Hell yeah, the new Lexus LM is an ultra-posh MPV coming to the UK

Lexus gets it. Instead of an SUV, its new flagship ‘luxury mover’ takes the form of a proper MPV. Hurrah!

And there’s more good news too, because this is the first ever LM that’ll come to the UK and Europe. And yes, we know it’s only the second generation, but we’re very excited indeed.

You see, Lexus wants this car to take it into “a new market segment for luxurious, chauffeur-driven people carriers”. It also says that the LM – which sits alongside the LS saloon and LC coupe/convertible at the top of its range – provides “the ultimate luxury of a limousine in the format of a spacious people carrier”.

And just look at the space in the back: that’s why you’d go for an MPV over a luxury SUV. 

So, let’s start with the interior. You can have the LM in two forms: one is a fairly standard looking seven-seater, but the other is an ultra-smart four-seater with fully-reclining captain’s chairs in the back and more legroom than you’d get on Etihad Airways’ $20k+ ‘Residence’ flight.

The four-seater is the one we’re really interested in too, because it comes complete with a 48-inch HD television, a fridge, fold-out tables, a 23-speaker Mark Levinson surround sound system and a dimmable partition between the driver and passengers. 

Oh, and there’s something called a Climate Concierge which uses infra-red sensors to scan the temperature of the rear seat passengers and adjusts the air conditioning automatically. Got chilly feet but okay elsewhere? The LM will know before you do, and it’ll have the fans set to sort you out. Slightly scary to think, but that’s luxury we guess.

There are five selectable Climate Concierge modes – Relax, Dream, Focus, Energise and My Original – as well as ‘nanoe-X’ technology that ‘adds microscopic water particles to the air flow which can inhibit viruses, bacteria and allergens, while also having a moisturising effect on human skin and hair’. Yikes. 

Lexus says it conducted research with ‘private jet manufacturers and hyper-affluent consumers’ while developing the LM, which gives us a sense of the target market, and we’re told that the original 1990s LS saloon was the inspiration. This is very good news.

“This is not a repurposed van – the LM is in every regard a dedicated passenger vehicle, in its own right,” states the press release. 

The powertrain isn’t exactly van-like either – the LM 350h that’ll be available in the UK later this year will use a 247bhp hybrid setup that pairs a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor and four-wheel drive.

There’s also adaptive suspension, aluminium body panels to reduce weight and ‘noise-reducing wheels and tyres’. Those wheels can be 17-inch cast or 19-inch forged alloys, and there’s active noise cancellation in the cabin to really isolate the occupants.

That’s about it then, although there’s one thing we haven’t spoken about just yet. Yep, it’s those looks. Of course, there’s no need to look at the outside of the LM while you’re enjoying its many internal luxuries, but that face really is quite striking, isn’t it?