Toyota Wants Lexus to 'Move More Freely.' But What Does That Mean?

Lexus Reveals Plans for a Six-Wheeled Minivan

Lexus had a record-breaking year in terms of sales, with deliveries reaching 851,214 cars, the highest since the company’s founding in 1989. Despite this success, parent company Toyota is looking to shake things up. According to Chief Branding Officer Simon Humphries, Lexus is now in a position to “move more freely” and “push forward as a pioneer.”

The luxury division is expected to think more creatively, and a teaser for an upcoming concept car suggests that Lexus has been given the freedom to experiment with bold and unconventional projects. Later this month, the company will debut a six-wheeled minivan at the Japan Mobility Show. This concept may potentially reach production and could slot above the lesser-known LM, a more upscale version of the Toyota Alphard/Vellfire offered in select markets.

A New Era for Lexus

Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda has hinted at the possibility of repurposing the LS badge for this luxurious family hauler, stating that it’s “an incredible challenge” to create a six-wheeled vehicle that meets Lexus’s standards for quietness, comfort, and performance. Toyoda also emphasized that a Lexus flagship doesn’t necessarily have to be a sedan, explaining that the “S” in “LS” now stands for “space” rather than “sedan.”

The development team behind the three-axle minivan has been told to “discover” and “imitate no one,” suggesting that Lexus has the green light to pursue truly radical ideas. Toyota isn’t shy about using big words to describe what’s ahead for its premium brand, with plans to take on “even bolder challenges” and undergo a genuine “transformation.”

The Future of the LS Badge

The production of the LS sedan is nearing its end, and its indirect successor promises to be a “dramatic transformation.” According to Toyoda, this won’t be another sedan or SUV, but a chauffeur-driven minivan. This move makes sense, given the growing popularity of luxury vans in China, where models like the Volvo EM90 and Buick GL8 are gaining traction.

Local automakers are also crowding the segment with electric minivans like the Voyah Dream, Denza D9, Zeekr 009, and Xpeng X9. Like these Chinese models, the new Lexus LS will likely abandon combustion engines altogether. However, a production version probably won’t arrive before 2027.

What’s Next for Lexus?

Whether this unorthodox idea will catch on outside China remains to be seen. Traditionalists may balk at the thought of an LS-badged minivan, but Toyota seems intent on taking Lexus in a far bolder direction.