Lexus RZ Owners Can Now Buy A $1,400 Software Update That Adds 40 HP And Fake Gear Shifts
Lexus Japan announced this week that owners of the pre-2026 RZ 500e can now pay for a software upgrade that adds 40 horsepower and simulates an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, complete with paddle shifters, synthetic shift sounds, and a digital tachometer. The package costs ¥220,000, or roughly $1,400, and for now it’s available only to Japanese customers.
It’s a notable move because it targets cars already on the road rather than the next model year. Lexus isn’t asking RZ owners to trade in for something newer; it’s selling them a paid update that makes the SUV they already have feel quicker and more engaging from behind the wheel.
What The Upgrade Actually Changes
The package bundles two separate upgrades into one purchase. The first is a straightforward power bump, taking the RZ 500e from 335 horsepower to 375 horsepower. That’s not a transformative jump, but it’s enough to notice from a stop or during a passing maneuver, and Lexus says it doesn’t come at the expense of range.
The second piece is more theatrical. Called Interactive Manual Drive, it simulates the behavior of an eight-speed transmission using paddle shifters mounted behind the steering wheel. There’s no actual gearbox doing any shifting here. The RZ’s single-speed reduction gear setup stays exactly as it was. Instead, the system plays synthetic shift sounds through the speakers and displays a shift indicator and tachometer on the driver display, timed to mimic how a gas-powered car would feel working through gears. Lexus has said the Interactive Manual Drive feature requires a physical change to the car, including the addition of a button to activate the mode, so this isn’t a pure over-the-air flip of a switch.
Price And Availability
The full package runs ¥220,000, which converts to about $1,400 including Japan’s consumption tax. It applies to RZ 500e models from the 2023 model year onward, essentially covering the entire run before the 2026 refresh. Right now, the offer is exclusive to Lexus’s home market. Lexus has indicated the upgrade could eventually reach other regions, but the company hasn’t committed to a timeline or confirmed it’s coming to the US.
Why This Matters For Early RZ Owners
The 2026 RZ arrived with more range and more power built in from the factory, which could have left earlier owners feeling like they bought in too soon. This upgrade reads as Lexus’s answer to that problem. It doesn’t close the range gap between the pre-2026 cars and the refreshed model, but it does give existing owners a way to add real power and a layer of driving engagement without waiting for a new lease or trade-in cycle. For a brand built on incremental refinement rather than flashy reinvention, offering a paid upgrade path for the installed base is a practical way to keep early adopters from feeling stuck with yesterday’s version.
Fake Gearboxes Are Becoming An EV Trend
Lexus isn’t the first automaker chasing this idea. Hyundai built its N e-shift system into the Ioniq 5 N, giving that EV simulated gear changes and synthetic engine noise to make it feel more like a combustion performance car under hard acceleration. Audi has also filed patent work around simulated transmission behavior for its electric lineup. The logic driving all of this is the same: EVs deliver power instantly and smoothly, which is efficient but can feel flat to drivers who grew up shifting gears and listening to an engine build revs. Simulated shifts give automakers a way to reintroduce that rhythm without giving up the efficiency of a single-speed EV drivetrain. Expect more brands to follow this script as electrification spreads further into performance-oriented trims.
Is It Worth $1,400?
For owners who specifically miss the feel of working through gears, the Interactive Manual Drive portion alone could be worth the price, especially paired with a genuine 40-horsepower gain that doesn’t cost any range. It’s a reasonably priced way to make a three-year-old luxury EV feel meaningfully different to drive, and it’s cheaper than most dealer-installed performance packages on gas-powered cars. The catch, for now, is that it only applies to Japanese-market cars, so owners elsewhere are stuck watching from the sidelines until Lexus decides whether, and where, to expand it.
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