LS 460/460L Official Review Thread
10-22-06, 09:17 PM
#61
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Perhaps I dint explain myself well. The ls 460 has addressed many of the complaints of the previous generations--Bland styling and lackluster handling.
As far as the styling, It is beautifull, sporty and well crafted, but it is elegant, prestigous or origina?l, I dint think so. Lexus has indeed ripped off styling cues from MB over the last 16 years, but it's time for some original and fresh styling like the SC for example.
The dual exhausts are common nowadays. The turbine wheels have been standard on the Hunday Azera for two years now. The interior no longer has leather in the bottom half of the dash, unacceptable for 80K.
The LS is now crossing the line between Hi tech and Why tech. Brake hold button? Parallel parking? Ottoman seating package for 22K?
I would rather see wider tires than 235 series. More suspension settings. A better feels for the steering. and more effort put into the driving part of the car. Having a great handling car that is luxurious and originally styled does not have to be mutually exclusive.
The L finesse styling from Lexus that is now apparent in all models is not exclusive to Lexus. If you look closely at the Avalon or the Camry, you will see the same cues in the taillights and exhaust.
Lexus is now packaging their options in the new LS, with the intent of selling Ls's in the high 60's mid 70's. That is substantial change, and I think they have the skill to give something more original IMHO.:
BTW: I would have bought one if they had saddle interior with black!
As far as the styling, It is beautifull, sporty and well crafted, but it is elegant, prestigous or origina?l, I dint think so. Lexus has indeed ripped off styling cues from MB over the last 16 years, but it's time for some original and fresh styling like the SC for example.
The dual exhausts are common nowadays. The turbine wheels have been standard on the Hunday Azera for two years now. The interior no longer has leather in the bottom half of the dash, unacceptable for 80K.
The LS is now crossing the line between Hi tech and Why tech. Brake hold button? Parallel parking? Ottoman seating package for 22K?
I would rather see wider tires than 235 series. More suspension settings. A better feels for the steering. and more effort put into the driving part of the car. Having a great handling car that is luxurious and originally styled does not have to be mutually exclusive.
The L finesse styling from Lexus that is now apparent in all models is not exclusive to Lexus. If you look closely at the Avalon or the Camry, you will see the same cues in the taillights and exhaust.
Lexus is now packaging their options in the new LS, with the intent of selling Ls's in the high 60's mid 70's. That is substantial change, and I think they have the skill to give something more original IMHO.:
BTW: I would have bought one if they had saddle interior with black!
10-23-06, 01:33 AM
#62
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my opinian
hi,all well i got it on fri 10/20 nice car,only 1 thing's i noticed so far,
1-being i dont like the latch for the glove box,it seem's the right side does'nt have one on it only the left and you can actually lightly move the cover around,maybe later on or if now there will be some rattling coming from it.maybe not since it's wrapped in leather,i will try to observe it when i get a chance,other then that,what a car,i love it more then my 540,i know differant class
1-being i dont like the latch for the glove box,it seem's the right side does'nt have one on it only the left and you can actually lightly move the cover around,maybe later on or if now there will be some rattling coming from it.maybe not since it's wrapped in leather,i will try to observe it when i get a chance,other then that,what a car,i love it more then my 540,i know differant class
10-25-06, 11:06 AM
#64
Lexus Fanatic
Review of the LS460 from Automobile Magazine. Praises given in all aspects, including driving dynamics.
Unfortunately, my eyes are again seriously hurt by looking at the interior shots of the base LS460.
Good thing that so far no Lexus dealer in the US has been stupid enough to actually order a base LS460. Those who actually want a base LS will have to special order one. lol.
http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews...7_lexus_ls460/
2007 Lexus LS460
By Robert Cumberford
Photography: Andrew Yeadon
Until now, there have been only three big dogs in the practical, daily driver, luxury four-door world: the V-8 versions of the BMW 7-series, the Mercedes-Benz S-class, and the Audi A8. Sure, the latest Jaguar XJ8, the Maserati Quattroporte, and the Bentley Continental Flying Spur are all superb sedans in their own manners, but the German troika define the genre. The previous Lexus LS430 is an astonishingly good car, superior in many ways, but it is just not quite in the class of the Germans when you talk about driving dynamics.
