Lexus Australia has confirmed it will offer two highly equipped variants of the new LM luxury mover later this year, followed by an even higher specified version from early 2024.
Customers and guests attending the Lexus Melbourne Cup will be amongst the first to be pampered by the new vehicle, with a fleet of chauffeur-driven LMs heading to and from the Flemington track from November 4 to 11.
According to Lexus Australia chief executive John Pappas, the brand’s Australian dealers have been inundated with customer enquiry since the second-generation LM was revealed at 2023 Auto Shanghai in April, and subsequently confirmed for Australia as part of a global rollout to more than 60 countries.
“The reality is that demand will initially exceed supply for this vehicle by a significant margin, so we therefore need to manage customer expectations,” Pappas says.
According to Pappas, the LM showcases Japanese omotenashi by anticipating guests’ needs in advance, offering levels of comfort and amenity normally imagined with first and business class airplane travel.
He says the LM will be available with a choice of two hybrid powertrains in keeping with the Lexus Electrified strategy of developing powertrains that combine strong performance with reduced fuel consumption and lower tailpipe emissions.
It will be sold initially in seven-seat configuration with the LM 350h Sports Luxury, available in both two- and all-wheel drive, priced from $160,888 and $165,888 respectively.
The 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with series parallel hybrid system produces 184 kW and 270 Nm.
Once the sliding door is opened the two reclining business-class-like seats draw attention, with a third row boosting capacity to seven. When not in use the supplementary row may be conveniently folded away at the push of a button to maximise luggage space.
In early 2024 the LM range will be joined by the four-seat LM 500h Ultra Luxury, with a 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid engine boasting more than 200 kW and all-wheel drive. It is priced at $220,888.
The centrepiece of the LM 500h is its rear cabin, dominated by two VIP throne seats with genuine first-class levels of comfort, overlaid with Japanese Takumi craftsmanship and a Lexus-first Rear Climate Concierge for holistic control of the cabin environment.
Fully raising the glass behind the front seats creates a personal and private oasis of relaxation and quietness for chauffeured guests, who can enjoy entertainment pleasure with a world-first 48-inch widescreen along with a 23-speaker Mark Levinson premium audio system.
They may even wish to do so while enjoying a cool drink from the LM’s inbuilt mini chiller.
Pappas says the LM will delight customers with the ultimate in comfort and a level of opulence never seen before in a luxury mover.
“With the LM our designers have taken omotenashi thoughtfulness and Takumi craftsmanship to unprecedented levels,” Pappas says.
“There is no Lexus like it, and almost certainly no other vehicle like it. It is the ultimate expression of Lexus ‘making luxury personal.’
“It is a great Lexus to drive but an even better Lexus to be driven in. It will be hard to surpass the LM for the ultimate chauffeur-driven experience,” he says.
