Lexus LM minivan to launch in Europe as Mercedes V-Class rival

Lexus will take on Mercedes’ V-Class luxury vans in Europe with the LM minivan, which is aimed at high-end chauffeurs.

The second-generation LM was revealed at the Shanghai auto show this week.

The European version – the first time the LM will be sold in the region — will go on sale in autumn with a hybrid-only drivetrain, Lexus said. 

“It’s a high-level luxury space, primarily aimed at chauffeurs,” Lexus CEO Takashi Watanabe told Automotive News Europe at the sidelines of the event. Lexus doesn’t envisage selling the car to its traditional customer base, Watanabe added.

Lexus’ main competition will be the Mercedes Viano midsize van. The LM is based on the same platform as the RX large SUV, which gives an edge over the van-based Mercedes, a spokesperson said. 

The V-Class vans are available in three lengths, from 4,895 to 5,370 mm long. The LM is 5,125 mm long, Lexus says.

Lexus says the new model increases torsional rigidity by 50 percent compared to the outgoing model, reducing vibration and increasing ride comfort.

The Lexus LM minivan was first launched in 2020, targeting chauffeur customers in Asia.

“The minivan concept has been established in Japan but since then needs have also been raised in other regions such as Europe,” Watanabe said, explaining why the LM will be sold in Europe for the first time.

The new LM is available in four-, six- and seven-seat configurations, with the four-seat version offering rear passengers more space than a traditional limousine. In this configuration a partition separates the front and rear seats, with the upper section a retractable glass window with dimming function. Below that sits 48-inch screen, while a refrigerator and storage spaces are located lower down.

Rear passengers control functions such as electric seating, audio and ambient lighting via two detachable touch-screen controllers. 

The car’s front end evolves the concept of the ‘spindle body’ grille used across the Lexus range. The car’s exterior color is now used within the grille, making it an integral part of the body, Lexus said in a release.

European customers will be offered the LM in 350 spec, which uses a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine mated to Toyota’s full-hybrid system. A more powerful 500 model sold elsewhere uses a 2.4-liter turbocharged full-hybrid drivetrain.

The LM will be sold in more than 60 countries, Lexus said, with sales starting in China.