That all changes for 2007. The new LS460 is not just the peer of the leading trio, it provides a new benchmark for the category. The first all-new V-8 engine since Lexus began its inexorable rise to the pinnacle seventeen years ago is coupled to an eight-speed automatic transmission that is so totally unobtrusive that you forget about it. If your foot demands more thrust, the gearbox will select the right ratio and you'll rocket forward, unaware of any mechanical activity under the floorpan. What you do get with your foot firmly planted is a wonderfully subdued but distinct V-8 rumble, stripped of all extraneous elements. For most Americans born after March 9, 1932, when Henry Ford introduced the option of a V-8 engine, for $50, that sound is almost genetically imprinted as the symbol of power. And power there is, 380 horses' worth of smooth, even, and seemingly inexhaustible power, obtained in part by having both port and direct fuel injection for each cylinder. According to Lexus, the very aerodynamic (0.26 Cd) LS would easily reach 170 mph were it not electronically limited to only 130 mph.
Most of us drive at speeds a little more than half of those limits, and in that more realistic regime, the new Lexus excels. Precise steering, high levels of grip, and powerful braking mean that the car can be pushed hard on the kind of Alpine roads that have contributed so much to the development of Europe's best cars. The LS460 equipped with air suspension has remarkable body control, with very little roll and no lurching as the car changes direction from right to left on a winding road, while the ride quality remains limousinelike. The spring setup we tried on the LS460L was equally unfazed at speeds up to 95 mph, our limit in Austria. One new dynamic element for this car is that the electronic stability control can be switched off by the boy-racer types who insist that hanging the tail out is the only way to travel.
In an era when manufacturers claim faster and faster development times, Lexus takes pride in the fact that developing the LS460 took four and a half years of concentrated work. One of the engineering goals was for drivers of the new LS460 to find the cars "seamless and intuitive" in use. Lexus spent as much time on the psychology of potential buyers as on engineering. Chief engineer Satoru Maruyamano approached the project as though his 1500-member team were creating a fine musical instrument. For instance, they wanted the doors to sound and feel like a heavy wooden architectural door when being shut. The prototype vehicles that we drove in Austria all had show-car-quality paint jobs that are actually the production standard. It includes two complete hand-sanding operations in preparation for the final coats, as well as final buffing by six-axis robots so that every surface is polished to a deep, lustrous finish.
The interiors are particularly impressive in that they are not overdone. Each seat is very simply presented with side bolsters and a single transverse seam across the central seating area. There are no pleats and no complex patterns, just soft leather and soft foam. Yet they hold one in place during even the most vigorous cornering on tight, winding roads. The range of adjustments is wide, and in some models the rear seats are able to change height and rake. The right rear seat even includes an ottoman extension such as those found in first-class airline seats (or in a Maybach). All seat controls are electrically operated, of course, and particular attention has been paid to the sound quality of all those electric motors, so they are pleasant and harmonious if you do hear them.
Traditionally, Japanese manufacturers have offered very few options, but in seating alone, this Lexus is offered with a luxury package, a rear-seat upgrade package, an executive-class seating package, and even a semi-aniline leather upgrade for the long-wheelbase LS460L's luxury package. There are two suspension systems, air and steel spring; two wheel sizes, eighteen- and nineteen-inch; two braking systems, with 13.2-inch radial-fin ventilated front rotors or 14.1-inch spiral-fin front rotors; two steering systems, with fixed and variable ratios; two cruise-control systems, traditional and with dynamic radar control; and a huge variety of trim and color choices. There are even two optional parking systems. The more advanced one steers the car, with the driver only controlling its speed with the brake pedal. It will be interesting to see how dealers specify cars for stock, but we'd estimate that they will be loaded and will go for top dollar.
Despite all the increased content and the 30 percent stiffer body shell, the LS460s are only 375 pounds heavier than directly comparable LS430s. That doesn't mean that they are lightweights; they average two metric tons each, or 4400 pounds, with the long-wheelbase model about 85 pounds heavier than the standard model. Lexus anticipates that about 30 percent of sales for 2007 will be of the LS460L and just five percent will be the hybrid LS600hL version yet to come.
