LS 460/460L Official Review Thread
08-23-06, 02:54 PM
#1
Speaks French in Russian
Thread Starter
LS 460/460L Official Review Thread
Like the other new car forums, please link or post all LS460/LS460L reviews in this thread. Would like to clean up this forum and make it easier for members to read and find the reviews.
THANKS!!
THANKS!!
08-23-06, 03:03 PM
#2
Speaks French in Russian
Thread Starter
AUTOBILD: LS460L vs. S550 Comparo Test
To get the ball rolling, here are a few reviews.
Much thanks to Vladi.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=232384
Much thanks to Vladi.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=232384
http://translate.google.com/translat...language_tools
Test Lexus LS 460 gegen Mercedes S-Klasse
Kommt hier das beste Auto der Welt?
The new LS460 offers the newest technology, fresh design and targets Mercedes again. Where does the new LS stand?
This is not the hybrid model which has caused headlines. This is the V8 gasoline engine - the only engine available for now. The hybrid will follow in 2007.
Since 1990, Lexus has only sold 6,153 LS's in Germany. Compare that to 50,000 Mercedes S-Classes in 2005 alone, and you know what's going on. In America, the LS outsells the Germans.
The 4th generation LS has some Stuttgart (aka Mercedes) design trends in it and wants one thing: to be better than the Germans. Although Lexus lacks image here, they try to impress with loads of technology in the LS: 8-speed A/T, new 4.6-l V8 and a type of PRE-SAFE safety system.
The car got bigger, and also stands its ground well. Twin rear exhausts indicate courage. The S500 is just as big as the LS460, but feels smaller on the outside because of the design. However, the S-Class is bigger on the inside.
Beide Fünf-Meter-Schiffe bieten Platz im Überfluss und Luxus bis zur Spielgrenze: Schlüsselloses Türöffnen, elektrisch verstellbare Sitze, Leder und Holz sind serienmäßig, im Lexus auch ein Navigationssystem. Die hinteren Einzelsitze (Aufpreis) im Test-LS schweben zwischen Ministersessel und Kinoqualität: In der Mittelarmlehne stecken separate Sitz- und Klimaeinstellung, Eisfach und die Bedienung des DVD-Systems mit Monitor im Dachhimmel. Gibt's bei Mercedes auch. Both cars are filled with technology and virtually offer the same options.
The Lexus interior is a little cluttered with buttons, and some of them take time to find the first time.
"Das wollen unsere älteren Kunden", entgegnen die Lexus-Entwickler. Die S-Klasse, die ihren kleinen Schalthebel an die Lenksäule verbannt hat, ist deutlich aufgeräumter. Our older customers like it that way, claims Lexus. The S-Class interior feels more cleaned up and spacious too.
The new 4.6-l V8 is a technological wonder making use of normal and direct injection depending upon the needs of the motor. 380-hp are produced. 0-100 km/h in 5.7 seconds. 8-speed automatic transmission. The S-Class has 7 gears and works with 388-hp from 5.5-l.
The LS is also being reworked for Europe: soft suspension for North America, harder for Europe. At the moment, the S-Class suspension is considered class leader in this class.
The LS should be cheaper than the Mercedes and comes well equipped. The only thing missing is a diesel - Lexus believes in their hybrid model instead.
This LS has closed the gap tremendously. Technology wise, it is on par with the German competition and a viable alternative as well. Only in the area of driving dynamics does the LS460 loose out.
Technische Daten Lexus LS 460 V8 • 4 Ventile pro Zylinder • 4 obenliegende Nockenwellen • Hubraum 4608 cm³ • Leistung 280 kW (380 PS) bei 6400/min • max. Drehmoment 493 Nm bei 4100/min • Hinterradantrieb • Achtstufen-Automatikgetriebe • Luftfedersystem • Kofferraum 510 Liter • Tank 84 Liter • Länge/Breite/Höhe 5030/1875/1465 mm • Reifen 235/50 R18 • Leergewicht 1945 kg • Spitze 250 km/h • 0–100 km/h in 5,7 s • Verbrauch 11,1 l Super/100 km • Preis ca. 80.000 Euro
Technische Daten Mercedes-Benz S 500 V8 • 4 Ventile pro Zylinder • 4 obenliegende Nockenwellen • Hubraum 5461cm³ • Leistung 285 kW (388 PS) bei 6000/min • max. Drehmoment 530 Nm bei 2800/min • Hinterradantrieb• Siebenstufen-Automatikgetriebe • Luftfedersystem • Kofferraum 560 Liter • Tank 90 Liter • Länge/Breite/Höhe 5076/1871/1473 mm • Reifen 235/55 R17 • Leergewicht 1940 kg • Spitze 250 km/h • 0–100 km/h in 5,4 s • Verbrauch 11,9 l Super/100 km • Preis 89.668 Euro
Test Lexus LS 460 gegen Mercedes S-Klasse
Kommt hier das beste Auto der Welt?
The new LS460 offers the newest technology, fresh design and targets Mercedes again. Where does the new LS stand?
This is not the hybrid model which has caused headlines. This is the V8 gasoline engine - the only engine available for now. The hybrid will follow in 2007.
Since 1990, Lexus has only sold 6,153 LS's in Germany. Compare that to 50,000 Mercedes S-Classes in 2005 alone, and you know what's going on. In America, the LS outsells the Germans.
The 4th generation LS has some Stuttgart (aka Mercedes) design trends in it and wants one thing: to be better than the Germans. Although Lexus lacks image here, they try to impress with loads of technology in the LS: 8-speed A/T, new 4.6-l V8 and a type of PRE-SAFE safety system.
The car got bigger, and also stands its ground well. Twin rear exhausts indicate courage. The S500 is just as big as the LS460, but feels smaller on the outside because of the design. However, the S-Class is bigger on the inside.
Beide Fünf-Meter-Schiffe bieten Platz im Überfluss und Luxus bis zur Spielgrenze: Schlüsselloses Türöffnen, elektrisch verstellbare Sitze, Leder und Holz sind serienmäßig, im Lexus auch ein Navigationssystem. Die hinteren Einzelsitze (Aufpreis) im Test-LS schweben zwischen Ministersessel und Kinoqualität: In der Mittelarmlehne stecken separate Sitz- und Klimaeinstellung, Eisfach und die Bedienung des DVD-Systems mit Monitor im Dachhimmel. Gibt's bei Mercedes auch. Both cars are filled with technology and virtually offer the same options.
The Lexus interior is a little cluttered with buttons, and some of them take time to find the first time.
"Das wollen unsere älteren Kunden", entgegnen die Lexus-Entwickler. Die S-Klasse, die ihren kleinen Schalthebel an die Lenksäule verbannt hat, ist deutlich aufgeräumter. Our older customers like it that way, claims Lexus. The S-Class interior feels more cleaned up and spacious too.
The new 4.6-l V8 is a technological wonder making use of normal and direct injection depending upon the needs of the motor. 380-hp are produced. 0-100 km/h in 5.7 seconds. 8-speed automatic transmission. The S-Class has 7 gears and works with 388-hp from 5.5-l.
The LS is also being reworked for Europe: soft suspension for North America, harder for Europe. At the moment, the S-Class suspension is considered class leader in this class.
The LS should be cheaper than the Mercedes and comes well equipped. The only thing missing is a diesel - Lexus believes in their hybrid model instead.
This LS has closed the gap tremendously. Technology wise, it is on par with the German competition and a viable alternative as well. Only in the area of driving dynamics does the LS460 loose out.
Technische Daten Lexus LS 460 V8 • 4 Ventile pro Zylinder • 4 obenliegende Nockenwellen • Hubraum 4608 cm³ • Leistung 280 kW (380 PS) bei 6400/min • max. Drehmoment 493 Nm bei 4100/min • Hinterradantrieb • Achtstufen-Automatikgetriebe • Luftfedersystem • Kofferraum 510 Liter • Tank 84 Liter • Länge/Breite/Höhe 5030/1875/1465 mm • Reifen 235/50 R18 • Leergewicht 1945 kg • Spitze 250 km/h • 0–100 km/h in 5,7 s • Verbrauch 11,1 l Super/100 km • Preis ca. 80.000 Euro
Technische Daten Mercedes-Benz S 500 V8 • 4 Ventile pro Zylinder • 4 obenliegende Nockenwellen • Hubraum 5461cm³ • Leistung 285 kW (388 PS) bei 6000/min • max. Drehmoment 530 Nm bei 2800/min • Hinterradantrieb• Siebenstufen-Automatikgetriebe • Luftfedersystem • Kofferraum 560 Liter • Tank 90 Liter • Länge/Breite/Höhe 5076/1871/1473 mm • Reifen 235/55 R17 • Leergewicht 1940 kg • Spitze 250 km/h • 0–100 km/h in 5,4 s • Verbrauch 11,9 l Super/100 km • Preis 89.668 Euro
Last edited by GFerg; 08-23-06 at 03:11 PM.
08-23-06, 03:10 PM
#3
Speaks French in Russian
Thread Starter
Edmunds First Drive: 2007 Lexus LS460
Special thanks to enigma888
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=233050
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...cleId=116509#8
Video: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...del=LS%20460#2
Unbridled high-tech luxury
By Kelly Toepke
Date posted: 08-15-2006
First Impressions:
With a new long-wheelbase model, Lexus' all-new flagship sedan is less about driving and more about being driven.
Today's cars are already so technologically advanced, the only thing left is to build one that drives for you. The all-new 2007 Lexus LS 460 comes awfully close to crossing that line.
Although this replacement for the LS 430 doesn't actually drive itself, it is the first luxury sedan that will take the reins from the driver's hands and park itself. That's right, park itself. The LS 460 can be parallel-parked or reversed into a conventional space without so much as a manicured little pinkie touching the wheel.
This innovative system is in addition to a more powerful, more fuel-efficient V8 engine, the world's first eight-speed transmission, standard and long-wheelbase body styles, and the usual top-notch Lexus quality. These upgrades elevate the Lexus LS 460 to rival the recently redesigned Mercedes-Benz S550.
Your chauffeur's next car
The Lexus LS 460 L is the company's first long-wheelbase model, and while it hopes the expanded offering will attract new buyers, the targeted audience is a relatively small group of high earners. Lexus expects to sell approximately 30,000 LS sedans in the U.S. in 2007, with the long-wheelbase version comprising less than 30 percent of that volume.
Measuring nearly 203 inches in overall length, the LS L is 4.7 inches longer than the standard LS, and rides on a 4.7-inch-longer wheelbase. The 116.9-inch wheelbase of the standard length LS 460 is 1.8 inches longer than the wheelbase of the outgoing LS 430.
Weight is also up. The LS 460 weighs 4365 pounds and the LS 460 L gains an additional 100 pounds. But even with its expanded feature content, the LS 460 weighs just 375 pounds more than the 2006 Lexus LS 430.
Powertrain deluxe
No matter which LS wheelbase you choose, the car comes standard with an all-new 4.6-liter V8 with intelligent dual variable valve timing. This is the world's first electrically controlled valve timing system, replacing hydraulic control valves to improve cold-start performance and increase power output as well as fuel economy.
Despite its small displacement, the engine makes almost as much power as the 5.5-liter V8 in the Mercedes-Benz S550. Officially rated at 380 horsepower at 6400 rpm and 367 pound-feet at 4100 rpm, this ultrasmooth V8 puts out 102 hp and 55 lb-ft more than the LS 430's old V8. The Benz peaks at 382 hp at a lower 6000 rpm and 391 lb-ft of torque at a much lower 2800 rpm.
The Benz also packs a seven-speed automatic, which is so last year. Lexus has mated its powerful new V8 to an eight-speed automatic which has fewer parts and is 10 percent lighter than the previous six-speed unit, yet is similar in size. Lexus also says that 1st and 2nd gears are low to improve launch performance, and gears three through eight have closer ratios for better fuel economy. The sedan's estimated EPA ratings of 19 city/27 highway are way up from the previous 18/25 rating.
Next spring expect to see the LS's EPA numbers climb even higher when Lexus adds the LS 600h L, the world's first vehicle with a full hybrid V8 powertrain, to the model lineup.
New suspension improves ride and handling
A new lightweight multilink upper and lower double-joint front suspension with hollow stabilizer bar provides straight-line stability and further quiets the LS's already tomblike ride. This setup also shortens the LS's turning radius, now best-in-class at 17.7 feet for the 460 and approximately 18.5 feet for 460 L depending on whether it has 18- or 19-inch wheels.
Weight has also been cut from the rear suspension, which uses struts with multilink control arms and a stabilizer bar to further isolate passengers from road bumps.
In addition to the standard suspension setup, an improved air suspension with Normal, Comfort and Sport modes is an option on only the LS 460 L. It's controlled by a switch on the car's center console, unless it receives feedback from the Vehicle Dynamic Integrated Management (VDIM), the LS's all-encompassing vehicle stability control system. Instead of reacting to an already occurring driving situation, VDIM is designed to anticipate vehicle instability in every direction while making stabilizing corrections and adjusts accordingly.
Electric power steering and big brakes
Newly developed electric power steering replaces the LS 430's old rack, turning down the volume even further on noise, vibration and harshness. It also works with VDIM to improve safety. Add the optional air suspension and it integrates variable gear ratio steering as well, providing a sportier feel to the otherwise light and often artificial-feeling electric steering.
Large, ventilated four-wheel disc brakes and an electronically controlled brake system work together to slow this luxury flagship. Opt for the L's Touring package and you'll get high-performance pads and 19-inch wheels along with the air suspension.
Comfort comes in several configurations
All of these high-tech mechanicals are complemented by the LS 460's quiet, sumptuous interior. Leather, leather and more leather covers the expansive cabin, accented by the finest wood and metal trim. Your chauffeur can chuck the driving gloves. The new, baby-smooth steering wheel is buffed beyond belief — twice as many times as in the past, and for three hours compared to the half-hour process used on the LS 430.
A 16-way power driver seat and 12-way power passenger seat will support even the most discriminating backside. The LS 460's Comfort package includes climate-controlled front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel and a rear power sunshade. The Comfort Plus Package adds rear power seats with power headrests, rear side airbags and climate-controlled seating in the back as well.
As sumptuous as the 460's interior is, comfort is taken to a whole new level in the 460 L. Its Rear Seat Upgrade Package includes the Comfort Plus Package, plus four-zone rear air-conditioning with air purifier and a ceiling-mounted air diffuser, a rear cool box for storing beverages, power rear door sunshades and a rear audio control panel. Finally, the Executive Class Seating Package adds a four-person seating configuration with a center console and retractable table, a power recline right rear seat with massage and a leg rest, a rear-seat DVD system with power-opening 9-inch screen and infrared rear-seat body-temperature sensors so the chauffeured needn't be bothered.
Actual legroom measurements for the front and rear haven't yet been released, but there's ample room, no matter which body style you choose. Cargo room is also plentiful, with both the 460 and 460 L offering 18 cubic feet, except for vehicles equipped with the four-zone climate control system, which reduces cargo volume to 12 cubic feet. A convenient one-touch open-close power trunk lid is a stand-alone option.
Does everything except cook you dinner
As you would expect in a Lexus, there's an endless assortment of bonus electronic gadgetry. In addition to the two levels of parking assistance — a Dynamic Radar Cruise Control system and Pre-Collision system that paces the car in front of you — an all-new navigation system with real-time XM traffic reports that reconfigure drive routes based on current traffic congestion is available.
Standard stuff now includes push-button start and Bluetooth with the nav system. Audiophiles will be blown away by the optional Mark Levinson Reference Surround, a 19-speaker audio system that pumps out 450 watts of power.
But the star of the show is the Advanced Parking Guidance system that includes a dozen exterior sensors. Allow the car to measure the desired space by slowly passing it as you would to position yourself to parallel-park, pausing to let the car's front side sensors mark the distance. The target space then appears as a box on the nav screen for confirmation of its precise location. If the box appears squarely in the open space, push the activation button and release the steering wheel. It does feel slightly eerie as the wheel spins on its own, but driver input is still required to control the car's speed by modulating the brake pedal.
Crossing over to greatness
At the 2007 Lexus LS 460's starting price of around $70,000, Lexus' new flagship takes aim at some of the best cars in the world, including the Audi A8, Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7 Series. The new Lexus may not be as pretty as the Audi, or as powerful as the Mercedes, or as driver-focused as the 750i, but it is the only one that can park itself. And in the fad-driven, gizmo-obsessed luxury sedan market, that makes it the darling of the moment.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=233050
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...cleId=116509#8
Video: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...del=LS%20460#2
Unbridled high-tech luxury
By Kelly Toepke
Date posted: 08-15-2006
First Impressions:
With a new long-wheelbase model, Lexus' all-new flagship sedan is less about driving and more about being driven.
Today's cars are already so technologically advanced, the only thing left is to build one that drives for you. The all-new 2007 Lexus LS 460 comes awfully close to crossing that line.
Although this replacement for the LS 430 doesn't actually drive itself, it is the first luxury sedan that will take the reins from the driver's hands and park itself. That's right, park itself. The LS 460 can be parallel-parked or reversed into a conventional space without so much as a manicured little pinkie touching the wheel.
This innovative system is in addition to a more powerful, more fuel-efficient V8 engine, the world's first eight-speed transmission, standard and long-wheelbase body styles, and the usual top-notch Lexus quality. These upgrades elevate the Lexus LS 460 to rival the recently redesigned Mercedes-Benz S550.
Your chauffeur's next car
The Lexus LS 460 L is the company's first long-wheelbase model, and while it hopes the expanded offering will attract new buyers, the targeted audience is a relatively small group of high earners. Lexus expects to sell approximately 30,000 LS sedans in the U.S. in 2007, with the long-wheelbase version comprising less than 30 percent of that volume.
Measuring nearly 203 inches in overall length, the LS L is 4.7 inches longer than the standard LS, and rides on a 4.7-inch-longer wheelbase. The 116.9-inch wheelbase of the standard length LS 460 is 1.8 inches longer than the wheelbase of the outgoing LS 430.
