We're fully aware it's April Fool's Day, but rest assured, this news isn't satirical. A new report and teasers indicate Lexus may have a luxury minivan in the works, and it could debut at the 2019 Shanghai auto show.
Lexus Enthusiast first reported Toyota's luxury brand may have a minivan in the works last Friday. Lexus' social media channels in Taiwan and China also released teasers of a new vehicle bound for the 2019 Shanghai auto show that seem to allude to a minivan. The fact that only Asian social media networks referenced the possible minivan makes sense since MPVs, or multi-purpose vehicles, are actually quite popular in the region. Meanwhile, the western world has taken to crossovers and SUVs instead.
Couple the clues with the social media teasers' headline, which translates to "the luxury of space," and it seems very possible a Lexus MPV will show up in China this month. Motor Authority has reached out to Lexus for more information about the potential minivan and we will update this report if and when the company responds.
The Lexus Enthusiast report also noted that Lexus has trademarked the LM 350 and LM 300h names. It's rumored that "LM" stands for "Lexus Minivan." The teaser image shows a vehicle with a blue outline in the badge, which often designates a hybrid model for the brand; that would be the LM 300h model.
Should Lexus grace the world with a minivan, there's zero chance it will make its way to the U.S. The minivan segment is rather small and dominated by just a few vehicles. Instead, Lexus will focus on expanding its crossover and SUV offerings as they command premiums and enjoy popularity on these shores.