Lexus reveals stunning EV overhaul! LS limo to be reinvented as electric luxury SUV and radical six-wheel EV
Japanese luxury brand Lexus is set to radically reinvent its current Lexus LS limousine as both a large SUV-coupe and a wild six-wheeled people-mover that will be powered by advanced all-electric powertrains.
Revealing it was plotting to reboot the LS nameplate that was first used back in 1989 as an ultra-luxurious sub-brand, Lexus showed not one but two concepts at the recent Tokyo motor show.
The wildest of them was the LS Concept that reimagines the limo as a flagship people-mover with three axles!
READ MORE: 2025 Lexus NX 450h+ F Sport Review: As Chinese plug-in hybrids sweep into Australia does the NX PHEV still justify its $100K price?
READ MORE: 2025 Lexus RX450h+ Sports Luxury Review: Plug-in hybrid newcomer takes on BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo
READ MORE: Lexus ES goes EV! New luxury saloon has been super-sized and electrified to take on BMW i5 and Audi A6 e-tron
It features a cabin that is claimed to offer unrivalled levels of luxury for up to seven, without compromising on space or comfort for all onboard.
A more conventional direction for the future of the LS brand is the new LS Coupe Concept – a large battery-powered SUV that joins the current RX SUV and LX off-roader as the brand chases demand for high-riding luxury vehicles.
Finally, the brand showed off a Lexus Sport concept supercar that is also set to be a member of the new LS family.
With just 10 Lexus LS limos sold in Australia so far this year, it’s perhaps understandable Lexus is keen for a change in direction for the nameplate.
Helping share the cost of the new line-up is the decision of Toyota to spin off its Century nameplate into another luxury sub-brand, which could potentially share powertrains with the inbound new Lexus models.
According to reports, the most conventional of the three, the SUV-coupe, will be the first to arrive and is already greenlit behind the scenes.
Featuring the firm’s latest interpretation of the Lexus spindle snout, the production vehicle is thought to be closely related to the concept, except for its rear-hinged doors and huge wheels that will be downsized.
The high-speed drone that is said to follow the concept to “document a journey” will also not make it to production.
Inside, expect the yoke steering wheel, with steer-by-wire tech, to be joined by the new stacked dual widescreens digital instrument cluster and infotainment to carry over.
There’s no word on the bamboo-effect flooring, but some of the wood surfacing will be repeated.
In the rear, there’s large portrait-mounted screens within the front seats’ backrests and levels of space that are claimed to match the current LS.
Helping share costs, the new LS Coupe is expected to be based on the same E-TNGA architecture as the smaller mid-size RZ, with some overlap when it comes to its powertrain tech.
Exact timings have yet to be revealed but it’s thought a launch later in 2026 could be on the cards.