Weight is also up. The LS 460 weighs 4365 pounds and the LS 460 L gains an additional 100 pounds. But even with its expanded feature content, the LS 460 weighs just 375 pounds more than the 2006 Lexus LS 430.
Powertrain deluxe
No matter which LS wheelbase you choose, the car comes standard with an all-new 4.6-liter V8 with intelligent dual variable valve timing. This is the world's first electrically controlled valve timing system, replacing hydraulic control valves to improve cold-start performance and increase power output as well as fuel economy.
Despite its small displacement, the engine makes almost as much power as the 5.5-liter V8 in the Mercedes-Benz S550. Officially rated at 380 horsepower at 6400 rpm and 367 pound-feet at 4100 rpm, this ultrasmooth V8 puts out 102 hp and 55 lb-ft more than the LS 430's old V8. The Benz peaks at 382 hp at a lower 6000 rpm and 391 lb-ft of torque at a much lower 2800 rpm.
The Benz also packs a seven-speed automatic, which is so last year. Lexus has mated its powerful new V8 to an eight-speed automatic which has fewer parts and is 10 percent lighter than the previous six-speed unit, yet is similar in size. Lexus also says that 1st and 2nd gears are low to improve launch performance, and gears three through eight have closer ratios for better fuel economy. The sedan's estimated EPA ratings of 19 city/27 highway are way up from the previous 18/25 rating.
Next spring expect to see the LS's EPA numbers climb even higher when Lexus adds the LS 600h L, the world's first vehicle with a full hybrid V8 powertrain, to the model lineup.
New suspension improves ride and handling
A new lightweight multilink upper and lower double-joint front suspension with hollow stabilizer bar provides straight-line stability and further quiets the LS's already tomblike ride. This setup also shortens the LS's turning radius, now best-in-class at 17.7 feet for the 460 and approximately 18.5 feet for 460 L depending on whether it has 18- or 19-inch wheels.
Weight has also been cut from the rear suspension, which uses struts with multilink control arms and a stabilizer bar to further isolate passengers from road bumps.
In addition to the standard suspension setup, an improved air suspension with Normal, Comfort and Sport modes is an option on only the LS 460 L. It's controlled by a switch on the car's center console, unless it receives feedback from the Vehicle Dynamic Integrated Management (VDIM), the LS's all-encompassing vehicle stability control system. Instead of reacting to an already occurring driving situation, VDIM is designed to anticipate vehicle instability in every direction while making stabilizing corrections and adjusts accordingly.
Electric power steering and big brakes
Newly developed electric power steering replaces the LS 430's old rack, turning down the volume even further on noise, vibration and harshness. It also works with VDIM to improve safety. Add the optional air suspension and it integrates variable gear ratio steering as well, providing a sportier feel to the otherwise light and often artificial-feeling electric steering.
Large, ventilated four-wheel disc brakes and an electronically controlled brake system work together to slow this luxury flagship. Opt for the L's Touring package and you'll get high-performance pads and 19-inch wheels along with the air suspension.
Comfort comes in several configurations
All of these high-tech mechanicals are complemented by the LS 460's quiet, sumptuous interior. Leather, leather and more leather covers the expansive cabin, accented by the finest wood and metal trim. Your chauffeur can chuck the driving gloves. The new, baby-smooth steering wheel is buffed beyond belief — twice as many times as in the past, and for three hours compared to the half-hour process used on the LS 430.
A 16-way power driver seat and 12-way power passenger seat will support even the most discriminating backside. The LS 460's Comfort package includes climate-controlled front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel and a rear power sunshade. The Comfort Plus Package adds rear power seats with power headrests, rear side airbags and climate-controlled seating in the back as well.
As sumptuous as the 460's interior is, comfort is taken to a whole new level in the 460 L. Its Rear Seat Upgrade Package includes the Comfort Plus Package, plus four-zone rear air-conditioning with air purifier and a ceiling-mounted air diffuser, a rear cool box for storing beverages, power rear door sunshades and a rear audio control panel. Finally, the Executive Class Seating Package adds a four-person seating configuration with a center console and retractable table, a power recline right rear seat with massage and a leg rest, a rear-seat DVD system with power-opening 9-inch screen and infrared rear-seat body-temperature sensors so the chauffeured needn't be bothered.
Actual legroom measurements for the front and rear haven't yet been released, but there's ample room, no matter which body style you choose. Cargo room is also plentiful, with both the 460 and 460 L offering 18 cubic feet, except for vehicles equipped with the four-zone climate control system, which reduces cargo volume to 12 cubic feet. A convenient one-touch open-close power trunk lid is a stand-alone option.
Does everything except cook you dinner
As you would expect in a Lexus, there's an endless assortment of bonus electronic gadgetry. In addition to the two levels of parking assistance — a Dynamic Radar Cruise Control system and Pre-Collision system that paces the car in front of you — an all-new navigation system with real-time XM traffic reports that reconfigure drive routes based on current traffic congestion is available.
Standard stuff now includes push-button start and Bluetooth with the nav system. Audiophiles will be blown away by the optional Mark Levinson Reference Surround, a 19-speaker audio system that pumps out 450 watts of power.
But the star of the show is the Advanced Parking Guidance system that includes a dozen exterior sensors. Allow the car to measure the desired space by slowly passing it as you would to position yourself to parallel-park, pausing to let the car's front side sensors mark the distance. The target space then appears as a box on the nav screen for confirmation of its precise location. If the box appears squarely in the open space, push the activation button and release the steering wheel. It does feel slightly eerie as the wheel spins on its own, but driver input is still required to control the car's speed by modulating the brake pedal.
Crossing over to greatness
At the 2007 Lexus LS 460's starting price of around $70,000, Lexus' new flagship takes aim at some of the best cars in the world, including the Audi A8, Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7 Series. The new Lexus may not be as pretty as the Audi, or as powerful as the Mercedes, or as driver-focused as the 750i, but it is the only one that can park itself. And in the fad-driven, gizmo-obsessed luxury sedan market, that makes it the darling of the moment.
08-23-06, 03:20 PM
#5
Speaks French in Russian
Thread Starter
CanadianDriver.com Review
Thanks to wanderer99 for the find.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=232890
http://www.canadiandriver.com/roadtest/07ls460.htm
Salzburg, Austria - For the global press launch of its new flagship LS sedan - the 2007 LS 460 and long wheelbase LS 460L - Lexus chose Salzburg, Austria, a city rich in musical heritage, the setting for "The Sound of Music" and the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Why a city in the centre of Europe? Salzburg bills itself as "'the stage of the world', the perfect place to emphasize the global direction of the Lexus brand," said Lexus Canada Director Stuart Payne.
Those more cynical among us might surmise that outside of North America, the Lexus brand could use a little direction.
Despite being North America's best selling luxury brand for the last six years - Lexus sold more than 312,000 cars and trucks in North America last year, up more than five per cent over 2004 - and despite topping quality and reliability surveys worldwide, the reality is that it is not doing so well in Europe.
With BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi achieving sales of 631,850, 690,177 and 606,397 respectively, Lexus' 2005 European sales of 20,987 vehicles are barely noticeable. And although Lexus' sales increased 8.3%, BMW and Audi sales were up 10.1% and 9.1% over 2004.
The Europeans are selling well in Japan too, which has convinced Toyota to introduce the Lexus brand to fend off the competition in its home market.
Reasons given to explain Lexus' underachievement in Europe include Europeans' preference for diesel over gasoline or hybrids (Lexus now has a diesel in the IS 220d), the perception that Lexus is (or was) a cut-rate seller in a premium market, the class-consciousness or 'snobbishness' of European buyers, and the fact that Lexus is viewed as a builder of well-made, but boring cars.
When I reviewed the Lexus LS 430 in 2002, I wrote, "If you think a car that costs over $80,000 should attract a little attention, you might be disappointed with the Lexus LS 430. Conservatively styled, the ultimate luxury sedan from Toyota's luxury division simply blends into the background."
Lexus' response to this characterization has been the concept of L-finesse, the current design philosophy that has guided the visual overhaul of all Lexus sedans. The L-finesse design language is less important than the results - a strong family resemblance, which until recently, was lacking across the Lexus model range.
The 2006 LS 460 is the last of the Lexus sedans to receive the L-finesse treatment. Although more conservative than the re-design of the IS, ES and GS sedans, the LS now shares similar proportions with other Lexus sedans: a 'slingshot' shape with long hood and short rear deck, framing a long, sleek cabin.
The goal of L-finesse was to create cars that portray a greater sense of performance and power, yet appear warm and inviting, to be elegant without being understated, and to be as clearly recognizable as a Lexus as any BMW is clearly a BMW.
But the LS sedan is not just another Lexus, it is the flagship of the Lexus brand and the transformation of the LS from wallflower to belle of the ball involved much more than making the sedan visually appealing. The LS Sedan, after all, is the pinnacle of Lexus technology and its well-deserved reputation for quality.
To complement the styling, special attention was given to the exterior paint. To prepare the surface for paint, the body is buffed. In the past this involved an up and down movement. But for the 2007 LS 460, Lexus designed special buffing robots with three-dimensional movements so that curved surfaces and ends could be polished as well. During the application of paint and coatings, the cars are hand-sanded twice, which smoothes and enhances the deep mirror-like quality of the paint.
High technology combined with the craftsmanship of skilled technicians is something that made LS 460 chief-engineer, Satoru Maruyamano, particularly proud. "Even though engineering and manufacturing processes are so advanced, we haven't forgotten the human touch."
Master machinists listen to each completed engine - a 4.6-litre V8 that is the first completely new LS engine in 17 years - with a stethoscope to search for minute yet abnormal noises and ensure that the completed engine is properly balanced.
The new V8 produces 380 horsepower and 367 lb-ft of torque, 102 horsepower and 55 lb-ft of torque more than the previous LS 430's 4.3-litre V8. It is capable of moving the 1,980 kg (4,365 lb) LS 460 from zero to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds and accelerating from 80 to 120 km/h in 4.7 seconds. It has an electronically limited top speed of 210 km/h - a speed which we easily attained on an open stretch of the autobahn (European models have a 250 km/h top speed). Lexus believes the new engine has the performance of a 6-litre, but the fuel economy of a 3.5-litre. Combined highway/city fuel consumption is estimated to be 10.8 L/100 km.
The new engine is mated to the world's first 8-speed automatic transmission, one more gear than the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Lexus insists that the additional gear has nothing to do with bragging rights, but improves performance, shift feel and fuel economy. And we would agree, as up-shifts were almost imperceptible.
Another first for Lexus is a multi-link suspension on both front and rear axles (the LS 430 used a double-wishbone setup). External restriction air springs smoothly absorb shocks and provide ride comfort with little roll sensation or vibration. Long wheelbase models can be further equipped with an air suspension control system. The LS also features an electric power steering system, while variable ratio steering, which enhances slow speed manoeuvrability and high speed stability, is standard on long wheelbase models. Standard tires are 235/50R18 all-seasons, while a 245/45R19 summer radial is available with the 460 L's premium Grand Touring package.
Despite these improvements, the big Lexus does not excel on twisty back roads. It is best suited to highway cruising. Driving in excess of 200 km/h on the autobahn did not feel much different than idling along at half the speed. But it is no sports car and tossing the big sedan around on tight curves too soon after lunch will soon have you wondering if you might toss something else.
It is unlikely LS 460 buyers will be too concerned, as those interested in the sporting aspects of driving will likely have something more suitable in the garage.
But the LS 460's interior environment is exceedingly comfortable and luxurious, whether you drive yourself or you have someone else do the driving for you. Standard amenities on short wheelbase (SWB) models include 10-speaker audio system with 6-disc in-dash CD changer and steering wheel controls; dual zone climate control, heated and air-conditioned front seats; power rear window sunshade; power windows with auto up and down and variable speed control for all windows; heated wood and leather wrapped, power tilt and telescopic steering wheel and smart key system with push button start.
The long wheelbase LS 460L adds 120 mm of legroom to the rear seat area and is available in five trim levels. The base model includes everything available on the base SWB model, plus navigation system with back-up camera, Bluetooth capability, four-zone climate control, rear power seats, rear seat side airbags and power trunk.
The list of optional extras will leave you salivating (see side bar). Highly recommended is the Mark Levinson 19-speaker audio system. This is a DVD system that allows you to watch video on the navigation screen when the car is parked. We tried it out and the sound quality is unlike anything we have ever heard. It left us wishing we could transform the windshield into a wide-screen TV.
Technical add-ons that you might want to consider: dynamic radar cruise control and advanced parking guidance system. This latter feature uses the vehicles parking sonar sensors to control steering while the driver controls the speed of the car using the brakes. The driver sets the boundaries and parameters with the navigation screen, sets the system, then lets the vehicle park itself either parallel or reverse into a parking spot.
Dynamic radar cruise control allows the driver to set the speed and distance from traffic ahead. If the gap closes, the system will slow the vehicle, even apply the brakes slightly, and will alert the driver if more braking is required.
Dynamic radar cruise control is packaged with a pre-collision system that detects objects in the path of the vehicle and retracts the front seatbelts, pre-sets the brake assist so that increased braking is applied the moment the brake pedal is depressed and, if equipped with air suspension, firms up the suspension to reduce dive.
Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management, a safety system that integrates and manages brakes, steering, stability control and engine torque, and anticipates and corrects for potential skids and slides is standard.
The LS 460 SWB has eight standard air bags (2 front, 2 side, 2 air curtains and 2 knee bags), 10 when equipped with the optional rear side airbags and 11 if equipped with the retractable ottoman included with the LWB Executive package.
Unlike some of its competitors, the Lexus LS 460 retains many push button controls to supplement on-screen controls. The centre console layout was designed to permit both driver and passenger to access audio and climate controls. It is more intuitive and similar to the vehicles most of us are used to driving. One need not spend hours with the owner's manual before driving off in the LS 460.
Seats are wide and comfortable with a wide range of adjustments available to fit any body. The driver's seat is 14-way adjustable while the passenger seat can be adjusted in 10 different ways. Both are heated and air conditioned, while rear passengers have heated seats.
It is difficult to find fault with the interior appointments, a hallmark of Lexus. Everything fits well; everything - leather, plastic and wood - feels nice. It is solid, nearly vibration free and well insulated - the perfect environment to listed to your favourite music with concert hall realism on the stunning Mark Levinson audio system.
The new LS 460 and 460L bring a new level of performance, sophistication, styling and craftsmanship to Lexus' flagship sedan. Whether it is enough to push the marque forward in the difficult European market remains to be seen.
Even here in Canada the competition is stiff. In 2005, Lexus sold 114 LS 430s in Canada, but Mercedes-Benz sold 195 S-Class sedans, while BMW sold 189 7-Series. Audi trailed with a not insignificant 101 A8s. So far this year, the new S-Class is leaving everyone in the dust with 585 sales through the end of May.
The Lexus LS 460 no longer blends into the background, but will luxury car buyers notice?
The LS 460 and 460L go on sale in Canada in October. Prices will be announced closer to that time. A new hybrid version, the LS600hL will be introduced for 2008.
Option packages
LS 460
Premium Package: navigation system and Mark Levinson audio system with 19 speakers.
Technology Package: adds 4-zone climate control, pre-collision system, rear seat side airbags, rear heated and air conditioned power seats with power recline, slide and memory system, power assist doors, power trunk, clearance and back-up sensor, dynamic radar cruise control and advance parking guidance system.
LS 460L
Ultra Premium package: Mark Levinson, 19-speaker audio system rear seat audio control, premium leather, rear cool box, rear side window sun shades and 'escaine' roof head lining.
Premium Grand Touring package: adds sport tuned front and rear air suspension, 19-inch wheels and tires, larger front and rear disc brakes and electric variable ratio power steering.
Technology package: adds dynamic radar cruise control, back-up sensor, pre-collision system, advanced parking guidance system and a wallet-sized smart key.
Executive package: electric variable ratio power steering; front and rear adaptive variable air suspension; rear seat DVD entertainment system with fold-away nine-inch LCD monitor, audio and DVD remote control and two sets of headphones; fold-out table and arm rest with built-in 12-volt power supply; a rear right seat retractable ottoman with integral seat cushion air bag; rear seat massage function; and wallet-sized smart card.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=232890
http://www.canadiandriver.com/roadtest/07ls460.htm
Salzburg, Austria - For the global press launch of its new flagship LS sedan - the 2007 LS 460 and long wheelbase LS 460L - Lexus chose Salzburg, Austria, a city rich in musical heritage, the setting for "The Sound of Music" and the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Why a city in the centre of Europe? Salzburg bills itself as "'the stage of the world', the perfect place to emphasize the global direction of the Lexus brand," said Lexus Canada Director Stuart Payne.
Those more cynical among us might surmise that outside of North America, the Lexus brand could use a little direction.
Despite being North America's best selling luxury brand for the last six years - Lexus sold more than 312,000 cars and trucks in North America last year, up more than five per cent over 2004 - and despite topping quality and reliability surveys worldwide, the reality is that it is not doing so well in Europe.
With BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi achieving sales of 631,850, 690,177 and 606,397 respectively, Lexus' 2005 European sales of 20,987 vehicles are barely noticeable. And although Lexus' sales increased 8.3%, BMW and Audi sales were up 10.1% and 9.1% over 2004.
The Europeans are selling well in Japan too, which has convinced Toyota to introduce the Lexus brand to fend off the competition in its home market.
Reasons given to explain Lexus' underachievement in Europe include Europeans' preference for diesel over gasoline or hybrids (Lexus now has a diesel in the IS 220d), the perception that Lexus is (or was) a cut-rate seller in a premium market, the class-consciousness or 'snobbishness' of European buyers, and the fact that Lexus is viewed as a builder of well-made, but boring cars.
When I reviewed the Lexus LS 430 in 2002, I wrote, "If you think a car that costs over $80,000 should attract a little attention, you might be disappointed with the Lexus LS 430. Conservatively styled, the ultimate luxury sedan from Toyota's luxury division simply blends into the background."
Lexus' response to this characterization has been the concept of L-finesse, the current design philosophy that has guided the visual overhaul of all Lexus sedans. The L-finesse design language is less important than the results - a strong family resemblance, which until recently, was lacking across the Lexus model range.
