Toyota Alphard

Toyota Alphard Royal Lounge offers jetlike luxury
by Alex Nunez (RSS feed) on Jul 4th 2006 at 5:03PM
source: http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/04/toyota-alphard-royal-lounge-offers-jetlike-luxury/

The Toyota Alphard is the company's premium Japan-market minivan. Available as either a gasoline or hybrid model, the boxy MPV in stock form has a spacious interior that can be reconfigured in several different ways. The automaker's in-house customization firm , Toyota Modellista, has created the Alphard Royal Lounge edition, an executive vehicle best suited for someone who has a driver at his or her disposal.

How else is the occupant supposed to take advantage of the creature comforts available in the Alphard Royal Lounge's swank passenger cabin? Gone are all but two seats, positioned fully aft to offer enormous amounts of legroom and easy ingress/egress via the sliders. The seats are awash in rich leather and feature a power recline function that includes a fold-out ottoman, similar to what you find in upper class train or airline seating. Polished wood trim adds to the warm ambiance.

Reading lamps mounted to the seatbacks arc overhead to illuminate the seating areas, and the ample countertops by the vehicle walls feature cupholders and what appear to be window, seat and/or privacy curtain controls. In the console between the two seats, a pair of tray tables and a video screen fold neatly out of sight.

Immediately behind the front seats, a handsome console is home to the passenger cabin's refirigerator plus additional storage areas suitable for barware or other personal belongings. The driver isn't exactly slumming it up front, either, as the leather and wood treatment finds its way forward as well.

The price? For the Alphard Hybrid Royal Lounge, it's over 7 million yen, which translates to roughly $61,000 US. Not cheap if you look at it as just a minivan. Not bad, however, if you consider the Maybachian interior appointments. it's certainly an interesting alternative to a chauffeur-driven limo or large luxury sedan.