Horta

Hey all

In looking at some pictures of the Japanese LS460 I see something in the headliner over the rear passenger seat. Is that a speaker for 5.1 or something?

Horta

Here is a nice interior pic too.

Horta

Hey just found another pic showing that thing over the passenger seat?

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

Looks like a speaker, or maybe a set of speakers hidden by one screen...

encore888

Interesting, note how the back of the front seats in the Japanese LS 460 have handles built in to them, the US/Euro version does not.

flipside909

Good observation. That New white LS looks to be a later built model. Since the photo of the US Spec LS was one of the original 3 hand built prototypes, we may see that handle eventually appear on the production models.

XeroK00L

Haha good observation. My guess is that Japanese people are generally shorter in stature and hence more easily sink too deep into the cushy reclining seat that they have a real need for the handle to get out of the car (even though Jim Press said there won't be a reason to ).

Too bad, because without the need for a handle for the JDM the reserved space in the seat back could've been used for an LCD screen, thereby offering the possibility of a panoramic roof and a dual-screen RSES on even the SWB car.

encore888

^^^
Panoramic roof is on my wishlist for the refresh...and maybe the handles will only be in the Japanese market, who knows (they might also make coat hangers for them like the ones in Europe taxis).

Also, here's another shot from the same event (was this the LS 460 premiere in Japan after the LF-Sh?). The requisite Japanese additional console elements like "TV" and "MD" whatever they mean.

XeroK00L

I think so. Also notice the two speakers above the left and right rear seats. A total of 3 if not 4 (2 in the center perhaps) speakers above the head. That's what I call a true 3D surround system.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

man i think if i get the LS it will have far better audio setup than my home....

Blackraven

"TV" = either those are for accessing TV display functions for DVD movies or......for watching live or relayed TV broadcasts (probably for terrestrial feeds)

"MD" = stands for Minidisc. Still quite popular in Japan so they included them for their market.

Blackraven

Here's a better pic just for reference purposes:

encore888

Thx for the explanation Blackraven.

And interesting, a 'clean/ion' air filter...is that like the air ionization devices you see at Brookstone and Sharper Image?

One geeky thing I would like...for you to be able to tell your body temperature from the sensors.

Blackraven

Oh I found it....





The Sharp Plasmacluster Air Filtration System.

As of this date, you can find the Plasmacluster technology on all of Sharp's Airconditioners and in all of its air purifiers and even on certain refigerator models.

Since these are available worldwide, you can easily find products with the Plasmacluster logo. Just ask your local appliance store about it.

But as for automobiles, a lot of Japanese car manufacturers have been equipping this feature on their vehicle lineup. But out of all of them, Toyota and Nissan are the heaviest users of this technology.

Both of these manufacturers have implemented the technology to over 95% of their vehicle lineup in Japan. It is also used in all Lexus vehicles for the Japanese Domestic Market.

Unfortunately, it appears that Plasmacluter technology for automobiles is only available for Japan.

HOWEVER, Toyota slowly is starting to introduce Plasmacluster air fliter technology for automobiles outside Japan. They have made the first step by equipping the feature in the all-new Previa (aka Estima in Japan)






In the case of Lexus, it still unknown as to whether the air filtration system for export versions of the new LS would just be an unbranded system and not the patented Plasmacluster system.

Hope this adds to the info.

encore888

So it is the Plasmacluster!

Toyota has been hyping the new Camry in the US as offering the Plasmacluster system:

http://toyota.com/images/vehicles/20...ge/photo_3.jpg

Note the "Plasmacluster" logo at the lower center.

There was some discussion on the ES, question of why it didn't have plasmacluster listed when the Camry has it...so it seems that the LS will have it, probably in the US market too since the Camry has it for 2007 here. Maybe the ES will have it too.

Or maybe a more advanced version? After all, the LS 430 has offered more advanced air filtration systems--both standard elements and also the added package.