The 2006 LS 460 is the last of the Lexus sedans to receive the L-finesse treatment. Although more conservative than the re-design of the IS, ES and GS sedans, the LS now shares similar proportions with other Lexus sedans: a 'slingshot' shape with long hood and short rear deck, framing a long, sleek cabin.
The goal of L-finesse was to create cars that portray a greater sense of performance and power, yet appear warm and inviting, to be elegant without being understated, and to be as clearly recognizable as a Lexus as any BMW is clearly a BMW.
But the LS sedan is not just another Lexus, it is the flagship of the Lexus brand and the transformation of the LS from wallflower to belle of the ball involved much more than making the sedan visually appealing. The LS Sedan, after all, is the pinnacle of Lexus technology and its well-deserved reputation for quality.
To complement the styling, special attention was given to the exterior paint. To prepare the surface for paint, the body is buffed. In the past this involved an up and down movement. But for the 2007 LS 460, Lexus designed special buffing robots with three-dimensional movements so that curved surfaces and ends could be polished as well. During the application of paint and coatings, the cars are hand-sanded twice, which smoothes and enhances the deep mirror-like quality of the paint.
High technology combined with the craftsmanship of skilled technicians is something that made LS 460 chief-engineer, Satoru Maruyamano, particularly proud. "Even though engineering and manufacturing processes are so advanced, we haven't forgotten the human touch."
Master machinists listen to each completed engine - a 4.6-litre V8 that is the first completely new LS engine in 17 years - with a stethoscope to search for minute yet abnormal noises and ensure that the completed engine is properly balanced.
The new V8 produces 380 horsepower and 367 lb-ft of torque, 102 horsepower and 55 lb-ft of torque more than the previous LS 430's 4.3-litre V8. It is capable of moving the 1,980 kg (4,365 lb) LS 460 from zero to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds and accelerating from 80 to 120 km/h in 4.7 seconds. It has an electronically limited top speed of 210 km/h - a speed which we easily attained on an open stretch of the autobahn (European models have a 250 km/h top speed). Lexus believes the new engine has the performance of a 6-litre, but the fuel economy of a 3.5-litre. Combined highway/city fuel consumption is estimated to be 10.8 L/100 km.
The new engine is mated to the world's first 8-speed automatic transmission, one more gear than the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Lexus insists that the additional gear has nothing to do with bragging rights, but improves performance, shift feel and fuel economy. And we would agree, as up-shifts were almost imperceptible.
Another first for Lexus is a multi-link suspension on both front and rear axles (the LS 430 used a double-wishbone setup). External restriction air springs smoothly absorb shocks and provide ride comfort with little roll sensation or vibration. Long wheelbase models can be further equipped with an air suspension control system. The LS also features an electric power steering system, while variable ratio steering, which enhances slow speed manoeuvrability and high speed stability, is standard on long wheelbase models. Standard tires are 235/50R18 all-seasons, while a 245/45R19 summer radial is available with the 460 L's premium Grand Touring package.
Despite these improvements, the big Lexus does not excel on twisty back roads. It is best suited to highway cruising. Driving in excess of 200 km/h on the autobahn did not feel much different than idling along at half the speed. But it is no sports car and tossing the big sedan around on tight curves too soon after lunch will soon have you wondering if you might toss something else.
It is unlikely LS 460 buyers will be too concerned, as those interested in the sporting aspects of driving will likely have something more suitable in the garage.
But the LS 460's interior environment is exceedingly comfortable and luxurious, whether you drive yourself or you have someone else do the driving for you. Standard amenities on short wheelbase (SWB) models include 10-speaker audio system with 6-disc in-dash CD changer and steering wheel controls; dual zone climate control, heated and air-conditioned front seats; power rear window sunshade; power windows with auto up and down and variable speed control for all windows; heated wood and leather wrapped, power tilt and telescopic steering wheel and smart key system with push button start.
The long wheelbase LS 460L adds 120 mm of legroom to the rear seat area and is available in five trim levels. The base model includes everything available on the base SWB model, plus navigation system with back-up camera, Bluetooth capability, four-zone climate control, rear power seats, rear seat side airbags and power trunk.
The list of optional extras will leave you salivating (see side bar). Highly recommended is the Mark Levinson 19-speaker audio system. This is a DVD system that allows you to watch video on the navigation screen when the car is parked. We tried it out and the sound quality is unlike anything we have ever heard. It left us wishing we could transform the windshield into a wide-screen TV.
Technical add-ons that you might want to consider: dynamic radar cruise control and advanced parking guidance system. This latter feature uses the vehicles parking sonar sensors to control steering while the driver controls the speed of the car using the brakes. The driver sets the boundaries and parameters with the navigation screen, sets the system, then lets the vehicle park itself either parallel or reverse into a parking spot.
Dynamic radar cruise control allows the driver to set the speed and distance from traffic ahead. If the gap closes, the system will slow the vehicle, even apply the brakes slightly, and will alert the driver if more braking is required.
Dynamic radar cruise control is packaged with a pre-collision system that detects objects in the path of the vehicle and retracts the front seatbelts, pre-sets the brake assist so that increased braking is applied the moment the brake pedal is depressed and, if equipped with air suspension, firms up the suspension to reduce dive.
Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management, a safety system that integrates and manages brakes, steering, stability control and engine torque, and anticipates and corrects for potential skids and slides is standard.
The LS 460 SWB has eight standard air bags (2 front, 2 side, 2 air curtains and 2 knee bags), 10 when equipped with the optional rear side airbags and 11 if equipped with the retractable ottoman included with the LWB Executive package.
Unlike some of its competitors, the Lexus LS 460 retains many push button controls to supplement on-screen controls. The centre console layout was designed to permit both driver and passenger to access audio and climate controls. It is more intuitive and similar to the vehicles most of us are used to driving. One need not spend hours with the owner's manual before driving off in the LS 460.
Seats are wide and comfortable with a wide range of adjustments available to fit any body. The driver's seat is 14-way adjustable while the passenger seat can be adjusted in 10 different ways. Both are heated and air conditioned, while rear passengers have heated seats.
It is difficult to find fault with the interior appointments, a hallmark of Lexus. Everything fits well; everything - leather, plastic and wood - feels nice. It is solid, nearly vibration free and well insulated - the perfect environment to listed to your favourite music with concert hall realism on the stunning Mark Levinson audio system.
The new LS 460 and 460L bring a new level of performance, sophistication, styling and craftsmanship to Lexus' flagship sedan. Whether it is enough to push the marque forward in the difficult European market remains to be seen.
Even here in Canada the competition is stiff. In 2005, Lexus sold 114 LS 430s in Canada, but Mercedes-Benz sold 195 S-Class sedans, while BMW sold 189 7-Series. Audi trailed with a not insignificant 101 A8s. So far this year, the new S-Class is leaving everyone in the dust with 585 sales through the end of May.
The Lexus LS 460 no longer blends into the background, but will luxury car buyers notice?
The LS 460 and 460L go on sale in Canada in October. Prices will be announced closer to that time. A new hybrid version, the LS600hL will be introduced for 2008.
Option packages
LS 460
Premium Package: navigation system and Mark Levinson audio system with 19 speakers.
Technology Package: adds 4-zone climate control, pre-collision system, rear seat side airbags, rear heated and air conditioned power seats with power recline, slide and memory system, power assist doors, power trunk, clearance and back-up sensor, dynamic radar cruise control and advance parking guidance system.
LS 460L
Ultra Premium package: Mark Levinson, 19-speaker audio system rear seat audio control, premium leather, rear cool box, rear side window sun shades and 'escaine' roof head lining.
Premium Grand Touring package: adds sport tuned front and rear air suspension, 19-inch wheels and tires, larger front and rear disc brakes and electric variable ratio power steering.
Technology package: adds dynamic radar cruise control, back-up sensor, pre-collision system, advanced parking guidance system and a wallet-sized smart key.
Executive package: electric variable ratio power steering; front and rear adaptive variable air suspension; rear seat DVD entertainment system with fold-away nine-inch LCD monitor, audio and DVD remote control and two sets of headphones; fold-out table and arm rest with built-in 12-volt power supply; a rear right seat retractable ottoman with integral seat cushion air bag; rear seat massage function; and wallet-sized smart card.
Last edited by GFerg; 08-23-06 at 03:29 PM.
08-23-06, 03:24 PM
#6
Speaks French in Russian
Thread Starter
Channel4.com LS460 Review
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=233501
Link to FULL multi page review - http://www.channel4.com/4car/road-te...est.jsp?id=822
Assets
Superlative refinement, great new looks, limousine ride quality, it parks itself.
Drawbacks
Really rather soulless, engine lacks low down grunt, grabby brakes.
Verdict
Technocrats will love it, as will those who feel ride and refinement are the defining characteristics of the luxury car. It lacks only that critical sense of occasion.
(On sale in the UK in January. Prices have yet to be announced but expect them to start close to £60,000.)
Assets
Superlative refinement, great new looks, limousine ride quality, it parks itself.
Drawbacks
Really rather soulless, engine lacks low down grunt, grabby brakes.
Verdict
Technocrats will love it, as will those who feel ride and refinement are the defining characteristics of the luxury car. It lacks only that critical sense of occasion.
(On sale in the UK in January. Prices have yet to be announced but expect them to start close to £60,000.)
08-23-06, 03:28 PM
#7
Speaks French in Russian
Thread Starter
Autoweek: 2007 LS460 Review
Thanks to Overclocker for the find.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=234090
By PETE LYONS
AutoWeek | Published 08/21/06, 7:45 am et
AT A GLANCE:
2007 LEXUS LS 460
ON SALE: October
BASE PRICE: $59,000 (est.)
POWERTRAIN: 4.6-liter, 380-hp, 367-lb-ft V8; rwd, eight-speed automatic
CURB WEIGHT: 4245 lbs
0 TO 60 MPH: 5.4 seconds (mfr.)
FUEL MILEAGE (city/highway): 19/27 mpg (mfr.)
Emperor Joseph’s problem was that he knew how to read music. “Your work is ingenious,” he informs Mozart in Amadeus. “But there are too many notes. Just cut a few and it will be perfect.”
To which Mozart famously retorts, “Which few did you have in mind, Majesty?” Satoru Maruyamano must relate to that.
Maruyamano-san is so enthusiastic about European classical music that after a good European dinner he cannot resist leaping up to conduct the violinists. But in his day job for nearly the past five years he has been chief engineer of the Lexus LS 460, a new corporate flagship crammed to its side curtains with so much technology that an early draft of the owner’s manual ran more than 700 pages.
Lexus officials admit to just a bit of concern about that. (“We do gain sales from not having iDrive,” remarks one dryly.) The last thing they want is for their clientele to fret about managing what has to be the most complex machine this company has ever offered.
But what to cut from the book? It’s all such keen stuff, and so much of it requires explanation. Like the optional, hands-off self-parking system, the first in a production vehicle. We find it works well, but it takes some learning.
Luckily one can enjoy music without reading the score, and Maruyamano’s orchestra of 1500 has so harmoniously integrated the 460’s gadgetry that owners needn’t give a thought to most of it. They won’t have to know this fourth-generation LS is the first completely fresh design in the model’s 17 years, and that it feels faster because of a larger, higher-revving engine; that the transmission is the industry’s first eight-speed, benefiting both performance and economy; that the steering—now electric—features twin-axis kingpin geometry like Audi’s, for sharper response; or that Toyota Formula One racing experience is manifest in a “stepped venturi” panel under the engine, which reduces lift.
Drivers even can enjoy the super-smooth texture of the steering wheel without knowing the leather was buffed for three hours, six times longer than before.
In fact, during introductory drives in Austria recently we found it possible to cover some considerable kilometers in the LS 460 without noticing much difference from the outgoing 430. It is a whole new car, but it’s still that much of a Lexus. The overall dimensions are very similar. The ambience is fully familiar. The feel, the manners, the quiet are all just what LS owners love.
Except there’s more of it all. More gizmos and features and luxury appointments, yes, but kick up your driving tempo and the 460 comes more alive, more eager, brighter. That’s not to say it’s the kind of hard-core sports sedan that incites misbehavior, but the initial experience suggests some who trade out of a 430 might more often find themselves muttering, “Oops, I’m speeding.”
They might be ones who shouldn’t hear this: For the first time Lexus allows the traction/stability control to be turned off. Completely. Tap the button once and the system stays off until the speedometer reads 30 mph; that’s for “rocking” out of snow. But hold the same button down longer than three seconds and you can spin your little wheels as fast as they will go (up to the governed 130 mph). “Just be careful,” commented a corporate officer. A refreshing attitude in this industry today.
All this added liveliness is deliberately expressive of the fact Lexus is now organizationally separate from Toyota and going its own way in terms of design, engineering and manufacturing. The outgoing car was staid-looking, but the “L-finesse” corporate styling theme has now been applied to the 460 in an edgy way that adds visual energy.
The conceptual source of these lines is the two-seat LF-A coupe that toured the auto shows last year, and Lexus personnel confirm they will be producing just such a supercar one day not soon enough.
That should give the new 4.6-liter engine a real ride. In the LS 460 it’s hidden under a gormless slab of plastic, and that’s a pity, because it’s a beauty. While not many LS sedan intenders are likely to be moved by learning of its connection with Toyota’s Formula One racer, the chief engineer vows it is real. In Maruyamano’s words through an interpreter, the new V8 was “spun off together” with the F1 program. Not that they share components, but they are expressions of the same knowledge base.
Thus this first new V8 design since 1989’s LS 400 has precisely the optimal bore diameter (94.0 mm) to yield the least possible friction as the aluminum block distorts during temperature and stress cycles, he says. “That was the first decision.”
Other ultra-high-performance thinking can be found in many areas of this street motor. Like a racer, it has roller cam followers for lower friction, sharper profiles and higher rpm. To the same ends the cams are manufactured with a new process: Each of the 32 lobes is forged and ground individually, then locked precisely into place on the four shafts—which are hollow like rifle barrels to save weight. (No, that’s not a secret from the F1 shop, according to Lexus technical trainer Bob Allan: “They don’t need the engine life.”) In another first, cam timing is adjusted electrically rather than by the former hydraulic system to avoid temperature-induced variations.
Listen to this—they force a liquid abrasive through the crankshaft’s oil passageways to make them slick, reducing resistance to flow. “Oil-smoothing,” they call it.
These and many other tricks add up to a honey of a V8 that is 7.3 percent larger than the old 4294-cc unit yet makes a whopping 36.7 percent more power. The numbers are 4608 cc, 380 hp at 6400 rpm (102 hp and 800 revs higher than before despite a slightly longer stroke) and 367 lb-ft at 4100 rpm (32 percent more torque peaking 700 rpm higher). Yet it’s claimed to be class-leading in fuel efficiency.
In the company’s words, the new 4.6 offers the power of a 5.5 with the economy of a 3.5. In the words of Maruyamano, “Other companies intend from the outset to apply supercharging to get performance. We prefer to do it from basic design.” He is very proud of this engine.
Enthusiast LS drivers will want to keep all this in mind about the engine, because they won’t hear much from it. It’s so quiet in normal driving that aural cues can’t be used for manual-mode gearshift decisions. Only when whipped does it emit a remote and not especially pleasing (to our taste) metallic, insectile note. Hopefully the LF-A super coupe will really scream, both literally and figuratively.
Regarding that eight-speed, the chief engineer says the rationale is that more gears allow both a lower low and a higher high, while also keeping the engine in its sweet zone more of the time. Why not just go to the CVT that will be in the forthcoming hybrid version of this car? “It has torque limitations,” he admits.
But the hybrid 600h will have all-wheel drive, and snow country folks will be glad to hear awd is to become available in the LS 460 as well.
Enough boring technoid talk; what about the fun stuff? Okay, there’s a throne. Order the new-to-Lexus long-wheelbase edition, the 460 L, and its extra 4.72 inches make room for an optional right-rear executive-class recliner with extending ottoman leg-rest, shiatsu massaging seatback and “the world’s first” motorized nine-inch DVD screen that deploys from the overhead. Truly fit for an emperor. One of them at a time, anyway—the driver’s seat prevents a second rear ottoman.
Even more amusing is the Advanced Parking Guidance System. When so equipped the car will parallel-park itself either to the right or the left, and also back itself neatly into a slot too narrow for the doors to open. (Why you would want that is your affair.) Twelve sonar sensors take care of determining if there is enough room as the car approaches a likely place and stops in the usual fashion.
When you select reverse, a green quadrangle representing the car’s perimeter appears on the dashboard rearview TV screen. By touching arrows on the display, move the virtual car into the open space. If the computer thinks there is a danger of hitting something, the obstruction will be indicated in red. In that case you must either adjust the quadrangle or drive someplace else.
Finally, keep your hands off the wheel but your foot on the brake and allow the LS to creep backward. The wheel cranks itself furiously, like an invisible drift driver is sitting in your lap, and the car maneuvers precisely into place, scratch-free.
Except for an important, important note: It’s up to you to stop at the end of the process. The system won’t automatically apply the brakes.
Can you think of cities where other motorists won’t grant you enough time to go through this exercise? Sure, but we predict self-parking will be a sellout. Speaking of which, the LS 460 goes on sale in October. Pricing is yet to be announced.
There is so, so much more packed into this new LS; it’s a regular automotive Nozze di Figaro. But we wouldn’t cut a note.
Source: http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl.../60811003/1009
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=234090
By PETE LYONS
AutoWeek | Published 08/21/06, 7:45 am et
AT A GLANCE:
2007 LEXUS LS 460
ON SALE: October
BASE PRICE: $59,000 (est.)
POWERTRAIN: 4.6-liter, 380-hp, 367-lb-ft V8; rwd, eight-speed automatic
CURB WEIGHT: 4245 lbs
0 TO 60 MPH: 5.4 seconds (mfr.)
FUEL MILEAGE (city/highway): 19/27 mpg (mfr.)
