All-New Lexus RX Plays a Getaway Car for a First-Class Spy in 'Stay Ahead' Ad

In cinematography, there are many stereotypes when it comes to villains versus heroes. Especially in action movies, where the good guys are almost always good to the core, while the bad guys have no redeeming qualities.

And now Lexus has just released a very creative ad to promote its all-new Lexus RX with a first-class spy clip that is trying to protect a mysterious briefcase from the bad guys.

The ad begins with the spy arriving in a blue Lexus RX to go pick up the briefcase in La Fortalesa, Spain, but the villains are already onto him. And, since they are the bad guys, they drive a dark vehicle, in this case, a blacked-out Ford F-150 from a previous generation.

A car chase entails, with the Lexus RX seamlessly taking every curve and driving on any type of terrain with no issues. The SUV also nimbly ventures on the narrow streets in the Spanish city of Girona, with the dark pickup truck struggling to keep up. It all ends at the historic Puente de Besalú, where the spy manages to trick the villains and escape toward new adventures.

While we don’t know the contents of the mysterious briefcase, Lexus enthusiasts will find out more in a few months, with a competition and the chance to win exclusive prizes.

The entire short film is called Stay Ahead, with the brand encouraging its audience to embody the ethos in “all aspects of their life.” It was created to support the launch of the all-new RX in Europe in January 2023. The ad is meant to only feature a 30-second footage on different media across Europe for its campaign, but Lexus also revealed the extended 100-second director’s cut to get the viewers immersed in a “cinematic experience,” which the Japanese manufacturer describes as a “homage to classic spy movies.”

The Lexus RX has reached its fifth generation and, similar to other car manufacturers, the brand decided to electrify it, giving it a hybrid powertrain. The one shown in the ad is the top-of-the-line version, the RX 500h F Sport Performance hybrid.

The RX 500h F Sport has a 2.4-liter inline-four engine working alongside a rear-mounted electric motor. Together they send 366 horsepower (371 ps) and a maximum torque of 406 lb-ft (550 Nm) to all wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission. The hybrid SUV needs 5.9 seconds to reach 60 mph (97 kph), with a top speed of 130 mph (209 kph).

In Europe, the RX will also be available in the plug-in hybrid RX 450h+, the RX 350h, and the 350, with a turbocharged 2.4-liter inline-four gasoline engine.