Ferrari 12Cilindri vs Lexus Lm350H

What's the difference?

In the near future we’ll look back at the 12Cilindri and say it’s a shame Ferrari doesn’t make cars like that any more. But if this is the last proper, naturally aspirated V12 Ferrari ever, it’s definitely a worthy one. One day you’ll enjoy seeing this in a car museum.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

The Lexus LM is going to be a niche model. This was not designed to appeal to people that may have bought a Toyota Tarago back in the day, or even a Kia Carnival now.

It has a specific purpose for ferrying people around in absolute comfort and at that, it succeeds in a big way.

It’s just a bonus that it’s great to drive.

Welcome to the automotive equivalent of a business class airline suite.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with accommodation and meals provided.

So, while I’ll admit a vehicle with such a massive, phallic bonnet and a cabin that seems to sit over the rear wheels is never going to be my favourite Ferrari, personally, it’s impossible to see how you could make a giant-bonneted V12-powered, heritage-hugging grand tourer look better than this.

Yes, it does look striking in pictures but in the flesh it is absolutely gob smacking, a thing of real beauty from some angles, and outrageous showiness from others.

Following one from behind, its massive, hunkered rear end actually brings to mind a Lamborghini Diablo, although I wouldn’t tell the many passionate Ferrari designers I met that.

They have a lot to say about why the 12Cilindri (and can we just discuss that name - yes, it is silly, in English, but when an Italian says it - Dodici Cilindri - with the properly poetical pronunciation, it really does make sense) looks as outrageously lovable as it does.

They reckon they were inspired by the exciting era of car design in the 1970s, but also by science fiction movies, and the desire to build something modern that also feels classic.

Take the black banded front end where the headlights live. “Our intent was to lose the human expression that cars have, to not have an actual human gaze, so it doesn’t have eyes.”

Of course, no car has actual eyes, but you get the idea, they didn’t want it to look like it has them, the way most vehicles do. 

There’s also a lot of talk about dihedrals and monoliths. The 12Cilindri also has an incredible clam shell bonnet, which not only creates a sense of theatre when you open it but means there’s no cut line through the bonnet, adding to that sense of the whole front end being monolithic. 

Then there are the many aero features, including two Batmobile-like flaps on the rear wing that activate to provide downforce when required - some 50kg of it at 250km/h.

I could go on and on, surely they did, but let’s just say this is one hugely impressive piece of car design. I know some people find it a little weird looking in photos, but they are simply wrong. It's beautiful in the flesh.

Look, people movers are not considered the sexiest of automotive body styles, but that’s changing.

The Kia Carnival and Hyundai Staria are examples of good MPV design.

And the Lexus LM steps it up again. 

It is based on Toyota’s TNGA-K architecture that underpins a bunch of Toyota and Lexus models, including the Lexus RX, and it measures a whopping 5.1 metres long and has a three-metre wheelbase.

It shares its underpinnings with the latest generation Japanese-market Toyota Alphard, which is a cult hit in Australia among the grey import set.

The front-end design is bold, with the latest take on Lexus’ big ‘spindle grille’, pinched slimline headlights and a stubby nose. 

I am a big fan of this design. It is far more than a box on wheels and it has quite a bit of presence. 

The interior design up front is modern Lexus, with a few familiar Toyota touches, and while it’s not exactly minimal, it’s still visually appealing.

For what it is, a two-seat grand tourer/rocket ship, the space inside is perfectly functional, and there’s a large kind of overgrown parcel shelf where you can throw a back pack or your jackets if you need to.

You also get a 270-litre boot, which is, you guessed it, just big enough for a set of golf bags.

Keep in mind that there is literally no one on Earth who will buy this as their only car.

While most of the fun happens in the second row of the Lexus LM, there is a lot to like in the front compartment.

The dash is dominated by a large touchscreen that houses Lexus’ latest multimedia setup. The logical menu and uncomplicated sub-menus ensure this is an easy system to navigate. Speaking of, the in-built sat-nav is one of the better systems I have experienced. 

Comfort isn’t just the domain of the second row - the driver’s seat is very supportive and comfortable, with power adjustment.

There’s plenty of glass including a smaller front quarter window that helps eliminate front blind spots, so forward visibility is exceptional. Rearward visibility is aided by the digital rear-view mirror that is designed to ensure privacy for second and third-row occupants. You don’t want the chauffeur spying on you while you’re sleeping, do you?

The other big tick for me is the driving position. Other people movers, namely the Hyundai Staria and Mercedes-Benz EQV, have very low window lines and it leaves you with a feeling of sitting on the car, rather than in it. I am sure it helps with extra light and it probably makes it easier for kids to see out of, but from a driving perspective, I find it a little disconcerting.