Emperor Joseph’s problem was that he knew how to read music. “Your work is ingenious,” he informs Mozart in Amadeus. “But there are too many notes. Just cut a few and it will be perfect.”
To which Mozart famously retorts, “Which few did you have in mind, Majesty?” Satoru Maruyamano must relate to that.
Maruyamano-san is so enthusiastic about European classical music that after a good European dinner he cannot resist leaping up to conduct the violinists. But in his day job for nearly the past five years he has been chief engineer of the Lexus LS 460, a new corporate flagship crammed to its side curtains with so much technology that an early draft of the owner’s manual ran more than 700 pages.
Lexus officials admit to just a bit of concern about that. (“We do gain sales from not having iDrive,” remarks one dryly.) The last thing they want is for their clientele to fret about managing what has to be the most complex machine this company has ever offered.
But what to cut from the book? It’s all such keen stuff, and so much of it requires explanation. Like the optional, hands-off self-parking system, the first in a production vehicle. We find it works well, but it takes some learning.
Luckily one can enjoy music without reading the score, and Maruyamano’s orchestra of 1500 has so harmoniously integrated the 460’s gadgetry that owners needn’t give a thought to most of it. They won’t have to know this fourth-generation LS is the first completely fresh design in the model’s 17 years, and that it feels faster because of a larger, higher-revving engine; that the transmission is the industry’s first eight-speed, benefiting both performance and economy; that the steering—now electric—features twin-axis kingpin geometry like Audi’s, for sharper response; or that Toyota Formula One racing experience is manifest in a “stepped venturi” panel under the engine, which reduces lift.
Drivers even can enjoy the super-smooth texture of the steering wheel without knowing the leather was buffed for three hours, six times longer than before.
In fact, during introductory drives in Austria recently we found it possible to cover some considerable kilometers in the LS 460 without noticing much difference from the outgoing 430. It is a whole new car, but it’s still that much of a Lexus. The overall dimensions are very similar. The ambience is fully familiar. The feel, the manners, the quiet are all just what LS owners love.
Except there’s more of it all. More gizmos and features and luxury appointments, yes, but kick up your driving tempo and the 460 comes more alive, more eager, brighter. That’s not to say it’s the kind of hard-core sports sedan that incites misbehavior, but the initial experience suggests some who trade out of a 430 might more often find themselves muttering, “Oops, I’m speeding.”
They might be ones who shouldn’t hear this: For the first time Lexus allows the traction/stability control to be turned off. Completely. Tap the button once and the system stays off until the speedometer reads 30 mph; that’s for “rocking” out of snow. But hold the same button down longer than three seconds and you can spin your little wheels as fast as they will go (up to the governed 130 mph). “Just be careful,” commented a corporate officer. A refreshing attitude in this industry today.
All this added liveliness is deliberately expressive of the fact Lexus is now organizationally separate from Toyota and going its own way in terms of design, engineering and manufacturing. The outgoing car was staid-looking, but the “L-finesse” corporate styling theme has now been applied to the 460 in an edgy way that adds visual energy.
The conceptual source of these lines is the two-seat LF-A coupe that toured the auto shows last year, and Lexus personnel confirm they will be producing just such a supercar one day not soon enough.
That should give the new 4.6-liter engine a real ride. In the LS 460 it’s hidden under a gormless slab of plastic, and that’s a pity, because it’s a beauty. While not many LS sedan intenders are likely to be moved by learning of its connection with Toyota’s Formula One racer, the chief engineer vows it is real. In Maruyamano’s words through an interpreter, the new V8 was “spun off together” with the F1 program. Not that they share components, but they are expressions of the same knowledge base.
Thus this first new V8 design since 1989’s LS 400 has precisely the optimal bore diameter (94.0 mm) to yield the least possible friction as the aluminum block distorts during temperature and stress cycles, he says. “That was the first decision.”
Other ultra-high-performance thinking can be found in many areas of this street motor. Like a racer, it has roller cam followers for lower friction, sharper profiles and higher rpm. To the same ends the cams are manufactured with a new process: Each of the 32 lobes is forged and ground individually, then locked precisely into place on the four shafts—which are hollow like rifle barrels to save weight. (No, that’s not a secret from the F1 shop, according to Lexus technical trainer Bob Allan: “They don’t need the engine life.”) In another first, cam timing is adjusted electrically rather than by the former hydraulic system to avoid temperature-induced variations.
Listen to this—they force a liquid abrasive through the crankshaft’s oil passageways to make them slick, reducing resistance to flow. “Oil-smoothing,” they call it.
These and many other tricks add up to a honey of a V8 that is 7.3 percent larger than the old 4294-cc unit yet makes a whopping 36.7 percent more power. The numbers are 4608 cc, 380 hp at 6400 rpm (102 hp and 800 revs higher than before despite a slightly longer stroke) and 367 lb-ft at 4100 rpm (32 percent more torque peaking 700 rpm higher). Yet it’s claimed to be class-leading in fuel efficiency.
In the company’s words, the new 4.6 offers the power of a 5.5 with the economy of a 3.5. In the words of Maruyamano, “Other companies intend from the outset to apply supercharging to get performance. We prefer to do it from basic design.” He is very proud of this engine.
Enthusiast LS drivers will want to keep all this in mind about the engine, because they won’t hear much from it. It’s so quiet in normal driving that aural cues can’t be used for manual-mode gearshift decisions. Only when whipped does it emit a remote and not especially pleasing (to our taste) metallic, insectile note. Hopefully the LF-A super coupe will really scream, both literally and figuratively.
Regarding that eight-speed, the chief engineer says the rationale is that more gears allow both a lower low and a higher high, while also keeping the engine in its sweet zone more of the time. Why not just go to the CVT that will be in the forthcoming hybrid version of this car? “It has torque limitations,” he admits.
But the hybrid 600h will have all-wheel drive, and snow country folks will be glad to hear awd is to become available in the LS 460 as well.
Enough boring technoid talk; what about the fun stuff? Okay, there’s a throne. Order the new-to-Lexus long-wheelbase edition, the 460 L, and its extra 4.72 inches make room for an optional right-rear executive-class recliner with extending ottoman leg-rest, shiatsu massaging seatback and “the world’s first” motorized nine-inch DVD screen that deploys from the overhead. Truly fit for an emperor. One of them at a time, anyway—the driver’s seat prevents a second rear ottoman.
Even more amusing is the Advanced Parking Guidance System. When so equipped the car will parallel-park itself either to the right or the left, and also back itself neatly into a slot too narrow for the doors to open. (Why you would want that is your affair.) Twelve sonar sensors take care of determining if there is enough room as the car approaches a likely place and stops in the usual fashion.
When you select reverse, a green quadrangle representing the car’s perimeter appears on the dashboard rearview TV screen. By touching arrows on the display, move the virtual car into the open space. If the computer thinks there is a danger of hitting something, the obstruction will be indicated in red. In that case you must either adjust the quadrangle or drive someplace else.
Finally, keep your hands off the wheel but your foot on the brake and allow the LS to creep backward. The wheel cranks itself furiously, like an invisible drift driver is sitting in your lap, and the car maneuvers precisely into place, scratch-free.
Except for an important, important note: It’s up to you to stop at the end of the process. The system won’t automatically apply the brakes.
Can you think of cities where other motorists won’t grant you enough time to go through this exercise? Sure, but we predict self-parking will be a sellout. Speaking of which, the LS 460 goes on sale in October. Pricing is yet to be announced.
There is so, so much more packed into this new LS; it’s a regular automotive Nozze di Figaro. But we wouldn’t cut a note.
Source: http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl.../60811003/1009
Trending Topics
08-23-06, 03:34 PM
#8
Speaks French in Russian
Thread Starter
Thanks to Faheta for the find.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=233798
http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/art...319048,00.html
Lexus LS 460
By Andrew Frankel of The Sunday Times
So damn clever it doesn't need a driver
There is a gizmo on top of the steering column of this all-new Lexus LS 460 that tells you how far car technology has come in recent years. The small plastic box amid acres of wood and leather seems an incongruous addition to a car that will cost £60,000 when it goes on sale in the new year.
What you won’t know is that, as you ponder its purpose, it’s looking right back at you. In that box are six infrared eyes logging the position of your features so it can build up a picture of your mug. It doesn’t matter how tall or short you are or from which ethnic group. It can see you in the pitch black even when you can’t see it and you won’t faze it by donning dark glasses.
And while it’s watching you, so another set of eyes, in the form of radar and cameras, is watching the road. This way the car can not only spot danger approaching from the back or front of the car, it can also tell whether you’re looking out of the side window or are fast asleep at the wheel as you hurtle towards this life-threatening hazard. If it figures that your attention is not where it should be, it will flash lights, bleep at you and nudge the brakes until it decides you’re back in control. And if you don’t snap out of your stupor it won’t just nudge the brakes, it’ll slam them on to save you from yourself.
While some will see this as an unnecessary interference and worry about a car with the ability to exercise such a degree of control over its driver, it’s hard to argue against a system that is only ever active when it’s trying to save your life.
And that’s not all this extraordinary car will do. While self-braking vehicles are not new, systems from Honda and Mercedes require the obstacle to be metallic, which is fine if it’s a car you’re about to wallop but entirely ineffective when a child runs out in front of you. The Lexus, by contrast, sees all, or so its maker claims. It will stiffen the suspension in anticipation of you trying to swerve around the danger and it even has eyes in the back of its head, or the rear bumper to be more precise, permanently scanning for something about to come smashing into the back of you. If it reckons that’s on the cards, it will move your headrest forward and up to minimise whiplash.
In addition to this arsenal of party tricks, the LS 460 is an accomplished luxury express. It’s as quiet as an empty country church, as comfortable as a warm bath. It handles surprisingly well and, when asked, responds to your right foot with alacrity thanks to a 375bhp 4.6 litre engine.
View a photo gallery of the Lexus LS 460
And yet, despite all this, I failed to warm to the LS 460 in the way I have to technically less accomplished luxury cars. And I think that’s because we’re getting to the stage where the standard of technical achievement for such cars is so high anyway that further advancements seem of only marginal worth.
What need is there, for instance, of an eight-speed gearbox if not to cover the engine’s lack of torque low down? How important are the improvements in ride quality when the previous LS already felt as if it possessed the ability to resurface the road? What then starts to matter is not the car’s bald capabilities but the sense of wellbeing it imparts. Technically an Audi A8 is a less accomplished car than this — it lets you feel the bumps in the tarmac and is less able to block out noise from the engine, road and wind — yet it feels more luxurious. Its cabin looks smarter and more special by far; its controls feel of a higher quality and, most important of all, when you wake up on a Monday morning with the knowledge that it’s out there waiting for you, your week has already got off to a good start.
I’ve not spent more than a few hours in the LS 460, but attractive though it is I cannot see it interacting with its driver on that level. I can see owners feeling great respect and admiration for it, but it’s harder to see a car that places so much emphasis on technological sophistication being something you’d warm to.
Look at it, instead, as a device for getting a job done. Supremely well adapted to coping with life on 21st century roads, the LS 460 may well be the most technically accomplished saloon ever created. Call me picky, but these days I’m not sure that’s enough.
Model Lexus LS 460
Engine type 4608cc, eight cylinders
Power/Torque 375bhp @ 6400rpm
363lb ft @ 4100rpm
Transmission Eight-speed automatic
Fuel/CO² 25.5mpg (combined cycle) / 261g/km
Performance 0-62mph: 5.7 sec
Top speed: 155mph
Price £60,000 approx
Verdict A car for the head, not the heart
On sale January
THE OPPOSITION
Model Audi A8 4.2 FSI Quattro SE £59,815
For: Fabulous looking inside and out, smooth V8 motor
Against: Ride and handling now some distance from class pace
Model Mercedes-Benz S 500 £69,815
For: It’s the greatest all-round luxury saloon in the world
Against: You’ll pay through the nose for it. Not exactly pretty
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=233798
http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/art...319048,00.html
Lexus LS 460
By Andrew Frankel of The Sunday Times
So damn clever it doesn't need a driver
There is a gizmo on top of the steering column of this all-new Lexus LS 460 that tells you how far car technology has come in recent years. The small plastic box amid acres of wood and leather seems an incongruous addition to a car that will cost £60,000 when it goes on sale in the new year.
What you won’t know is that, as you ponder its purpose, it’s looking right back at you. In that box are six infrared eyes logging the position of your features so it can build up a picture of your mug. It doesn’t matter how tall or short you are or from which ethnic group. It can see you in the pitch black even when you can’t see it and you won’t faze it by donning dark glasses.
And while it’s watching you, so another set of eyes, in the form of radar and cameras, is watching the road. This way the car can not only spot danger approaching from the back or front of the car, it can also tell whether you’re looking out of the side window or are fast asleep at the wheel as you hurtle towards this life-threatening hazard. If it figures that your attention is not where it should be, it will flash lights, bleep at you and nudge the brakes until it decides you’re back in control. And if you don’t snap out of your stupor it won’t just nudge the brakes, it’ll slam them on to save you from yourself.
While some will see this as an unnecessary interference and worry about a car with the ability to exercise such a degree of control over its driver, it’s hard to argue against a system that is only ever active when it’s trying to save your life.
And that’s not all this extraordinary car will do. While self-braking vehicles are not new, systems from Honda and Mercedes require the obstacle to be metallic, which is fine if it’s a car you’re about to wallop but entirely ineffective when a child runs out in front of you. The Lexus, by contrast, sees all, or so its maker claims. It will stiffen the suspension in anticipation of you trying to swerve around the danger and it even has eyes in the back of its head, or the rear bumper to be more precise, permanently scanning for something about to come smashing into the back of you. If it reckons that’s on the cards, it will move your headrest forward and up to minimise whiplash.
In addition to this arsenal of party tricks, the LS 460 is an accomplished luxury express. It’s as quiet as an empty country church, as comfortable as a warm bath. It handles surprisingly well and, when asked, responds to your right foot with alacrity thanks to a 375bhp 4.6 litre engine.
View a photo gallery of the Lexus LS 460
And yet, despite all this, I failed to warm to the LS 460 in the way I have to technically less accomplished luxury cars. And I think that’s because we’re getting to the stage where the standard of technical achievement for such cars is so high anyway that further advancements seem of only marginal worth.
What need is there, for instance, of an eight-speed gearbox if not to cover the engine’s lack of torque low down? How important are the improvements in ride quality when the previous LS already felt as if it possessed the ability to resurface the road? What then starts to matter is not the car’s bald capabilities but the sense of wellbeing it imparts. Technically an Audi A8 is a less accomplished car than this — it lets you feel the bumps in the tarmac and is less able to block out noise from the engine, road and wind — yet it feels more luxurious. Its cabin looks smarter and more special by far; its controls feel of a higher quality and, most important of all, when you wake up on a Monday morning with the knowledge that it’s out there waiting for you, your week has already got off to a good start.
I’ve not spent more than a few hours in the LS 460, but attractive though it is I cannot see it interacting with its driver on that level. I can see owners feeling great respect and admiration for it, but it’s harder to see a car that places so much emphasis on technological sophistication being something you’d warm to.
Look at it, instead, as a device for getting a job done. Supremely well adapted to coping with life on 21st century roads, the LS 460 may well be the most technically accomplished saloon ever created. Call me picky, but these days I’m not sure that’s enough.
Model Lexus LS 460
Engine type 4608cc, eight cylinders
Power/Torque 375bhp @ 6400rpm
363lb ft @ 4100rpm
Transmission Eight-speed automatic
Fuel/CO² 25.5mpg (combined cycle) / 261g/km
Performance 0-62mph: 5.7 sec
Top speed: 155mph
Price £60,000 approx
Verdict A car for the head, not the heart
On sale January
THE OPPOSITION
Model Audi A8 4.2 FSI Quattro SE £59,815
For: Fabulous looking inside and out, smooth V8 motor
Against: Ride and handling now some distance from class pace
Model Mercedes-Benz S 500 £69,815
For: It’s the greatest all-round luxury saloon in the world
Against: You’ll pay through the nose for it. Not exactly pretty
08-23-06, 03:41 PM
#9
Speaks French in Russian
Thread Starter
TheStar.com LS460 Review
Thanks to Faheta for the review.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=233767
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Con...d=970599119419
Lexus takes on the world
But does LS 460 have the looks, feel and performance to match its competitors?
SALZBURG, AUSTRIA—What? The international press launch of a Japanese car, held in Europe?
Yup.
Lexus was initially a U.S. and Canada-only nameplate. But Toyota knew that if its upmarket division was to be considered a true player, it would have to become a global brand — it is now, or soon will be, available in most major markets.
Part of this strategy was to introduce its newest flagship — the LS 460 — in the backyard of its fiercest competitors.
There is a feeling shared certainly by most European consumers that North Americans just aren't very demanding of their cars.
We tend to drive long distances, but very slowly by international standards. And we can't drive very well, so brakes and handling really aren't major issues.
But to get on the same page as Mercedes, BMW, Audi and Jaguar, Lexus knew the LS 460 would have to go beyond any of its predecessors.
It starts, as it always does, with styling.
Lexus had two problems here. Previous LS sedans were shameless copies of Mercedes-Benz. Take the badges off and you'd be hard-pressed to tell the outgoing LS 430 from the previous-generation E Class.
And there was no consistency from one Lexus model to the next. The former GS sedan, for example, was actually done by an Italian design house as a possible concept for Jaguar.
Neither strategy is the way to establish a global face for your brand.
So a few years ago, Lexus launched a project to develop what has become known as the "L-finesse" design language, an attempt to make the L-mark as recognizable as the Benz three-pointed star, the BMW roundel, the Jaguar leaper, and the four rings of Audi.
The new compact IS, the new mid-size ES and GS, and, now, the new full-size LS do indeed share lots of design cues: swoopy curves and deeply drawn contoured fenders.
Does all this make them instantly recognizable as Lexus products? I'll let you draw your own conclusions, and maybe it is too soon to tell.
There is no doubt the new LS is a handsome car. And if Lexus has gone away from imitating Mercedes, you can't help but notice a strong similarity in the rear to the much-maligned BMW 7 Series.
