Has anybody driven or seen the LWB with the Touring Package. I have a LWB on special order, and this morning I called and added the Touring Package in lieu of the AVS/VGRS.

I love the 5 spoke alloy wheels, but didn't want summer tires. The dealer said that they would swap out the summer tires for all season when the vehicle arrives.

I also would like to hear if it improves handling over the standard suspension and if so how much?

 

The Touring Package has the AVS/VGRS too, but it's a more sportily tuned suspension than the regular . . .

 

and with those options, it should help handling more. not sure how significant that is though

 

I took delivery of my LS w/ touring package a few weeks ago and think it handles noticeably better than the non-touring LS that I test-drove. The 5-spoke wheels are really much nicer in person than in the photographs.

 

trenpa: I had to special order my LWB with Touring Package. Did you also, or were you able to purchase one out of stock? What color combo did you get? I ordered the Smoky Granite with Alabaster.

Do you have to change the suspension settings for the better handling or is that by default?

Congratulations on your new LS. Can't wait until mine arrives.

 

I had to special order it (verdigris w/ alabaster). That color combination, by the way, is really nice, although smoky granite was my second choice. There are three suspension settings: luxury, regular and sport. I keep it in regular most of the time, but if I'm doing a lot of turning and non-highway driving, I switch it to sport, and it's noticeably more responsive (particularly when you combine it with the power transmission setting). For long-haul interstate driving, I switch it to luxury. You're going to love it when you get it. By the way, the brakes on the touring package are fabulous.

 

Question ..... what is the power transmission setting and what does it do? How were you able to get a special order so quickly? I placed mine on October 20 and still have no idea when I will get the car. When I placed the order, they said at least 3 months. Like you, the Smoky Granite and Verdigris were my favorite colors. I would be happy with either.

 

My Touring L has also been great in terms of handling and brake performance. My default setting preference is for Sport/Power but do change to Normal suspension for speed bumps and highway driving where there are no interesting turns.

Mine was in my dealer's first allocation so is not a special order and thus have had it about a month. Awesome and very fast car.

Have the special orders come with the rear seat Lux package or without as mine did? I prefer without since it results in a full size trunk but can understand that others may want the Lux with the Touring if they can get it via order.

 

hendjaz: I included the Luxury Package (semi-aniling leather, power rear seats, ecsaine headliner etc), but not the Rear Seat Upgrade Package (rear seat airconditioning) on my special order. Like you, I did not want to give up the trunk space.

 

I was not able to order any rear seat upgrades, including the Luxury Package, with my "Touring L" and am surprised that your order was accepted with TP and LP. Incidentally, I understand that the Luxury Package, because of the power rear seats, also reduces the trunk space.

The transmission setting adjusts the downshift time, I think. That is, when it's on "power," the transmission will shift to a lower gear more quickly and be somewhat more responsive (with a slightly less smooth ride). Likewise, when the switch is in "snow", the car takes a lot longer to downshift (which is preferable in snowy conditions).

As far as delivery time, who knows . . . I fully expected not to have the car until Jan. or Feb. and was shocked that it was delivered so soon. Possibly I just happened to order one that was already slated for production, and it was assigned to fulfill my order. But, even if you have to wait, you'll like the responsiveness of the Touring Package.

 

This was my understanding too, that the reclining rear seats need more room and intrude a bit into the normal trunk area.

 

Does anybody recall what colors the touring package is available in? As I recall it is only available in 3 colors. Also, I was wondering if it is possible to get the touring pkg. with the comfort plus pkg.?

 

I'm almost certain there's no color restriction for the touring package. However, the TP is only available with the 460L (long wheel base) and I think the comfort plus package is a short wheel base option (because the items included in the comfort plus package are standard, I think, on the 460L).

 

I was told a month ago by the dealer when I got mine (silver) that it would come only in silver, black and granite. No idea if that is going to be correct. Obviously others are varying from this via orders.

 

Would you please comment on body roll? If you take the car around a hard corner at 50 mph, does the car seem to want to roll over on its side, or does it track around the corner as if it was riding on rails?

Thanks,

Chris