But the LM has flipped that. The front compartment is designed in such a way that it feels like a cockpit that you’re ensconced in. This helps the driver feel more connected with the car, and in the LM it feels like you’re sitting in the driver’s seat of a sporty sedan, not a five-metre bus. Very well done, Lexus.

And now to the main event - the second row.

Where to begin. Let’s start with space. Because there is so much of it. Unsurprisingly given the seating layout, there is an unending amount of head, leg, knee, bum, shoulder and whatever-else room. I can’t imagine anyone complaining about space back there.

Also, getting in and out is a breeze thanks to the sliding power doors on both sides. These can be opened from the front seat, and via several buttons in the rear.

Those captain’s seats are plush. Not quite Benz S-Class plush, but still.

They are adjustable six ways - power adjustable, of course - and they’re heated and ventilated. They recline almost flat, too, if you need a nap on the way to the country estate. And while you do that you can look up through the split sunroof, or close the shade a number of ways.

Is there a massage function? Of course there is a massage function. And it’s not bad. You can choose two settings - weak and firm.

Adding to the feeling of a business class airline seat, there is a fold-out table in the armrest, although it’s a smallish one. And there is dual-zone climate control in the rear.

There is a roof-mounted control panel for things like climate, sunshades and sunroof blinds, but much of this can also be controlled by the Apple iPhone-like devices clipped into both rear seats. These are closer to the seats, so it is easier to access than the roof.

Another function in the device is the Climate Concierge that features different modes - Dream, Relax, Focus, Energise. Depending on which one you choose, it alters the seat settings, massage, climate and lights to suit.

I love the massively wide side windows that are tinted (or privacy glass), too.

Other amenities include map pockets, knee and roof-mounted air vents and a 14.0-inch display screen that retracts from the roof and connects to an HDMI cable, allowing you to watch whatever you want.

The third row is not as appealing as the second. It is technically a three-person row, but the width and the fact that it has a sizeable gap in the centre suggests that this is best thought of as a six-seater van.

The seats are not as plush of course, so you might not want to spend too much time in that row unless you are a small child. But you do get USB-C ports, cupholders, air vents, lights, sunglasses holder, power side shades and grab handles.

Getting in and out of the third row can take a while. It’s all power adjustable, so you don’t have to lift anything heavy - but it takes a while for the second row seats to move forward and up.

With all seats in place the cargo space is limited. In fact, it’s just 110 litres.

That’s similar to what you get in a seven-seat SUV. But it did fit all our overnight luggage easily.

Drop the rear row and that expands to a maximum of 1191 litres in the 350h or 752 litres in the 500h.

All grades have a space-saver spare wheel.

From launch there will be two versions of the LM350h Sports Luxury on offer - front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive, priced from $160,888 and $165,888 before on-road costs respectively.

They both have seven seats across three rows and share the same four-cylinder hybrid powertrain, but an even more high-end version is on the horizon.

The LM500h will land in January 2024, priced from $220,888, and it adopts a newer more powerful hybrid powertrain. Something else that sets the LM500h apart is the seating layout - it is a four-seater. Behind the driver and front passenger compartment are two big captain’s chairs that recline flat if required. Decadent luxury. Or so the pictures suggest. We will have to wait until the New Year to sink into the sumptuous seats.

Given the positioning and interior layout, the LM will probably not appeal to people looking at a Kia Carnival, or who would have opted for the departed Toyota Tarago. It will, however, appeal to large families that aren’t short of a dollar, airport limo operators, and even as tourist transport.

Thankfully, there’s a substantial amount of standard gear fitted as standard in the LM.

The only difference in spec between the two 350h grades is the addition of all-wheel drive. Otherwise you’ll find keyless entry and start, front heated seats, automatic retractable side steps, power opening side doors, rear privacy glass, a pair of sunroofs, and semi-aniline or L-aniline upholstery.

Tech-wise, there is a digital rearview mirror, and a 14.0-inch touchscreen, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a head-up display, seven USB ports, a smartphone charger and a rear 14.0-inch multimedia display.

The 500h adds niceties like a separation partition with elevating and dimmable glass, that doubles as a 48.0-inch widescreen display to watch films and TV, or take conference calls with. It also gets two partition glove boxes, a pair of umbrella holders, two second-row phone chargers, a 23-speaker Mark Levinson 3D audio system and more.

In terms of rivals, there really aren’t many other luxury people movers on the market. Aside from the Mercedes-Benz V-Class and all-electric EQV, there are higher-grade versions of the Volkswagen Multivan, and the LDV Mifa 9 EV.