For all of the high-tech components, the final arbiters of salability in the extensive inspection processes that regulate production of these extremely serious cars are human beings. Highly trained and highly motivated, these quality controllers rely on their ears to discern and eliminate any sound source that might bother a customer. That "fine musical instrument" metaphor is taken quite seriously in Lexus Land.
Unfortunately, my eyes are again seriously hurt by looking at the interior shots of the base LS460. Good thing that so far no Lexus dealer in the US has been stupid enough to actually order a base LS460. Those who actually want a base LS will have to special order one. lol.http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews...7_lexus_ls460/
2007 Lexus LS460
By Robert Cumberford
Photography: Andrew Yeadon
Until now, there have been only three big dogs in the practical, daily driver, luxury four-door world: the V-8 versions of the BMW 7-series, the Mercedes-Benz S-class, and the Audi A8. Sure, the latest Jaguar XJ8, the Maserati Quattroporte, and the Bentley Continental Flying Spur are all superb sedans in their own manners, but the German troika define the genre. The previous Lexus LS430 is an astonishingly good car, superior in many ways, but it is just not quite in the class of the Germans when you talk about driving dynamics.
That all changes for 2007. The new LS460 is not just the peer of the leading trio, it provides a new benchmark for the category. The first all-new V-8 engine since Lexus began its inexorable rise to the pinnacle seventeen years ago is coupled to an eight-speed automatic transmission that is so totally unobtrusive that you forget about it. If your foot demands more thrust, the gearbox will select the right ratio and you'll rocket forward, unaware of any mechanical activity under the floorpan. What you do get with your foot firmly planted is a wonderfully subdued but distinct V-8 rumble, stripped of all extraneous elements. For most Americans born after March 9, 1932, when Henry Ford introduced the option of a V-8 engine, for $50, that sound is almost genetically imprinted as the symbol of power. And power there is, 380 horses' worth of smooth, even, and seemingly inexhaustible power, obtained in part by having both port and direct fuel injection for each cylinder. According to Lexus, the very aerodynamic (0.26 Cd) LS would easily reach 170 mph were it not electronically limited to only 130 mph.
Most of us drive at speeds a little more than half of those limits, and in that more realistic regime, the new Lexus excels. Precise steering, high levels of grip, and powerful braking mean that the car can be pushed hard on the kind of Alpine roads that have contributed so much to the development of Europe's best cars. The LS460 equipped with air suspension has remarkable body control, with very little roll and no lurching as the car changes direction from right to left on a winding road, while the ride quality remains limousinelike. The spring setup we tried on the LS460L was equally unfazed at speeds up to 95 mph, our limit in Austria. One new dynamic element for this car is that the electronic stability control can be switched off by the boy-racer types who insist that hanging the tail out is the only way to travel.
In an era when manufacturers claim faster and faster development times, Lexus takes pride in the fact that developing the LS460 took four and a half years of concentrated work. One of the engineering goals was for drivers of the new LS460 to find the cars "seamless and intuitive" in use. Lexus spent as much time on the psychology of potential buyers as on engineering. Chief engineer Satoru Maruyamano approached the project as though his 1500-member team were creating a fine musical instrument. For instance, they wanted the doors to sound and feel like a heavy wooden architectural door when being shut. The prototype vehicles that we drove in Austria all had show-car-quality paint jobs that are actually the production standard. It includes two complete hand-sanding operations in preparation for the final coats, as well as final buffing by six-axis robots so that every surface is polished to a deep, lustrous finish.
The interiors are particularly impressive in that they are not overdone. Each seat is very simply presented with side bolsters and a single transverse seam across the central seating area. There are no pleats and no complex patterns, just soft leather and soft foam. Yet they hold one in place during even the most vigorous cornering on tight, winding roads. The range of adjustments is wide, and in some models the rear seats are able to change height and rake. The right rear seat even includes an ottoman extension such as those found in first-class airline seats (or in a Maybach). All seat controls are electrically operated, of course, and particular attention has been paid to the sound quality of all those electric motors, so they are pleasant and harmonious if you do hear them.
