Lexus will launch its most powerful production electric vehicle in Australia late this year, with just nine examples of the RZ 600e F Sport Performance expected for local buyers.
Priced at $135,000 before on-road costs, the limited-production electric SUV will arrive in the fourth quarter of 2026 as the flagship of the updated RZ range.
That price matches what Lexus charged for the original RZ 450e Sports Luxury when its first dedicated electric SUV launched locally in May 2023.
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Following upgrades and substantial price reductions, the current RZ 500e Luxury starts at $84,500, with the Sports Luxury priced at $91,000 and the RZ 550e F Sport at $104,920.
The new flagship therefore commands a $30,080 premium over the 550e F Sport, with its Australian allocation drawn from a global production run of fewer than 200 vehicles.
The RZ 600e shares its 77kWh lithium-ion battery and front and rear electric motors with the 550e, but revised powertrain tuning increases maximum combined output by 13kW to 313kW.
Power reaches all four wheels through Lexus’s Direct4 all-wheel drive system. Lexus claims a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 4.4 seconds and a driving range of up to 420km on the WLTP test cycle.
The chassis changes extend beyond the extra power, with the 600e sitting 20mm lower than other RZ models and featuring front and rear performance dampers and unique spring rates.
Braking hardware includes 400mm ventilated front discs with six-piston aluminium monobloc calipers finished in blue, while the rear uses 317mm ventilated discs.
Matte black 21-inch Enkei alloy wheels carry 255/40 front and wider 295/35 rear tyres, housed beneath model-specific wheelarch mouldings.
The exterior also gains carbon aerodynamic components, including a front lip spoiler, rear diffuser and rear spoiler, along with revised bumper, grille, bonnet and side mouldings.
Lexus says the aerodynamic package was developed with air race pilot Yoshihide Muroya and racing driver Masahiro Sasaki.
The standard exterior finish is Neutrino Grey two-tone. An exclusive Hakugin white matte two-tone finish adds $5000, taking the price to $140,000 before on-road costs.
Inside, the 600e features Ultrasuede upholstery on its heavily bolstered front sports seats, instrument panel and door trim.
Like the RZ 550e F Sport, it combines a yoke-style steering wheel with steer-by-wire technology.
It also includes Lexus’s Interactive Manual Drive system, which uses paddle shifters to select eight simulated gears, accompanied by changes in power delivery, artificial engine sounds and a simulated tachometer display.
Standard equipment includes heated and ventilated power front seats, heated outboard rear seats, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and start, a wireless phone charger and a 13-speaker Mark Levinson audio system.
A 14-inch multimedia touchscreen provides wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, while the driver assistance package includes the latest generation of Lexus Safety Sense.
Eight Lexus dealerships will handle expressions of interest and showcase the model: Brisbane, Chatswood, Perth, Parramatta, Brighton, Sutherland, Blackburn and Sydney City Lexus.
Lexus of Brisbane has been allocated two vehicles, accounting for the ninth example expected for Australia.
The post Just nine for Australia: Lexus RZ 600e performance flagship costs the same as original top-spec RZ appeared first on EV Central.
