Have you ever heard of a lounge on wheels? This is literally it! Now hold on, before you think of rushing me to a psychiatric centre, just take a look at the Lexus LM 350h, and you might just begin to understand things. The Lexus LM 350h can be had in seven-seater and four-seater configurations, with prices ranging between Rs 2.00 crore and Rs 2.50 crore respectively (ex-showroom).
Like Kurt once said, the Lexus LM 350h doesn’t just carry its passengers, it coddles them, and it shows! If you get the four-seater variant, the second row is where you should really be; you’re separated by a removable rear panel, and there’s a 48-inch wide screen on offer, which you’ll be able to enjoy best while seated on Ottoman seats with heating function. Each row also comes equipped with a separate sound output system. Rear occupants also get a warmth-sensing infrared matrix sensor for the A/C, with integrated controls targeted at the face, chest, upper leg, and lower leg areas, along with three preset modes for personalised comfort. The seat also gets powered and manual settings to slide it around, with a slide range of 480 mm.
Other features on the LM 350h include an e-latch system, see-saw type switches for the powered rear door, vehicle braking posture control, and safety features such as adaptive cruise control, lane departure alert with steering assist, blind spot monitor, automatic high beam, vehicle detection, and safe exit assist among others.
Under the hood, the LM 350h gets a 2.5-litre petrol hybrid powertrain, working in tandem with a nickel metal hydride battery. It also gets E-FOUR all-wheel drive, with power going to all four wheels, with an electric motor placed on each axle. The front suspension lower arm gets a high-tensile steel hollow clamshell structure to reduce the unsprung weight and improve ride quality. The LM 350h also gets vehicle braking posture control to reduce body roll while going around corners.
On the outside, despite being an MPV, the Lexus LM 350h is devoid of any awkward angles or elements, instead looking rather futuristic and elegant. Of course, this is based on photos, and we’ll wait to check it out in the flesh before commenting any further on its looks. We’ll be waiting, Lexus!