Traditionally, Japanese manufacturers have offered very few options, but in seating alone, this Lexus is offered with a luxury package, a rear-seat upgrade package, an executive-class seating package, and even a semi-aniline leather upgrade for the long-wheelbase LS460L's luxury package. There are two suspension systems, air and steel spring; two wheel sizes, eighteen- and nineteen-inch; two braking systems, with 13.2-inch radial-fin ventilated front rotors or 14.1-inch spiral-fin front rotors; two steering systems, with fixed and variable ratios; two cruise-control systems, traditional and with dynamic radar control; and a huge variety of trim and color choices. There are even two optional parking systems. The more advanced one steers the car, with the driver only controlling its speed with the brake pedal. It will be interesting to see how dealers specify cars for stock, but we'd estimate that they will be loaded and will go for top dollar.
Despite all the increased content and the 30 percent stiffer body shell, the LS460s are only 375 pounds heavier than directly comparable LS430s. That doesn't mean that they are lightweights; they average two metric tons each, or 4400 pounds, with the long-wheelbase model about 85 pounds heavier than the standard model. Lexus anticipates that about 30 percent of sales for 2007 will be of the LS460L and just five percent will be the hybrid LS600hL version yet to come.
For all of the high-tech components, the final arbiters of salability in the extensive inspection processes that regulate production of these extremely serious cars are human beings. Highly trained and highly motivated, these quality controllers rely on their ears to discern and eliminate any sound source that might bother a customer. That "fine musical instrument" metaphor is taken quite seriously in Lexus Land.
10-25-06, 12:39 PM
#65
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The new LS sets the gold standard in almost every aspect. This is my next car. Unfortunately, you will never be able to enjoy driving in a 4500 lbs car, no matter how much bmw or porsche you inject in it.
its no use ignoring the facts of physics. A hippo can become a more agile hippo, but can never run like a cheetah even if its on steroids.
If there is money and the guts, the best thing to do is get two dedicated cars. One pure luxury and technological marvel like the LS and the other one a pure unadultrated sports car like cayman or lotus elise.
This half hearted bmw like approach results in enjoying a little of this and little of that with much left to be desired in luxury as well as driving dynamics.
its no use ignoring the facts of physics. A hippo can become a more agile hippo, but can never run like a cheetah even if its on steroids.
If there is money and the guts, the best thing to do is get two dedicated cars. One pure luxury and technological marvel like the LS and the other one a pure unadultrated sports car like cayman or lotus elise.
This half hearted bmw like approach results in enjoying a little of this and little of that with much left to be desired in luxury as well as driving dynamics.
10-25-06, 05:46 PM
#66
Super Moderator
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...0&postcount=44Thanks for posting all the pics though
10-25-06, 06:06 PM
#67
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
Review of the LS460 from Automobile Magazine. Praises given in all aspects, including driving dynamics. Unfortunately, my eyes are again seriously hurt by looking at the interior shots of the base LS460. Good thing that so far no Lexus dealer in the US has been stupid enough to actually order a base LS460. Those who actually want a base LS will have to special order one. lol.
Unfortunately, my eyes are again seriously hurt by looking at the interior shots of the base LS460. Good thing that so far no Lexus dealer in the US has been stupid enough to actually order a base LS460. Those who actually want a base LS will have to special order one. lol.
10-25-06, 06:17 PM
#68
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What's the exterior color on the LS pictured in the Automobile Mag article? Is that the smoky granite or something else? Looks lighter than the granite I've seen on the GS, so not sure.
10-25-06, 06:31 PM
#69
Perhaps I dint explain myself well. The ls 460 has addressed many of the complaints of the previous generations--Bland styling and lackluster handling.
As far as the styling, It is beautifull, sporty and well crafted, but it is elegant, prestigous or origina?l, I dint think so. Lexus has indeed ripped off styling cues from MB over the last 16 years, but it's time for some original and fresh styling like the SC for example.
The dual exhausts are common nowadays. The turbine wheels have been standard on the Hunday Azera for two years now. The interior no longer has leather in the bottom half of the dash, unacceptable for 80K.
The LS is now crossing the line between Hi tech and Why tech. Brake hold button? Parallel parking? Ottoman seating package for 22K?
I would rather see wider tires than 235 series. More suspension settings. A better feels for the steering. and more effort put into the driving part of the car. Having a great handling car that is luxurious and originally styled does not have to be mutually exclusive.
The L finesse styling from Lexus that is now apparent in all models is not exclusive to Lexus. If you look closely at the Avalon or the Camry, you will see the same cues in the taillights and exhaust.
