The Lexus TZ is the brand's first three-row BEV SUV. We covered the world premiere held at the Toyota Technical Center Shimoyama, a development facility where vehicles are refined through an integrated, end-to-end development process.
Toyota Technical Center Shimoyama (TTC-S) is the development facility where vehicles are honed through the repeated and integrated cycle of “drive, break, and fix.” Spanning Toyota City and Okazaki City in Aichi Prefecture, the facility serves as the development hub for Lexus and GAZOO Racing.
On May 7, 2026, the world premiere of Lexus’s new model, the TZ, took place at this comprehensive development site.
The genba where the future is made
The unveiling took place at the Visitor Center, where Chairman Akio Toyoda held the ceremony in 2024 to mark the full-scale commencement of operations at TTC-S. Simon Humphries, Chief Branding Officer (CBO), took the stage and delivered the following remarks.
CBO 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 (Toyoda)-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, 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.”