For the first time, the LS comes in two lengths. The standard car is longer, lower, wider and roomier in most dimensions than before. The long-wheelbase version grafts in an additional 120 mm of wheelbase, to the benefit of rear-seat riders.
Lexus set the world of car interiors on fire with the first LS, primarily for the electro-luminescent gauges. Switch the ignition on, the needles would light up first, then the rest of the dials.
Today, everybody has this.
But I don't see the same degree of gob-smacking advancement in the new car as in the original. Unless you count power windows, which start slowly, speed up in mid-travel, then slow again for the last few centimetres, so as not to make an unseemly sound when they stop.
Top that, Mercedes.
While most critics bemoan the evolution of computer-mouse-style controllers for HVAC, stereo, air-con, SatNav and the like, the fact is, they carry a certain high-tech cachet.
Lexus has eschewed this trend, which may be correct from an ergonomic perspective but maybe not from a marketing/image/gee-whiz perspective.
Lexus makes much of its optional four-zone air conditioning system, which senses the temperature of the occupants and adjusts itself accordingly. But DaimlerChrysler introduced something that sounds very similar in its Grand Cherokee a year or so ago, so again, I don't know that this qualifies as all that new or remarkable.
One area where Lexus does re-establish itself in the forefront of interiors is the optional Mark Levinson sound system. This system, which pumps 450 watts of clean power through an amazing 19 speakers, really has to be heard to be believed. (Or felt: I watched a DVD of a submarine movie in the back seat. When those depth charges went off, the entire car shook.)
Very impressive.
Mechanically, Lexus also set new standards for silence and refinement with the original LS 400. But guess what, it discovered that Europeans like to have some mechanical association with their cars, which means hearing them work and feeling them work.
So Lexus has tried to dial up a bit more involvement in the LS 460.
The engine is the first all-new V8 since the launch of the original LS 400. As you can guess from the name, it displaces 4.6 litres, and Lexus claims it has the power of a 5.0 with the economy of a 3.5.
Chief among the new technologies is dual fuel injectors — one in the intake manifold, primarily for cold starting, idle quality and low emissions; a second directly into the cylinder for maximum power.
Usually, direct injection is noisy — that's a big reason why diesels rattle. Trust Lexus to find a way to shut this up.
It is mated to the industry's first eight-speed automatic. Satori Maruyamano, the ultra-cheerful chief engineer on the car, said they had the idea for an eight-speed before Mercedes announced its plans for a seven speed, but you know they're very happy to be one up.
An optional air suspension provides three levels of firmness: comfort, normal and sport.
Steering is assisted by an electric motor. When you check the air suspension box, you also get a variable ratio steering gear, designed for easy in-town work and more stable high-speed driving.
This also enables what I think is the first production version of a self-parking car. Drive slowly past a spot on the street, allowing the car to size it up. Push a button, and sit back while the car manoeuvres itself into the slot.
Talk about a party trick.
It's hard to say how good the new LS 460 drives, because all cars on the autobahn feel pretty much the same — it's fun, it's fast and it's loud. Although the 460's cabin is as silent as it gets, Lexus has tuned in a bit more exhaust note to emphasize the car's sportier essence.
And the twisty toads on our route were so crowded with Saturday gawkers that it was difficult to exercise the car very much.
Not to mention the usual caveat that these were pre-production cars and therefore not 100 per cent representative of what the final product will be like.
Certainly, the LS 460 is decently fast, rides beautifully (if perhaps with a bit more road feel than before), and is still quiet.
The handling and braking are certainly more than adequate, too.
The 460 will undoubtedly be reliable, and dealer service will remain the gold standard.
My only question is, does the LS 460 have enough impact — visually, technologically and performance-wise — to vault it ahead of its competitors, all of which have responded to the challenge laid down by the Japanese juggernaut 17 years ago?
You'll get to cast your vote this October.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=233767
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Con...d=970599119419
Lexus takes on the world
But does LS 460 have the looks, feel and performance to match its competitors?
SALZBURG, AUSTRIA—What? The international press launch of a Japanese car, held in Europe?
Yup.
Lexus was initially a U.S. and Canada-only nameplate. But Toyota knew that if its upmarket division was to be considered a true player, it would have to become a global brand — it is now, or soon will be, available in most major markets.
Part of this strategy was to introduce its newest flagship — the LS 460 — in the backyard of its fiercest competitors.
There is a feeling shared certainly by most European consumers that North Americans just aren't very demanding of their cars.
We tend to drive long distances, but very slowly by international standards. And we can't drive very well, so brakes and handling really aren't major issues.
But to get on the same page as Mercedes, BMW, Audi and Jaguar, Lexus knew the LS 460 would have to go beyond any of its predecessors.
It starts, as it always does, with styling.
Lexus had two problems here. Previous LS sedans were shameless copies of Mercedes-Benz. Take the badges off and you'd be hard-pressed to tell the outgoing LS 430 from the previous-generation E Class.
And there was no consistency from one Lexus model to the next. The former GS sedan, for example, was actually done by an Italian design house as a possible concept for Jaguar.
Neither strategy is the way to establish a global face for your brand.
So a few years ago, Lexus launched a project to develop what has become known as the "L-finesse" design language, an attempt to make the L-mark as recognizable as the Benz three-pointed star, the BMW roundel, the Jaguar leaper, and the four rings of Audi.
The new compact IS, the new mid-size ES and GS, and, now, the new full-size LS do indeed share lots of design cues: swoopy curves and deeply drawn contoured fenders.
Does all this make them instantly recognizable as Lexus products? I'll let you draw your own conclusions, and maybe it is too soon to tell.
There is no doubt the new LS is a handsome car. And if Lexus has gone away from imitating Mercedes, you can't help but notice a strong similarity in the rear to the much-maligned BMW 7 Series.
For the first time, the LS comes in two lengths. The standard car is longer, lower, wider and roomier in most dimensions than before. The long-wheelbase version grafts in an additional 120 mm of wheelbase, to the benefit of rear-seat riders.
Lexus set the world of car interiors on fire with the first LS, primarily for the electro-luminescent gauges. Switch the ignition on, the needles would light up first, then the rest of the dials.
Today, everybody has this.
But I don't see the same degree of gob-smacking advancement in the new car as in the original. Unless you count power windows, which start slowly, speed up in mid-travel, then slow again for the last few centimetres, so as not to make an unseemly sound when they stop.
Top that, Mercedes.
While most critics bemoan the evolution of computer-mouse-style controllers for HVAC, stereo, air-con, SatNav and the like, the fact is, they carry a certain high-tech cachet.
Lexus has eschewed this trend, which may be correct from an ergonomic perspective but maybe not from a marketing/image/gee-whiz perspective.
Lexus makes much of its optional four-zone air conditioning system, which senses the temperature of the occupants and adjusts itself accordingly. But DaimlerChrysler introduced something that sounds very similar in its Grand Cherokee a year or so ago, so again, I don't know that this qualifies as all that new or remarkable.
One area where Lexus does re-establish itself in the forefront of interiors is the optional Mark Levinson sound system. This system, which pumps 450 watts of clean power through an amazing 19 speakers, really has to be heard to be believed. (Or felt: I watched a DVD of a submarine movie in the back seat. When those depth charges went off, the entire car shook.)
Very impressive.
Mechanically, Lexus also set new standards for silence and refinement with the original LS 400. But guess what, it discovered that Europeans like to have some mechanical association with their cars, which means hearing them work and feeling them work.
So Lexus has tried to dial up a bit more involvement in the LS 460.
The engine is the first all-new V8 since the launch of the original LS 400. As you can guess from the name, it displaces 4.6 litres, and Lexus claims it has the power of a 5.0 with the economy of a 3.5.
Chief among the new technologies is dual fuel injectors — one in the intake manifold, primarily for cold starting, idle quality and low emissions; a second directly into the cylinder for maximum power.
Usually, direct injection is noisy — that's a big reason why diesels rattle. Trust Lexus to find a way to shut this up.
It is mated to the industry's first eight-speed automatic. Satori Maruyamano, the ultra-cheerful chief engineer on the car, said they had the idea for an eight-speed before Mercedes announced its plans for a seven speed, but you know they're very happy to be one up.
An optional air suspension provides three levels of firmness: comfort, normal and sport.
Steering is assisted by an electric motor. When you check the air suspension box, you also get a variable ratio steering gear, designed for easy in-town work and more stable high-speed driving.
This also enables what I think is the first production version of a self-parking car. Drive slowly past a spot on the street, allowing the car to size it up. Push a button, and sit back while the car manoeuvres itself into the slot.
Talk about a party trick.
It's hard to say how good the new LS 460 drives, because all cars on the autobahn feel pretty much the same — it's fun, it's fast and it's loud. Although the 460's cabin is as silent as it gets, Lexus has tuned in a bit more exhaust note to emphasize the car's sportier essence.
And the twisty toads on our route were so crowded with Saturday gawkers that it was difficult to exercise the car very much.
Not to mention the usual caveat that these were pre-production cars and therefore not 100 per cent representative of what the final product will be like.
Certainly, the LS 460 is decently fast, rides beautifully (if perhaps with a bit more road feel than before), and is still quiet.
The handling and braking are certainly more than adequate, too.
The 460 will undoubtedly be reliable, and dealer service will remain the gold standard.
My only question is, does the LS 460 have enough impact — visually, technologically and performance-wise — to vault it ahead of its competitors, all of which have responded to the challenge laid down by the Japanese juggernaut 17 years ago?
You'll get to cast your vote this October.
08-23-06, 03:49 PM
#10
Speaks French in Russian
Thread Starter
Bangkokpost.net Review
Thanks to Faheta for the link.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=233513
http://bangkokpost.net/180806_Motori...6_motor002.php
It's serious this time
Lexus's latest flagship now has the proper performance and looks to topple its competition. It's still not a great drive, but who cares
RICHARD LEU
As many of us would already know, the Lexus LS flagship saloon is all about luxury, comfort and refinement. But there were two things absent in all three generations: proper looks and performance.
Lexus openly concedes to these two shortcomings and has vowed to fix them up in the fourth generation model driven here for the first time this week.
The design cues of the latest LS has been largely influenced by the L-Finesse concept first applied in the GS executive saloon and, just recently, into the IS junior executive car.
In fact, the LS has virtually escaped the surgeon's knife from the concept version first shown to the world at last year's Tokyo Motor Show before being officially launched in Detroit earlier this year.
It looks much better on the road than on stage. The most significant design element that makes the LS more modern and dynamic in appearance is the pronounced shoulder lines.
The best angle to view the LS is from the front and side. The headlamps and grille are much sleeker than before and the profile is accentuated with a BMW-aping C-pillar hallmark that can also be found in the smaller IS.
The rear end is just as distinctive with new tail lamps and garish exhaust pipes that are now embedded into the rear bumper.
But, with some debate, the rear end doesn't prove to be visually appealing as from other angles of the LS, judging from views given by journos at the car's presentation in Austria late last month.
Details that have earned praise are the chrome linings that can be found around the LS, especially those on the door sills. Like in the IS, the side-view mirrors are strangely big in size.
For the first time, the LS additionally come with a long wheelbase measuring just over three metres. This is crucial for Asian markets like Thailand where many potential customers like to sit in the back of the car.
In fact, the Mercedes-Benz S-class, BMW 7-series and Audi A8 sold in Thailand only come in stretched forms. However, Lexus sees it necessary to offer normal wheelbase due to the pricing - like Jaguar for its XJ model - which we will talk about later.
But with substantial increase in dimensions (15mm for length, 45mm for tracks and 45mm for wheelbase), the regular LS is already a spacious car to sit in. Six-footers will still find plenty of legroom in the rear.
LS has great mobile home theatre and sound system. Hop into the stretched version and the feeling is like sitting in a limo whose body has been elongated deliberately. Owners of the current S-class and 7-series will certainly not be groaning about this aspect.
What is even better are the rear seats in the LS. Since Lexus knows that this is the place most owners would be sitting, it hasn't missed out on virtually anything its rivals could possibly pick on.
The long wheelbase version, for instance, comes with two individual perches in the rear that can recline and slide. Moreover, there are adjustable leg rests like those offered in premium cabins of various airlines.
Not to be outdone by the S-class, the LS's seats have hot/cool air ventilation and massage function, all-round sun screens, plus remote controls for individual-zone air-con system and for the grand-sounding 11-speaker sound system from Mark Levinson that can best be described as a mobile home theatre.
The retractable monitor is located on the ceiling which severely restricts rear vision for the driver and is obviously not as functional as those fitted behind the front head restraints of some other luxury lifestyle models.
But the LS is arguably the best place to be in its class. It may sound a little too ambitious to liken the LS to the multi-million baht Maybach. But the truth is the LS seems to be the only model around that runs close to offering comfort levels of that Teutonic badge.
As for the front end of the LS's cabin, Lexus has preferred to refrain from going too hi-tech. The dashboard, for example, doesn't come with streamlined functions like BMW's i-Drive or Merc's Comand.
Instead, switches and various functions come in conventional forms and are relatively easy to use. It's still fussily scattered, though, while some functions don't stand out clearly in the driver's sight.
The only nice and practical feature that rival makers ought to look at is the touch-screen monitor in the middle of the dashboard. Panel dials are clearly legible, if a little too industrious.
The quality of the materials is impressive, although the build in some areas don't feel as bullet-proof as in a 7-series. Even so, the LS still offers a luxurious ambience inside, especially when sitting in the back.
Which brings us to the dynamic side of the LS. As mentioned earlier in the report, the other snag Lexus hopes to iron out is performance.
The new LS comes with a high-output 4.6-litre V8 to replace the 4.3 unit in the LS430 predecessor, explaining the latest badge LS460 (and LS460L for the long wheelbase version).
Push the starter button and you can now hear the engine at idle, particularly when standing outside the car. In the old LS, it was so quiet that you might have thought that the engine wasn't cranked yet.
The 380hp V8 of the LS460 is also more audible on the move. In fact, it's nice to hear some bit of that V8, particularly when you drag the rev counter near the redline. To some extent, it sounds classically sporty like in BMW's V8.
Is that to say that refinement has been lost? No, the engine sounds solid at every engine speed. Has the quietness disappeared? Yes, and we don't mind that at all and, more importantly, it never sounds disturbing but purposeful for driving spirit.
You don't need to ask about the LS460's performance: there's plenty of punch even at less than half-throttle. I slammed the gas after crossing the border from Austria to Germany, and noted how aggressively power was amassed all the way up to its 250kph limit top end.
The LS460 is a fine-performer, particularly when you consider that it needs high-displacement motors of the Merc S500 and Bee-em 750i to match the LS460's performance credentials on paper.
As you can see on the dynamic highlights diagram, new technologies have enabled the LS460 to lay such claims.
And with a new eight-speed automatic transmission replacing the old six-speed, fuel economy proved to be quite okay. The readout on the panel read an average of 9kpl while driving within the 130kph limit on Austrian highways, as well as a mix of country roads with light traffic.
The LS460 has eight forward ratios alright, but that doesn't mean that mid-range performance is superbly responsive. Things, however, get much better when switching the gear mode into sport.
The driving characteristics in the LS remain basically the same in concept as before: safe, comfortable, but uninspiring drive.
The steering now has variable ratio to enhance on directness and ease at low speeds and works effectively well on the move. The rack continues to be precise at higher speeds and in corners, but filters out every bit of information of the road to the driver.
You don't feel a part of the car like in a Jag XJ, for instance, and the LS simply refuses to reward the driver in more demanding conditions. As ever, the LS isn't great to drive. But who cares, when such saloons are not meant to be pure driving machines.
But as a cruiser or high-speed express, the LS nearly matches the prowess of the S-class. The LS is almost as peerlessly quiet as its German opposition and delivers a higher level of grip and poise than in the old model.
The driver can choose from three different settings for the suspension. With this, there are no qualms about the ride quality of the LS.
Other gizmos on the dynamic side are those relating to stability control that now integrates the steering into the picture, accident-avoidance assistance and parking assist in which all the driver has to do is just control vehicle speed.
The quest to offer as much new technologies in the LS is Lexus's attempt to give the car an edge in terms of value over its rivals. And this is important in Thailand because Lexus needs to import the LS in fully built-up form to match the Thai-built Germans.
The Thai Lexus unit will be offering both the normal and long wheelbase bodies when the LS goes on sale this October.
Since there is no plan by Lexus to equip a six-cylinder engine for the LS, the regular wheelbase will be targeted against the S300L and 730Li both coming with special engines for Thailand to be priced under B8m.
The LS460 could be priced higher than that - at some B9m, but will come with highlighted specification and, crucially, V8 performance that would require the B15m S500L or 750Li to be the real match.
That said, the LS460 appears to be good value. The same goes for the LS460L which would cost at least B10m.
But if price isn't an issue for you, then you are bound to end up in one of the finest saloons in the luxury car market, not to drive, but to sit in. And this clearly means the LS in long wheelbase form.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=233513
http://bangkokpost.net/180806_Motori...6_motor002.php
It's serious this time
Lexus's latest flagship now has the proper performance and looks to topple its competition. It's still not a great drive, but who cares
RICHARD LEU
As many of us would already know, the Lexus LS flagship saloon is all about luxury, comfort and refinement. But there were two things absent in all three generations: proper looks and performance.
Lexus openly concedes to these two shortcomings and has vowed to fix them up in the fourth generation model driven here for the first time this week.
The design cues of the latest LS has been largely influenced by the L-Finesse concept first applied in the GS executive saloon and, just recently, into the IS junior executive car.
In fact, the LS has virtually escaped the surgeon's knife from the concept version first shown to the world at last year's Tokyo Motor Show before being officially launched in Detroit earlier this year.
It looks much better on the road than on stage. The most significant design element that makes the LS more modern and dynamic in appearance is the pronounced shoulder lines.
The best angle to view the LS is from the front and side. The headlamps and grille are much sleeker than before and the profile is accentuated with a BMW-aping C-pillar hallmark that can also be found in the smaller IS.
The rear end is just as distinctive with new tail lamps and garish exhaust pipes that are now embedded into the rear bumper.
