10 years of Lexus design: from Spindle Grille to Spindle Body

For ten years, the famous Spindle Grille has graced Lexus models. But this recognizable hourglass-shaped design element is undergoing a transformation. The signature shape of the Spindle Grille evolves into a true Spindle Body, as can already be seen on the next-generation Lexus RX and the all-electric Lexus RZ.

The Spindle Grille debuted on the 2011 Lexus LF-Gh study. This model formed the basis for the fourth-generation GS executive sedan, which was released in 2012. The Spindle Grille has since become an iconic style feature of Lexus models. The design of this recognizable grille design has been continuously adapted to the character of each subsequent Lexus model after the 2012 GS, including through different mesh patterns, dimensions and colours.

Kiyotake Ise, then president of Lexus, said during the Spindle Grille’s debut: “You should be able to identify a car as a Lexus immediately… Instant recognition on the street, that’s the idea behind our Spindle Grille. It may look a bit aggressive at first glance, that’s the intention, but it also exudes audacity with sophistication and elegance.”

Skyjet with Spindle Grille
As an integral part of the ‘L-finesse’ design philosophy, Lexus has not only applied the Spindle Grille to street cars. The grille also graced the futuristic Skyjet spacecraft in the hit movie Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, of which Lexus was a partner. The signature shape of the Spindle Grille has also been adopted as a design motif in the Loft, Lexus and Brussels Airlines’ award-winning lounge at Brussels Airport.

Evolution to Spindle Body
Today, the original grille concept is the starting point for a more radical application of the distinctive shape, becoming an integral part of the overall design of the vehicle, the Spindle Body. The core of this is that the design is a logical consequence of the power and dynamics of electric propulsion. This approach is also part of the Lexus Next Chapter design for the all-new Lexus RX, reinterpreting the grille as a seamless unit that blends into the body. The lower section retains a mesh pattern, while the upper section merges into the underside of the hood. The Lexus decals are centrally positioned.

Lexus RZ 450e, another interpretation
The principle of the Spindle Body has also been applied to the all-electric Lexus RZ 450e. Because a battery-electric car needs less cooling than a car with a conventional powertrain, designers have taken more freedom and omitted the grille. Instead of the signature Spindle Grille, the RZ 450e has a so-called Spindle Shape. This three-dimensional shape, central to the design of the front of the car, is finished in body colour. The narrow light units fit seamlessly with the pronounced wheel arches and the daytime running lights stand out because of the Lexus L motif.

On both the new Lexus RX and all-electric RZ 450e, thanks to the Spindle Body, the lines flow smoothly from back to front, through the hood to the headlights and finally into the spindle shape. This creates a distinctive and powerful-looking front, a reflection of Lexus’ ambitions for design and electrification.