Lexus launches the all new fifth generation LS flagship sedan

It seems you don't need to book a first-class ticket on a full-fledged airline carrier to escape from the stressful scenes of Singapore.

You just need to step into the all new Lexus LS.

The fifth iteration luxury flagship model has taken words like plush, posh and premium to a whole new level. The cabin of the LS, which Lexus claims is inspired by the concept of omotenashi - a term that refers to Japanese ideals around hospitality - is extremely peaceful and Zen-like.

Soft-touch leather and natural wood trims, together with ambient lighting at the right places and a largest-in-the-world optional 24-inch head-up display, form an inviting sense of harmony without coming across as trying hard to impress.

Like the cabin, the sheet metal of the sedan is highly alluring. From tip to tip, the car is now longer, lower, and wider than the outgoing model. But it isn't the size that will catch your eye. Instead, it's its menacing looks that will make your eyes pop.

The angular face is dominated by an hour-glass shaped spindle grille, which boasts a unique mesh texture that appears to shape shift under different light and angle. The headlamps are equally striking, underlined by LED daytime running lights and a trio of lamps above.

All these add up to make the styling of the Lexus LS positively dramatic and a considerable step forward compared to its predecessor and even its peers in its segment.

This fresh design sits nicely on the new GA-L architectural platform, one that also underpins the recently launched Lexus LC Coupe.

There are a total of three variants at launch - the LS350, the LS500h and the LS500 - with the latter sporting a new twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 engine that triggers all 415bhp and 600Nm of twisting force to the rear wheels via a 10-speed autobox. This is some 34 horses and 107Nm of torque more than the previous LS460's V8 powerplant.

The LS350 sports a familiar naturally aspirated 3.5-litre V6 engine that's also found in the Lexus GS350 while the LS500h, as you'd expect, shares the same 3.5-litre V6 Multi-Stage Hybrid System powertrain as the LC500h Coupe.

The battery in the hybrid variant is now a more powerful lithium-ion cell that's smaller and lighter than the nickel-metal hydride battery that was used in the outgoing Lexus LS600h.

The Lexus LS will be arriving in Singapore in the first quarter of next year.