The Lexus Spindle Grille Is A Decade Old And It’s Changing

The Lexus spindle grille is undergoing a change, morphing into what the Japanese company calls the ‘spindle body.’

The spindle grille was first introduced with the LF-Gh concept from 2011 before being implemented on the fourth-generation GS sedan the following year. Over the past decade, the shape and size of the grille has been tweaked but still remains as eye-catching and unique as ever.

It’s not just cars from Lexus that have adopted the spindle grille over the years. For example, the futuristic Skyjet spacecraft built for Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets had the grille. Additionally, it has been adopted as a design motif at the Lexus and Brussels Airlines lounge in Belgium.

Read Also: Lexus Will Tone Down But Won’t Abandon Spindle Grille Despite Customers Saying It’s A “Turnoff”

Things have started to change. Following the release of the all-electric Lexus RZ 450e, a vehicle without a traditional grille, Lexus has adopted a new spindle body. The overall shape of the spindle is familiar but it is no longer a grille and instead a continuation of the bodywork, stretching down from the hood and finished in the car’s body color. Making the spindle body stand out are black design elements on either side and a small black lower grille.

The new Lexus RX also features a unique take on the spindle body. It too flows seamlessly into the bodywork and features an upper section that takes in the lower edge of the bonnet while sporting a lower section that retains a more traditional mesh pattern.

When Lexus initially unveiled the spindle grille, then head of Lexus, Kiyotake Ise said, “You should be able to identify a car as a Lexus immediately… Instant visual recognition, for example, is the reason behind our spindle grille. It may look aggressive at first glance, that’s intentional, but it also conveys its boldness with sophistication and elegance.”