Lexus Dealers Say LS Too Cramped; Beg Toyota for Van

Lexus dealers in Japan have been petitioning Toyota to roll out a new van for the luxury brand – a people-carrier that could be rebadged, fitted to Lexus standards and marketed as a chauffeured limousine-van to Japanese and Chinese politicians and executives. These customers, it seems, have been shunning the LS model due to its 'cramped' rear seats. With Japanese large luxury cars few and far between, many have taken to buying the modest Toyota Alphard instead.

According to Autonews, Lexus does not currently have any plans of answering this request. Instead, it is focused on introducing the LF SUV at the Beijing Auto Show in April, a production version of the LF-NX concept we saw in Detroit last January. Moreover, we should hope that Lexus is keeping its focus on the next generation LFA, leaving the Sienna territory to parent-company Toyota.