Following the limited-run 450e F Sport Performance, which preceded the mid-cycle refresh, the Lexus RZ has received a special-edition 600e F Sport Performance variant in Japan as the highest variant.
Targeted at driving enthusiasts, the new configuration packs a range of styling and aero upgrades and definitely has more exclusivity. The RZ 600e F Sport Performance is based on the 550e F Sport configuration, which is sold in the U.S. According to Japanese specifications, it comes with 18 upgrades.
Last week, we traveled to Southeast Asia to check the car out in person, and here’s everything we learned from our experience:
Exterior
The Lexus RZ 600e F Sport Performance looks visibly more aggressive than the 550e F Sport configuration, and much of that has to do with its exclusive body kit, especially the rear wings.
Lexus has used carbon fiber extensively on the exterior, including the front, side, and rear underbody spoilers, front and rear turning vanes, hood vents, headlamp bezels, rear wings, and roof.
Exterior highlights include wider fenders, Enkei-made 21-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels in a matte black finish, Lexus-branded blue front brake calipers, blue rear brake calipers, and specially designed door moldings as well.
Customers can choose from two dual-tone color schemes: Black and Hakugin II with a matte clear finish, and Black and Neutrino Gray. The unit we saw was specified in the Black and Hakugin II color scheme, which also comes with blue accents.
Interior
Inside, Ultrasuede sport seats and door trim, blue stitching on the seats, blue accents on the gear selector and dashboard, and a black bezel around the front cupholders bring an added sense of sportiness to the Lexus RZ 600e F Sport Performance. The overall design of the cabin remains unchanged.
Specifications
The Lexus RZ 600e F Sport Performance is 4,860 mm (191.3 in.) long, 1,965 mm (77.4 in.) wide, and 1,615 mm (63.6 in.) tall. This makes it 55 mm (2.2 in.) longer, 70 mm (2.8 in.) wider, and 20 mm (0.8 in.) lower than the RZ 550e F Sport.
Moreover, unlike the RZ 550e F Sport, the RZ 600e F Sport Performance features performance dampers not only at the front but also at the rear. What remains unchanged is a pair of 2XM AC synchronous motors, one on the front axle and one on the rear axle, producing 167 kW (224 hp) and 268 Nm (198 lb-ft) of torque.
That said, Lexus has increased the system power from 300 kW (402 hp) to 313 kW (420 hp) for the RZ 600e F Sport Performance. Even so, the special-edition model takes the same time to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) as the RZ 550e F Sport, at 4.4 seconds.
Customers in this segment would also consider the Macan 4S, Model Y Performance, and perhaps even the GV60 Performance, which do better in this respect.
Larger, 20-inch brakes with six-piston aluminum monoblock calipers provide improved stopping power. The battery pack is the same 79.96 kWh unit, but while it delivers a WLTC range of 582 km (362 miles) in the RZ 550e F Sport, in the RZ 600e F Sport Performance, this figure drops to 525 km (326 miles).
Price
In Japan, the Lexus RZ 600e F Sport Performance was priced at JPY 12,165,000 in the Black and Neutrino Gray color scheme and JPY 12,440,000 in the Black and Hakugin II color scheme featured in this story.
Lexus has stopped taking orders for the RZ 600e F Sport Performance in Japan. The company recently sold a single unit of the special-edition model in Indonesia, but it has yet to announce sales in the U.S. or any other markets.
International Automotive News Editor since 2014, covering global motor shows, industry events, and test-driving various vehicles, with a focus on hybrid and electric cars in recent years.
