Lexus has a facelift of the RX 350 ready to roll out for the 2009 model year, but the changes are expected to go further than just skin deep.

According to the spy photographers at Carparazzi, the next RX 350 will adopt a six-speed automatic transmission in lieu of the five-speed unit fitted to the current model, but there's likely to be little if any change to the 3.5-litre V6.

Production of the new model is set to commence from December 2008 for an international release in the northern hemisphere spring of 2009 (our autumn).

The blokes from Carparazzi believe the new model will be moderately larger than the current vehicle, but that's likely to be the result of visual changes to the exterior, rather than any far-reaching, structural changes. Nonetheless, the vehicle will be substantially newer, albeit retaining the generic RX style.

-- with Carparazzi

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