This stupendous, trumpeting, mid-mounted 6.5-litre V12 (it’s mounted just beneath the windscreen, effectively, which actually looks a bit weird when you lift up that big clamshell bonnet, but makes sense in terms of mid-engine balance for handling) is a further development of what was already a fearsome powerplant in the vehicle that precedes this, the Ferrari 812 Superfast.

This new version also gets an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, instead of the old seven-speed one, which theoretically provides better economy, as if the owners will care, but also provides “more driving enjoyment” as its shift times are now 30 per cent faster.

The V12 itself, naturally aspirated remember, now revs even higher, with maximum power of 610kW arriving at a very, very loud 9250rpm, just short of the 9500rpm redline.

What is incredible about that rev number is just how effortlessly and easily the engine will climb to those heights, repeatedly and addictively.

Ferrari says it’s also developed something called 'Aspirated Torque Shaping', which allows it to “sculpt” the torque curve in relation to engine speed and the gear selected, with 80 per cent of its 678Nm kicking in from 2500rpm.

The goal of this, on which it delivers, is to provide a sense of “seemingly endless acceleration”, particularly in third and fourth gear, where the car’s happy place exists. 

All that grunt will hurl you to 100km/h in 2.9 seconds or from a standing start to 200km/h in 7.8. No, it's not the fastest power plant Ferrari now makes, but in terms of its intended goal of being the greatest naturally aspirated V12 ever, it's a 10 out of 10 effort.

There is no way that Ferrari will get away with making another engine like this, so it’s fitting that it’s going out on an operatic high note.

There are two hybrid powertrains available. Coming next year, the LM500h combines a 2.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine and a hybrid setup, making for power and torque of 202kW and 460Nm respectively. It is all-wheel drive and is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission.

The LM350h comes with a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine and a parallel hybrid system, offering up a total system output of 140kW and 239Nm. The 350h comes in front or all-wheel-drive guise and uses a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Move along, nothing to see here. Well, nothing you wouldn’t expect, except for the fact the Ferrari 12Cilindri is fully emissions compliant with the 2026 Euro-6-E standard. Incredibly. A ceramic catalytic converter is part of the magic, apparently, but a lot of effort has clearly gone into all areas of emissions.

Its CO2 emissions are claimed to be 353g/km, but then its fuel efficiency is a claimed 15.5 litres per 100km, and that’s just having a laugh.

Despite having a 92-litre tank, I was shown a predicted range of just over 415km when full, and was down to a predicted 300km to go after draining a quarter of a tank. Even EVs can do better than that.

As you’d hope with an all-hybrid line-up, the LM excels when it comes to combined cycle fuel efficiency. The 350h FWD sips just 5.5 litres per 100 kilometres, while the AWD version is 5.6L/100km. The 500h is a little thirstier at 6.6L. 

Our drive was so brief we did not get to record an on-test fuel figure.

The theoretical range of the LM, considering the 60-litre fuel tank and 5.5L/100km (350h) and 6.6L/100km (500h) fuel consumption figures is about 1000km.

To say that our first drive of the Ferrari 12Cilindri was impacted by nasty wet weather and standing water on slick and narrow European roads would be like saying that going outside naked when it’s snowing impacted your level of goose flesh.

For the first 30 minutes I was breathing like someone who’d just been pushed out of a plane with no parachute. When trucks came towards me, and when the rear wheels scrabbled madly to find grip - bringing to mind the whirling legs of the cartoon Road Runner - I breathed in so severely that I think I now have a pair of boxer shorts stuck in my chest cavity. 

Fortunately, Ferraris have a 'Wet' setting, which is a work of genius, sensing the amount of grip you might not have and adjusting the power delivery to keep you safe. Remarkably, even in this mode, you don’t feel short changed on power in this wild V12-powered machine.

Unfortunately, the combination of my work ethic, professional pride and male ego meant that I could not allow myself to stay in Wet mode and would occasionally switch to 'Sport', when the rain eased up and the road almost dried out.

It was during these times that, after about an hour, I really started to gel with the Dodici Cilindri and found opportunities to enjoy its stupendously operatic soundtrack.

Much as the emissions laws have squeezed the engine, new sound regulations mean this V12 Ferrari must be quieter, in theory, than ever before, at least from outside.

But the sound designers have gone to a lot of trouble to make sure the sensational noise of this engine spinning its way to 9000rpm-plus finds its way into the cabin, and into your ears, and your very soul.

The temptation to give it plenty in the lower gears was thus overpowering and unending, but this grand tourer is so powerful that exploring the upper ranges in any gear means warping straight past speed limits, and sane behaviour. 

Fortunately, the 12Cilindri has stupendous brakes, and while its extreme length - almost 5.0m - causes some nose lifting under acceleration and diving under hard stopping, the car’s mid-engined balance means you always feel planted and in control. 

