A seriously fun ride for the chauffeur-driven market

Sean O'Grady finds the Lexus LM350h a wildly luxurious, first-class-on-wheels limo that pampers its VIP passengers even allowing for that visually challenging frontal styling

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So, the Lexus LM350h. Very much a niche vehicle, a cross between a people carrier, a limousine and, indeed, a first-class compartment on a plane. I’m not sure what to make of it, if I’m honest. You can see it's designed for the chauffeur-driven market, to ferry around the top echelons in society - chief executives, visiting dignitaries, crypto tycoons, football club owners, that sort of thing - in supreme comfort.

It comes as a seven-seater, which is a bit “mini bus” for elite transportation, or, as in the example Lexus kindly allowed me to try, as a four-seater – two up front as normal, plus two individual, fully reclining seats in the rear, modelled on the kind of thing you'd find yourself flying around in if you had the money. From my experience as a pretend professional driver lugging some mates about, even the tallest and broadest of plutocrats will find sufficient room to relax. (Although there is not that much room left in the boot for their clobber; presumably, that gets sent on separately.)

It's enormous fun, though it's supposed to be deeply serious transportation for the Forbes magazine classes. Snug in the back armchairs, you're swathed in leather, you can kick back almost flat for a kip, and there's a wee fridge just ahead with room for a bottle of Laurent Perrier and a couple of glasses. There are nice little cantilever tables that fold out from the armrests, plus smartphone-style controls for the huge telly screen in the back, the air conditioning and full digital connectivity.