Lexus is now packaging their options in the new LS, with the intent of selling Ls's in the high 60's mid 70's. That is substantial change, and I think they have the skill to give something more original IMHO.:
BTW: I would have bought one if they had saddle interior with black!
As far as the styling, It is beautifull, sporty and well crafted, but it is elegant, prestigous or origina?l, I dint think so. Lexus has indeed ripped off styling cues from MB over the last 16 years, but it's time for some original and fresh styling like the SC for example.
The dual exhausts are common nowadays. The turbine wheels have been standard on the Hunday Azera for two years now. The interior no longer has leather in the bottom half of the dash, unacceptable for 80K.
The LS is now crossing the line between Hi tech and Why tech. Brake hold button? Parallel parking? Ottoman seating package for 22K?
I would rather see wider tires than 235 series. More suspension settings. A better feels for the steering. and more effort put into the driving part of the car. Having a great handling car that is luxurious and originally styled does not have to be mutually exclusive.
The L finesse styling from Lexus that is now apparent in all models is not exclusive to Lexus. If you look closely at the Avalon or the Camry, you will see the same cues in the taillights and exhaust.
Lexus is now packaging their options in the new LS, with the intent of selling Ls's in the high 60's mid 70's. That is substantial change, and I think they have the skill to give something more original IMHO.:
BTW: I would have bought one if they had saddle interior with black!
there will be touring edition with sportier and adjustable air suspension, and bigger wheels...
As to the rest, in 70k-90k car, I would expect everything. There are many, many, many better drivers cars than s class, 7 series or LS. Luxury cars should do luxury first.
10-25-06, 07:05 PM
#70
Super Moderator
Yes, it looks lighter than the Smoky Granite I've seen on the IS350, so I think it's probably the Truffle Mica.
10-26-06, 12:49 PM
#72
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The new LS sets the gold standard in almost every aspect. This is my next car. Unfortunately, you will never be able to enjoy driving in a 4500 lbs car, no matter how much bmw or porsche you inject in it.
its no use ignoring the facts of physics. A hippo can become a more agile hippo, but can never run like a cheetah even if its on steroids.
If there is money and the guts, the best thing to do is get two dedicated cars. One pure luxury and technological marvel like the LS and the other one a pure unadultrated sports car like cayman or lotus elise.
This half hearted bmw like approach results in enjoying a little of this and little of that with much left to be desired in luxury as well as driving dynamics.
its no use ignoring the facts of physics. A hippo can become a more agile hippo, but can never run like a cheetah even if its on steroids.
If there is money and the guts, the best thing to do is get two dedicated cars. One pure luxury and technological marvel like the LS and the other one a pure unadultrated sports car like cayman or lotus elise.
This half hearted bmw like approach results in enjoying a little of this and little of that with much left to be desired in luxury as well as driving dynamics.
10-27-06, 05:15 PM
#73
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
The new LS sets the gold standard in almost every aspect. This is my next car. Unfortunately, you will never be able to enjoy driving in a 4500 lbs car, no matter how much bmw or porsche you inject in it.
its no use ignoring the facts of physics. A hippo can become a more agile hippo, but can never run like a cheetah even if its on steroids.
If there is money and the guts, the best thing to do is get two dedicated cars. One pure luxury and technological marvel like the LS and the other one a pure unadultrated sports car like cayman or lotus elise.
This half hearted bmw like approach results in enjoying a little of this and little of that with much left to be desired in luxury as well as driving dynamics.
its no use ignoring the facts of physics. A hippo can become a more agile hippo, but can never run like a cheetah even if its on steroids.
If there is money and the guts, the best thing to do is get two dedicated cars. One pure luxury and technological marvel like the LS and the other one a pure unadultrated sports car like cayman or lotus elise.
This half hearted bmw like approach results in enjoying a little of this and little of that with much left to be desired in luxury as well as driving dynamics.
Along your lines I'm not sure I'll ever want a 'sedan' again. An SUV for haulin' and a sports car for ballin'.