The steering is also super sharp and, while it takes some getting used to, the accuracy of its turn-in encourages you to push harder and harder. I had a fantastic time driving it through long sweeping bends, and a slightly more stressful time in sharp hairpins.

This Grand Tourer really is two cars in one, however, because if you leave the gearbox in Automatic it really does take all the effort away, riding its wall of torque and seemingly capable of driving at any speed from 40km/h to 240km/h in seventh or eighth gear. 

It is far more fun, and frightening of course, to change the gears yourself, and explore those higher, scintillating rev ranges.

So, it’s a great car, a collector’s piece, because they’ll never make another one like it, and a moving piece of visual drama. The only problem I have with the 12Cilindri is it’s just not the best Ferrari a huge whack of cash can buy.

Indeed, the Ferrari 296 GTB is not only the best Ferrari I’ve ever driven, it’s the best car I’ve ever been lucky enough to sit in, and it’s more than $100K cheaper.

Apparently the thing to do, if you’re a Ferraristi, is to have one of each. Sounds good.

As mentioned earlier, I spent much more time in the second row as a passenger than I did behind the wheel of the LM350h. But it was enough time to capture some initial high-level drive impressions.

But let’s start in the rear. The ride in the second row is comfortable - as you’d hope. Our trek from Melbourne’s inner north down to the Mornington Peninsula included a lot of freeway, which was smooth. The only thing that disturbed the peace was a chunky bridge join that caused a bit of a thump. But we were hardly disturbed. 

Back in the driver’s seat, there’s a lot to like about how the LM350h drives. First of all, it feels smaller on the road than its ample dimensions would otherwise suggest. It even feels relatively light on the road. 

After the LM, I drove a Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV that has a similar kerb weight (the Lexus is about 2.4 tonnes), and the LM felt lighter.  

The hybrid powertrain is responsive enough, offering decent acceleration from a standing start. The more potent 500h will of course be quicker.

The transition from electric to petrol propulsion is pretty smooth in Lexus (and Toyota) models these days, and the additional noise-deadening materials in the LM ensure it’s subtle.

The 2.5-litre petrol engine is really only noticeable when accelerating hard, and the CVT a slight drone, but it’s in no way unpleasant. 

Otherwise it’s a superbly refined and quiet cabin on all but the absolute worst road surfaces. Whisper quiet power windows adds to that feeling of luxurious refinement.

Given the brief time behind the wheel, we didn’t get to test the handling capability of the LM, so that might have to wait for a review in the New Year. 

The steering is heavily weighted and doesn’t feel overly responsive, but it’s perfectly suited to this sort of vehicle.

That supple ride we experienced in the rear was also evident behind the wheel.

This was especially impressive on a couple of pock-marked peninsular back roads. The ride is also much more compliant than the Mercedes-Benz EQV I tested early in 2023.

The LM is yet to be crash tested by ANCAP, and it is unclear if it will be given the fact that it’s a niche model. However, as with other current Lexus models, it has a long list of standard safety gear.

The safety suite, including intersection assist, and a pre-collision system with vehicle, pedestrian, bicyclist and daytime motorcyclist detection.

It also comes with emergency steering assist, full-speed radar cruise control, ‘Curve Speed Reduction’, ‘Lane Trace Assist’ with lane-departure alert, automatic high beam, ‘Road-Sign Assist’ (speed signs only), ‘Emergency Driver Stop System’, a blind-spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert.

Like all Ferrari’s, the 12Cilindri comes with a seven-year, unlimited km warranty and a free-of-charge seven-year maintenance program covering all regular maintenance for the first seven years of the car’s life.

Service intervals are once a year, or every 20,000km.

When you buy a Lexus, you get a bit more than a car. The brand has a customer loyalty program - Lexus Encore - and depending on what model you buy, you are eligible for some pretty cool discounts, bonuses and experiences. 

There are three tiers, depending on your model. UX, NX, RX and ES fall under regular Encore, and electric models the RZ and UX300e sit beneath Electrified Benefits. But the LM, as well as the LS, LC and LX are under Encore Platinum - the top tier. 

That means access to the ‘On Demand’ program that allows access to another Lexus model for a few days or longer. So if you own an LC Convertible but need an RX for a few days to ferry people around, that’s all free. There’s valet parking service loans and more.

It also includes upgrades at Lexus partners. Our launch took us to Jackalope Hotel on the Mornington Peninsula, which is a Lexus partner, and you can get a bunch of extras here as a Lexus owner that other guests won’t get.

In terms of other ownership details, the LM is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, and the servicing schedule is every 12 months or 15,000km.

Lexus is yet to announce the capped-price servicing details for LM, but it is expected to cover five years, and should be in the vicinity of approximately $700 per service.