Lexus has dropped the LS luxury saloon from its UK model line-up 35 years after it was first launched.

The LS remains on sale in other European markets and is available from stock in the UK

The brand’s flagship saloon, now in its fifth generation, first debuted in 1990 as the sole UK model from Toyota’s newly launched luxury brand.

While the original LS 400 was equipped with a 244hp 32V 4.0-litre V8, the outgoing model, which was facelifted in 2020 and 2023, features a 3.5-litre VVT-i V6 petrol with two electric motors in the LS 500.

The LS remains on sale in other European markets and is available from stock in the UK.

A Lexus spokesperson said the LS had been discontinued due to homologation and legislation issues, but also the successful introduction of the LM model, which is proving extremely popular in this segment.

Debuted in the UK late 2023, the LM ‘Luxury Mover’ MPV (see road test here) took the brand into a new segment in Europe, delivering “the ultimate luxury of a limousine in the format of a spacious minivan”.

Lexus added that for fleets and drivers still wanting a saloon, the ES remains on sale. The seventh-generation executive saloon, which rivals the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class, is priced from £43,595 and available with a 245hp 2.5-litre petrol hybrid powertrain.

The Lexus line-up also includes the LBX hybrid crossover, the UX hybrid and full electric compact crossover, the NX PHEV/hybrid compact SUV, RZ fully electric SUV and the RX PHEV/hybrid large SUV.