Thinking of buying a Luxo Barge that complements your villa? Or, perhaps, one that suits your personality? Well, Lexus might have something that meets at least one of those requirements. The Japanese luxury carmaker has expanded the range of its flagship saloon – the LS. The newly-added variant is called the LS 500h Nishijin and, at Rs 2.22 crore, it costs Rs 25.36 lakh more than the previous range-topper – the LS 500h Ultra Luxury.

Lexus does things differently. It has its own ideas of luxury, comfort and performance. The LS 500h Nishijin variant costs more because of its interior trim, which gets “Nishijin & Haku” ornamentation. That means certain elements boast silver threads of ‘Nishijin’ brocade coupled with thin ‘Haku’ platinum metal foil fillings. Essentially, the already luxurious ambience has been taken a notch higher.

The carmaker has also taken the opportunity to introduce some updates in the LS line-up. The 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system now supports smartphone integration via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Also, the controls on the steering wheel have received tweaks for improved visibility and clear-cut impression. Lexus has even added a redesigned bumper and the option of a new paint shade – “Gin-ei Luster”. The latter is a variant of the silver colour.

All LS 500h derivatives get the same powertrain. That’s a 3.5-litre, naturally-aspirated V6 mated to an electric motor. As per Lexus, the total system output peaks at 345bhp, which is enough for a 0-100kmph sprint time of 5.4 seconds and a top speed of 250kmph. In the list of features, the sedan offers stuff like a 23-speaker Mark Levinson sound system with a 2,400-watt output, 20-inch alloy wheels, powered seats with memory function, a head-up display, automatic four-zone climate control and twin rear-seat entertainment displays, each measuring 11.6 inches diagonally. For safety, the LS 500h packs 14 airbags, Hill Assist Control, Vehicle Stability Control, a Tyre Inflation Pressure Warning system and more.

The Lexus LS 500h is a direct rival for the Audi A8 L, BMW 7 Series and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Since the Japanese sedan arrives in India via the CBU (Completely Built Unit) route and packs a two-engine setup, it costs way more than all its rivals. Soon, Mercedes-Benz India will launch the all-new S-Class, while Jaguar is working to reintroduce the XJ.