Photo: vossen / Instagram
Unveiled almost back-to-back, the mid-size Toyota Land Cruiser and the premium Lexus GX 550 counterpart are a pair to behold. Alas, some folks will have to decide between one and the other.
According to some owners and reviewers, the newest Lexus GX might just be the all-time best Land Cruiser. The model, now blending luxury with ruggedness thanks to the body-on-frame TNGA-F platform, has been a go-to off-roader for American overlanders for about two decades already.
It offers a great balance of reliability, comfort, and capability in the premium off-road SUV niche – and new or used, a lot of Lexus GX SUVs have become, over the years, the default choice for dirt-bashing, rock-crawling, mud-fighting adventures – with a side of glamping, if you wash it thoroughly at the end of the day.
The 2024 Lexus GX 550 immediately promised to be even better than its popular predecessors – it has the same body-on-frame platform as the larger Tundra or Sequoia, but the size format befits the Tacoma, 4Runner, and – of course – the land Cruiser. Styling-wise, many say it's a home run, and the new Overtrail grade is just taking all off-roading prowess up a notch in OEM form.
Then there's also the sturdy V35A-FTS 3.4-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine packing 349 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque sent to all wheels through a Direct Shift ten-speed automatic transmission. But what happens when you want your 2024 Lexus GX 550 to look just as cool when hitting the trails as well as when taking the missus to the opera on a Friday night?
Well, if you know the address to Miami, Florida-based Vossen, which has a vast portfolio of aftermarket wheels, one could easily use one of their American sets to make the Tahara, Japan-produced SUV a lot cooler. This example, dressed in Nebula Gray Pearl, not only has chunky Nitto tires but also a flawless Y-spoke set of Vossen HF6-3 aftermarket wheels finished in Satin Black.
As it turns out, these hybrid forged six-lug wheels made for trucks are not even breaking the bank – they start at $649 each and come in 20 to 24-inch diameters, 9.5 to 10-inch widths, and feature eight different finishes. The set used here, by the way, is a 22-inch by 9.5-inch fitted with 275/50R22 off-road tires from Nitto.
Also, it turns out that the owner won't be doing much of the driving despite creating such a tasteful build with help from Vossen, Nitto, and Northside Lexus from Houston, Texas. This is because the custom Lexus GX 550, which is both subtle and brawny at the same time, was created for the wife's pleasure – who "only" wanted a "GX 550 on Vossen wheels and some tires." That's a nice order, right?
It offers a great balance of reliability, comfort, and capability in the premium off-road SUV niche – and new or used, a lot of Lexus GX SUVs have become, over the years, the default choice for dirt-bashing, rock-crawling, mud-fighting adventures – with a side of glamping, if you wash it thoroughly at the end of the day.
The 2024 Lexus GX 550 immediately promised to be even better than its popular predecessors – it has the same body-on-frame platform as the larger Tundra or Sequoia, but the size format befits the Tacoma, 4Runner, and – of course – the land Cruiser. Styling-wise, many say it's a home run, and the new Overtrail grade is just taking all off-roading prowess up a notch in OEM form.
Then there's also the sturdy V35A-FTS 3.4-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine packing 349 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque sent to all wheels through a Direct Shift ten-speed automatic transmission. But what happens when you want your 2024 Lexus GX 550 to look just as cool when hitting the trails as well as when taking the missus to the opera on a Friday night?
Well, if you know the address to Miami, Florida-based Vossen, which has a vast portfolio of aftermarket wheels, one could easily use one of their American sets to make the Tahara, Japan-produced SUV a lot cooler. This example, dressed in Nebula Gray Pearl, not only has chunky Nitto tires but also a flawless Y-spoke set of Vossen HF6-3 aftermarket wheels finished in Satin Black.
As it turns out, these hybrid forged six-lug wheels made for trucks are not even breaking the bank – they start at $649 each and come in 20 to 24-inch diameters, 9.5 to 10-inch widths, and feature eight different finishes. The set used here, by the way, is a 22-inch by 9.5-inch fitted with 275/50R22 off-road tires from Nitto.
Also, it turns out that the owner won't be doing much of the driving despite creating such a tasteful build with help from Vossen, Nitto, and Northside Lexus from Houston, Texas. This is because the custom Lexus GX 550, which is both subtle and brawny at the same time, was created for the wife's pleasure – who "only" wanted a "GX 550 on Vossen wheels and some tires." That's a nice order, right?
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