Lexus LS Concept promises a new approach to luxury, and six wheels
The new and outlandish show car is called the Lexus LS Concept, suggesting it’s taken inspiration from the brand’s game-changing luxury saloon
Lexus has clearly lost its mind. At least, that would be one explanation for the fact the Japanese brand – known for the reliability and luxuriousness of its cars – is about to unveil a six-seat, six-wheeled minibus at the Tokyo Motor Show.
Admittedly, this outlandish creation is only a concept, but it could be telling that it’s called the Lexus LS Concept. That's because the LS 400 was the car that put Lexus on the map back in the nineties. It was a luxury saloon that trumped the contemporary Mercedes S-Class on space and refinement, yet it cost half the price.
The LS name just meant ‘Luxury Sedan’ until now, however Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda said during a livestream that the name has been redefined as ‘Luxury Space’ for this new concept. Of course, if you want a luxury MPV you can buy right now, Lexus can help. The Lexus LM is available through the Auto Express Buy A Car service from just under £95,000.
If you look at the teaser for the LS Concept closely enough you can see there’s a single set of wheels up front, and two smaller pairs at the rear. Toyota’s chief branding officer Simon Humphries explained the method in this apparent madness, saying that using four smaller wheels doesn't intrude into the cabin space as much.
We can’t ignore the fact that the wheels are glowing in this picture too. Either Lexus really wants to show off its handy work, the brakes are hellishly hot from trying to stop this thing, or it's a hint that the show car could feature multiple electric motors to provide drive for this car. Making the car electric would help with packaging it for maximum space, and making it as quiet and refined as possible.
We’re highly doubtful Lexus will be putting a six-wheeled car of any sort into production, but would be happy to be proven wrong when the new Lexus LS Concept is revealed at the end of October at the Japan Mobility Show.
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