Lexus LM500h Ultra Luxury arrives in Aus

LEXUS has topped its Australian LM people mover line-up with the four-seat, $220,888 (plus on-road costs) LM500h Ultra Luxury flagship that promises “all the comfort, opulence and solitude that is the domain of executive jet travel”.

Now available at local Lexus showrooms, the range-topping Lexus LM500h Ultra Luxury is said to revolutionise the chauffeured experience for its two rear-seat occupants, adding a suite of tech-centric comfort features, lie-flat sculpted leather-accented seats, and a “level of refinement normally experienced at 35,000 feet”.

According to the Japanese importer, all aspects of the model are thoughtfully tailored to provide the best rear-seat travel experience possible, while showcasing the brand’s lauded Takumi craftsmanship and omotenashi hospitality traits at their highest level.

“The LM 500h Ultra Luxury redefines luxury mobility,” said Lexus Australia chief executive John Pappas.

“The thoughtful appointments, Takumi craftsmanship and serene cabin make the all-new LM 500h Ultra Luxury the new benchmark for personalised chauffeured travel.”

With just two luxuriously appointed captain’s chairs in the rear cabin of the LM’s van-like body, occupants are granted a huge amount of room, with 1018mm between the occupant’s hip point and the front partition – which can be closed at the touch of a button for full privacy.

The leather-accented rear seats can slide forward and backwards by 480mm, with the seatbacks reclining up to 63 degrees and the ottoman extending to provide a fully flat seat experience for total relaxation.

Just like a first-class airline seat, occupants can return to the upright position at the push of a single button.

Lexus says comfort is further enhanced with seat heating extending to the armrests and ottoman, seat ventilation and seat massaging offering a choice of programs and pressure levels tailored to suit each occupant.

Further, the Lexus LM500h Ultra Luxury offers independent temperature control adjustment for each occupant, as well as a targeted adjustment function that uses a warmth-sensing infrared ray matrix sensor in the rear seats to determine the temperature of specific body areas then adjusts the various climate functions accordingly to provide the ideal cabin temperature.

Additional features offered in the flagship model include a large-capacity refrigerator integrated into the partition that keeps drinks cool and is powered by a low-noise compressor to maintain cabin quietness.

It also offers stowable tables integrated into the outer armrests – perfect for resting a notebook or laptop – and an integrated glovebox in each rear seat position to provide storage options, wireless phone charging, and two USB-C connecting ports.

Perhaps a highlight for many, the rear compartment of the LM500h Ultra Luxury features a massive 48.0-inch widescreen – the largest ever offered in a vehicle in Australia – to create what Lexus says is a mobile cinema experience. It may also be configured as an interactive screen for business meetings on the go or operate in a split-screen mode with integrated headphone ports to offer each occupant their own personalised audio/visual experience.

On the audio front, we find the LS500h Ultra Luxury further equipped with a high fidelity 23-speaker (!) Mark Levinson Reference 3D Surround Sound system to offer what Lexus says are “unrivalled acoustics to transform the rear cabin into a concert hall”.

All seat, media and cabin functions are operated through individual touchscreen tablets conveniently placed at the end of the rear console armrest of each chair. Occupants may control natural light levels by adjusting the sunshades on the individual left and right glass panels mounted in the roof, sliding door glass and rear quarter glass.

Further, ambient cabin lighting can also be set in 64 different mood colours, while “stylish shadowy illumination geometric patterns” are projected in the rear footwells.

Lexus says the overhead console of the LM500h Ultra Luxury is trimmed with a “fine 3D-printed Yabane ornamentation”.

The console houses the reading lamps and vanity mirrors. Additionally, the rear cabin features an integrated umbrella stand next to the sliding doors.

With the vehicle’s mechanical features tuned to deliver a “serene and stable” ride, and with additional sound suppressing measures found when measured against others in the range, the LM500h Ultra Luxury is said to offer a “chauffeured travel experience unlike any other’.

The LM 500h Ultra Luxury is powered by a 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid engine offering “more than 202kW” and all-wheel drive.

It is available now.

Visit GoAuto again soon for our local review of the 2024 Lexus LM500h Ultra Luxury.