Lexus is widely known as the luxury vehicle division of Toyota, with a model line-up that currently includes sedans and SUVs. However, the brand is missing a luxury minivan, which could be a much-welcomed model in selected markets, primarily Asia.
In a report by Auto Industriya, Raymond Rodriguez, president of Lexus Manila, said it was only a matter of time before Lexus launches a luxury minivan. “A Lexus version of the [Toyota] Alphard is actually on my wish list,” he said.
From a local standpoint, Rodriguez said a “Lexus Alphard” could be immensely popular with customers, considering the sales figures and long waiting time for the Toyota minivan. A Lexus minivan with even higher levels of comfort and luxury would allow Lexus Manila to steal some sales away from Mercedes-Benz and its van offerings.
Of course, there’s currently no indication that Lexus will actually build a minivan, considering the popularity of SUVs and crossovers. Should the luxury marque do decide to commit to a minivan, expect the final product to be rather impressive if its recent model introductions are any indication.
GALLERY: 2018 Toyota Alphard 3.5 Executive Lounge (Malaysia spec)
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condo on wheels
Expect the price to start from 650K.
Lexus biscuit tin box on wheels
Alphard and Vellfire already a Lexus standard now.
LOL both too cheap. So must adjust price to Lexus standard.
(Like) Toyota Alphard, Proton VF11 MPV
(Dislike) Honda Odyssey
This is OLD news. There have been demands for Lexus MPV in Russia and Hong Kong based on last gen Alphard/Vellfire, as early as in 2014. The twin Toyota MPV is posh enough even for luxury buyers, so why bother the L badge?
Because it has the L badge. Why not.
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Ur boss Najib dun care when he is being transported to the MACC HQ. Nuff said.
Lexus has been losing ground to the luxury german marques for years in terms of innovation and the elusive ‘good to drive’ feeling that the competition has now in spades. In order to recoup some sagging sales, Lexus chooses to raise outlandish designs and to flog the hybrid cause. But no Lexus of note has come out of its doors except the LF-A and even that sports car was dated the moment it came out – overpriced and lacking a turbo. Nice, well built cars but oh so dull to look
considering how ugly lexus cars are, i think it would be a superb idea to rebadge the alphard and vellfire as a lexus. since the alphard and vellfire are as already equally ugly.
Hahahaha ni comment mmg win!
Is there such a thing as a luxury minivan? BMW doesn’t make one. Well ok, maybe cos it won’t be dynamic to drive. Audi doesn’t make one. Mercedes did make one with the R Class. It looked OK to me, and even had a RWD layout. But nobody (ok,very few) brought it. Maybe cos it looked quirky. But that didn’t stop AMG from making a high performance AMG R63 with the 6.2 V8. And thanks to Doug DeMuro for highlighting it. Anyways, maybe a luxury minivan might sell here considering Malaysians love boxy minivans.
That’s because a van, no matter how luxurious it is, well, is still a van.
it took Land Rover decades to make the luxury SUV stick. its going to take some time to bring the luxury van up.
Seriously, if one really wants a luxury van, take any van and have the custom coachbuilders lux it up. You probably get a better custom job for the money spent.
Its a van and and it fails the ncap crash test. It is not sold on europe. This van meant for 3rd world country that put leather wraps interior first than safety
Isn’t the Alphard and Vellfire already luxury vans?
For the rich ahbengs & unkers that think its not luxury enuff, so need to make it more luxuri-er.
Tell that to ur boss, Najib. Oh wai…
There is nothing mini about alphard. Big body, big tyres, big grills, big seat and everything. How come it is consider as a mini. Maybe it has anything to do with the owners mini d….
Some confusion with the writers, I believe. On north america, they don’t use the term MPVs. But they call it minivan instead, because actual size of a van is really huge (back then, in the 80s).
But the term has sticked on until today. And in market like UK, alphard and vellfire are known as people carrier instead since it is not a van anymore.
See, MPV stands for multi purpose vehicle which is car+van+estate = all in one
Rebadge it as P2 then sell it cheap
Luxury tissue box.