Luxury MPVs are a new(ish) sector in Europe, even though the idea of a monobox multi-purpose vehicle can trace its origins to cars like the 1984 Renault Espace (which had its origins in Fergus Pollock’s work for Matra in the late 1970s) and even Mario Bellini’s 1972 Kar-a-Sutra concept.
While Bellini’s counter-cultural vision suggested we switch to sprawling, well-upholstered living rooms on wheels, the MPV really came into its own as a family car. People movers and minivans ensured a journey was a shared experience, for good and for bad, 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 luring families away from the far more practical body type. Although monobox car designs were left to minicab owners, it didn’t stop the development of a micro-niche, the luxury MPV. Mercedes continues to offer its V-Class in a range of different guises, while Volvo is soon to launch the China-only EM90.
In fact, Asia is where minivans still rule the streets. As well as countless mass-market models for the Japanese, Chinese and Korean markets, you’ll also find luxury-spec models, including the Hongqi HQ9, the Zeekr 009 (the Volvo’s sister car), the Denza D9, the remarkably named Trumpchi M8 and the Buick GL8 Century. All the latter are very much China-only and reflect a cultural focus on the importance of the passenger, rather than the driver.
Lexus is therefore making a bold statement by bringing the LM to Europe. Based on the hugely successful Toyota Alphard, the LM takes inspiration from classic limousines of old, as well as last decade’s official Alphard ‘Royal Lounge’ model. Tall, broad, slab-sided and not exactly handsome, the LM is certainly an imposing vehicle. A conventional two-seater cab is placed close to the front axle, with a rakish windscreen set far from the driver, below which is a baleen-esque example Lexus’s already bountiful front grille: ‘Darth Vader’ was one of the kindlier comparisons. The front seats offer excellent visibility, a superb navigation system, as well remote door operation for the rear and certainly won’t leave your chauffeur in any discomfort.
Whether the styling ticks your boxes or not is irrelevant, for all the action is in the back seat, accessed via twin sliding electric doors. All LMs come with just four seats, with space in the rear for two independent fully-reclining, first-class airliner-style chairs.
Lexus LM is all about the back-seat experience
In this top-of-the-range LM LM350H Takumi model you also get an electrically operated, dimmable glass partition between front and rear, as well as full massage functions on the electric rear seats, a fridge, plus a 23-speaker stereo and 48-inch rear entertainment display. Armrests contain folding tray tables, each seat gets its own touchscreen controller, and there are enough blinds and lighting options to keep you busy for hours.
For the businessperson on the move, the LM is without direct equal. Throw in the company’s ruthless quality control, reliability and all-round efficiency (helped here by a hybrid 2.5-litre petrol engine and four-wheel-drive), and you have an unrivalled mobile office (and/or mobile relaxation pod). The downsides? It’s a lot of space to give over to two seats, regardless of how special they are. And can a minivan really hold its own alongside the LM’s equivalents?
Here's where the power of branding comes in. A long wheelbase Range Rover SV with the optional SV Signature Suite two-seat rear configuration is £207,260, around about the same price as a Bentley Flying Spur hybrid. The Mercedes S580 will seat an extra passenger and costs from £123,105. If the big screen is the big draw, your only other option is BMW’s all-electric i7, with its 31-inch Theatre Screen (£127,495).
In its most fully-laden specification, the Lexus is cheaper than all of them. It’s also decidedly different, even though it lacks the various USPs of these rivals (off-road ability, craftsmanship, heritage, performance, driving dynamics, elegance, etc, etc). As a cossetting corporate carapace, the LM’s form factor makes total sense, but it doesn’t speak to the emotions like the others, for better and for worse. However, if you tone down the styling a touch, perhaps the LM represents the true future of stealth wealth mobility.
Lexus LM LM350H TAKUMI, from £112,955, Lexus.co.uk
