’s upcoming compact crossover that will take the base right under the RX.
Mind you, that’s no rumor, as a Lexus official confirmed the news and even went one step further stating that the company could preview its BMW X1 and Mercedes-Benz GLA fighter with a study at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show later this year and the actual production model, possibly as early as the 2014 Geneva Auto Salon next March, though, neither of these dates have been verified.
While Lexus hasn’t shared the name of the crossover model yet, it did file trademarks in the United States and Canada for the “NX 200t” and “NX 300h” monikers last year, and given its current nomenclature, it’s only reasonable to believe that it could use them on this model.
Very little else is known about the premium crossover, and even though we’re tempted to say the 200t points to a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, we’ll have to wait for more information on that. One thing we can say for sure is that there will be a hybrid model in the range, likely powered by the same 2.5-liter four-cylinder powerplant in the Toyota Camry and Lexus ES models.
Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoopS
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