Automaker is preparing for possible GX replacement.
Toyota files a trademark application at the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The trademark is for TX550h+ and falls under the category of “automobiles or structural parts thereof”. The trademark was filed on March 16, 2022.
This trademark application will be the third by the Japanese automaker in connection to TX. It follows the TX350h and TX500h trademarks submitted in 2020. Both trademarks are still marked “live” at this writing.
This alphanumeric naming convention, which is used by Lexus, Toyota’s luxury brand, is well-known. The vehicle’s SUV/crossover designation is X, while the hybrid designation is h.
This is Lexus’ plug-in hybrid powertrain. The “+” designation is quite new. This powertrain was first used on the second generation Lexus NX. It was the first Lexus vehicle to be equipped with this powertrain.
It appears that the rumored Lexus TX will get a plug-in hybrid powertrain. This is side-by-side with the Lexus TX powered by the pure internal combustion engine.
Rumor is the keyword, since it was nearly ten years ago that the first report about a Lexus TX was published. The unibody TX, which will have three rows and be able to replace the GX (a body-on-frame SUV built on the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado) was reported.
However, trademark applications do not prove that the Lexus TX is actually happening. The reports are not supported by the scanty spy photos of the model. We do know, however, that there was a recent development that points towards electrification.
Let’s take all these speculations with a grain of salt. The trademark submissions may only signify that Toyota is protecting the wordmark in the event of a future need.