Car Nut

This review is from The Car Connection. Paul Eisenstein is a respected auto journalist resposible for this web site and appears frequently on TV programs such as Autoline Detroit.

He confirms that AWD will be available in 2007 and adds "the new sedan is a technological marvel to the point even Lexus engineers can't recall all the gadgets available."

The article makes very intersting reading, especially for a Lexus nut like me.

http://www.thecarconnection.com/Vehi...83.A10792.html

LexFather

Lexus stated a couple years ago the new LS would shock the industry like it did in 1989.

I do believe they hit the nail in the head.

encore888

Nice find!!! So they don't quite answer their own question...breakthrough or near miss.

Instead they conclude:

1989 all over again!

spwolf

LS460 will own... its so much better than everything else, it aint funny

marshmallo

In my opinion AWD is the final piece of the puzzle. In a sense
it completes the Lexus lineup and should give a huge boost to
sales in wintry states like Connecticut, New York and MA.

AJL0365

I NEED TO WIN THE LOTTERY, or get rid of the camry,M,and the RX so i will be blessed to drive this baby!

AJL0365

while reading the passage, one thing puzzles me how they said that

"The cabin is large and roomy - with the long wheelbase model, it's positively cavernous -- yet while the interior is clearly more refined, it is not quite as elegant as we might have expected considering the import of the new LS. It is an evolutionary, rather than revolutionary, improvement off the old sedan."

I think the cabin of the new LS is better than the old LS but the old LS's cabin was to very Luxurious, i wondered how Lexus would improve on such a beautiful interior like that of the LS430. But i guess they achieved. I especailly like how the center armrest curves and the wood below it on the gear shifter also curves. The 460's cabin is very very nice. i would like to know how much quieter this cabin is to the already super quiet cabin of the 430. hope with this car u can hear a freakin firetruck coming or something.

encore888

I will have to sit in the interior to fully judge it, but looking from the pictures it seems quite nice indeed, more modern this time around.

I thought the LS 600h L was the super LS. Are they saying that there's going to be something more???

j three

They are probably going to come out with a century level car above the ls, since the lexus name is now global and the Century is the premium toyota in the most need of a re-model. They were working on this car at the same time as the ls' so it will come out 08 or 09 probably. I think this "secret project" they mentioned in the artcle is the car that we thought 600h would be. I think this will be the real comp to the amg and m models, a v10 hybrid. As we see the supposed IS 500 spy photos I think Lexus finally made the decision to give it to the germans. I dont think a V10 hybrid for the top LS and V12 hybrid for the century are out of the cards. They want to realy flex their muscle and this will do it. They could even employ a cylinder on demand feature to increase gas mileage, avoid gas guzzler tax and push their green theme 100 notches up.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

i can see why the first ls400 shocked the world

i can see why lexus didn't say the same thing with the 2nd gen ls400 and the 3rd gen ls430, coz' they are just upgrades after upgrades imho

and i can totally see why they say the ls460 is 1989 all over again. this car is completely different

encore888

I would say that of the previous LS model changes, the 2 LS built upon the blockbuster success of the first model, and then the 3 LS made the push to the 'big leagues' with complete luxury packaging (UL, special features etc) to compete fully as an international luxury flagship. I remember reading articles written at the 3 LS debut, and at least one Lexus engineer mentioned something about 'recapturing the magic of 1989' but the article seemed to downplay that.

This time around, the 4 LS is designed to be a series of cars, and to be a global flagship sedan. It is huge, with more models and variants, and it's amazing. This will surpass 1989 in many ways!

Wow that would be stunning. Maybe this is the 'L 650h' one magazine mentioned. I would love to see the old Century get the full Lexus treatment! And Lexus would be competing with M, AMG, Maybach, Bentley...! Don't forget the LF-A or GT 500 too!

Threxx

This is the first I've heard that the air suspension may be available on the regular LS460 which is good news if it's true. I have been saying for some time now that it makes ZERO sense that the previous gen ES had AVS optional, the 06+ GS430 had it standard, but yet the new LS460 wouldn't have it available at all without the long wheelbase.

And now for the question I STILL haven't been able to gather a decent answer for. WTH is the difference between the air suspension on the new LS and "Active Variable Suspension" on the GS?

I have a hard time believing the air suspension in the LS is actually still filled with AIR - that's old school as hell and won't be nearly as effective or quick reacting as a true semi active suspension system.

Big Jimm

It's also the first time I heard that it will be standard on the 460L.

Big Jimm
So. Fla.