Lexus LM: the ultimate expression of luxury in a people-carrier format will surprise you

Lexus unveils its new Shanghai Motor Show Lexus LM, an MPV that will finally reach Europe with this second generation. It will go on sale from next autumn, competing with the Mercedes V-Class to become the true benchmark among luxury people carriers. And if Lexus knows anything, it is how to build cars that look after their passengers. From what we have seen, the Lexus LM has plenty of arguments in its favour.

The first thing that catches your eye is its design, especially the front. Just look at the pictures: that grille is truly impressive! Imagine crossing a zebra crossing and seeing the Lexus LM approaching head-on; you would probably hesitate for a moment… From the side and from behind it is less eye-catching, but its proportions are commanding: 5.13 metres long, 1.94 metres high and 1.89 metres wide, with a wheelbase of 3 metres. It will be offered in two versions, with an interior layout of four or seven seats, always with two conventional front doors and two rear sliding side doors.

VIP kilometres in a luxury people carrier

According to Lexus’s managers, to develop the LM they first carried out various studies with private aircraft manufacturers. The result was clear: customers of this type of vehicle value relaxation more than access to complex technology. And it is not easy to make a user feel at home inside a car.

Lexus seems to have achieved this with the LM. The four-seat version is as luxurious and individual as passengers could imagine, with two multifunction rear seats, a glass partition with a darkening function for greater privacy, a 48-inch panoramic monitor, a Mark Levinson 3D sound system with 23 speakers, and a climate assistant with thermal sensors everywhere to precisely control the cabin temperature. Naturally, the seats are not those of an ordinary people carrier: many airlines would love to have them for their “Business Class”. They are designed to counteract head sway, improve pressure distribution under the hips, and include special side cables that help occupants sit upright rather than slumping, as often happens over long distances.

Rear passengers can use their own voice recognition assistant, and a smartphone-style controller lets them manage the audio system, climate control, interior lighting or the privacy blinds. Lexus has also paid special attention to soundproofing, improving sealing and airtightness, and fitting low rolling resistance tyres. The interior can be personalised using five preset themes that recreate different moods: relaxing, regenerating, exciting, focused or stimulating.

The elegant touch comes from Lexus’s classic craftsmanship, here with L-anilite leather upholstery with contrast stitching and grained wood inserts in a traditional Japanese pattern, developed using 3D printing techniques.

Hybrid powertrain

Built on the brand’s GA-K platform, the powertrain of the Lexus LM 350h, the version that will reach Europe, could only be the one used in the NX 350h and RX 350h. It is the self-charging hybrid unit with a 2.5-litre petrol engine, delivering a system output of 250 CV and a maximum torque of 239 Nm.

In addition, the Lexus LM comes as standard with E-Four all-wheel drive, which can distribute torque electronically and fully automatically between the front and rear axles in ratios from 100:0 up to 20:80. It also features adaptive variable suspension with pitch control, a brake control system with automatic intelligent hold, and a complete set of safety equipment and driver assistance systems included in the Lexus Safety System+ package.

Lexus LM – Image gallery