Toyota Technical Center Shimoyama Media Event / Lexus TZ World Premiere

Toyota Motor Corporation held a Toyota Technical Center Shimoyama media event and the world premiere of the Lexus TZ on Thursday, May 7, 2026, starting at 10:30 a.m. The press briefing can be watched via the following link.

Live stream Details

Date / Time

Thursday, May 7, 2026, 10:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. JST

Language

English

Toyota attendee

Simon Humphries, Chief Branding Officer

Event Details

Presentation

Presentation by Simon Humphries

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.

It's my great pleasure to welcome all of you both here in person...
and those joining live from around the world...

to the Toyota Technical Center Shimoyama here in Aichi, Japan.

A place unlike any other in the world.

Built for one purpose.

To create ever better cars.

Now...
these facilities have not traditionally been open to the public...

but times have changed.

Because Akio-san understands that the automotive industry is more than just business...

it's part of the local culture.

Just two years ago...
nearly to the day...
he stood on this very spot...

and declared that this facility would become the spiritual heart of the Lexus and GR brands.

The "genba"...
the place...
where the future is made.

A place where we "drive, break...

Well, at least in Akio-san's case...

and fix" cars...

Pushing them to the limit...
breaking them...
fixing them on the spot...
and driving again.

Designers, engineers...
mechanics, and drivers...
working together, as one, to refine the car.

A place where, as Master Driver Naruse-san said...

"Roads make cars."

So how appropriate it is, that today marks, not only the first unveiling of a new model here at Shimoyama...

but also, the first under our new President...
Mr. Kon.

Now, I know that he said he's a money guy...
but, in many ways...
he played a big part in the development of today's vehicles...

As an investor...

An investor in people, and an investor in the future.

He understands how to use resources with intent...

Shimoyama...
and Woven city, both established during his time as Chief Financial Officer, are a reflection of that thinking.

Buildings, test courses, and hardware...
mean nothing without people.

And the people here have taken ownership of that vision.

Because what happens in Shimoyama is not just about building better cars.

It's about exploring what mobility can become.

With the introduction of Century as a stand-alone brand, in the exclusive ultra-luxury space...

Lexus now has the freedom...
to strengthen its promise...
to customers at the heart of the luxury marketplace.

And Lexus's promise...
is to DISCOVER.

To think independently...
confidently...

to be adventurous and innovative...

to discover...
new products...
new services...
new experiences...

seamlessly connecting...
business and pleasure...
on land, sea, and air...

360 degrees of mobility...
to discover a new luxury lifestyle.

Over the last 2 years we have begun to lay out a picture of what that might look like...

The Lexus LFA is a chance...
to discover complete immersion...

An experience...
that engages all the senses...
in ways never experienced before.

The LS Coupe Concept...
answers the desire...
to have the best of everything...

the ability to discover duality...
a car that is as fun for the driver...
as it is...
for the passenger...

And the LS concept...
Six wheels to revolutionize packaging...

Your own private space...
a space to...
truly discover sanctuary.

We also foresee a time...
when we will no longer be tethered to roads.

Personal air and sea travel enabling people to discover an independent...
and luxurious life on...
and off-grid...

Different spaces, connected by different solutions...

With our cities...
and our brand spaces...
standing as gateways...
to support and enable...
a multi-dimensional way of living.

The potential for broadening the horizons of the Lexus brand...
is immense.

As Lexus's flagship series...
these vehicles form an arrowhead...
leading the brand into the future.

And it's becoming clear...
that that future lifestyle...
will require...
many components.

Across all aspects of life, people are expecting more personal choice and flexibility...

We live in a world defined by variety.

People want the freedom to choose...

To discover...
what works for them.

And that includes electrification...

But the step into electrification can also come at a price.

Whether that's reduced interior space...
due to aerodynamic requirements...

Or maybe its anxiety...
around battery capacity...

Or towing capacity...
that doesn't meet your lifestyle needs.

The truth of the matter is that one of the biggest hurdles in battery electric car development...

is how to make a car...
where there's no need to put yourself...
or your lifestyle, second to the needs of the vehicle.

As Akio-san often says...
innovation and product adoption are always driven by the customer...

And Lexus believes that the customer does not want to compromise.

The recently announced, new ES...
is one such vehicle that answers those demands.

Precisely conceived...
to help our customers discover the confidence to step into electrification...

without compromise.

Confidence...
in the choice of Hybrid or Battery Electric.

Confidence...
in a refined driving experience that elevates not only quietness, comfort, and control in every moment...

but a new view on the world.
enabled by a higher seating point...
that brings greater confidence and security behind the wheel

And with it...
easier entry and exit.

Yet still...
a presence that will definitely turn heads.

Electrification...
that is not simply a transition...

Rather an expansion...

an expansion of what a vehicle can be...

of what it can offer...

and of what you can do with it.

And that leads us to a much bigger question...

What happens when you continue to remove those limitations?

Ladies and gentlemen...
Discover Limitless.

I hope you like it.

This is a car without compromise...

a car designed to help you discover limitless possibilities.

For decades...
SUVs have represented freedom...

Freedom to travel farther...
To bring family and friends along...
To turn a simple drive into an adventure.

But today...
families expect more.

