Edmunds has more spy footage of the Lexus RX prototype booting its way around Nürburgring (click on the image below to be taken to the video):

In their analysis, Edmunds points out the elimination of a portion of the rear side windows, which I had missed. Here's a visual comparison:

There's definitely little deviation from the current model, but I really like the improvements.

(Thanks Jarrett!)

My least favorite German car magazine Auto Motor Und Sport has scooped up some footage of the next-generation Lexus RX making its way around Nürburgring:

Can't say this was something I would have ever expected to see, an RX on the 'ring. One thing's for sure, I don't ever want to see an RX going that fast again. The whole time on the track, and all I was worried about were the kids in the back seat.

It may not be Lexus-specific, but Car & Driver has a very interesting article on one of the companies responsible for creating the wild camouflage used to hide pre-production vehicles:

Dan owns Autocanvas, one of only two independent U.S. companies that create camouflage to thwart the public—and rival automakers—from eyeing preproduction cars.

When Dan reluctantly agreed to talk, he imposed a few rules. “I can’t name the manufacturers who buy body wraps from me,” he cautioned. And he refused to meet at his office. “It’s always locked,” he explained. “Only my employees go in or out. Not even my clients meet me there.” He told me that if I brought along some out-of-date spy photos he’d look at them but warned he could neither confirm nor deny whether he’d created the disguises. During the 18 years he’s been in the car-cloaking business, he’s never taken a photo of even one of his camouflage kits. “It’d be too damning to have something like that around,” he said, adding that he didn’t care to talk about the precise address of his factory, only that “it’s in the Detroit metro area.” And he warned that many of my questions would evoke an off-the-record response or no response at all.

As can be expected, it's all very cloak & dagger, though I'm surprised this is outsourced at all. Wouldn't it make more sense to keep it in-house?

In all the excitement of the just-seen Lexus RX prototype running the 'Ring in Germany, I missed that Leftlane News have their own spy coverage of the next-gen crossover. I love the revised stance of the vehicle:

The reduction of the rear bubble has done a lot to update the look of the RX, but I'll admit to some worry about the visible front-end:

Eddie in the comments hit it right on the head, there's too much Toyota showing through (I thought immediately of the previous generation Toyota Matrix). Still, remove all the camouflage and it could very well look like an IS-F.

Be sure to check out Leftlane News for more photos.

A set of mildly-camoflagued Lexus RX prototypes have been spotted at Nürburgring in Germany, and the design is looking to be a successful merger of the current model and the LF-Xh concept shown at last year's Tokyo Motor Show.

The most obvious element taken from the LF-Xh is the smoother, more flowing shape, looking lower and longer than the current model, let's et's compare and contrast:

I find the streamlining to be very attractive, eliminating my biggest complaint about the current RX's styling. I think the front-end needs some reworking though. While I'm relieved the Ford Edge style grille of the LF-Xh was dropped, the resulting nose is looking rather ordinary.

To see the full image set, check out Jalopnik's gallery.

Details have been revealed today that the Lexus LF-A Racing Prototype was involved in some kind of crash during the qualifying session prior to the actual race. Autoblog has some more photos of the smash, but the damage seem to be around the driver-side front and rear bumper. Here's what it looked like from the back:

I wonder is if this was partly responsible for extended pitstops that the LF-A had to take during the race?

(I really like the top night shot of the LF-A, it looks fantastic in matte black, and I would honestly like to see offered as a real color for the supercar.)