Dish the dirt

Why on earth is this off-road buggy a Lexus?

-  JAMES ATTWOOD

The Lexus H2 ROV concept is, at first glance, perhaps the most spurious, frivolous vehicle the firm has ever produced. It's a lightweight off-road buggy and that's an odd fit for a brand that trades on a Japanese vision of premium luxury. It might be fantastic fun but it doesn't feel like a bold vision of the future in the way you would expect of a concept.

But, as Lexus chief engineer Takeaki Kato notes, premium car buyers still want to have fun. "Lexus road cars are more about luxury, but people who own them still like to play," he says. "And there are Lexus owners, particularly in the US, who also have an off-road buggy to play with. So why can't they have a Lexus for that as well?"

Besides, the creative process that led to the ROV (it stands for recreational off-highway vehicle) is of real significance for how Lexus and parent firm Toyota are developing future technology - in particular, hydrogen. The ROV uses an H2 combustion engine, with the idea that it could offer emission-free motoring at the tailpipe, at least. More broadly, it's part of Toyota's quest to prove hydrogen can work in a range of use cases where electric power has drawbacks. Granted, this might depend on your views on issues such as how 'clean' hydrogen power really is, its efficiency relative to electric and more. Right now, though, let's check out this buggy.