But, with some debate, the rear end doesn't prove to be visually appealing as from other angles of the LS, judging from views given by journos at the car's presentation in Austria late last month.
Details that have earned praise are the chrome linings that can be found around the LS, especially those on the door sills. Like in the IS, the side-view mirrors are strangely big in size.
For the first time, the LS additionally come with a long wheelbase measuring just over three metres. This is crucial for Asian markets like Thailand where many potential customers like to sit in the back of the car.
In fact, the Mercedes-Benz S-class, BMW 7-series and Audi A8 sold in Thailand only come in stretched forms. However, Lexus sees it necessary to offer normal wheelbase due to the pricing - like Jaguar for its XJ model - which we will talk about later.
But with substantial increase in dimensions (15mm for length, 45mm for tracks and 45mm for wheelbase), the regular LS is already a spacious car to sit in. Six-footers will still find plenty of legroom in the rear.
LS has great mobile home theatre and sound system. Hop into the stretched version and the feeling is like sitting in a limo whose body has been elongated deliberately. Owners of the current S-class and 7-series will certainly not be groaning about this aspect.
What is even better are the rear seats in the LS. Since Lexus knows that this is the place most owners would be sitting, it hasn't missed out on virtually anything its rivals could possibly pick on.
The long wheelbase version, for instance, comes with two individual perches in the rear that can recline and slide. Moreover, there are adjustable leg rests like those offered in premium cabins of various airlines.
Not to be outdone by the S-class, the LS's seats have hot/cool air ventilation and massage function, all-round sun screens, plus remote controls for individual-zone air-con system and for the grand-sounding 11-speaker sound system from Mark Levinson that can best be described as a mobile home theatre.
The retractable monitor is located on the ceiling which severely restricts rear vision for the driver and is obviously not as functional as those fitted behind the front head restraints of some other luxury lifestyle models.
But the LS is arguably the best place to be in its class. It may sound a little too ambitious to liken the LS to the multi-million baht Maybach. But the truth is the LS seems to be the only model around that runs close to offering comfort levels of that Teutonic badge.
As for the front end of the LS's cabin, Lexus has preferred to refrain from going too hi-tech. The dashboard, for example, doesn't come with streamlined functions like BMW's i-Drive or Merc's Comand.
Instead, switches and various functions come in conventional forms and are relatively easy to use. It's still fussily scattered, though, while some functions don't stand out clearly in the driver's sight.
The only nice and practical feature that rival makers ought to look at is the touch-screen monitor in the middle of the dashboard. Panel dials are clearly legible, if a little too industrious.
The quality of the materials is impressive, although the build in some areas don't feel as bullet-proof as in a 7-series. Even so, the LS still offers a luxurious ambience inside, especially when sitting in the back.
Which brings us to the dynamic side of the LS. As mentioned earlier in the report, the other snag Lexus hopes to iron out is performance.
The new LS comes with a high-output 4.6-litre V8 to replace the 4.3 unit in the LS430 predecessor, explaining the latest badge LS460 (and LS460L for the long wheelbase version).
Push the starter button and you can now hear the engine at idle, particularly when standing outside the car. In the old LS, it was so quiet that you might have thought that the engine wasn't cranked yet.
The 380hp V8 of the LS460 is also more audible on the move. In fact, it's nice to hear some bit of that V8, particularly when you drag the rev counter near the redline. To some extent, it sounds classically sporty like in BMW's V8.
Is that to say that refinement has been lost? No, the engine sounds solid at every engine speed. Has the quietness disappeared? Yes, and we don't mind that at all and, more importantly, it never sounds disturbing but purposeful for driving spirit.
You don't need to ask about the LS460's performance: there's plenty of punch even at less than half-throttle. I slammed the gas after crossing the border from Austria to Germany, and noted how aggressively power was amassed all the way up to its 250kph limit top end.
The LS460 is a fine-performer, particularly when you consider that it needs high-displacement motors of the Merc S500 and Bee-em 750i to match the LS460's performance credentials on paper.
As you can see on the dynamic highlights diagram, new technologies have enabled the LS460 to lay such claims.
And with a new eight-speed automatic transmission replacing the old six-speed, fuel economy proved to be quite okay. The readout on the panel read an average of 9kpl while driving within the 130kph limit on Austrian highways, as well as a mix of country roads with light traffic.
The LS460 has eight forward ratios alright, but that doesn't mean that mid-range performance is superbly responsive. Things, however, get much better when switching the gear mode into sport.
The driving characteristics in the LS remain basically the same in concept as before: safe, comfortable, but uninspiring drive.
The steering now has variable ratio to enhance on directness and ease at low speeds and works effectively well on the move. The rack continues to be precise at higher speeds and in corners, but filters out every bit of information of the road to the driver.
You don't feel a part of the car like in a Jag XJ, for instance, and the LS simply refuses to reward the driver in more demanding conditions. As ever, the LS isn't great to drive. But who cares, when such saloons are not meant to be pure driving machines.
But as a cruiser or high-speed express, the LS nearly matches the prowess of the S-class. The LS is almost as peerlessly quiet as its German opposition and delivers a higher level of grip and poise than in the old model.
The driver can choose from three different settings for the suspension. With this, there are no qualms about the ride quality of the LS.
Other gizmos on the dynamic side are those relating to stability control that now integrates the steering into the picture, accident-avoidance assistance and parking assist in which all the driver has to do is just control vehicle speed.
The quest to offer as much new technologies in the LS is Lexus's attempt to give the car an edge in terms of value over its rivals. And this is important in Thailand because Lexus needs to import the LS in fully built-up form to match the Thai-built Germans.
The Thai Lexus unit will be offering both the normal and long wheelbase bodies when the LS goes on sale this October.
Since there is no plan by Lexus to equip a six-cylinder engine for the LS, the regular wheelbase will be targeted against the S300L and 730Li both coming with special engines for Thailand to be priced under B8m.
The LS460 could be priced higher than that - at some B9m, but will come with highlighted specification and, crucially, V8 performance that would require the B15m S500L or 750Li to be the real match.
That said, the LS460 appears to be good value. The same goes for the LS460L which would cost at least B10m.
But if price isn't an issue for you, then you are bound to end up in one of the finest saloons in the luxury car market, not to drive, but to sit in. And this clearly means the LS in long wheelbase form.
08-23-06, 05:03 PM
#11
Speaks French in Russian
Thread Starter
The New Car Test Drive.com Reviews LS460
Thanks Car Nut for the review.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=234239
Overview
Lexus is about 100 years younger than Mercedes-Benz, but, after 20 years of hard work, it has already surpassed M-B and all the other luxury brands in terms of quality, durability, reliability, and desirability among American buyers, an astounding performance. The flagship sedan that started out as the LS 400 and then grew up as the LS 430 has been morphed into a completely new car, the LS 460, that challenges all comers as the best luxury sedan in the world. It competes with the Mercedes-Benz E- and S-Class, and BMW 5 Series and 7 Series.
In addition to the new LS 460, there will be a long-wheelbase version called the LS 460L with a limousine-like rear seat and a hybrid version called the LS 600h, which combines a 5.0-liter version of the V8 engine with a new version of the Lexus hybrid drive system.
The all-new 2007 Lexus LS models are bristling with technology. The LS 460 is the first car in the world with a computer-controlled eight-speed automatic transmission. An optional parking guidance system uses onboard cameras to help the driver parallel-park or park between cars, a system offered by no other manufacturer. The 460L offers reclining heated bucket seats, a cool box, dual-zone rear HVAC controls, a folding table, an ottoman, a shiatsu massager, and, of course, DVD with wireless headphones.
On the road, we found the LS 460 extremely quiet and extraordinarily smooth. Its 4.6-liter V8 can propel it from 0 to 60 mph in a mere 5.4 seconds, according to Lexus, yet it gets an EPA-rated 27 mpg Highway. The eight-speed automatic is super smooth and plays a big role in the fuel-economy story. The electrically powered steering system and adjusts according to speed. The ride quality and handling are exemplary, and an optional Touring package brings a new level of sportiness to the LS 460. The brakes have been improved, and now they are fully electronically controlled, working with all of the other computers on the car to determine how much brake force to put at each individual wheel, rain, snow or sunshine.
Model Lineup
The 2007 Lexus LS lineup will ultimately include three models: LS 460, LS 460L, and LS 600h.
Options include satellite navigation with Bluetooth, XM satellite radio with real-time traffic display, Mark Levinson 19-speaker, 450-watt sound system and 30-gigabyte hard drive, a pre-collision system, dynamic radar cruise control, advanced parking guidance system, Lexus Link, power trunk opener/closer, a Comfort Package, and a Comfort Plus Package. Four different rear-seat packages are available for the 460L.
Safety is a primary consideration for luxury car buyers, and the LS 460 fairly drips with safety equipment, from eight standard air bags to ABS (anti-lock brakes), electronic brake assist, ESP (electronic stability program), adaptive front lighting that turns corners, and tire pressure monitoring. With the optional two-seat rear compartment, there is an additional air bag in the mix, and there are more safety options, including a pre-collision system that moves seats to a neutral position, closes the windows and sunroof, and tightens belts when the computers detect an impending collision.
Walkaround
Lexus designers have given their latest three models a new look. The Lexus IS 250, IS 350, and GS 450 feature a look designers refer to as L-finesse, with much more attention paid to aerodynamic considerations that ultimately lead to improved high-speed stability, quieter operation, and better highway fuel mileage.
As the flagship, the new, 2007 Lexus LS 460 gets the most finesse of any of the L-finesse designs thus far. Its lines flow smoothly from its amazingly complex, crystal-like headlamp units, under the car, up over the roof and around the mirrors, with a short trip over the tiny rear deck to the integrated rear spoiler. After all that detail work on the exterior, they gave the car a drag coefficient of 0.26, tied with the best in the industry for a four-door sedan.
Interior Features
To climb into the left front seat of the 2007 Lexus LS 460 is to climb into the future of luxury cars. The seats are gloriously comfortable, and they are 16-way adjustable for travel and rake and tilt (12-way on the passenger side), with a three-way memory system for each front seat. All models come with perforated leather seats, with the option of semi-aniline leather with the Luxury Package option. The seat bolsters are just wide enough to retain your torso without trapping your torso or intruding on comfort. The front seats are climate-controlled on the standard car, with heated rear seats added to the L version.
Optitron is the name used by Lexus to describe its electroluminescent gauges and displays, and they are lit by bright white LEDs for excellent readability, day or night. Almost all of the needles illuminate, dominated by the large tachometer and speedometer needles. Every single switch on the car is lighted for ultimate convenience. A new thin-film-transistor (TFT) multi-information color display delivers as many as 13 information and setting displays during driving.
New four-spoke tilt-and-telescope leather-and-wood steering wheels (heated on the uplevel versions) feature redundant controls for audio, information, cruise control, radar cruise control option, telephone, and a new brake-hold feature. To use the brake-hold feature, just come to a stop, push down the brake pedal, touch the button on the steering wheel, and the brakes stay on regardless of vehicle attitude until you touch the gas pedal.
The center stack of controls is beautifully integrated, as is every single piece of interior trim, and though there are lots of buttons, they are clearly marked in large type and lighted, so there will be little confusion after a couple of drives. The navigation display is large and bright, and the graphics are crisp and sharp. An auxiliary input is provided for MP3 players, such as the Apple iPod. The standard sound system is a 276-watt, 10-speaker system that sounds wonderful until you try the optional Mark Levinson system, which we think is the single best automotive sound system on the market.
The new Lexus LS is a big, roomy and comfortable luxury sedan, with generous interior dimension and 18 cubic feet of trunk space, enough for four sets of golf clubs.
The 460L version offers more room of course, and the option of a luxurious rear-seat setup with two reclining heated bucket seats, a cool box, sunshades, additional climate ducting, and dual-zone rear HVAC control. Yet another configuration, the executive class seating package, adds a folding table and a right rear seat with a built-in ottoman section, shiatsu massager, an extra air bag, and a rear roof-mounted 9-inch DVD screen and two sets of wireless headphones. No car manufacturer this side of a $350,000 Maybach offers this kind of rear-seat setup.
Driving Impressions
The 2007 Lexus LS 460 is fast, smooth, quiet and efficent. It weighs 4245 pounds and its engine is substantially smaller than those used by its German competition. Yet it can get from rest to 60 mph in a mere 5.4 seconds, and it's good for 27 mpg highway. But acceleration is only a tiny part of the story here, and the engine is only a part of that.
This is the first car in the world with a computer-controlled eight-speed automatic transmission, a transmission that offers great acceleration with nearly imperceptible upshifts and downshifts, manual or automatic shift control, and that great highway mileage in eighth gear overdrive.
Moving off from rest with authority and acceleration seems like child's play for the LS 460. The engineers tell us that almost every part of the car, especially the engine, transmission and driveline, have been designed and then checked again and again for quietness, smoothness and balance. We found the LS 460 very, very quiet and nearly vibration-free. It seems much quieter than the competition, whether at 30 mph or 130 mph, its regulated top speed.
The electrically powered steering system is transparent. It doesn't feel any different than hydraulically powered steering, and it has progressive assist that decreases with speed. If you order the optional air suspension or the entire Touring package of suspension, tires, wheels, brakes and brake pads, you get variable gear-ratio power steering instead, giving the system the latitude between 2.5 and 3.6 rotations of the steering wheel. Without the Touring package, the ride and handling are exemplary, but with it, there is a whole new level of sportiness about the LS 460, so we recommend it highly.
Like everything else on, in or under the LS 460, the brakes have been improved, and now they are fully electronically controlled, working with all of the other computers on the car to determine speed, steering angle, throttle angle, yaw angle and all the other inputs to determine how much brake force to put at each individual wheel, rain, snow or sunshine. They, too, feel perfectly normal and extremely powerful. The Touring package will get you a set of spiral-fin ventilated discs on the long-wheelbase version.
Summary
Completely redesigned, the all-new 2007 Lexus LS 460 is surely the quietest, most serene luxury-class sedan that's been built so far. It offers an excellent combination of comfort, space, silence, and features. It's also the most electronics-intensive luxury car we've ever experienced, and if it weren't a Lexus, that would give us pause. But it is Lexus, and it promises to be as bulletproof and trouble-free as all of its predecessors. If you like silent, obedient transportation with lots of room, and you can afford the price, it's the one to have.
NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent Jim McCraw drove the LS 460 in Austria.
Overview
Lexus is about 100 years younger than Mercedes-Benz, but, after 20 years of hard work, it has already surpassed M-B and all the other luxury brands in terms of quality, durability, reliability, and desirability among American buyers, an astounding performance. The flagship sedan that started out as the LS 400 and then grew up as the LS 430 has been morphed into a completely new car, the LS 460, that challenges all comers as the best luxury sedan in the world. It competes with the Mercedes-Benz E- and S-Class, and BMW 5 Series and 7 Series.
In addition to the new LS 460, there will be a long-wheelbase version called the LS 460L with a limousine-like rear seat and a hybrid version called the LS 600h, which combines a 5.0-liter version of the V8 engine with a new version of the Lexus hybrid drive system.
The all-new 2007 Lexus LS models are bristling with technology. The LS 460 is the first car in the world with a computer-controlled eight-speed automatic transmission. An optional parking guidance system uses onboard cameras to help the driver parallel-park or park between cars, a system offered by no other manufacturer. The 460L offers reclining heated bucket seats, a cool box, dual-zone rear HVAC controls, a folding table, an ottoman, a shiatsu massager, and, of course, DVD with wireless headphones.
On the road, we found the LS 460 extremely quiet and extraordinarily smooth. Its 4.6-liter V8 can propel it from 0 to 60 mph in a mere 5.4 seconds, according to Lexus, yet it gets an EPA-rated 27 mpg Highway. The eight-speed automatic is super smooth and plays a big role in the fuel-economy story. The electrically powered steering system and adjusts according to speed. The ride quality and handling are exemplary, and an optional Touring package brings a new level of sportiness to the LS 460. The brakes have been improved, and now they are fully electronically controlled, working with all of the other computers on the car to determine how much brake force to put at each individual wheel, rain, snow or sunshine.
Model Lineup
The 2007 Lexus LS lineup will ultimately include three models: LS 460, LS 460L, and LS 600h.
Options include satellite navigation with Bluetooth, XM satellite radio with real-time traffic display, Mark Levinson 19-speaker, 450-watt sound system and 30-gigabyte hard drive, a pre-collision system, dynamic radar cruise control, advanced parking guidance system, Lexus Link, power trunk opener/closer, a Comfort Package, and a Comfort Plus Package. Four different rear-seat packages are available for the 460L.
Safety is a primary consideration for luxury car buyers, and the LS 460 fairly drips with safety equipment, from eight standard air bags to ABS (anti-lock brakes), electronic brake assist, ESP (electronic stability program), adaptive front lighting that turns corners, and tire pressure monitoring. With the optional two-seat rear compartment, there is an additional air bag in the mix, and there are more safety options, including a pre-collision system that moves seats to a neutral position, closes the windows and sunroof, and tightens belts when the computers detect an impending collision.
Walkaround
Lexus designers have given their latest three models a new look. The Lexus IS 250, IS 350, and GS 450 feature a look designers refer to as L-finesse, with much more attention paid to aerodynamic considerations that ultimately lead to improved high-speed stability, quieter operation, and better highway fuel mileage.
As the flagship, the new, 2007 Lexus LS 460 gets the most finesse of any of the L-finesse designs thus far. Its lines flow smoothly from its amazingly complex, crystal-like headlamp units, under the car, up over the roof and around the mirrors, with a short trip over the tiny rear deck to the integrated rear spoiler. After all that detail work on the exterior, they gave the car a drag coefficient of 0.26, tied with the best in the industry for a four-door sedan.
Interior Features
To climb into the left front seat of the 2007 Lexus LS 460 is to climb into the future of luxury cars. The seats are gloriously comfortable, and they are 16-way adjustable for travel and rake and tilt (12-way on the passenger side), with a three-way memory system for each front seat. All models come with perforated leather seats, with the option of semi-aniline leather with the Luxury Package option. The seat bolsters are just wide enough to retain your torso without trapping your torso or intruding on comfort. The front seats are climate-controlled on the standard car, with heated rear seats added to the L version.