10-27-06, 05:39 PM
#74
Austin-American Statesman Review
Lexus' nexus: luxury
You'll be so awed by new LS 460's frills, you'll forget how to parallel park. (That's OK – it'll do it for you)
By Pete Szilagyi
http://www.statesman.com/life/conten...8/28lexus.html
You'll be so awed by new LS 460's frills, you'll forget how to parallel park. (That's OK – it'll do it for you)
By Pete Szilagyi
http://www.statesman.com/life/conten...8/28lexus.html
COMMENTARY: PETE SZILAGYI
SPECIAL TO THE AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Saturday, October 28, 2006
As the auto industry's incubator for new technology, high-end luxury sedans often answer questions no one has asked.
When you get into a car, you don't request a shiatsu massage, nor do you ask that the door sounds as solid as oak wood when it slams.
A 5-speed automatic transmission satisfied most drivers. But eight speeds?
You probably don't recall ever asking a car to parallel park itself. We normally take care of that ourselves.
Lexus has completely redone the LS series, its most expensive, refined and innovative, with these and enough other features to require a hefty wad of manuals for owner tutorials. (No, I'm not making the one up about the wood-sounding doors — that's Lexus' claim.)
For the new LS 460, Lexus' touchy-feely team focused on cabin ambience and an expensive feel, including tuning doors to sound like expensive oak when they close. The numerous electric motors have been tuned for unobtrusive operation. The LS body and engine are extensively inspected for excessive mechanical noise during assembly, according to Lexus.
A team of robots polishes bare metal body panels so the paint has a deep luster. The headlight designs are inspired by Baccarat crystal.
As with luxury competitors from Germany, the LS has a velvet hammer drive train, all new for the 2007 model, including a 4.6-liter V-8 with 380 horsepower connected to that 8-speed automatic, which one-ups Mercedes-Benz's 7-speed transmission. So close are engine tolerances that the manual calls for 0W-20 motor oil.
For a sedan about the size and weight of a bank vault, the LS has nimble moves and a comparatively tight turn radius, although the steering is too feathery for my preference.
Much of my LS test-driving was done in city traffic, sometimes fast and frantic, with quick lane changes and squirts through traffic gaps. The LS did it all with composure, thanks in part to that 8-speed transmission, which readily, quickly and nearly imperceptibly downshifts when needed.
The brakes stop this rolling vault without drama, thankfully. Lexus' latest passive electronic safety systems, arguably the industry's best, are built into every LS.
The LS is indeed quiet, as Lexus advertises, and eminently comfortable, like sitting in a leather sofa at a fashionable club. However, the driver is confronted by a myriad of buttons on the dashboard, console and navigation screen.
Although potentially intimidating, the LS 460's controls are actually simpler to operate than the "joystick" systems used by German manufacturers. Nevertheless, new LS owners will need an evening of study to figure it all out.
Of all the features, the LS 460's Park Assist system has generated most interest. It works well but does require driver input.
The driver finds a parallel parking space that appears adequate, pulls up along side the car in front of it and presses a button that turns on video cameras on the rear of the LS. The image appears on the navigation screen with a yellow LS-size box overlaid on the space.
The driver then can adjust the box, which shows where Park Assist will park the car, to be closer or farther from the curb, say, or more forward or aft. Push another button — hands off the wheel and gas pedal — and the LS steers itself into that space. The system also can back the LS into a head-in space. It's a hoot.
This fine sedan will include a stretched wheelbase version (the mechanical shiatsu provided in its reclining rear seat) and, next year, a hybrid version, the LS 600.
As for the doors Lexus that says sound like wood. Not to my ear, they don't. They missed it, but that's the only stumble on this magnificent product.
In his 24 years of writing a column for the Austin American-Statesman, Pete Szilagyi has driven more than 1,200 new cars and trucks. You may reach him at petesz@macconnect.com.
According to Pete . . .
Target audience: High achievers and high spenders who desire a very sophisticated $60,000 to $70,000 indulgence.
Highs: Power train, styling, presence, Lexus reputation, safety systems, sybaritic comfort, attention to detail, dynamics, less expensive than Germans.
Lows: Too complex?
Bottom line: The LS is finally in a league with the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series and Mercedes S Class.
SPECIAL TO THE AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Saturday, October 28, 2006
As the auto industry's incubator for new technology, high-end luxury sedans often answer questions no one has asked.
