Autoblog

Click above for a gallery of the new Toyota Alphard and Vellfire

Six years after Toyota's luxury minivan, the Alphard, hit Japanese (and a few SE Asian) showrooms, the company has given its flagship people mover a facelift, and a twin brother. Noting that one in four family cars in Japan are minivans but that the outgoing Alphard appealed more to grandfathers than fathers, the second-gen model remains conservatively styled, while a meaner, more aggressive-looking stablemate, the Vellfire (above), is hoped to grab the attention of Japanese family men in their 30s who have erstwhile bought Nissan Elgrands and Honda Elysions.

The new Alphard (shown at right) is longer, wider and roomier than the outgoing version. Its slightly lower roofline (by 45mm) is offset by a cabin floor that's been lowered 55 mm, so the new van actually boasts more cabin height even though it's not quite as tall as its predecessor. Power comes from either a 170 PS (167 hp) 2.4L four or a 280 PS (276 hp) 3.5L V6 driving the front wheels. In August, a 4WD variant will join the lineup.

While Toyota's press release acknowledges that the new models are a bit spacier and safer than the old one, it neatly ignores the fact that the Alphard Hybrid has been quietly dropped. This could well be the first such occurrence for the company and given the number of eggs Toyota currently has in the hybrid basket, its no surprise that its PR department is doing its best to gloss over the retirement.

So, how long until Modellista cooks up an ultra-snazzy Royal Lounge package for the new vans?

Hit the jump for a video of the Alphard in action. Thanks for the tip, Paul!

[Source: Toyota]

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.

(More pictures after the jump)

[Source: Toyota Japan]