vraa

iTrader: (2)

Seriously he's not kidding.
I have to look at the tach often to make sure the car is on.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

Maybe you could hear because the plate of wings was on your lap?

Hameed

I guess the whistle has to be really loud for you to hear it in the car....

I would have assumed with the car being insulated so well, that outside noises would be all, but eliminated.

From other reviews I have read, they deliberately made the exhaust sound more noticeable in the car compared to previous generations of LS. I guess the goal was to make it more "sporty" and less isolated (as in the "Relentless pursuit of perfect isolation"). Have you noticed that? I am very curious about that.

brt3

And I'm SHOCKED that you eat in your car...

Seriously, though, I had a chance to crawl around underneath my car when it was on a lift. The bottom of the car is nearly as well-designed and finished as the top...

brt3

The car's insulation is superb, and the LS460L has double-pane glass to boot. However, the location of the mirrors -- and their "disruption" of the airflow" -- makes it sound as though the "whistle" is just to the left of the driver's ear -- probably the worst place you could have a noise.

The exhaust/induction noise (I think it's mostly exhaust) is nice; when you dump the throttle you can definitely hear the motor now. Someone at one of the mags made a rude comment about the exhaust sounding truckish, but I think it sounds pretty good. Just the right amount; you can hear there's something expensive under the hood but it only intrudes when you call for it...

brt3

Edmunds now has a pretty complete list of specs posted online:

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do.../pageId=103461

2007 Lexus LS460
dB @ Idle: 37.2
dB @ Full Throttle: 68.3
dB @ 70 mph Cruise: 62.5

Just for reference, I looked up the numbers for the Rolls-Royce Phantom:

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...3/pageId=68143

2005 Rolls-Royce Phantom
dB @ Idle: 40
dB @ Full Throttle: 67
dB @ 70 mph Cruise: 59

However, the LS460L has dual-pane glass so it may be quieter still than the numbers posted above...

rominl

iTrader: (4)

and here is the data for the s class

Db @ Idle: 48
Db @ Full Throttle: 66
Db @ 70 mph Cruise: 62

damn lexus, you need to work harder

and here is 750

Db @ Idle: 45
Db @ Full Throttle: 69
Db @ 70 mph Cruise: 64

vraa

iTrader: (2)

Is that the W221 S-Class?
I believe it has dual pane glass.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

yeah, i believe it's the w221, i got it off edmund

ls460l has luminated (dual pane) glass as well, so it's quite a bit quieter than ls460

encore888

A key measure is idle, and in the data provided that's where the LS 460 runs ahead of the pack. I do think though it depends on the tester, as the LS 430 was tested at 31.1 dB at idle in the front seat by Automotive Marketing Consultants, Inc. in 2002, the quietest on record. Edmunds probably tested the 460 SWB (and they did an incomplete review of the LS in their "full test"). Also, another group found 58 dB at cruising (62 mph) in the original LS 400.

I think Lexus has gotten it down as far as noise levels are concerned, so much so that this time around they decided to actually engineer back in some of the engine sound at certain levels.

newr

Kia Amanti

INTERIOR SOUND LEVEL
Idle: 40 dBA
Full-throttle acceleration: 70 dBA
70-mph cruising: 63 dBA

low idle dBA is cool and all, but most of the time cars are not sitting idle.. well, unless you live in LA.. lol..

nhey

It has laminated glass (not luminated glass, LOL).

For those who are interested...

Laminated glass is two pieces of glass sandwiched together with a special plastic inner layer, which glues them together, stops vibrations, blocks UV light and prevents the glass from breaking into many pieces when it is broken. When it does break, it stays together - like your car's front windshield, which is also laminated glass.

Apparently the 460L (but not the SWB) has it on all windows, not just the windshield.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

i am curious, why idle is more important? i would think when the car is on the freeway that's more important? just curious, always want to understand this

Stevekil

Edmunds may not be a trustworthy source. Their reviews on Lexus are misrepresented and often inaccurate and some times downright suspicious.

Their reviews on S-class and A8 are somewhat sensible and on 750 very suspicious again but for completely opposite reasons.

Their data cannot be trusted. They have many unknown agendas.

Unfortunately only an international organization where testers from Americas, Europe and Asia are carefully screened for fanboy journalism and bribery can be relied upon.

However, my personal experience with no instrument testing has been this:

1. Quietest is LS during idle and while cruising. At full throttle it may be sharing the spot with S-class.
2. S-class.
3. bentley continental.
3. Phantom: Due to the enormous coeff. of drag. Huge hairdresser grill and square hood, and that flying rubbish in the middle.
4. 7-series: Inadequately designed airflow, both over and under the structure.

I feel LS and S-class are so close that to the normal person, the difference may be imperceptible.

brt3

I respect your opinion, but on specifications Edmunds would be absolutely insane to fudge or alter numbers to favor one brand over another. That would be journalistic and business suicide, especially since many brands link to their comparison database.

I actually thought the final review on the LS was pretty positive. If you add up the positives and negatives, the only negative they seemed to come up with was the old, "car lacks soul" line and the non-Porsche-like handling. Most of their points were accurate, it just depends on your priorities when purchasing.

Besides, as I mentioned in another post, I think the LS has plenty of "soul". I define that as being able to tell that every person involved in the design and production of the car put their heart and soul into it. The details in the LS tell me that this is, indeed, the case...