HERE’S a black cab sprinkled with magic dust swept up from the Rolls-Royce factory floor.
It’s called the Lexus LM — luxury mover — and it’s a VVIP limo for high rollers who like to fly under the radar.
As you can see from the pictures, the outside looks ordinary but the inside is quite extraordinary.
I mean, who wouldn’t want a back rub and a cold one from the fridge while stretched out watching TV?
Had a long day? Take a nap. The two captain’s chairs recline to fully flat. Not even a Roller does that.
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There’s a glass divider between you and the driver. Open it for a chat. Turn it opaque for privacy.
Close the window and roof blinds and you are completely shielded from the world around you.
What happens in the back of a Lexus LM, stays in the back of a Lexus LM, if you know what I mean. I’m sure you do.
Other things that please. The cabin is trimmed like Mr Bonzai’s back garden.
Butter-soft leather.
Thick carpets. Deeply satisfying.
The ride is hovercraft smooth. It really is. And whisper quiet.
You won’t get any complaints up front either. The self-charging hybrid, as per the rules at Lexus and Toyota, is effortless and does good numbers.
Top-spec models have the added assurance of four-wheel drive and there’s a 360-degree camera to help your driver to park like a pro.
Now we come to price. The four-seat LM costs £113k, making it the most expensive Lexus since the legendary LFA.
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But look at it another way and it’s less than half the price of a Roller, just as palatial and way more stealth. The base seven-seat LM costs £90k.
As for the smallest and cheapest Lexus, that’s the LBX — little baby crossover — starting at £29,995.
Same underpants as a rock-solid Toyota Yaris Cross but cooler and more sophisticated.
Brilliant for nipping around town, and surprisingly comfy on those long motorway runs.
We averaged 51mpg over 600 miles and we weren’t trying to be good.
LBX uses the same 1.5-litre petrol engine as Yaris Cross but with new self-charging hybrid tech which increases power to 136hp and allows it to run in EV mode for longer when you’re running errands.
Also, like a Yaris Cross, LBX is available as a 4x4 whereas the Ford Puma and other rivals aren’t.
Good to know if you live in the green bits of Britain.
The sweet spot of the range is the £34k Premium Plus trim which unlocks head-up display, wireless smartphone charging, heated seats and a fancy air purification system shared with the LM.
Rear passenger space is a bit tight and the petrol tank is a bit small, but otherwise LBX is different and efficient and should do well. It might even double UK sales for Lexus.
One last thing. LBX actually stands for Lexus Breakthrough Crossover.
Little baby crossover is much better.
