SHANGHAI: At Auto Shanghai 2023, Lexus celebrated the world premiere of the all-new Lexus LM luxury flagship MPV which is billed as reinterpreting chauffeur-driven personal mobility.
Beginning with China, the second-generation LM will be launched in over 60 countries worldwide, including for the first time in Europe and Japan.
Powertrain options are either a 2.4-litre inline 4-cylinder turbo hybrid with eAxle, or a 2.5-litre inline 4-cylinder hybrid with front-wheel drive or E-Four all-wheel drive.
Lexus' high-output electronic axle (eAxle) fully integrates the motor, transaxle and inverter within a compact unit to benefit cruising range.
Torsional rigidity is 50% higher than that of the current model.
For better ride quality, Lexus for the first time combines an Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) actuator and a frequency-sensitive piston valve in the shock absorber.
Also, for the first time in a Lexus vehicle, a "Rear Comfort" drive mode enables an emphasis on rear-seat comfort.
The dampening force characteristics of the AVS are set to prioritise rear-seat comfort.
For the new LM, special attention was paid to noise reduction, and the layered structure of the roof headlining was made non-sound-absorbent.
In addition to the three-row 6- and 7-seat configurations, the new LM is available as a 4-seat model where a partition separates the front and rear seats.
The upper portion houses a retractable glass window with dimming function, and below is a large 48-inch widescreen display.
A refrigerator and storage spaces are located under the display.
The rear seats feature independent seats exclusive to the 4-seater model.
Also, an e-Latch system that has an "easy closer" on the front doors is another Lexus first.
Quiet and smooth operation supports door closing from a partially-open state.
Both the front and sliding doors have Safe Exit Assist (with Door Open Control), which detects vehicles and bicycles approaching from behind, providing a warning notification and preventing the doors from opening.
