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Jürgen Pander, DER SPIEGEL:
»Niko, did you fall asleep? We want to shoot.”
Niko Bünten, video journalist:
“Where am I here?”
Jürgen Pander, DER SPIEGEL:
»In the car. And in a special car.”
Niko Bünten, video journalist:
»Wait. In what kind?”
Jürgen Pander, DER SPIEGEL:
»It is a colossal van with an exquisite interior. We take the Lexus LM for a spin. OK. LM: That stands for “Luxury Mover”. And the Toyota brand Lexus designed this car as an alternative to classic luxury sedans. Because in a van there is more space for passengers and therefore more room for comfort. This van is not based on a van or commercial vehicle platform, but on a car platform. The Lexus LM is available as a seven-seat shuttle and as a four-seat high-end car. We're sitting in that. And now the seats should be discussed first.
These are leather seats, very soft, completely electrically operated. They can be placed in a horizontal lying position and have extendable leg rests. And of course they are fully air-conditioned and can be heated or ventilated. Armrests and leg rests can also be heated. Air conditioning in general is a very important topic back here. There is an infrared sensor on the partition wall to the driver's cab. It scans the surface temperature of the occupants back here and controls the air flows accordingly: warm air, cold air, depending on the situation. That there is always a feel-good atmosphere back here. The air that flows out here is also enriched with water droplets in order to inhibit viruses, bacteria and allergens and, on the other hand, to relax the occupants' skin a little and ensure pleasant moisture. You can see, Niko, this is not a normal car, but more of a wellness, feel-good wonder car.
Niko Bünten, video journalist:
“
That’s right.”
Jürgen Pander, DER SPIEGEL:
»And above all, you wonder who needs something like that in a car and really wants it. And there's a lot more back here. For example, a reading light, then a cosmetic mirror - illuminated of course - a glasses storage compartment, here a compartment with a mobile phone charging cradle and two USB-C ports. There is a fold-out table on the side like on an airplane. It is made of magnesium and the top is covered with leather. In front of it we have a cup holder, here in the center console there is a large storage box that can be opened from both sides. We have a small drawer here, another storage compartment here, glove compartments at the front, of course on both sides and a refrigerator in between. There are two skylights in the roof that can be shaded. And the two rear side windows can also be closed with blinds. And the large side window can also be opened. For example, to write autographs. The window on the partition wall to the driver's cabin can also be opened. It can be shut down completely or started up again, like now. And it can also be switched so clearly that you can see where you're going from back here. Or dim it again for more privacy.
Yes, and then there is a lot of technology back here. For example, ambient lighting that can be set in 64 different colors. A surround sound system with 23 speakers and this huge screen that you can basically use as a cinema screen. Or as we have just set it up as a split screen. This means that each of the two rear passengers can watch their own program. All functions can be controlled either via voice control, via buttons here or here and via these smartphone-like controllers. They can also be removed. And there you have the whole menu, where you can set and change everything, as you would expect from a smartphone. You see, Niko, this really isn't a normal car. One that has probably never existed before. More like a private jet. And in keeping with the old frequent flyer habit, we’re now drinking some tomato juice.”
Niko Bünten, video journalist:
»Oh yes, why not. Wait, I’ll come to you.”
Jürgen Pander, DER SPIEGEL:
»A massive car with a radiator grille here in front, like the north face of the Eiger. Large. Grim. Terrifying. It doesn't look like elegance or style in my eyes. More like ostentation and cockiness. But basically it's like this: If space for passengers is the central criterion, then you end up with an inflated box. Now let's look behind the rear flap. The buttons for opening the tailgate are located here on the side - also on the other side, by the way. The tailgate opens electrically, of course. And underneath there is a cargo space with a volume of 752 liters. So some suitcases fit in there.
After the experience in the backcourt, you have to say that things are solid up front here too. There's leather, walnut and plenty of storage here, or here, or here. The central control element is this large touchscreen. There are also physical controls embedded in them, here for example the rotary controls for the temperature of the air conditioning. And there are five driving modes that can be selected here, and a special one is the “Rear Comfort” mode. So it's about the comfort of the back seat passengers, and this means that the chassis adjusts itself so that it moves as little as possible when accelerating or braking, so that those sitting in the back feel as if they were sitting on a magic carpet . The performance is completely sufficient for a van. A special feature is that there is a continuously variable automatic transmission. And that has the peculiarity that when you step on the accelerator pedal, as I'm doing now, first of all there is noise and speed and only then, with a delay, does acceleration begin. And you have to get used to driving a car with enormous dimensions. And you're happy that there are cameras all around, which are particularly helpful when things get tight, for example in parking garages.
The Lexus LM is powered by a hybrid drive consisting of a 2.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and two electric motors. So it's not a drive to show off, but that's what the rest of the car is for and 250 hp system output and 239 Newton meters of maximum torque are also completely fine for a car in this class. The nickel metal hydride battery cannot be charged externally; this always happens when driving through recuperation. And the electrical energy from the battery is used to support the petrol engine again and again: when accelerating, in all-wheel drive, or when driving purely electrically - this is possible on short distances.
The Lexus LM is one of the few cars that are bought because the rear passengers want it. For example, from hotels or shuttle services for their VIP passengers. Or rich people who, for whatever reason, spend a lot of time in the car and want it to be as comfortable as possible.
We really like the stylish driving cabin, the many fine details and the really comprehensive comfort for the backbenchers. Negative points are the loud front design, the loud petrol engine whenever performance is required and the fact that there is no pure electric drive for this particular car, where calm and serenity are supposed to be the trump cards.
Niko Bünten, video journalist:
“Jürgen, you haven’t told us the price yet.”
Jürgen Pander, DER SPIEGEL:
»The Lexus LM is available from 122,700 euros and our test car, the Luxury model with four seats and all the bells and whistles, costs 147,100 euros. Speaking of Niko, do you actually want to drive? You know what? Here you have the key. I’ll be back there.”
Niko Bünten, video journalist:
“Okay, well.”
Jürgen Pander, DER SPIEGEL:
»So, now comes the cozy part. Niko, you know where we’re going, right?”