Optitron is the name used by Lexus to describe its electroluminescent gauges and displays, and they are lit by bright white LEDs for excellent readability, day or night. Almost all of the needles illuminate, dominated by the large tachometer and speedometer needles. Every single switch on the car is lighted for ultimate convenience. A new thin-film-transistor (TFT) multi-information color display delivers as many as 13 information and setting displays during driving.
New four-spoke tilt-and-telescope leather-and-wood steering wheels (heated on the uplevel versions) feature redundant controls for audio, information, cruise control, radar cruise control option, telephone, and a new brake-hold feature. To use the brake-hold feature, just come to a stop, push down the brake pedal, touch the button on the steering wheel, and the brakes stay on regardless of vehicle attitude until you touch the gas pedal.
The center stack of controls is beautifully integrated, as is every single piece of interior trim, and though there are lots of buttons, they are clearly marked in large type and lighted, so there will be little confusion after a couple of drives. The navigation display is large and bright, and the graphics are crisp and sharp. An auxiliary input is provided for MP3 players, such as the Apple iPod. The standard sound system is a 276-watt, 10-speaker system that sounds wonderful until you try the optional Mark Levinson system, which we think is the single best automotive sound system on the market.
The new Lexus LS is a big, roomy and comfortable luxury sedan, with generous interior dimension and 18 cubic feet of trunk space, enough for four sets of golf clubs.
The 460L version offers more room of course, and the option of a luxurious rear-seat setup with two reclining heated bucket seats, a cool box, sunshades, additional climate ducting, and dual-zone rear HVAC control. Yet another configuration, the executive class seating package, adds a folding table and a right rear seat with a built-in ottoman section, shiatsu massager, an extra air bag, and a rear roof-mounted 9-inch DVD screen and two sets of wireless headphones. No car manufacturer this side of a $350,000 Maybach offers this kind of rear-seat setup.
Driving Impressions
The 2007 Lexus LS 460 is fast, smooth, quiet and efficent. It weighs 4245 pounds and its engine is substantially smaller than those used by its German competition. Yet it can get from rest to 60 mph in a mere 5.4 seconds, and it's good for 27 mpg highway. But acceleration is only a tiny part of the story here, and the engine is only a part of that.
This is the first car in the world with a computer-controlled eight-speed automatic transmission, a transmission that offers great acceleration with nearly imperceptible upshifts and downshifts, manual or automatic shift control, and that great highway mileage in eighth gear overdrive.
Moving off from rest with authority and acceleration seems like child's play for the LS 460. The engineers tell us that almost every part of the car, especially the engine, transmission and driveline, have been designed and then checked again and again for quietness, smoothness and balance. We found the LS 460 very, very quiet and nearly vibration-free. It seems much quieter than the competition, whether at 30 mph or 130 mph, its regulated top speed.
The electrically powered steering system is transparent. It doesn't feel any different than hydraulically powered steering, and it has progressive assist that decreases with speed. If you order the optional air suspension or the entire Touring package of suspension, tires, wheels, brakes and brake pads, you get variable gear-ratio power steering instead, giving the system the latitude between 2.5 and 3.6 rotations of the steering wheel. Without the Touring package, the ride and handling are exemplary, but with it, there is a whole new level of sportiness about the LS 460, so we recommend it highly.
Like everything else on, in or under the LS 460, the brakes have been improved, and now they are fully electronically controlled, working with all of the other computers on the car to determine speed, steering angle, throttle angle, yaw angle and all the other inputs to determine how much brake force to put at each individual wheel, rain, snow or sunshine. They, too, feel perfectly normal and extremely powerful. The Touring package will get you a set of spiral-fin ventilated discs on the long-wheelbase version.
Summary
Completely redesigned, the all-new 2007 Lexus LS 460 is surely the quietest, most serene luxury-class sedan that's been built so far. It offers an excellent combination of comfort, space, silence, and features. It's also the most electronics-intensive luxury car we've ever experienced, and if it weren't a Lexus, that would give us pause. But it is Lexus, and it promises to be as bulletproof and trouble-free as all of its predecessors. If you like silent, obedient transportation with lots of room, and you can afford the price, it's the one to have.
NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent Jim McCraw drove the LS 460 in Austria.
08-23-06, 06:39 PM
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Car and Driver Review
We will be reading the printed version in the next few days. It is more a desciption of the car than a true review. Anyway, here is the link:
http://www.caranddriver.com/previews...nd-ls460l.html
http://www.caranddriver.com/previews...nd-ls460l.html
08-24-06, 07:50 AM
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Auto Express Review
The review is good, the video is great
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/autoexp...xus_ls460.html
Lexus LS460
Rating: *****
There’s no stopping Lexus! The Japanese brand that once copied its German rivals is heading out on its own.
Text: Sam Hardy / Photos: Mike Bailie 16th August 2006
Air-suspension gives great refinement, but body roll is a problem in bends
There’s no stopping Lexus! The Japanese brand that once copied its German rivals is heading out on its own. Dis*tinctive design and innovative technology are standard across the range, from the sharp-suited IS to the GS and RX performance hybrids.
Although the LS is sleeker than before, it still lacks visual drama.
But what about the new LS luxury saloon? On sale in January, it’s totally fresh from the ground up and has the world’s first eight-speed gearbox, plus the ability to park itself. Are we looking at the new class leader? Auto Express took an early test drive to find out.
One thing’s for sure, when it comes to flagships they have to look the part. And whether you’re a fan or not, you can’t deny that Mercedes’ S-Class and the Audi A8 are both distinctive cars. Although the LS is sleeker than before, it still lacks visual drama.
And it’s the same story inside. Build quality is excellent and a 45mm longer wheelbase means vast rear legroom, but the cabin’s design is little changed over the last model. There are still too many buttons – which look as if they are lifted from Toyota’s Avensis – and grey plastics. What makes the LS460 stand out is the technology you can’t see.
Not only is there a lane departure warning system but, should the driver fail to anticipate an impending collision, it also brakes the car automatically up to 0.7g. And thanks to a camera on the steering column – monitoring the driver’s eyes – this even takes place if he or she isn’t looking at the road. What’s more, the LS senses rear impacts, pre-tensioning the seatbelts and headrests milliseconds before a crash to minimise whiplash.
Parallel parking is under computer control, too. Pull up to a space, select reverse and the car steers automatically into the gap, using a rear view camera. All the driver needs to do is brake or accelerate! On the move, the car is still no sporting saloon – due to numb steer-ing and body roll – but it’s very good at cocooning its occupants from the outside world. The new 380bhp 4.6-litre V8 provides huge acceleration, yet barely makes a sound, and the eight-speed box shifts almost imperceptibly (although it’s a little reluctant to kick down).
Factor in air-suspension that floats the car over bumps and minimal road noise, and few saloons cover vast distances with such ease. So is the LS460 the best luxury car in the world? Well, it’s probably the safest, the cleverest and the best value for money – but as with its predecessor, this Lexus lacks a sense of occasion next to its rivals. It’s a model many potential customers will respect, rather than desire.
More LEXUS LS460:
Auto Express TV, Video Features: Lexus LS460
FIRST OPINION
The LS460 is a big leap over its predecessor. An incredible array of safety technology makes it one of the most advanced cars in the world, and it’s still incredibly relaxing to drive, too. But we think the styling inside and out is a missed opportunity, which won’t attract new buyers. Still, this will be irrelevant to Lexus fans – for whom the legendary customer service is a prime reason for buying.
AT A GLANCE
Attention to detail on the LS is staggering. An acoustic engineer equipped with a stethoscope checks every new engine meets Lexus’s standards for aural quality.
Engine: 4.6 V8, 380bhp
0-62/top spd: 5.7secs/155mph
Price: £60,000 (est)
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/autoexp...xus_ls460.html
Lexus LS460
Rating: *****
There’s no stopping Lexus! The Japanese brand that once copied its German rivals is heading out on its own.
Text: Sam Hardy / Photos: Mike Bailie 16th August 2006
Air-suspension gives great refinement, but body roll is a problem in bends
There’s no stopping Lexus! The Japanese brand that once copied its German rivals is heading out on its own. Dis*tinctive design and innovative technology are standard across the range, from the sharp-suited IS to the GS and RX performance hybrids.
Although the LS is sleeker than before, it still lacks visual drama.
But what about the new LS luxury saloon? On sale in January, it’s totally fresh from the ground up and has the world’s first eight-speed gearbox, plus the ability to park itself. Are we looking at the new class leader? Auto Express took an early test drive to find out.
One thing’s for sure, when it comes to flagships they have to look the part. And whether you’re a fan or not, you can’t deny that Mercedes’ S-Class and the Audi A8 are both distinctive cars. Although the LS is sleeker than before, it still lacks visual drama.
And it’s the same story inside. Build quality is excellent and a 45mm longer wheelbase means vast rear legroom, but the cabin’s design is little changed over the last model. There are still too many buttons – which look as if they are lifted from Toyota’s Avensis – and grey plastics. What makes the LS460 stand out is the technology you can’t see.
Not only is there a lane departure warning system but, should the driver fail to anticipate an impending collision, it also brakes the car automatically up to 0.7g. And thanks to a camera on the steering column – monitoring the driver’s eyes – this even takes place if he or she isn’t looking at the road. What’s more, the LS senses rear impacts, pre-tensioning the seatbelts and headrests milliseconds before a crash to minimise whiplash.
Parallel parking is under computer control, too. Pull up to a space, select reverse and the car steers automatically into the gap, using a rear view camera. All the driver needs to do is brake or accelerate! On the move, the car is still no sporting saloon – due to numb steer-ing and body roll – but it’s very good at cocooning its occupants from the outside world. The new 380bhp 4.6-litre V8 provides huge acceleration, yet barely makes a sound, and the eight-speed box shifts almost imperceptibly (although it’s a little reluctant to kick down).
Factor in air-suspension that floats the car over bumps and minimal road noise, and few saloons cover vast distances with such ease. So is the LS460 the best luxury car in the world? Well, it’s probably the safest, the cleverest and the best value for money – but as with its predecessor, this Lexus lacks a sense of occasion next to its rivals. It’s a model many potential customers will respect, rather than desire.
More LEXUS LS460:
Auto Express TV, Video Features: Lexus LS460
FIRST OPINION
The LS460 is a big leap over its predecessor. An incredible array of safety technology makes it one of the most advanced cars in the world, and it’s still incredibly relaxing to drive, too. But we think the styling inside and out is a missed opportunity, which won’t attract new buyers. Still, this will be irrelevant to Lexus fans – for whom the legendary customer service is a prime reason for buying.
AT A GLANCE
Attention to detail on the LS is staggering. An acoustic engineer equipped with a stethoscope checks every new engine meets Lexus’s standards for aural quality.
Engine: 4.6 V8, 380bhp
0-62/top spd: 5.7secs/155mph
Price: £60,000 (est)
08-24-06, 12:28 PM
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Another Review - No Praise Here
Found this on-line - Actually 2 Reviews in 1
The Independent - UK
Road Test: Lexus LS460
Driving. You know - throttle, steering, braking, parking and so on. Well, that's over now; the new Lexus LS does it all for you. John Simister feels a bit redundant, if supremely comfortable
Published: 22 August 2006
A techno marvel without a soul Specifications
Model: Lexus LS460
Price: from £60,000 approx (on sale January)
Engine: 4,608cc, V8 cylinders, 32 valves, 380bhp at 6,400rpm, 364lb ft at 4,100rpm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic gearbox, rear-wheel drive
Performance: 155mph, 0-62mph in 5.7sec, 25.5mpg official average
CO2: 261g/km
I could tell you about how the new Lexus LS460 is one of the most technologically-dense cars you can buy. How it has a spy in the cab to make sure you're looking where you're going; how it puts the brakes and stability systems on alert if you're not paying attention; how it detects obstacles.
Then there's the eight-speed gearbox. Eight speeds? This smacks of overkill. In some markets, there's a long-wheelbase version that even measures occupants' body heat with infra-red sensors to adjust the cabin temperature.
But I'm not sure you want to know all this straight off. You'll be more intrigued by this killer fact: the amply-sized LS460 is the car - provided it has the right options - that parks itself.
This is what you do. Drive past a likely-looking space - either side - then select reverse. The rear-view camera sends a colour image to the dashboard screen, in which feasible parking spaces are outlined in green. Touch the desired space with a finger, apply light pressure to the accelerator and the Lexus steers itself into the slot. It really does. You have to be ready with the brake, but there are plenty of beeps to warn of imminent contact.
OK, it's not perfect. When I tried it, the Lexus wasn't quite parallel to the kerb. And it can't shuffle back and forth; the space must be big enough for a single-move entry. But it's impressive.
So, too, are other aspects. The paint is wet-flatted between coats for a perfect finish. The engine crankshaft is polished, and the completed engine undergoes a vibration check and is listened to all over with a stethoscope.
But then, a Lexus LS was ever thus. It had to be, for this premium-brand-from-nowhere to make its mark back in 1989. I balanced a 50p piece on its edge atop an idling LS V8 back then, and it didn't even move. There was a depth of quality and restrained precision in that car that made even a Mercedes seem a bit cheap. The Lexus sent a shock wave through the industry, and its market success was tempered only by its lumpen looks.
Each successive LS has been less remarkable, partly because the opposition has caught up in quality and precision, partly because the cars never broke free of that visual blandness and timidity. But Lexus decided on a new design language a couple of years ago, seen so far in the GS and IS cars and dubbed L-finesse. You can chuckle at this, and chuckle some more at how it evokes - I quote - incisive simplicity, intriguing elegance and seamless anticipation. In fact, the visual contrast between the first two of these is the essence of L-finesse. Of course it is. But it's a good-looking car with its fastback tail (rather more so than the Mercedes S-class, another hugely techno-dense car), and it's the first LS to have a brand-distinctive identity. The technology is designed to set it apart, beginning with the engine and gearbox. At 4.6 litres the engine, though hefty, is smaller and hence lighter than those of top-end BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes. So to produce the required pace it has to spin more quickly, and this calls for that remarkable eight-speed automatic transmission. Fortunately, it can miss out gears when changing up or down as required, so you're not aware of constant and irritating gearshifts.
All this makes for a very fuel-efficient engine, in big-car terms. Electrically controlled variable-valve timing, able to alter itself even at idle and tune the engine optimally for a cold start, helps here, as do two fuel injectors per cylinder - one a normal indirect one, the other used for direct injection into the cylinder. This 380bhp V8 emits little more than half the CO2 exhausted by a 400bhp Maserati Quattroporte's V8. That's very impressive, especially as the LS surges to 60mph in 5.5 seconds. (There's a hybrid on the way, too.)
Fine. And it can prime the "active" headrests if cameras detect a looming rear-end impact, it can help you stay in lane by applying steering movements (like the Honda system, but jerkier), and it can apply brakes for a deceleration of up to 0.7G if it detects an obstacle - not just a metal one - that you haven't, even after hints such as beeps and a "brake" indicator.
But is there a soul in the machine? Hard to say. The LS460 does its best to ensure that every interface between you and the world, apart from peering through glass, is electronic. This is the biggest car in production with electric power steering, and there's a 42-volt supply to feed it. The steering ratio can be varied electronically, like a BMW Active Steering system but to a lesser extent. The response quickens when it senses the driver needs to take rapid avoiding action, and the system can also help correct skids and keep the LS braking in a straight line.
The brakes are electro-hydraulic, needed for that automatic braking to work easily. They have an excellent automatic-hold feature which prevents creeping in traffic, so you don't have to keep your foot on the brake pedal and annoy other drivers with the dazzle, but the pedal response is snatchy and unnatural - more so in the first car I drove than in the second.
You get the picture: techno-wizardry compromises the natural car/driver interaction. Forsaking the warmth of analogue communication, the LS has gone all digital on us. It does have a fabulous stereo, though.
But is it a truly special Lexus any more? It's quick, very quiet and very comfortable - choose the 18in wheels rather than the 19in for optimum smoothness - but some of the magic has gone. The wood is so shiny, and turns through such unfeasibly tight angles, that it looks like plastic. The soft vinyl facia covering looks cheap and feels sticky: "It's a pre-production car," I'm told, but I report as I find.
The pull-out door pockets lack the expected linings; that paranoia-inducing facial monitor on the steering column looks like a cheap aftermarket accessory; and - horror - on opening the bonnet I find a crass plastic representation of an engine covering the real aluminium article. Why do carmakers do this? And while it's jolly nice to have an electrically opening and closing boot, if it's that slow I'd really rather do it myself.
So, there it is. The Lexus LS has gone all techno on us - and the machine has lost its ghost.
The Rivals
JAGUAR XJ8 4.2 SOVEREIGN £56,540
All-aluminium, like the Audi, but the design looks dated even after a recent makeover. It's smooth and quiet for passengers, and rewarding for the driver.
MERCEDES-BENZ S500 £69,770
Expensive, very sophisticated, this blends quiet, comfort and driver-pleasing dynamics like no car before. Styling is challenging; engine has 388bhp.
AUDI A8 4.2 QUATTRO SE £59,815
All-aluminium structure makes the all-wheel-drive Audi light for its size, and it looks luscious inside and out. Direct-injection V8 engine gives 350bhp.
A techno marvel without a soul
Specifications
Model: Lexus LS460
Price: from £60,000 approx (on sale January)
Engine: 4,608cc, V8 cylinders, 32 valves, 380bhp at 6,400rpm, 364lb ft at 4,100rpm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic gearbox, rear-wheel drive
Performance: 155mph, 0-62mph in 5.7sec, 25.5mpg official average
CO2: 261g/km
I could tell you about how the new Lexus LS460 is one of the most technologically-dense cars you can buy. How it has a spy in the cab to make sure you're looking where you're going; how it puts the brakes and stability systems on alert if you're not paying attention; how it detects obstacles.
