The rear of the Lexus LM has the space, grace, and amenities to rival a Rolls-Royce. Can this high-end minivan reinvent the luxury car?
Luxury MPVs are a relatively new sector in Europe, even though the idea of a versatile monobox vehicle can trace its origins back to cars like the 1984 Renault Espace (which had its roots in Fergus Pollock’s work for Matra in the late 1970s) and even Mario Bellini’s 1972 Kar-a-Sutra concept.
While Bellini’s countercultural vision suggested sprawling, well-appointed salons on wheels, the MPV truly asserted itself as a family car. Movers and minivans ensured that a journey was a shared experience, for better or worse, all wrapped up in a form factor that allowed multiple offspring, luggage, pets, and broken biscuits to inhabit the same space. MPVs gave way to SUVs, with their added layer of apparent impregnability drawing families away from the much more practical body type. Although monobox car designs were left to minicab owners, this didn’t stop the development of a micro-niche, the luxury MPV. Mercedes continues to offer its Class V under various guises, while Volvo is soon to launch the EM90 exclusively in China.
Lexus is therefore making a bold statement by bringing the LM to Europe. Based on the successful Toyota Alphard, the LM draws inspiration from classic limousines of yesteryear, as well as the Alphard’s official “Royal Lounge” model of the last decade. Large, wide, slab-sided, and not exactly beautiful, the LM is certainly an imposing vehicle. A conventional two-seat cabin is placed near the front axle, with a rakish windshield set far from the driver, beneath which sits an example of Lexus’s already abundant front grille: “Darth Vader” was one of the kindest comparisons. The front seats offer excellent visibility, a superb navigation system, as well as remote operation of the rear door and will certainly not leave your driver uncomfortable.
For the discerning traveler, the LM is unmatched. Add in the company’s ruthless quality control, reliability, and overall efficiency (aided here by a 2.5-liter hybrid gasoline engine and four-wheel drive), and you have an unparalleled mobile office (and/or relaxation pod). The downsides? It’s a lot of space to give to just two seats, no matter how special they are. And can a minivan really hold its own against LM’s counterparts?
That’s where the power of branding comes into play. A long-wheelbase Range Rover SV with the optional two-seat rear configuration SV Signature Suite is €131,240 roughly the same price as a hybrid Bentley Flying Spur. The Mercedes S580 can accommodate an extra passenger and starts from €144,310. If the big screen is the big draw, your only other option is BMW’s all-electric i7, with its 31-inch theater screen (€149,488).
In fact, it’s in Asia where minivans still rule the streets. In addition to countless mass-market models for the Japanese, Chinese, and Korean markets, you’ll also find luxury models, including the Hongqi HQ9, the Zeekr 009 (Volvo’s sister car), the Denza D9, the remarkably named Trumpchi M8, and the Buick GL8 Century. All of these are highly reserved for China and reflect a cultural focus on the importance of the passenger rather than the driver.
Whether the style checks your boxes or not is irrelevant, as all the action is in the rear seat, accessible through two electric sliding doors. All LM models come equipped with only four seats, with space in the rear for two fully reclining first-class airline-style independent chairs. The Lexus LM is all about the rear seat experience.
In this top-of-the-line LM LM350H Takumi model, you also get an electronically adjustable glass partition between the front and rear, along with full massage functions on the rear electric seats, a refrigerator, as well as a 23-speaker stereo system and a 48-inch rear entertainment screen. Armrests contain folding tray tables, each seat has its own touchscreen controller, and there are plenty of blinds and lighting options to keep you occupied for hours.
In its most loaded specification, the Lexus is cheaper than all of them. It’s also decidedly different, even if it lacks the various USPs of its rivals (off-road capability, craftsmanship, heritage, performance, driving dynamics, elegance, etc., etc.).
As a corporate shell, the LM’s form factor makes perfect sense, but it doesn’t speak to the emotions like the others, for better or for worse. However, if you dial down the style a notch, the LM might represent the true future of stealthy wealth mobility.
Lexus LM LM350H TAKUMI, starting from €130,000