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between the lower back and lower back reinforcement), laser screw welding between existing spot welds (e.g., at the front and rear door openings and the rear quarter panel opening), and increasing the number of spot welds (e.g., between the center pillar outer and rail outer, the back door opening, and at the #3 cross member). Kato says that when they began developing the NX, they realized that this is a segment that was not only growing in the North American market, but which has serious traction in China. He also says that there was a recognition of some strong players in the category, like the BMW X3 and the Audi Q5, both vehicles that were benchmarked during NX development. So one of the things that they wanted to do was to develop a vehicle that is "inspiring and distinctive" and with its "cool exterior and fascinating interior" would "make customers fall in love at frst sight." The design concept, Kato says, was "Premium Urban Sports Gear." This was to emphasize the hoped-for connection with young, tech savvy consumers. The design theme was "Inner Bullet." q The 2015 Lexus NX compact sport utility is developed to compete with the likes of the BMW X3 and Audi Q5, so emphasis was made on not only exterior styling but on technology (e.g., it is available with a turbocharged engine, a frst for Lexus, as well as a hybrid) and driving dynamics (the engineering team benchmarked the Lexus IS sport sedan and made extensive use of ultrahigh-strength steel in the structure, thereby providing a solid foundation for ride and handling). The coefcient of drag: 0.33. Part of this has something to do with concentrated mass, as well as the overall edginess of the design. One of the key diferentiators of the NX from all other vehicles in the category is the result of some extraordinary stamping, as there is not only an array of creases and edges, but there is precision in the way that the stamped panels meet so that the lines fow in an interrupted manner. Kato says that during the development process there was considerable challenge and commitment among the designers and engineers—product and process—in order to achieve the crisp forms: "Developing the NX required a new level of collaboration between design, engineering and manufacturing." Inside, the layout of the instrument panel is more analogous to the AD&P; > September 2014 > FEATURE > The Lexus NX: Competitive Crossover for a Competitive Space > Gary S. Vasilash > gsv@autofeldguide.com 26