Lexus Concept Hints at Future Minivan

Toyota Motor Corp.’s Lexus unit will unveil a new concept model later this month at the Shanghai auto show.

A teaser image of the vehicle’s front-end offers no information. But the carmaker’s description of the vehicle in Chinese highlights its “personal space,” which media reports suggests the concept model could be a precursor to the first Lexus minivan.

The website Lexus Enthusiast notes that such language in China typically is reserved for minivans. Lexus also has trademarked the names LM 350 and LM 300h, which other reports say stands for “luxury minivan.”

A Lexus minivan likely would be sold only in China and southeast Asia. The vehicle could share a platform with the next-generation Toyota Sienna minivan or current Alphard. The latter model is sold in Russia and select Asian markets.