First-class seats on long-haul flights are the epitome of luxury; big comfy seats, giant screens and attentive service. Now though, you don't need to leave the ground to experience this kind of comfort, as Lexus has built it into its latest car.
The Lexis LM is what the company describe as a luxury people mover – a people carrier or minivan, as we more commonly know them. While in the UK, people carriers are often more practical than fancy, in the Far East – particularly in Japan and Hong Kong – luxury people carriers a favoured over limousines by the rich and famous.
These luxury vehicles have much more space and can either double as a mobile office or serve as a first-class suite on wheels. The Lexus LM sets to bring this level of mobile luxury to the UK.
Yes, a 48-inch screen
The Lexus LM really pushes the boat out with its rear cabin. While you can have the car with seven seats to maximise its people carrying, the four-seater version is where it's at for luxury. The rear compartment features two airline-style seats that are able to lie completely flat.
There's a touchscreen tablet for cabin controls including the audio system, climate controls, seat functions, lighting and blinds. That audio system is a Mark Levinson 3D Surround Sound reference audio system with a 23-speaker array and the lighting includes 14 shades in five mood themes. There's also a refrigerator to provide nicely chilled drinks for your journey.
The biggest thing – quite literally – is the monitor. This is a 48-inch HD widescreen display to give a proper cinema-like experience. This is not as high-res as the 8K widescreen display that's in the BMW i7, but it is bigger. It does seem to follow a similar aspect ratio though (potentially 32:9) which allows it to be easily split into two separate displays for the two rear passengers if needed.
The Lexus LM is a mild hybrid model with a 2.5-litre self-charging electric powertrain. It also includes the latest generation of Lexus Safety System+, including adaptive cruise control and Proactive Driving Assist. The car is expected to go on sale in autumn 2023, with the price still to be confirmed.