Then there's the eight-speed gearbox. Eight speeds? This smacks of overkill. In some markets, there's a long-wheelbase version that even measures occupants' body heat with infra-red sensors to adjust the cabin temperature.
But I'm not sure you want to know all this straight off. You'll be more intrigued by this killer fact: the amply-sized LS460 is the car - provided it has the right options - that parks itself.
This is what you do. Drive past a likely-looking space - either side - then select reverse. The rear-view camera sends a colour image to the dashboard screen, in which feasible parking spaces are outlined in green. Touch the desired space with a finger, apply light pressure to the accelerator and the Lexus steers itself into the slot. It really does. You have to be ready with the brake, but there are plenty of beeps to warn of imminent contact.
OK, it's not perfect. When I tried it, the Lexus wasn't quite parallel to the kerb. And it can't shuffle back and forth; the space must be big enough for a single-move entry. But it's impressive.
So, too, are other aspects. The paint is wet-flatted between coats for a perfect finish. The engine crankshaft is polished, and the completed engine undergoes a vibration check and is listened to all over with a stethoscope.
But then, a Lexus LS was ever thus. It had to be, for this premium-brand-from-nowhere to make its mark back in 1989. I balanced a 50p piece on its edge atop an idling LS V8 back then, and it didn't even move. There was a depth of quality and restrained precision in that car that made even a Mercedes seem a bit cheap. The Lexus sent a shock wave through the industry, and its market success was tempered only by its lumpen looks.
Each successive LS has been less remarkable, partly because the opposition has caught up in quality and precision, partly because the cars never broke free of that visual blandness and timidity. But Lexus decided on a new design language a couple of years ago, seen so far in the GS and IS cars and dubbed L-finesse. You can chuckle at this, and chuckle some more at how it evokes - I quote - incisive simplicity, intriguing elegance and seamless anticipation. In fact, the visual contrast between the first two of these is the essence of L-finesse. Of course it is. But it's a good-looking car with its fastback tail (rather more so than the Mercedes S-class, another hugely techno-dense car), and it's the first LS to have a brand-distinctive identity. The technology is designed to set it apart, beginning with the engine and gearbox. At 4.6 litres the engine, though hefty, is smaller and hence lighter than those of top-end BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes. So to produce the required pace it has to spin more quickly, and this calls for that remarkable eight-speed automatic transmission. Fortunately, it can miss out gears when changing up or down as required, so you're not aware of constant and irritating gearshifts.
All this makes for a very fuel-efficient engine, in big-car terms. Electrically controlled variable-valve timing, able to alter itself even at idle and tune the engine optimally for a cold start, helps here, as do two fuel injectors per cylinder - one a normal indirect one, the other used for direct injection into the cylinder. This 380bhp V8 emits little more than half the CO2 exhausted by a 400bhp Maserati Quattroporte's V8. That's very impressive, especially as the LS surges to 60mph in 5.5 seconds. (There's a hybrid on the way, too.)
Fine. And it can prime the "active" headrests if cameras detect a looming rear-end impact, it can help you stay in lane by applying steering movements (like the Honda system, but jerkier), and it can apply brakes for a deceleration of up to 0.7G if it detects an obstacle - not just a metal one - that you haven't, even after hints such as beeps and a "brake" indicator.
But is there a soul in the machine? Hard to say. The LS460 does its best to ensure that every interface between you and the world, apart from peering through glass, is electronic. This is the biggest car in production with electric power steering, and there's a 42-volt supply to feed it. The steering ratio can be varied electronically, like a BMW Active Steering system but to a lesser extent. The response quickens when it senses the driver needs to take rapid avoiding action, and the system can also help correct skids and keep the LS braking in a straight line.
The brakes are electro-hydraulic, needed for that automatic braking to work easily. They have an excellent automatic-hold feature which prevents creeping in traffic, so you don't have to keep your foot on the brake pedal and annoy other drivers with the dazzle, but the pedal response is snatchy and unnatural - more so in the first car I drove than in the second.
You get the picture: techno-wizardry compromises the natural car/driver interaction. Forsaking the warmth of analogue communication, the LS has gone all digital on us. It does have a fabulous stereo, though.
But is it a truly special Lexus any more? It's quick, very quiet and very comfortable - choose the 18in wheels rather than the 19in for optimum smoothness - but some of the magic has gone. The wood is so shiny, and turns through such unfeasibly tight angles, that it looks like plastic. The soft vinyl facia covering looks cheap and feels sticky: "It's a pre-production car," I'm told, but I report as I find.
The pull-out door pockets lack the expected linings; that paranoia-inducing facial monitor on the steering column looks like a cheap aftermarket accessory; and - horror - on opening the bonnet I find a crass plastic representation of an engine covering the real aluminium article. Why do carmakers do this? And while it's jolly nice to have an electrically opening and closing boot, if it's that slow I'd really rather do it myself.
So, there it is. The Lexus LS has gone all techno on us - and the machine has lost its ghost.
The Rivals
JAGUAR XJ8 4.2 SOVEREIGN £56,540
All-aluminium, like the Audi, but the design looks dated even after a recent makeover. It's smooth and quiet for passengers, and rewarding for the driver.
MERCEDES-BENZ S500 £69,770
Expensive, very sophisticated, this blends quiet, comfort and driver-pleasing dynamics like no car before. Styling is challenging; engine has 388bhp.
AUDI A8 4.2 QUATTRO SE £59,815
All-aluminium structure makes the all-wheel-drive Audi light for its size, and it looks luscious inside and out. Direct-injection V8 engine gives 350bhp.
The Independent - UK
Road Test: Lexus LS460
Driving. You know - throttle, steering, braking, parking and so on. Well, that's over now; the new Lexus LS does it all for you. John Simister feels a bit redundant, if supremely comfortable
Published: 22 August 2006
A techno marvel without a soul Specifications
Model: Lexus LS460
Price: from £60,000 approx (on sale January)
Engine: 4,608cc, V8 cylinders, 32 valves, 380bhp at 6,400rpm, 364lb ft at 4,100rpm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic gearbox, rear-wheel drive
Performance: 155mph, 0-62mph in 5.7sec, 25.5mpg official average
CO2: 261g/km
I could tell you about how the new Lexus LS460 is one of the most technologically-dense cars you can buy. How it has a spy in the cab to make sure you're looking where you're going; how it puts the brakes and stability systems on alert if you're not paying attention; how it detects obstacles.
Then there's the eight-speed gearbox. Eight speeds? This smacks of overkill. In some markets, there's a long-wheelbase version that even measures occupants' body heat with infra-red sensors to adjust the cabin temperature.
But I'm not sure you want to know all this straight off. You'll be more intrigued by this killer fact: the amply-sized LS460 is the car - provided it has the right options - that parks itself.
This is what you do. Drive past a likely-looking space - either side - then select reverse. The rear-view camera sends a colour image to the dashboard screen, in which feasible parking spaces are outlined in green. Touch the desired space with a finger, apply light pressure to the accelerator and the Lexus steers itself into the slot. It really does. You have to be ready with the brake, but there are plenty of beeps to warn of imminent contact.
OK, it's not perfect. When I tried it, the Lexus wasn't quite parallel to the kerb. And it can't shuffle back and forth; the space must be big enough for a single-move entry. But it's impressive.
So, too, are other aspects. The paint is wet-flatted between coats for a perfect finish. The engine crankshaft is polished, and the completed engine undergoes a vibration check and is listened to all over with a stethoscope.
But then, a Lexus LS was ever thus. It had to be, for this premium-brand-from-nowhere to make its mark back in 1989. I balanced a 50p piece on its edge atop an idling LS V8 back then, and it didn't even move. There was a depth of quality and restrained precision in that car that made even a Mercedes seem a bit cheap. The Lexus sent a shock wave through the industry, and its market success was tempered only by its lumpen looks.
Each successive LS has been less remarkable, partly because the opposition has caught up in quality and precision, partly because the cars never broke free of that visual blandness and timidity. But Lexus decided on a new design language a couple of years ago, seen so far in the GS and IS cars and dubbed L-finesse. You can chuckle at this, and chuckle some more at how it evokes - I quote - incisive simplicity, intriguing elegance and seamless anticipation. In fact, the visual contrast between the first two of these is the essence of L-finesse. Of course it is. But it's a good-looking car with its fastback tail (rather more so than the Mercedes S-class, another hugely techno-dense car), and it's the first LS to have a brand-distinctive identity. The technology is designed to set it apart, beginning with the engine and gearbox. At 4.6 litres the engine, though hefty, is smaller and hence lighter than those of top-end BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes. So to produce the required pace it has to spin more quickly, and this calls for that remarkable eight-speed automatic transmission. Fortunately, it can miss out gears when changing up or down as required, so you're not aware of constant and irritating gearshifts.
All this makes for a very fuel-efficient engine, in big-car terms. Electrically controlled variable-valve timing, able to alter itself even at idle and tune the engine optimally for a cold start, helps here, as do two fuel injectors per cylinder - one a normal indirect one, the other used for direct injection into the cylinder. This 380bhp V8 emits little more than half the CO2 exhausted by a 400bhp Maserati Quattroporte's V8. That's very impressive, especially as the LS surges to 60mph in 5.5 seconds. (There's a hybrid on the way, too.)
Fine. And it can prime the "active" headrests if cameras detect a looming rear-end impact, it can help you stay in lane by applying steering movements (like the Honda system, but jerkier), and it can apply brakes for a deceleration of up to 0.7G if it detects an obstacle - not just a metal one - that you haven't, even after hints such as beeps and a "brake" indicator.
But is there a soul in the machine? Hard to say. The LS460 does its best to ensure that every interface between you and the world, apart from peering through glass, is electronic. This is the biggest car in production with electric power steering, and there's a 42-volt supply to feed it. The steering ratio can be varied electronically, like a BMW Active Steering system but to a lesser extent. The response quickens when it senses the driver needs to take rapid avoiding action, and the system can also help correct skids and keep the LS braking in a straight line.
The brakes are electro-hydraulic, needed for that automatic braking to work easily. They have an excellent automatic-hold feature which prevents creeping in traffic, so you don't have to keep your foot on the brake pedal and annoy other drivers with the dazzle, but the pedal response is snatchy and unnatural - more so in the first car I drove than in the second.
You get the picture: techno-wizardry compromises the natural car/driver interaction. Forsaking the warmth of analogue communication, the LS has gone all digital on us. It does have a fabulous stereo, though.
But is it a truly special Lexus any more? It's quick, very quiet and very comfortable - choose the 18in wheels rather than the 19in for optimum smoothness - but some of the magic has gone. The wood is so shiny, and turns through such unfeasibly tight angles, that it looks like plastic. The soft vinyl facia covering looks cheap and feels sticky: "It's a pre-production car," I'm told, but I report as I find.
The pull-out door pockets lack the expected linings; that paranoia-inducing facial monitor on the steering column looks like a cheap aftermarket accessory; and - horror - on opening the bonnet I find a crass plastic representation of an engine covering the real aluminium article. Why do carmakers do this? And while it's jolly nice to have an electrically opening and closing boot, if it's that slow I'd really rather do it myself.
So, there it is. The Lexus LS has gone all techno on us - and the machine has lost its ghost.
The Rivals
JAGUAR XJ8 4.2 SOVEREIGN £56,540
All-aluminium, like the Audi, but the design looks dated even after a recent makeover. It's smooth and quiet for passengers, and rewarding for the driver.
MERCEDES-BENZ S500 £69,770
Expensive, very sophisticated, this blends quiet, comfort and driver-pleasing dynamics like no car before. Styling is challenging; engine has 388bhp.
AUDI A8 4.2 QUATTRO SE £59,815
All-aluminium structure makes the all-wheel-drive Audi light for its size, and it looks luscious inside and out. Direct-injection V8 engine gives 350bhp.
A techno marvel without a soul
Specifications
Model: Lexus LS460
Price: from £60,000 approx (on sale January)
Engine: 4,608cc, V8 cylinders, 32 valves, 380bhp at 6,400rpm, 364lb ft at 4,100rpm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic gearbox, rear-wheel drive
Performance: 155mph, 0-62mph in 5.7sec, 25.5mpg official average
CO2: 261g/km
I could tell you about how the new Lexus LS460 is one of the most technologically-dense cars you can buy. How it has a spy in the cab to make sure you're looking where you're going; how it puts the brakes and stability systems on alert if you're not paying attention; how it detects obstacles.
Then there's the eight-speed gearbox. Eight speeds? This smacks of overkill. In some markets, there's a long-wheelbase version that even measures occupants' body heat with infra-red sensors to adjust the cabin temperature.
But I'm not sure you want to know all this straight off. You'll be more intrigued by this killer fact: the amply-sized LS460 is the car - provided it has the right options - that parks itself.
This is what you do. Drive past a likely-looking space - either side - then select reverse. The rear-view camera sends a colour image to the dashboard screen, in which feasible parking spaces are outlined in green. Touch the desired space with a finger, apply light pressure to the accelerator and the Lexus steers itself into the slot. It really does. You have to be ready with the brake, but there are plenty of beeps to warn of imminent contact.
OK, it's not perfect. When I tried it, the Lexus wasn't quite parallel to the kerb. And it can't shuffle back and forth; the space must be big enough for a single-move entry. But it's impressive.
So, too, are other aspects. The paint is wet-flatted between coats for a perfect finish. The engine crankshaft is polished, and the completed engine undergoes a vibration check and is listened to all over with a stethoscope.
But then, a Lexus LS was ever thus. It had to be, for this premium-brand-from-nowhere to make its mark back in 1989. I balanced a 50p piece on its edge atop an idling LS V8 back then, and it didn't even move. There was a depth of quality and restrained precision in that car that made even a Mercedes seem a bit cheap. The Lexus sent a shock wave through the industry, and its market success was tempered only by its lumpen looks.
Each successive LS has been less remarkable, partly because the opposition has caught up in quality and precision, partly because the cars never broke free of that visual blandness and timidity. But Lexus decided on a new design language a couple of years ago, seen so far in the GS and IS cars and dubbed L-finesse. You can chuckle at this, and chuckle some more at how it evokes - I quote - incisive simplicity, intriguing elegance and seamless anticipation. In fact, the visual contrast between the first two of these is the essence of L-finesse. Of course it is. But it's a good-looking car with its fastback tail (rather more so than the Mercedes S-class, another hugely techno-dense car), and it's the first LS to have a brand-distinctive identity. The technology is designed to set it apart, beginning with the engine and gearbox. At 4.6 litres the engine, though hefty, is smaller and hence lighter than those of top-end BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes. So to produce the required pace it has to spin more quickly, and this calls for that remarkable eight-speed automatic transmission. Fortunately, it can miss out gears when changing up or down as required, so you're not aware of constant and irritating gearshifts.
All this makes for a very fuel-efficient engine, in big-car terms. Electrically controlled variable-valve timing, able to alter itself even at idle and tune the engine optimally for a cold start, helps here, as do two fuel injectors per cylinder - one a normal indirect one, the other used for direct injection into the cylinder. This 380bhp V8 emits little more than half the CO2 exhausted by a 400bhp Maserati Quattroporte's V8. That's very impressive, especially as the LS surges to 60mph in 5.5 seconds. (There's a hybrid on the way, too.)
Fine. And it can prime the "active" headrests if cameras detect a looming rear-end impact, it can help you stay in lane by applying steering movements (like the Honda system, but jerkier), and it can apply brakes for a deceleration of up to 0.7G if it detects an obstacle - not just a metal one - that you haven't, even after hints such as beeps and a "brake" indicator.
But is there a soul in the machine? Hard to say. The LS460 does its best to ensure that every interface between you and the world, apart from peering through glass, is electronic. This is the biggest car in production with electric power steering, and there's a 42-volt supply to feed it. The steering ratio can be varied electronically, like a BMW Active Steering system but to a lesser extent. The response quickens when it senses the driver needs to take rapid avoiding action, and the system can also help correct skids and keep the LS braking in a straight line.
The brakes are electro-hydraulic, needed for that automatic braking to work easily. They have an excellent automatic-hold feature which prevents creeping in traffic, so you don't have to keep your foot on the brake pedal and annoy other drivers with the dazzle, but the pedal response is snatchy and unnatural - more so in the first car I drove than in the second.
You get the picture: techno-wizardry compromises the natural car/driver interaction. Forsaking the warmth of analogue communication, the LS has gone all digital on us. It does have a fabulous stereo, though.
But is it a truly special Lexus any more? It's quick, very quiet and very comfortable - choose the 18in wheels rather than the 19in for optimum smoothness - but some of the magic has gone. The wood is so shiny, and turns through such unfeasibly tight angles, that it looks like plastic. The soft vinyl facia covering looks cheap and feels sticky: "It's a pre-production car," I'm told, but I report as I find.
The pull-out door pockets lack the expected linings; that paranoia-inducing facial monitor on the steering column looks like a cheap aftermarket accessory; and - horror - on opening the bonnet I find a crass plastic representation of an engine covering the real aluminium article. Why do carmakers do this? And while it's jolly nice to have an electrically opening and closing boot, if it's that slow I'd really rather do it myself.
So, there it is. The Lexus LS has gone all techno on us - and the machine has lost its ghost.
The Rivals
JAGUAR XJ8 4.2 SOVEREIGN £56,540
All-aluminium, like the Audi, but the design looks dated even after a recent makeover. It's smooth and quiet for passengers, and rewarding for the driver.
MERCEDES-BENZ S500 £69,770
Expensive, very sophisticated, this blends quiet, comfort and driver-pleasing dynamics like no car before. Styling is challenging; engine has 388bhp.
AUDI A8 4.2 QUATTRO SE £59,815
All-aluminium structure makes the all-wheel-drive Audi light for its size, and it looks luscious inside and out. Direct-injection V8 engine gives 350bhp.
08-24-06, 05:04 PM
#15
Speaks French in Russian
Thread Starter
MotorTrend First Drive Review
Follow the link for large PDF scans of next months MotorTrend mag review.
http://my.is/forums/showthread.php?t=303845
http://my.is/forums/showthread.php?t=303845