4 January 2011 No Comment
With its massive Brembo brakes, split spoke 19” wheels, and 360° body kit, the first thought that came to mind when I saw the Lexus LS460 Sport sitting in my driveway was “a wolf in Lexus’ clothing”.
The Lexus LS line was updated for the 2010 model year and all models received new bumpers, lamps, grills, wheels, and fascias. The Sport, however, got a more aggressive textured grill, sporty ten-spoke 19” wheels, and a body kit that gives the car a low and assertive appearance. All of this is rather discrete and allows the car to remain a stealth powerhouse


While all LS 460s received a refreshed interior that includes active front headrests, updated controls, and new dashboard accents, the Sport edition has exclusive black saddle leather seating with contrasting stiching and substantial side bolsters to hold driver and passenger in place.
The Sport receives the IS-F’s eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters and its program is set for “fast.”
Passenger safety features include eight standard airbags (rear side air bags are optional), parking guidance handles troublesome parallel parking chores, HID headlights that follow your steering wheel into corners, and a combination of Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management, traction control, and multiple braking systems that keep the car going where the driver points it.


Inside, the new Enform telematics system provides drivers with operator-generated downloads of a destination, stolen vehicle recovery, automatic collision notification, and assistance in case of emergency. My tests using Enform, primarily to have destinations downloaded to the car while I was driving, found it to be very useful. A new center stack features a larger LCD display, Bluetooth and USB connectivity(including Bluetooth audio), and voice command functionality for the optional navigation system.


The optional Mark Levinson sound system is excellent and comes with the luxury package, which also includes the hard disk navigation system, Enform, weather and traffic information, and the parking guidance feature.
Driving the Sport is unlike what one would expect from Lexus’ flagship sedan (and that’s not a bad thing, either). The 380-hp 4.6-liter V-8 has direct and port fuel injection, intake and exhaust variable valve timing, a dual mode air-induction system, and an 11.8:1 compression ratio (!). The AA80E Sport Direct Shift Control transmission transforms the normally unassuming V-8 into a beast that can go from zero to sixty mph in 5.4 seconds, with a top speed of 130 mph. The manual paddle shifting is responsive and automatically blips the throttle when downshifting.


The sport suspension makes this LS firm and responsive but entirely composed. Cornering and braking are not typical LS specialties but the Sport makes every drive fun and exciting. The LS 460 Sport is a driver’s car with personality that looks for the twisties and is serious fun to drive.


–Jonathan B. Spira is the Editor of Executive Road Warrior and Chief Analyst at Basex, a knowledge economy research firm.

Okay, it’s true the steering could be a bit more taut (it’s calibrated identically with the regular LS) and the sport seats still need more lateral support, but overall the LS Sport Package is refreshingly (and surprisingly) competent

Enter the Sport Package, packed with enough performance and aesthetic enhancements to not only put the LS 460 back on our radar, but persuade us to take it out hunting for some big sport-luxury bogies.
For your dollars—$6185 of them to be exact—the Sport Package includes a cool smoked-out sport grille embedded in the front fascia that’s complemented by a low-slung splitter and body-thickening rocker panel extensions. The forged 19-in. wheels are fitted with dedicated summer perform*ance tires that increase grip as well as they fill out the wheel wells. Brembo brakes peer out from behind split spokes in a visually impressive display of stopping potential.



On the interior front, you gain Sport-specific black and saddle tan leather that’s trimmed with matte dark brown accents, colors that befit the look and demeanor of the LS’s new character. If it’s not to your liking, you’re out of luck because it’s the only interior configuration Lexus offers. The new front sport seats gain a palpable amount of lateral support, though still not quite to the rib-hugging degree we like. On another positive note, the leather-trimmed sport steering wheel has sprouted a pair of inconspicuous paddle shifters, which help the driver manipulate the aggressively recalibrated 8-speed transmission.



These are all fantastic additions that would be enough to validate the LS 460 Sport’s presence on these pages, but the most remarkable upgrade is the new suspension that ensures the driving experience is not forgettable. The LS chassis receives a sport-tuned air suspension offering three modes of damping—Comfort, Normal and Sport—that can be changed on the fly with a rocker switch next to the one that varies the response of the electronic throttle (ECT). With this, you can now customize the character of the LS, from docile city coach to atypical canyon carver!
Upon reaching the aforementioned fun zone known as Highway S22, the LS Sport was able to rewrite our history altogether with a single pass down the canyon grade. The brakes held up phenomenally well under repeated late-braking maneuvers (did we really leave our photographer in the dust that easily?) while testing the transmission’s new rev-matching downshift function—à la IS F. The shifts are lightning quick but don’t engage with quite the kick of an “F” car, and that’s perfectly appropriate. Slap the drive selector over to manual mode and it’ll even let you hold a gear at the engine’s soft limiter, which is something the BMW’s 6-speed automatic (or any current Audi auto) won’t let you get away with.



The LS’s powerful 4.6-liter V-8 utilizes a combination of port (for a quieter idle) and direct fuel injection (for perform*ance) and cranks out 380 bhp and 367 lb.-ft. of torque. This makes getting up to traffic speeds a mindless affair (the car hits 60 mph in 5.6 seconds), and doesn’t leave you at all disappointed when you’re wanting to relish a good road or simply lay down two lengthy strips of rubber.
Having yet to drive the BMW, I’m already convinced that the Lexus LS 460 Sport is all the performance I’m ever going to need in a car this size and this comfortable.

Leftlane’s bottom line
Now in its fourth model year, Lexus continues to refine the flagship of its line. The LS 460 Sport is, plain and simple, the vehicle that we wish was initially introduced four years ago. But as the saying goes, it’s better late than never – and it shows a little spark from this intentionally sedate division.

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2010 Lexus LS460 with Sport Package - Quick Spin

Lexus adds some starch and spice to its sedan patriarch.

BY MIKE SUTTON
December 2009


Specifications

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

BASE PRICE: $73,775

ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection

Displacement: 281 cu in, 4608cc
Power (SAE net): 380 bhp @ 6400 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 367 lb-ft @ 4100 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 8-speed automatic with manumatic shifting

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 116.9 in Length: 199.2 in
Width: 73.8 in Height: 58.1 in
Curb weight (C/D est): 4500 lb

PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 6.0 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 14.5 sec
Top speed (governor limited):130 mph

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 16/24 mpg









What Is It?
A more dynamic, driver-focused version of the Lexus LS sedan. Currently available only on short-wheelbase, rear-wheel-drive models, the Sport package adds functional upgrades such as the IS F’s quicker-shifting version of the standard LS's eight-speed automatic gearbox—which includes full manual control via paddle shifters or the console shifter, along with lockup clutches for all gears except first—as well as larger Brembo brakes all around. The electric power-steering system has been tweaked for better turn-in response, and the adjustable, sport-tuned air suspension has firmer anti-roll bars and specific tuning for the dampers. Split 10-spoke, 19-inch wheels with all-season tires round out the performance improvements. Lower-body extensions and a darkened honeycomb grille differentiate the exterior. The interior is only offered in a two-tone black-and-saddle configuration with unique matte-finished wood trim.
How Does It Drive?
Exactly like the normal LS460—quiet, isolated, and smooth—in normal and comfort modes but with slightly sharper reflexes in the more aggressive sport setting. Our brief drive around San Diego didn’t allow us to push the car much, but the new transmission is noticeably faster than the standard eight-speed automatic. Activating the sport mode for the suspension also provides better body control without any sacrifice in ride quality. The brakes feel strong and linear, as well, but the steering remains a bit light and numb