More versatility.
More refinement.
And increasingly...
electrification.

The TZ represents a new standard in electrified luxury utility.

An all-new battery electric SUV that seamlessly combines capability, craftsmanship, and the demands of modern life.

And many of those possibilities begin with something often in short supply in the BEV segment.

Space.

The long wheelbase...
made possible with the BEV architecture...

allows us to unlock new levels of utility and versatility.

Creating space...
while achieving aerodynamic efficiency...
one of the greatest challenges in electric vehicle design.

The result...

A flowing silhouette...
despite three rows of seating.

A confident stance...
and powerful road presence...
yet surfaces are integrated and modern...

A vehicle designed not only to meet the practical needs of families...

but to spark pride and excitement every time you approach it.

But the real story begins when you open the door...
and step inside.

Two distinct experiences...
working in harmony.

For the driver...
a focused cockpit.

Everything designed to feel intuitive...
and natural...

Including the hidden switches...
revealed only when needed...
with the reassuring tactility of a true physical control.

For passengers...

a lounge-like interior space where every passenger enjoys the same sense of luxury...

no matter which row they sit in.

Because very often...

the third row isn't really a row at all.

More of a... suggestion.

But with the TZ...

The long wheelbase...
doesn't just add a little extra legroom...

It makes entry and exit not only easier...
but realistic...
for everyone.

This is a space defined...
not only by comfort, but rather a total sensory experience.

While others are still focused on screen sizes...

we've chosen to go further.

Beyond high definition...
to something more human.

From the incredible open sense of view...

to light...
diffused over bamboo...

to fragrance...
curated by the Sensory Concierge to set the mood...
to best fit your needs

Every element works together to engage the senses.

Not just what you see...
not just what you feel...

but also what you hear.

This is one of the quietest...
if not the quietest...
SUV cabins...
in the world.

The inherent silence of an electric powertrain...
combined with a rigid body structure...

creates a uniquely controlled acoustic environment.

One where sound is no longer a byproduct...
but something that can be carefully shaped.

It is so quiet...

that even at highway speeds...
conversation flows effortlessly
across all three rows.

Now...
whether your children actually want to talk to you...

that...

we cannot engineer.

But if they do...
they will hear every word.

And for some parents...

that alone is worth the upgrade.

And the same structure that delivers that quietness...

also allows us to create deep, controlled acoustics.

Producing rich, powerful bass...
and one of the most immersive sound environments ever created in a Lexus.

One, where every detail can be heard more clearly.

Almost as if...

you've moved from the back row of the concert hall...

to the front row.

Sound designed to enhance the emotion of driving.

And when you take the wheel...

that experience continues.

Because a Lexus must always deliver a deeper connection to the road.

Despite its size...
the TZ truly feels light and agile...

igniting a memory of a time when you were younger...

and the road ahead belonged to your coupe.

And it's not only in the way it moves...

but in the way it sounds.

With the paddles...
interactive manual drive adds a familiar note...

And a little mischief...

Yes...
The Lexus LFA V10 sound simulation available on-demand...

The perfect match...

for effortless lane changes.

Everyday driving also feels intuitive.

Even on rough surfaces...
the vehicle remains planted and stable.

And through advanced control...
the vehicle can subtly adjust its center of motion.

Reducing yaw, pitch, and roll where it matters most.

In most vehicles...
rear passengers feel more movement.

But here...

The rear comfort mode seamlessly integrates every dynamic system...

Motors...
braking control...
and rear steering...
in unison...

the balance shifts.

The second and third rows suddenly become the most stable place to be.

Redefining comfort...

not just as softness or space...

but as control over motion itself.

Beyond comfort and refinement...
the TZ is engineered for real life.

Not just in how it moves...

but in what it enables.

Power.

With the TZ...
electricity becomes something you can take with you.

Just think about it...

This battery holds the equivalent of around 7,000 smartphone batteries.

And with AI-generateddriven optimization software...

that energy can be intelligently managed even when the vehicle is parked.

Supporting your home...
as a movable storage battery...

Allowing you to Discover an entirely new value in BEV ownership.

Outdoors...
off-grid...
wherever the journey leads.

Something more comfortable.
More flexible.
More enjoyable.

And even closer to home...

for that DIY project you promised yourself you would finally finish.

With up to 3,500 pounds of towing capability...

materials towed...
ideas realized.

All from the same source that moves you forward.

Tokyo to Kobe in one go.

And in the States...
Los Angeles to Las Vegas.

0-100kms in 5.2 seconds...

And when it's time to charge...

confidence comes from full access to the NACS Super Charging Network.

Giving you the freedom to go further...

and the luxury to take your time.

Because true freedom is not just how far you go...

but how you choose to get there.

At Lexus...
we believe in choice...

Different paths...
for different lifestyles.

And with the TZ...

we take another step forward.

A No Compromises vehicle made possible with electrification...

designed to unlock new space...
new experiences...
and new possibilities.

To explore.
To engage.
To experience mobility in new ways.

And that...
is what we mean by

Discover Limitless.

Thank you very much.

Related Link

• Lexus Unveils TZ, an All-New Three-Row BEV
• Toyota Showcases End-to-End Vehicle Development at Technical Center in Japan

SDGs goals that this project makes particular contribution to