Lexus RZ with DIRECT4 - Lexus Driving Signature
  • last year
Maximum comfort and maximum driving pleasure: With the intelligent DIRECT4 all-wheel drive, the Lexus RZ sets new standards. The technology automatically adjusts the torque between the front and rear axles to the road conditions within milliseconds. The braking force on all four wheels reacts to the road grip and thus also improves the energy efficiency of the electric car.

The premium brand found inspiration in nature - and not just for the vehicle design: the cheetah, as the fastest animal in the world, made a lasting impression on chief engineer Takashi Watanabe. When hunting, the big cat sprints at lightning speed and its body moves in all possible directions, while the head remains stable and the gaze unwavering.

Such properties are secured in the Lexus RZ by the DIRECT4 all-wheel drive: It gives the model exceptionally good stability and tilt control. The vehicle leans backwards less when accelerating and forwards less when braking. The result: fewer head movements by the occupants. The driver enjoys a more stable view, the comfort for all passengers - especially in the rear - increases.

In addition to better control, reduced body jerking and therefore an overall smoother ride, DIRECT4 offers other benefits such as powerful and smooth acceleration, excellent traction under acceleration and on slippery surfaces, better cornering stability and reassuringly confident deceleration. The variable torque distribution also ensures a precise, linear and natural response to any input from the driver. All of these attributes reinforce the RZ's core driving characteristics, which are also the cornerstones of the Lexus Driving Signature: confidence, control and comfort.

DIRECT4 continuously ensures an optimal balance of the drive forces between the front and rear axles. Each axis is controlled independently. Sensors constantly send information about wheel speed, longitudinal inclination and steering angle to the control unit. To maximize traction and grip, DIRECT4 reacts at lightning speed: the torque distribution between the front and rear axles can be adjusted within milliseconds - faster than with any mechanical system.