New electric Lexus RZ 450e confirmed for South Africa

The RZ 450e is equipped with a trick all-wheel drive system known as “Direct4". According to Lexus, it uses acceleration, cornering-speed and steering-angle information to adjust front-rear torque delivery and braking force to all four wheels. During acceleration, the system adopts a front-to-rear drive-force ratio of between 60:40 and 40:60 for minimum vehicle pitch. When the steering wheel is turned, drive force is biased to the front wheels between 50 and 75% for quicker reflexes and enhanced steering feel. When exiting a corner, torque distribution to the rear wheels is increased to between 50% and 80% for increased traction. It's a fiendishly clever system and one that should do much to boost drivability. 

Another cool bit of tech is the newfangled steer-by-wire system that replaces the traditional mechanical connection of old with a sophisticated set of electronics. The steering wheel has also been swapped for an ultra-compact yoke that looks as though it was plucked out of the cockpit of an airliner. With a lock-to-lock steering angle of 150°, Lexus says it reduces the driver's workload and eliminates the need for hand-over-hand operation when negotiating intersections and winding roads. It also enabled the designers to lower the placement of the instrument gauges, which are all digital.