The Lexus LS served as the basis for the six-wheeled van concept shown today at the Tokyo car show. The brand’s first flagship car also served as inspiration for the four-door, SUV-like LS Coupe design. Even though neither of these ideas will be made, they show that Lexus is looking for new ways to keep the LS name. At this year’s Tokyo car show, Lexus is showing off a number of concepts, ranging from a fancy single-seat autonomous robotaxi to a catamaran that looks like it belongs to a bad guy from James Bond movies. We found it more interesting that Toyota’s luxury business showed two different designs that were based on the brand’s first flagship car, the LS sedan, which will be phased out after the 2026 model year. What is so interesting about these two LS ideas? Let’s look into it. The LM is like a Mercedes S-class with sliding doors, but Lexus doesn’t sell cars in the US. However, it does in Asia and Europe. The new LS design features a third axle, giving it six wheels instead of four. This is meant to make the LM more exciting, if that is even possible. Lexus says this layout gives the inside even more room, which is why the “LS” name has been changed from “Luxury Sedan” to “Luxury Space.” A six-year-old might have thought of it, but could they have made a van as beautiful as the LS concept? Without the help of artificial intelligence, most likely not. When the side doors open, people can enter a rolling sanctuary with plenty of space to move and a light, airy feel. The blinds on all the windows are open. Lexus has added bamboo screens to some parts of the inside as well as two long, parallel sunroofs. For people in the front, the windshield is highly raked, but the seats can be turned around to face the back. When the driver wants to drive, they use a steering yoke to move the car and two huge screens stacked in front of each other to see the instrumentation and entertainment system. Lexus also says the digital interface is the same across all its models, which makes it more likely to affect future production models. The Lexus logo evokes more than just the six-wheeled car. Even though the LS Coupe has two fewer wheels and one fewer frame, it has coach doors to make it look better. The SUV’s form shows Lexus’s desire to be different, even though it has four doors, which makes it not a real coupe. The brand’s spindle grille is back, but this time it has angled daytime running lights. The SUV’s back shoulder also has a design cue that looks like it came from the Lexus Sport concept. Lexus made the front seats slightly different on both sides so the driver’s seat would be more supportive and the other seats would be more comfortable. The wide glass roof should make the inside feel bigger, and since concepts are meant to be more advanced than real cars, the LS Coupe concept has a drone that can record a drive experience. The big screen for the front passenger can fold into and out of the dashboard, another feature that stands out. When we talk about big screens, each front seat has one in the back. This makes it easy for people in the second row to see many choices. The LS Coupe also features a unique cargo area accessible by lowering the SUV’s rear tailgate, creating a platform that can be used as a seat. When the crazy-looking wheels are added to this high-riding Lexus idea, it really takes off. The wheels have opaque surfaces and bronze lips that hide part of a complicated spoke design. For starters, the LS Coupe was made to be quick and sporty while also being roomy like a luxury sedan. We can tell that Lexus is looking into ways to keep the LS name, but we can’t confirm the second one.
