[Photos obtained during test drive] Amazing Performance of the “World’s Most Luxurious Minivan” to be Launched in Japan this Autumn

The Japan launch of a “top-of-the-line minivan” that is popular around the world, especially in China, is imminent. This is the second generation “Lexus LM,” which had its world premiere in April 2011.

The first generation “Lexus LM300h” went on sale in China and other markets around February 2008. The popularity of the model was so great that a used car with a mileage of 20,000 to 30,000 km was priced at around 1.5 million yuan (about 30 million yen) on the used car website of the Chinese automobile media “Automobile Zijia”, and a “semi-new car” with a mileage of 10,000 km or less was priced at 2.25 million yuan (about 40 million yen). Although tariffs and other factors have an impact, the price of LM, a super-luxury car popular among the wealthy, seems to have been raised considerably because dealers in China are free to set their own prices.

Against this backdrop, the long-awaited second-generation Lexus LM was unveiled at the Shanghai Motor Show. Sales in Japan are scheduled to begin in the fall of this year, and in fact, sightings of the car in Japan have been increasing since this spring. The photo below was taken in Aichi Prefecture. The car is perhaps on a test run, and wears a temporary license plate number with a red diagonal line.

The second-generation LM is based on the new Alphard, which went on sale in Japan on June 21, and is a bit larger than the first-generation model. Let’s start with the basic information.

Second-generation LM main data (based on the prototype exhibited at the Shanghai Motor Show)

Overall length: 5,125 (+85) mm

Overall width: 1,890 (+40) mm

Overall height: 1,955 (+10) mm

Wheelbase: 3,000 (+0) mm

The overall length finally exceeded 5 meters. Two types of powertrains (power source including engine, etc.) are available: a model equipped with the 2.4L straight-4 turbo hybrid “eAxel” and a 2.5L straight-4 hybrid. In Japan, the 2.4L model will be the first to be marketed.

In addition, the car is equipped with a “warm-sensing IR matrix sensor” that detects occupant and ambient temperatures. By estimating the warmth of the occupant’s four body parts (face, chest, thighs, and lower legs), the system automatically adjusts the air conditioner and heated seats to keep the cabin at a comfortable temperature at all times. The large display is also still in place, with the 48-inch display nearly doubling in size from the 26-inch model installed in the first generation.

While the first generation was available in two versions, a four-seater and a seven-seater, a new six-seater will be added to the lineup. The price has not yet been announced, but is expected to be in the 15-20 million yen range.

Incidentally, the first generation LM was never sold in Japan. Although it was quite a big hit in Japan, only a few of them could be registered in Japan due to battery standards for hybrid vehicles. That is why there are high expectations for the second generation LM. We look forward to the start of sales.