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I was just browsing around when I stumbled across a newly announced Lexus LM... A Lexus minivan....... With a total of 4 seats........ Never in my life I thought will live up to the moment when Lexus will release a darn minivan.. Pre-order is available right now in China.
Lexus LM is based on a Toyota Alphard, a luxurious, mid-sized minivan, which is very popular in Japan and in Middle East, Russia, China, etc. Just as basically any other Lexus, it will inherit all the basics, like the drivetrain and some suspension parts. The main difference will lie in the interior of that beast - for starters, it is the only passenger minivan that I am aware of that has a total of 4 seats, and I do mean it, that is including front and the back... It is also the only minivan that I am aware of that will require a personal driver to fully enjoy.
Outside the USA, luxury minivans are not that rare, since designers can cramp much more features in a relatively small package, which is kind of important when we are talking about countries like Japan, where something like a Maybach will get stuck at the first intersection. But this time, Lexus took it to a whole new level - a Rolls-Royce kind of level, stretching the definition of any other minivan made before for quite a bit. Starting with the exterior design, there is a lot of .. grille... This hypnotizing grille makes new BMW 7-Series nervously smoke aside, I can only imagine how is it going to look in the rear-view mirror at night. Besides that, it is just a really boxy, and equally bendy-shaped box, which frankly didn't really go far from the Alphard. In any way, it is one of those cars that you can stare dead straight on for hours and still find something new about its look. I am still in debate of whether it is a masterpiece or is it a new LS500 after it got crushed in a press.. It certainly looks interesting, and will certainly grab some attention from the onlookers around.. That is actually something that I really miss about some older luxury cars, like my beloved Toyota Crown Royal Saloon, or a Mercedes-Benz S-Class - they never screamed MONEY HERE, or I AM BETTER THAN YOU, their design was always as settled as it was gorgeous.. But that is a whole new discussion for another day..
Moving on to the interior - it is certainly something that needs to be seen in person to appreciate all its ... features.. The front row is pretty much the same as the standard Alphard, just a sleek-looking, simple design. But it is not the main selling point of that car, all the real fun starts in the rear: they reconfigured the whole cabin to accommodate only two bucket seats; Lexus refers to it as an "opulent four-seat configuration". Looking more in-depth, rear seats have a special foam to enhance the comfort, as well as all the adjustments imaginable, including heating, cooling, and a retractable leg rest for a full-on resting position. It will also have a wide variety of options that will suit any stage of mind corruption, like a huge 26-inch screen with Mark Levinson audio, glass privacy partition, retro-styled analog clock right smack-dab in the middle of the interior, even a Rolls-Royce style umbrella. And if that is not enough for you, it also has a fridge compartment, which sole purpose is to store your favorite champagne with a couple of glasses, and it does seem like I've already seen it somewhere.. As a bonus, Lexus is also planning on releasing a 6-seater version of the LM, but it will not be nearly as interesting.. The only drawback that I can see is a lack of any kind of table surface, like it is in a Range Rover Long Edition.
To top it all off, let's talk about available drivertain options - right now, Lexus showed only 2.5L I4 2AR-FXE hybrid version of the LM, but they are also promising a 3.5L V6 2GR-FKS (?) engine and an optional All-Wheel Drive system. Besides, it will feature a little bit different rear suspension as opposed to the Alphard, specifically the swing-valve shock absorbers. Other than that, it will not be much different from the Alphard that I mentioned above.
It all sounds very tempting, and probably got some of you got obsessively interested in it, however, there are a couple of small drawbacks with that minivan - first of which is its cost, that is a rather earth-shattering 170.000 US dollars (!!!). Yes, there are 6 digits in that value, I counted. It does cost more than a fully packed Range Rover SV Autobiography, and I wasn't really able to figure out the reason for such an extensive check... With that, it is not the biggest problem for the US buyer, since, at least for right now, it is not going to be sold in the USA, which is a bit of a disappointment..
In the conclusion, I can really see some issues with it that can potentially kill that idea at the very root. A really big part of the luxury car that costs more than it frankly should is its image, its status: you can't just go tell someone that you bought a 170-grand minivan that has only four seats and no cargo space, I am fairly sure it will rise some question about your sanity, especially if considered that almost the same van with that same engrossing grille, 2-times amount of seats and some cargo room to spare can be obtained for a third of the price.. And even if your sanity and reputation are already beyond salvation, I still can't see a ton of sense in it, since times when people had to travel some insane distances by car are long-gone, if you need to get somewhere, you sit on the plane, which is equally as comfortable, and infinitely faster than the car. And it cannot be used as a moving cabinet, since it doesn't have any kind of table, or a place to store papers, or the smooth ride that is needed to do anything.. All that unwittingly raises the question - what is the point of that car? I can really see its existence if Lexus will add more seats, some cargo room, and significantly drop the price, but such car already exists, and it did prove its worthiness 18 years ago..
What are your thoughts about that new Lexus? I am really curious..
I like it, seems almost like the Merc Sprinter Vans to look like a private jet...
I would get one if it comes to the US with a big honking V8! Wouldnt that be something?
Even Toyota Crown and Lexus LS dropped V8 a while ago, and Alphard never even had one, so I wouldn't expect that..
And speaking of V8 - you are not the one who supposed to drive this thing, so why would you want one?
So new designs only make an impact if they're hideous?
No, only if those new designs can stand out of the crowd, and the easiest way to achieve it is to make a design that is guaranteed 110% will catch your attention, even if it is for a wrong reasons..
Even Toyota Crown and Lexus LS dropped V8 a while ago, and Alphard never even had one, so I wouldn't expect that..
And speaking of V8 - you are not the one who supposed to drive this thing, so why would you want one?
If you are not the one who will be driving this thing, what good V8 engine will make there? This car was created to have the owner in the back seat, not at the steering wheel. It means that you will never feel the difference between a modern, well balanced V6 and V8 engines while sitting as a passenger..
Don't get me wrong though, I still love V8 engines, but it is just not the car that definitely has to have it..
If you are not the one who will be driving this thing, what good V8 engine will make there? This car was created to have the owner in the back seat, not at the steering wheel. It means that you will never feel the difference between a modern, well balanced V6 and V8 engines while sitting as a passenger..
Don't get me wrong though, I still love V8 engines, but it is just not the car that definitely has to have it..
Hmm I can't agree with that. Driving is driving and if I like driving the car, I wouldnt care who is suppose to drive it.
