Lexus Rolls Out LS500h In India At Rs 1.77 Cr
Japanese auto giant Toyota's luxury brand Lexus has launched its flagship sedan-LS500h- in India at a starting price of Rs 1.77 crore and going up to Rs 1.94 crore (ex-showroom, Pan India). Bookings of the luxury sedan commence on 15th January and will be delivered to customers from April onwards as it will be a completely built unit (CBU) and an imported one. Available in three trims, the newly-launched model will be taking on Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7 Series and Audi A8 in the luxury sedan segment. With the new sedan, Lexus India's portfolio now grows to five models, the others being the ES 300h sedan, NX 300h, RX 450h and LX 450d SUVs.
The LS 500h is powered by a BS-VI compliant 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine combined with a 310.8kV lithium-ion battery system that in combination develops 354bhp of maximum power delivering 15.38 km/litre. The engine is mated to a CVT gearbox. While the base version of the new model-Luxury Grade-is priced at Rs 1.77 crore, the mid-range- Ultra Luxury Grade- comes for Rs. 1.82 crore and the top end- Distinct Grade-is tagged at Rs.1.94 crore.
"For those who have arrived in life, the Lexus LS500h has now arrived in India. We are so thrilled to be adding the LS500h to our line-up here. When we think of the exacting standards of the most discerning Indian car owners, we are confident the new LS will impress and delight - through its design, its performance, and the efficiency of the world's first multi-stage hybrid system," said N. Raja, Chairman, Lexus India. He also maintained that the company would continue to engage with the government to support hybrid vehicles as they are the intermediate technology for a complete shift towards fully electric vehicles.
It is to be mentioned that the LS sedan launched in India is the version Lexus had unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January 2017. The sedan sports a signature spindle grille flanked by S-shaped headlamps that add a sporty stance up front.
"There are immense opportunities in the Indian luxury car market, which is among the biggest in our region. We are looking towards growth trajectory here," Lexus Asia Pacific Division Executive Vice President Vince Socco told reporters on the sidelines of the launch. When asked if the company would consider assembling its vehicles here, he said that at present it is studying the option, but would be difficult to put a timeline on it.
"Globally, we have only two manufacturing facilities outside Japan, one each in Canada and the US, which contribute 50 per cent of our total global sales," Socco added. For the Indian market, he said a lot would depend on sales volumes and availability of local components among others being key factors.
