The essence of the Japanese saloon seen in the Lexus LS [Tatsuya Kushima]

Text ● Tatsuya Kushima Photo ● Lexus

Do you remember the six-wheeled minivan at the Lexus booth that was a hot topic at the JMS (Japan Mobility Show) held this year? The name is "Lexus LS Concept". It was Lexus' flagship and hinted at the future of the LS, which became a symbol when it started in 1989. The LS was born based on the interpretation of "luxury space" rather than "luxury sedan".

It is not surprising that the flagship will be a large minivan, but the point is that it is a six-wheeler. I'm sure it's going to be a BEV with a built-in in-wheel motor. If you want to run it with an internal combustion engine, you will need a propeller shaft and two large differentials. In other words, the energy loss increases and the friction increases, so the practicality decreases.

However, if the rear four wheels are controlled cooperatively by an in-wheel motor, there will be no need for a complex mechanism. And if the diameter is small, it is convenient because you can directly access the third row seats. Previous issues will be solved in one fell swoop. Well, it's just a concept, so it's not something to say right away, but it's interesting. BEV will change the conventional wisdom.

As for the Lexus LS concept, what is happening to the current model is that some improvements were actually made in September of this year. Big sedans are not often talked about these days, but they are evolving steadily. This is the spirit of Always On intended by the Toyota Group.

The contents include the ability to choose popular exterior colors on all cars, and heated front and rear seats as standard equipment on all cars. From the customer's point of view, it has become easier to choose. In addition, the design of the brake caliper in the F Sport option setting has been changed. The red caliper has a silver logo on it, so it looks stylish.

With that in mind, I got behind the wheel of an LS for the first time in a long time the other day. This is a virtual owner experience of approximately 2 weeks.

The PR car I borrowed from Lexus is the LS500h EXECUTIVE. It is the top range of grades, and the price is over 17 million yen. There was 2WD (FR) and AWD, and it was the former. The power source will be a hybrid, and the main role will be a 3.5-liter V6. It produces a maximum output of 299 ps and a maximum torque of 356 Nm. With the assistance of the motor, you can get even more experience.

The characteristic is probably the size. The total length of 5235mm is honestly huge. When I put it in the parking lot of my house, the tip of my nose was sticking out. It is because the wheelbase is 3125mm. There used to be a short body, but from that role it became only a long wheelbase. I guess it means that there are many rear seat priority. In that sense, we are firmly responding to market needs.

So, my impression is that it is comfortable. This time, I went to the golf course three times in two weeks, and all of them were comfortable drives. Not only is the ride comfortable, but there is no stress in steering operations. The electronic device always keeps an eye on the surroundings and alerts you with an alarm if a car is approaching or an obstacle. So, once you start running, you don't have to worry about the size at all. The same goes for parking. The alarm notifies you of obstacles, so if you trust it, it will be smooth. I got used to the automatic brake activating when it became quite racy.

Acceleration is perfect and cornering is stable. There is a slight understeer at highway junctions, but there is no problem if you adjust the speed. It exits corners at an unexpectedly high speed range. I don't hate the weight of the power steering either. I don't think the tire size of the 245/50R19 is bad. It would be vulgar to wear too large wheels, so let's keep this to itself.

So, I drove a big sedan for the first time in a long time with JMS's "LS Concept". It's been quite a while since it was developed, so it's not that I don't feel old in the basic skeleton, but I feel that the level as a luxury saloon is high. At the same time, it seems that the essence of the Japanese saloon is here. In any case, there is no doubt that it is a car that symbolizes an era.