What does luxury look like from inside? Interiors of the entire Lexus line up compared

When luxury comes as standard, the only thing left to ask is, which model would you choose?

When a name confers an image, evokes a meaning or creates a perception, the associative imagery demonstrates the power of the company's branding. Companies work very hard to pursue a singular brand identity because the human brain can only create, retain and recall one meaning at a time. The stronger the recollection of that meaning, the more successful that brand has been at creating consumer awareness. 

In the cluster of Australasian countries, Lexus has kept to just one branding statement. You'll find it on billboards, advertisement insertions and even on the back of the business cards handed out by the sales consultants. The statement reads: Only Lexus promises the true luxury.

True to their word, every Lexus since the inaugural and iconic LS 400 of 1989 has lived up to the promise of peerless luxury. Every Lexus cabin is a silent chamber on wheels, affording occupants unequalled isolation from the world outside. And every Lexus brims with technology which operates quietly in the background, but works to an astonishing degree of intelligence to keep you safe at all speeds the vehicle is driven at. 

What can you expect when you step inside the cabin of a Lexus? That's what I decided to find out. What follows next is an invitation into the cabin of every Lexus from the base line CT to the top of the line LS.

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Official state cars Part 2: Lexus the choice for Kings, Queens, Presidents and Prime Ministers

Part 2 of Picture gallery: Lexus honoured as official state car in 20 countries

Continuing from Part 1 where we reviewed briefly the process of selecting an official state car, here we explore the next 20 official head of state cars driven by leaders of the free world and ask: 

What does it mean to be chosen to supply these vehicles? 

It is considered the highest honour bestowed upon an automotive manufacturer to be chosen to supply an official state car. This prestige that comes with it extends far beyond functionality as a mode of transportation; it becomes a national symbol of the people, portraying the unified image of strength and supremacy of that nation, as well as an image the country's subjects and the global community can invest their trust in.

Countries that have indigenous automobile manufacturers normally choose their nationally-made cars to show their support. If this is not an option, the government will purchase an official state car from an automobile manufacturer originating in a country with whom it shares warm diplomatic ties and strong bilateral trade. Exceptions are observed wherein a country with a national auto industry nonetheless opts to commission an official state car from another country.

For the first 10 head of state cars, click here.

Head of State Cars (continued)

11. Japan

Even though Japan exports two other luxury brands - the Acura and Infiniti - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe trusts Lexus as his official state car. His personal choice? An armoured Lexus LS 600h L, seen here in Kuala Lumpur during the recent 2015 ASEAN summit.

12. Malaysia

Lexus is a popular choice among Sultans of Malaysia. Most of what you see is the Lexus LS 600h L. For a change, I decided to show what the Sultan of Pahang is driven in: A previous generation Lexus LX.

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Official state cars Part 1: Lexus the choice for Kings, Queens, Presidents and Prime Ministers

Part 1 of Picture gallery: Lexus honoured as official state car in 20 countries

An official state car is a vehicle specifically chosen and usually specifically customised to transport its head of state, be it a King, Queen, President, Prime Minister or high ranking government official. Usually, these official state cars are selected on exacting standards of comfort, security, specification, performance and the overall public image it represents. 

I'm a President. How do I choose my ride?

Doesn't work quite like that!

In every case, the head of state has direct influence in the rigorous selection process of an official state car. Due to the nature of the task at hand, the consultation between the head of state and the government security personnel may take several months of pre-testing across different scenarios, conditions and outcomes. 

Once the selection is made, representatives from the chosen automobile manufacturer are invited to meet with the security team that serves at the behest of the head of state to run through a battery of customisations to ensure the delivered car, the final product, is adequately securitised, reinforced, strengthened, armoured and equipped to address these scenarios. Bearing in mind official state cars are frequently driven along narrow streets usually lined by a sea of people, driven at low speeds, advanced built-in capabilities need to counter potentially invasive and life-threatening risks from enemies of the state or even the general public. 

For security reasons, more than one vehicle will be customised. Some of these act as transport for the consort or spouse of the head of state or as a back-up vehicle, or a back-up to the back-up, or as decoy to create misdirection if unwanted attention can be foreseen. 


So what do leaders from these 20 nations have in common? Let's look at what these heads of states have chosen as their official state car:


Head of State Cars

1. Austria 

Senior members of the Austrian government use the Lexus GS.

2. Bolivia

President of Bolivia uses an armoured Lexus LS 460 L 

3. Chile

Newly-elected President of Chile Sebastian Pinera chose the Lexus LS 600h L as the presidential car

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Lexus LX 570 refreshed for 2016 - What's new?

Range Rover rival gets new makeover for 2016 - but does its tough image extend to serious off-road credentials? 

Waaaaait before we go further... there's an itch I need to scratch. I've seen that somewhere before... Ah yes... that familiar dejavu feeling:

Okay, that was a bit cheeky but still, it's a good visual reference point to see how much the 4x4 has evolved since its 2014 iteration. Ever since the LX was inducted into the Lexus range in 1995 as a gussied-up Toyota Land Cruiser, you have to admit, you don't see many of these on the roads as you would a Range Rover. Now in its third incarnation since the J200 (Lexus internal codename) came out in 2007 we have every right to expect a raft of changes for 2016 that can give the boffins at Range Rover sleepless nights. Let's get right into it.

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