Lexus Trademarks LX600 Moniker – Is It About To Give Its SUV A New Engine?

Lexus has filed to trademark the ‘LX600’ name with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, indicating that its flagship SUV could be getting a new engine.

In the United States, the current top Lexus SUV is sold exclusively with a naturally aspirated 5.7-liter V8 delivering 383 HP at 5600 rpm and 403 lb-ft (546 Nm) of torque at 3600 rpm as the LX 570. In other markets, the Toyota Land Cruiser-based model is also available with a 4.5-liter turbodiesel with 268 HP at 3600 rpm and 479 lb-ft (650 Nm) of torque between 1600 and 2800 rpm as the LX 450d.

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If Lexus were to stick with the same naming scheme, then it would make sense for the LX600 to be powered by a 6.0-liter V8 engine. However, as Auto Guide points out, it’s no certainty that the badge reflects the vehicle’s engine displacement, as numerical badges don’t necessarily signify the size of the engines, especially with the advent of downsizing. It would also be somewhat strange to release a big 6.0-liter V8 specifically for the LX, since Lexus doesn’t currently produce such an engine.

With this in mind, there’s certainly a possibility that Lexus is instead preparing to offer the LX with another engine from the Toyota family, perhaps the 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 it already offers in vehicles like the LS500.

Whatever the case may be, it’s obvious that Lexus still sees some life left in the current LX, even though it’s been on the market since the 2008 model year.