May 17: What are we missing?

 

What stunning new Lexus has this sumptuous interior, complete with a partition separating that annoying driver from you and your perfect world? If you said the LS, that would be a really good and logical guess, but it would be wrong.

On our recent trip to Asia, we saw the upgraded Toyota Alphard van, the Vellfire, dripping with chrome and ready transport the upward mobile, or already there, rich folks, to their next appointment. Stop to think about that for a moment. What wealthy individual wants to be in a "luxury" Toyota? Good question and the answer is probably none of them. Solution? 

 You got it, Toyota. Slap a hideous grille on the Alphard's front end (which is already plenty ugly in its own right) and call it the new for 2020, Lexus LM. Sure, it's an Alphard in disguise, but it has a chrome Lexus nameplate, so all is forgiven. And just imagine your neighbour's envy. But that front end is wild in the extreme and I do mean extreme.......

 Picture this is your rearview and even a self driving car would get out of its way.

There us another point to today's blog. Luxury vans seem to be unique to the far east, as no one in North America is begging anyone for a chauffeured van. Even Buick has an upscale van in China. Over here Buick is struggling to find their niche, but in China, where its sales are almost double those in North America, it is a sought after brand and one that competes with Lexus. So Lexus has a luxury van, then Buick has a response with the GL8.......

And if the Lexus interior is over the top, then the show car Avenir interior will give it a run for the money.......

 Picture this gorgeous cabin in any luxo car or suv and it would be a perfect fit. Its owner would feel very comfortable in these surroundings, when using their van rather than their Mercedes. Actually they'd probably feel better.

Take note soccer moms, your standard issue vans are no competition for these Japanese treats.

So what are we missing? Will this be the next big trend? Luxury minivans? I'd guess not and I don't believe anyone over this side of the Pacific feels that we are being left out, by not having these models here. 

The question remains though, why are they even over there?

Until next time.......