The original Lexus LS 400, launched 17 years ago, wrought a quiet revolution in the luxury car market. The challenge for this fourth generation LS, the 460, will be to recapture some of that first car's special feel.
The new 4.6-litre V8 kicks out around 350bhp (the LS 430 made do with 278) and so gets you to 60mph in around 5.5 seconds. It is married to the world's first eight speed automatic transmission, and Lexus claims it will consume fuel at a relatively sane rate with average mpg in the mid-20s.
If that's got you a little warm under the collar, why not cool down with the body heat sensors allied to the climate control? Or perhaps turn on the 19 speaker Mark Levinson stereo? If you get too chilled, there's always the heated steering wheel.
The rear has received more attention than on any previous Lexus - there are only two rear seats, but they come with a work table, power foot rests and massage function. There will be a LS 460L long wheelbase version.
There's only one problem - the Mercedes S Class. Neither are exactly glorious at first glance, for all Lexus' talk of its L-finesse design language. But the LS 460 will need to be a mightily good car to compete with the Mercedes.
Add your comment