Lexus is poised to reinvent the LS, its flagship luxury saloon, in a bid to differentiate it from rivals such as the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

The Toyota-owned premium brand has released the first preview images of the new LS Concept ahead of its unveiling at the upcoming Tokyo motor show – and it is not a limousine but a six-wheeled MPV in the vein of the Lexus LM.

Speaking on a promotional livestream, Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda suggested that the LS’s original billing as a ‘Luxury Sedan’ was no longer as relevant and that the designation would now stand for “Luxury Space” instead.

Toyoda said MPVs are “the new luxury shape of the future”, noting that more interior space is the top demand of buyers of premium cars, so “new packaging is needed”. 

A rudimentary interior design buck shown by Toyota branding chief Simon Humphries reveals the LS Concept will have a six-seat interior, with ample leg room for passengers in the second and third rows. People in the rearmost seats will be positioned over the four rear wheels.

Humphries said the six-wheel configuration frees up more space at the rear of the car, because the rear wheels have a smaller diameter than a traditional pair of wheels. Therefore, their arches do not intrude as far into the interior, allowing the floor to remain at the same height as at the second row. “The actual tyre will be smaller and the space inside will be larger,” he said.  “Although it’s a relatively simple concept, it has a big effect." 

However, the six-wheeled configuration raises several “huge” challenges for Lexus to negotiate, said Toyoda. “There are certain expectations that people have for the Lexus brand – things like quietness and ride comfort,” he said, adding “we don’t know if we can do this yet”.

Many manufacturers have historically considered six-wheeled cars, only to abandon the concept due to its complexity. The most notable example, the Tyrrell P34 Formula 1 car – which had four wheels mounted up front – often suffered brake problems, as its diminutive front discs quickly overheated in the throes of a grand prix. Whether this would be a problem in ordinary road driving – or whether it could be circumvented by instead relying on the regenerative effect of electric motors, rather than hydraulic brakes – remains to be seen.

“[The concept] is still a long way off, but everyone is serious about it,” said Toyoda. “It will definitely be realised.”

The LS Concept will also showcase a new design language for Lexus. Toyoda said he asked for the brand to ditch its signature spindle grille design as there is no longer any “room for development” of it. Instead, the signature will be “assimilated to the entire body”.