JOHN MURDOCH'S DRIVE TIME: We turn the spotlight on dazzling new Lexus luxury MPV and reveal details about VW Touareg SUV

The LM - which stands for luxury mover - is priced from £89,995 and comprises both front and all-wheel-drive versions.

Get the latest Lanarkshire news sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter

We have more newsletters

Get the latest Lanarkshire news sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter

We have more newsletters

In this instalment of John Murdoch's Drive Time, Johnturns the spotlight on a dazzling new Lexus luxury MPV which is about to arrive on our roads and reveals some details about the new VW Touareg SUV.

Japanese luxury brand Lexus is launching a new MPV in the UK with the arrival of its opulent three-model LM range.

The LM - which stands for luxury mover - is priced from £89,995 and comprises both front and all-wheel-drive versions.

The Lanarkshire Live app is available to download now.

Get all the news from your area – as well as features, entertainment, sport and the latest on Lanarkshire’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic – straight to your fingertips, 24/7.

The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories, and allows you to customise your page to the sections that matter most to you.

Head to the App Store and never miss a beat in Lanarkshire - iOS - Android

The manufacturer says the LM combines the ultra-refined performance of a limousine in a spacious people carrier package.

All models are powered by Lexus’s 2.5-litre self-charging hybrid electric powertrain, with either front-wheel drive or all-wheel control with Lexus’s electronic E-Four system.

Prices for the all-wheel-drive LM 350h start from £92,995 with the range topping Takumi LM 350 costing from £112,995.

Dimensions for the LM are 5130mm long, 1890mm wide and 1945mm high.

The equipment specification for the seven-seat LM 350h includes 19-inch alloy wheels, power-adjustable front and middle row seats with semi-aniline leather upholstery with Ultrasuede inserts, twin fixed sunroofs, dual-zone climate control with nanoe-X air quality system and power sunshades.

The infotainment package includes the Lexus Link Pro multimedia system, a 21-speaker Mark Levinson 3D Surround Sound audio and a 14-inch monitor for the rear passengers that deploys from the ceiling.

For the driver, there is a heated, power-adjustable steering wheel with wood inserts. Panoramic View Monitor, Intelligent Park Assist with remote parking function via the Lexus Link app and head-up display.

The Takumi version of the LM delivers a higher level of on-board luxury, with only two multi-function rear seats which can be fully reclined to horizontal and offer seven different massage programmes.

Individual folding tables are housed in the outer arm rests and charging stations with USB ports and wireless charging tray are located in the cabin’s side panels.

A partition between the front and rear cabin houses a 48-inch widescreen monitor and a glass panel that can be dimmed for privacy.

The monitor has three viewing modes - full screen, cinema and separate left and right screens showing independent content while users can project content directly from their smartphone or tablet, or connect to the screen via two HDMI ports.

Beneath the monitor there are individual left and right side glove boxes and a refrigerator box.

There’s also a more sophisticated Lexus Climate Concierge that uses thermal sensors to precisely control and direct heating and ventilation.

Control of the cabin features and functions is provided by a controller, designed like a smartphone which can be used to manage the audio system, climate control settings, seat functions, interior lighting and the window blinds.

The LM is equipped with the latest Lexus Safety System+ active safety and driver assistance features, together with a blind spot monitor and rear cross traffic alert, front cross traffic alert and LED headlights with the AHS adaptive high-beam system.

A smart exit assist system helps prevent doors being opened inadvertently into the path of traffic and cyclists approaching from the rear.

Deliveries are expected to start this November, when performance data will also be revealed.

Meanwhile, German giant Volkswagen is about to start selling its new Touareg SUV in the UK - and it comes with extra comfort, lights that don't dazzle and upgrades to its running gear.

Priced from £67,640 to £80,370, it features VW’s newly-developed IQ.Light HD LED matrix headlights which use 38,432 LEDs to turn night into day.

Three light modules in each headlight create an unmistakable design and project a lane of light ahead of the driver to provide maximum visibility without dazzling oncoming traffic.

There’s also lighting for cornering and poor weather and with the optional Night Vision assist system which detects people and animals using a thermal imaging camera and shows them on the cockpit and optional head-up display.

With a redesigned front end it includes an illuminated horizontal strip in the radiator grille, a similar line across the rear also offers an illuminated red brand logo - a first for any Volkswagen model in the UK.

The new Touareg is available in five powertrains, each with a 3.0-litre V6 power unit - one turbocharged petrol engine (340ps), two turbo diesel engines (231 and 286ps) and two plug-in hybrid drives using a V6 petrol engine plus electric drive motor.

The plug-in hybrid drive of the Touareg eHybrid delivers 381ps and the Touareg R eHybrid has 462ps to call on.

All engines are paired as standard with an eight-speed automatic gearbox and permanent all-wheel drive.

Among the car’s features is a roof load sensor which works with the vehicle electronics and running gear for increased agility when carrying a roof box, and the all-wheel-drive Touareg also has high-tech options such as active roll compensation and all-wheel steering.

Volkswagen has upgraded the Touareg’s interior for added comfort on long journeys, including soft armrests and padding on the centre console to cushion people’s knees from bump.

* Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.

And did you know Lanarkshire Live is on Facebook? Head on over and give us a like and share!