Lexus is yet again joining hands with Marvel’s Black Panther franchise as the latest Black Panther: Wakanda Forever TVC features the newest, all-electric Lexus RZ 450E. Although the electric crossover is not part of the latest instalment of the MCU realm, a marketing collaboration is set between the two brands’, featuring the formidable Dora Milaje, Wakanda’s all-female Royal Guard, led by Danai Gurira who plays the character General Okoye in the series along with the technologically advanced Lexus RZ 450e. The 90-second ad is filled with action sequences that promise an exhilarating ride in the first-ever Lexus RZ 450e.
The commercial is directed by Anthony Leonardi III, an award-winning, fourth-generation filmmaker who is no stranger to Marvel or Lexus having been involved with Marvel Studios' "Avengers: Endgame" and the Lexus "Parking Spot" ad in support of Marvel Studios "Eternals”. “I hope people watch the ad and feel like they are in a great movie. For each Lexus spot, I treat the vehicle like a character, so like a Marvel character, the RZ 450e is the hero. It is the star," said Leonardi.
Lexus’s all-new battery electric SUV is constructed on a dedicated BEV platform and is the first Lexus electric vehicle to be developed from the ground up. The e-TNGA platform helps lower the car’s centre of gravity, which in turn secures better chassis balance, handling, and response. The company is also equipping its first-ever electric SUV with an advanced drivetrain featuring optional by-wire steering with a new One Motion Grip yoke and front and rear e-Axles that work in conjunction with its all-wheel drive torque control.
The Lexus RZ 450e uses a lithium-ion battery in a stack comprising 96 cells, with a total output of 71.4 kW. Details of the vehicle’s driving range and battery charging times will be announced later, but Lexus expects the RZ 450e will be able to cover more than 400 km in the combined WLTP cycle. However, reports suggest that the electric SUV features motors powering both the front and rear axles, to produce a combined output of 309 bhp that helps the RZ 450e accelerate from 0-100 kmph in just 5.6 seconds before hitting a top speed of 257 kmph.
In the thrilling piece, the Lexus RZ 450e provides perfect agility for the fearless Dora Milaje to protect Wakanda against its fiercest foes. This formidable squad of women warriors navigates impending danger and takes electrification to a whole new level in the luxurious, well-appointed interior of the amazingly quick and nimble Lexus RZ 450e. The Lexus LC 500 Convertible and the Lexus GX will make appearances in the actual film.