When you get into a car, you don't request a shiatsu massage, nor do you ask that the door sounds as solid as oak wood when it slams.
A 5-speed automatic transmission satisfied most drivers. But eight speeds?
You probably don't recall ever asking a car to parallel park itself. We normally take care of that ourselves.
Lexus has completely redone the LS series, its most expensive, refined and innovative, with these and enough other features to require a hefty wad of manuals for owner tutorials. (No, I'm not making the one up about the wood-sounding doors — that's Lexus' claim.)
For the new LS 460, Lexus' touchy-feely team focused on cabin ambience and an expensive feel, including tuning doors to sound like expensive oak when they close. The numerous electric motors have been tuned for unobtrusive operation. The LS body and engine are extensively inspected for excessive mechanical noise during assembly, according to Lexus.
A team of robots polishes bare metal body panels so the paint has a deep luster. The headlight designs are inspired by Baccarat crystal.
As with luxury competitors from Germany, the LS has a velvet hammer drive train, all new for the 2007 model, including a 4.6-liter V-8 with 380 horsepower connected to that 8-speed automatic, which one-ups Mercedes-Benz's 7-speed transmission. So close are engine tolerances that the manual calls for 0W-20 motor oil.
For a sedan about the size and weight of a bank vault, the LS has nimble moves and a comparatively tight turn radius, although the steering is too feathery for my preference.
Much of my LS test-driving was done in city traffic, sometimes fast and frantic, with quick lane changes and squirts through traffic gaps. The LS did it all with composure, thanks in part to that 8-speed transmission, which readily, quickly and nearly imperceptibly downshifts when needed.
The brakes stop this rolling vault without drama, thankfully. Lexus' latest passive electronic safety systems, arguably the industry's best, are built into every LS.
The LS is indeed quiet, as Lexus advertises, and eminently comfortable, like sitting in a leather sofa at a fashionable club. However, the driver is confronted by a myriad of buttons on the dashboard, console and navigation screen.
Although potentially intimidating, the LS 460's controls are actually simpler to operate than the "joystick" systems used by German manufacturers. Nevertheless, new LS owners will need an evening of study to figure it all out.
Of all the features, the LS 460's Park Assist system has generated most interest. It works well but does require driver input.
The driver finds a parallel parking space that appears adequate, pulls up along side the car in front of it and presses a button that turns on video cameras on the rear of the LS. The image appears on the navigation screen with a yellow LS-size box overlaid on the space.
The driver then can adjust the box, which shows where Park Assist will park the car, to be closer or farther from the curb, say, or more forward or aft. Push another button — hands off the wheel and gas pedal — and the LS steers itself into that space. The system also can back the LS into a head-in space. It's a hoot.
This fine sedan will include a stretched wheelbase version (the mechanical shiatsu provided in its reclining rear seat) and, next year, a hybrid version, the LS 600.
As for the doors Lexus that says sound like wood. Not to my ear, they don't. They missed it, but that's the only stumble on this magnificent product.
In his 24 years of writing a column for the Austin American-Statesman, Pete Szilagyi has driven more than 1,200 new cars and trucks. You may reach him at petesz@macconnect.com.
According to Pete . . .
Target audience: High achievers and high spenders who desire a very sophisticated $60,000 to $70,000 indulgence.
Highs: Power train, styling, presence, Lexus reputation, safety systems, sybaritic comfort, attention to detail, dynamics, less expensive than Germans.
Lows: Too complex?
Bottom line: The LS is finally in a league with the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series and Mercedes S Class.
10-28-06, 04:04 PM
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I agree with you completely. An X5 handles impressively .... for an SUV. An M5 handles impressively .... for a sports sedan. Now a Caymen or 911 or even MX5? Different league.
Along your lines I'm not sure I'll ever want a 'sedan' again. An SUV for haulin' and a sports car for ballin'.
Along your lines I'm not sure I'll ever want a 'sedan' again. An SUV for haulin' and a sports car for ballin'.
SUV for rollin' n' a sports car for ballin'
Back to the official review thread, I think there are two distinct rival groups emerging in the mag-war.
The objective and honest reviews are generally putting 460 at the top or equal to S550, but there are some hideous and extremely cunning articles such as that at edmunds.
Last edited by Stevekil; 10-29-06 at 04:47 PM.