ON THE ROAD – IAN LYNAS DRIVES THE LEXUS LM

When I first cast my eyes on the Lexus LM in an American car magazine, the photo gave the impression it was a grille with a vehicle attached. However, when I saw the LM in the metal and when the opportunity came to test it, my opinion changed somewhat. With his super luxury people move,r Lexus enters a new market segment, designed and engineered to deliver complete passenger relaxation and comfort.

There are two versions to choose from, four or seven seats with the four seater Takumi model taking Lexus Omotenashi hospitality to an even higher level, with large, airline-style seats that can be made fully horizontal, a 48 inch HD ultra widescreen monitor, refrigerator, and multi-function smartphone-style controller to adjust the cabin environment.  I just wonder what is the point of a four seater, surely the seven seater must be the better option. Who might purchase such a vehicle, I can see a F1 team principal arriving at a circuit in one or a captain of industry, but it’s certainly not a vehicle for the masses.

This Lexus delivers luxury with a capital L make no mistake aided by the GA-K passenger car platform which delivers driving dynamics and a very comfortable ride. Powering this very generous sized vehicle a 2.5 litre self-charging hybrid electric powertrain delivers with emissions efficiency; after having driven the LM perhaps a more powerful engine should be part of the package. Why has Lexus brought such a vehicle to the market? I guess it reflects the diversification of the product range to attract new customers and address a wider spectrum of lifestyle and mobility requirements. The LM can be both a perfectly relaxing living space and a flexible, mobile office for those who need to work while on the move; while the seven seater is designed for VIP transport and it has two rows of full size rear seats and an additional centre seating position in the third row.

After my drive experience with the LM there is no doubt comfort is the defining quality with every aspect of the engineering contributes to achieving a perfectly smooth, quiet and composed ride, to the extent passengers might not even notice the vehicle is in motion. Building on the low centre of gravity and high body rigidity benefits of the GA-K platform; a new Rear Comfort drive mode has been adopted with new braking and body control systems and refined suspension performance and extensive measures have been taken to counter noise and vibration to achieve cabin quietness.

My test drive did depart from the normal in that as for a short period I occupied a rear seat while someone else drove and I did experience outstanding comfort surrounded by the luxury and useful on-board equipment. The bespoke Mark Levinson 3D Surround Sound audio system has a 23-speaker array, while cabin comfort is enhanced by a more sophisticated Lexus Climate Concierge that uses thermal sensors to precisely control and direct heating and ventilation. I first encountered the Mark Levinson sound system on the LS400 many years ago and in my opinion no sound system can equal it. Back then I was so impressed that I decided to explore the possibility of purchasing one for my home; the cost was a shock and I had to settle for a lot less. Noise reduction has always been a strong point with Lexus and the LM has wheels and tyres used to cancel tyre noise at source: the 19 inch forged alloys use a new, world-first open resonator, developed in partnership with Yamaha. In the cabin, Active Noise Control transmits reverse-phase sound waves through an audio speaker, reducing the build-up of low frequency noise when the car is moving and at the same time, acoustic frequencies the human senses perceive as natural and calming are maintained. Its operation is precisely governed using a dedicated microphone monitoring the rear cabin in the four-seat model, and the front and rear sections of the seven-seat version. In the four-seat LM, which I tested, a non-sound-absorbing five-layer headlining is used, making it easier to hold a conversation, while the construction of the centre partition provides excellent sound insulation performance. Both LM versions benefit from carefully located noise-insulating and absorbing materials in the engine compartment, cowl, dashboard and wheel houses. Rigid suspension towers counter road noise transmission and extensive use has been made of high-damping mastic on the roof reinforcements to reduce vibration across the roof’s large surface area. Finally to performance, power output is a max 180bhp and with the FWD version rest to 100kph (62mph) in 8.7 seconds, with the AWD taking 9.1 seconds.

Summing up, this is luxury on a grand scale from Lexus and certainly far removed from my normal test drives!

Ian Lynas