Did Lexus & Snow Peak Quietly Make the Ultimate Camping SUV?

When you think “Japanese outdoor brands,” the first brand that comes to mind is almost certainly Snow Peak. Similarly, if you’re going to name a Japanese luxury automotive brand, Lexus is likely going to be the first name out of your mouth.

If these two legendary brands came together on a project, they would definitely create something memorable. And we don’t even have to imagine such a scenario anymore, as that’s exactly what happened when Lexus and Snow Peak recently joined forces to exhibit together at the 2024 Tokyo Outdoor Show at the end of June.

Lexus and Snow Peak Head Outdoors Together

The two brands had a joint exhibit at the trade show where they each showed off their own wares, crossing them over at certain times.

For Snow Peak, the brand’s flagship products to promote were its new Zaze Pro, a tent-like two-room shelter with room for a low-profile table and a pair of camp chairs; and the Field Trailer, a very cool and compact cargo trailer that’s hiding its own pop-up rooftop tent.

Snow Peak

Lexus, meanwhile, showcased vehicles from its Overtrail Project. The initiative, a portmanteau of “overlanding” and “trail,” is centered on creating sustainable and comfortable vehicles that co-exist peacefully with nature.

Four vehicles from the Overtrail Project were exhibited by Lexus at the show: the NX450h+ Overtrail, an off-road-ready compact crossover; the RZ Concept, an electric SUV; the ROV, a hydrogen-powered ATV concept; and the GX550 Overtrail+, the most rugged variant of Lexus’s Toyota Land Cruiser-based SUV.

Lexus

The Ultimate Camping SUV?

Of course, the most interesting exhibits at the two companies’ shared booth were the ones that combined their marquee products, with Snow Peak’s mantra of bringing people and nature together lining up nicely with Lexus’s Overtrail Project.

The most buzzed-about joint offering was a Lexus GX550 Overtrail+ with a custom Snow Peak Field Trailer attached. The trailer’s tent appeared to be colored to match the GX550’s “Moon Desert” colorway, creating a seamless visual match.

Snow Peak/Lexus

Thanks to its Overtrail+ trim, this particular GX550 is outfitted with the best off-road goodies Lexus has to offer, including massive off-road tires and extra-rugged black fender flares, side sills and roof rack. It also has a deleted third-row seat, and in this case, that area was fitted with a wooden Snow Peak camp table.

The GX550 Overtrail+ is also loaded with off-road goodies you can’t see, including Crawl Control, advanced brake control and the e-KDSS suspension system that electronically controls the sway bars and offers independent control over each of the SUV’s four wheels.

Once you combine the GX 550 Overtrail+’s off-road capabilities and luxurious amenities with the Field Trailer’s innovative elevated sleeping area and ample storage capacity (filled with Snow Peak camping gear, no doubt), you’re left with what is essentially the ultimate camping SUV.

Unfortunately, though, it’s one that few will have the opportunity to experience. According to Hypebeast, just 100 of these “Snow Peak” editions of the GX 550 Overtrail+ with the included Field Trailer were available to purchase, and a lottery was held to determine who would have the option to buy.

If you want to try and create one yourself, you can try and do so, but it will cost a pretty penny. The Lexus GX 550 Overtrail+ starts at $77,250, while Snow Peak’s Field Camper retails for 2,618,000 yen (~$16,200).

Snow Peak

Snow Peak Field Trailer

This roomy locking cargo trailer comes pre-loaded with its own integrated cantilevered rooftop tent which can be quickly deployed by pulling a special pulley rope.

• $16,200 at Snow Peak

Lexus

2024 Lexus GX550 Overtrail+

The most rugged version of Lexus’s ladder-framed SUV is equipped with loads of off-road extras, including Toyota’s e-KDSS suspension system and Crawl Control.

• $77,250 at Lexus

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