- The LS Concept is a new take on Lexus’ flagship that sports a minivan bodystyle.
- The concept has six wheels, a fully electric powertrain and a three-row layout.
- Akio Toyoda said they are serious about turning it into a production offering.
Lexus popped up a surprise by announcing a new LS Concept for the Japan Mobility Show. The model breaks away from the traditional sedan bodystyle and becomes a luxurious minivan with six wheels, three rows of seats, and a fully electric powertrain. What is even more unexpected is that the company wants to evolve the concept into a production vehicle, although a lot of work has to be done in order to make this happen.
The official teaser is titled “Discover” and signals a new era for Lexus. We can see the profile of the new LS Concept, featuring a set of large wheels at the front and two pairs of smaller wheels at the rear. The concept adopts a single-box minivan silhouette with tiny overhangs and a generous wheelbase. Overall, it looks bigger than the LM, which is based on the Toyota Alphard/Vellfire.
More: Toyota Shows Its Vision For Future Corolla Sedan
Besides the unconventional number of wheels, other highlights include the vertical LED headlights and taillights that extend into the profile, and the illuminated fin on the roof. A large sliding door reveals a spacious cabin with warm lightning and a six-seater three-row layout.
Not Just A Concept Car
While a six-wheeled minivan sounds too wild for production, Chairman Akio Toyoda made it clear that this is not just a concept. In a message from two years ago, he challenged the team to come up with something new for the Lexus flagship:
“If you think of the LS as a BEV chauffeur car, wouldn’t it become a new pillar of Lexus, with a new package that no one has ever thought of? Lexus doesn’t copy anyone else, so that’s the motto, so please start thinking about it...The LM is an evolution of the Alphard, after all, but… Will it evolve further from the LM, or… a completely new form.“
Lexus and Toyota Times / YouTube
The LS was originally conceived as an acronym for “Luxury Sedan”, but Toyoda now translates it to “Luxury Space”, allowing its use for a three-row BEV. The goal was to create a chauffeured vehicle that would still feel spacious even with six people inside the cabin.
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When asked if the concept will turn into a production model, Toyoda initially said: “No, I’m not sure if they can do that yet”. However, a bit later he added “It is still a long way off but everyone is serious about it. So I’m sure it will definitely come true.”
The challenges currently faced by the team is to match the levels of quietness and ride comfort expected from a Lexus vehicle and make it road friendly. When asked if having six wheels translates to a 6WD, Toyota’s head of design said: “Maybe”.
Furthermore, Toyota’s boss wants Lexus to “demolish the spindle grille for a while” as it has “no potential for development”. Instead, designers are now trying to “assimilate the spindle throughout the entire body” of the vehicle.
The Lexus LS Concept will be fully unveiled at the Japan Mobility Show 2025. What we are not sure is whether the team can turn it into a production vehicle fast enough to replace the aging LS sedan. The latter is expected to bow out of production next year, as Lexus has officially announced its forthcoming demise from the US market.
More: The Lexus LS Is Dead After 2026 And This Is Its Final Goodbye In America
Note that the only other six-wheeled vehicle made by Toyota is the Lunar Cruiser which is designed to be driven on the moon, with Toyoda saying “I’m starting to think that maybe I want to ride it on Earth”.
