We all know these cars can haul some serious *** if we want them to and I know just about every Ls400 owner has tried the 160 test at least once, but dose anyone really know just how much driving a car of this vintage can do at those speeds for the lifespan of the car? Anyone here live in a area where you could do 150 every single day all the time for long periods? I know a Ls400 can really do what the speedo says it will do but has anyone taken lets say, a 1990 Ls400 for a white knuckle 2 hour sustained speed of 150 mph drive ? I've done the 160 test in all 3 of my cars over the years but never for very long only cause I'm scared something is gunna blow cause it's old. Now cruising at 120.. I can do that all day lol

 

My observation is that the harder you push it, the more it likes it
i mean, at 75 on a highway, it feels fine. Get it up to 80-90 and it is even quieter and more confident.
I went over 100 a couple of times, didn't feel a thing...

I would be willing to bet that an LS400 (with good engine/cooling) can do 160mph easily for hours if not days. Keep in mind that engine is detuned heavily - it started its life as a racing engine at first, and was meant to produce hundreds of hp... which I believe explains its incredibly long life.

 

Find someone in Germany who lives near the autobahn, they could probably tell you!

 

160mph?? Man, I don't think I have ever taken my LS to even 100mph!

Why would it even matter how long you can maintain 150+mph?


No matter how good you think this car is, it was no engineered to maintain such speeds, nor handle/stop and at/from such speeds.

 

I would wonder how long the cooling would keep up at 150mph or so, like just circling a big oval or something, not sure not sure.

 

What he said!

 

Celsior slams right into the 180kph limiter so never a real problem! You know I used to max out my cars right away when I was younger, I hardly ever go high end speed anymore, a lot of danger for not that much excitement! 160kph on my Suzuki Katana feels like a million miles an hour with all that wind rushing around you, plenty exciting enough without having to go 280kph in my old 3000GT! I do trust the big 4 piston brakes in the Celsior would stop the car at least once or twice from high speed though.

 

I had my 95 up to 135 mph quite a few times on a relatively short stretch of road.
Handles it just fine and is still accelerating pretty good.
As far as braking, I never had an issue. She stops quick and firmly everytime

 

The LS400 on the high way, it's really made for it. It seems it wants to go at least 70mph. It's rated to go up to 150 mph. That's higher than my tire's rating. Most I've gone is maybe 90mph. I see police out there every day. And there are a lot of bad drivers in my area.

 

Last summer I took my 98 LS400 to the track at concord, nc. I had 45 minutes at a steady 145mph WITH cruise on! Yes cruise DOES hold that speed! I had standard v rated Michelin mxv4 tires on. At one point I did hit 155 but settled at 145. Lucy was so quiet I could actually have had a conversation with someone, if they had the stones to ride with me!

 

our cars have the aerodynamics of a brick! i would not think it can sustain that high rate of speed for too long. i've been north of 130 in a sprint and i could already feel lift coming from under the car which made me very uneasy so i backed off. that was on stock suspension on stock wheels. i'm sure with a lower stance and better rated tires, the car can handle more.

 

^^^ I had it up to 140 some years ago for a couple of minutes and even though it was smooth sailing it felt like I might go airborne.

 

Oh it can!

 

Guys down under seem to be really into adding turbos and chargers to that engine. So if it can produce 400hp with a turbo and stock internals, I don't see why it could not maintain 150-160mph which should be child's game, provided cooling works as it should...

 

I still don't understand the point of this thread...

Why are we discussing something grossly negligent and supremely dangerous to do in controlled conditions, let alone on open public roads?