Luxurious and serene as it was, but even better looking.
Having being overtaken by the German brands in the luxury car segment, Lexus has seen its popularity take a slight knock, but with its new LS model, complete with the brand’s new spindle-shaped grille corporate design and a refreshing new look, the LS is set to bring the fight to its Bavarian counterparts.
An over the top luxobarge designed to be comfortable big sedans, driving a Lexus LS is truly a first class experience on the road. On the move, the car is amazingly quiet with nary a hint of road noise. In fact out on the highway, as I was cruising along, a car would just zip pass me, and I would never hear anything, but upon winding down a window, reality check; a sharp contrast, which proves to us the amazing sound insulation qualities that this car possesses. But honestly, at this price point, anyone would expect top notch engineering, and that includes noise insulation.
As for the rest of the interior, I guess I could run out of superlatives describing how luxurious and comfortable this car is, but this is what Lexus is all about. At first, the interior might seem staid and unassuming, but one would soon realise that the car actually screams luxury with its very comfortable seats, restyled fascia, minimalistic dashboard, striped wood patterned trimming that adorns the whole cabin, the incorporation of a system known as the Climate Concierge to regulate the temperature in the cabin in accordance to each individual passenger’s preference and a 19-speaker Mark Levinson system which was playing Faure’s Pavane as I soaked in the ‘grandiosity’ of it all as a cultured high-roller.
In terms of looks, the new LS460 sports a front that is similar to the rest of its stable mates, carrying the corporate spindle grille design, making it unmistakably a Lexus from afar. But travelling down the flanks, you would realise that the Lexus ethos of being inconspicuous is largely retained, with nothing pompous or outlandish, save for some subtle athleticism in its design lines, featuring new headlights with DRL as well as a reworked rear to give it a sportier look, but the car largely retains its regal stature befitting of a luxobarge.
On the move, powering the LS460 is a 4.6-litre V8 that cranks out 382 horses with 493 Nm worth of torque to take the car from standstill to 100 km/h in just 5.7 seconds. Aiding the V8 in power transference to the rear wheels is the slick shifting eight-speed slush box. The car also comes with the Drive Mode Select system, in which throttle response can be altered to suit the driver’s driving preference. And deviating from our usual Sport S+ mode only driving style, I had it in Eco mode just for a change.
In Eco mode, (I can sense judgemental thoughts of me being a tree-hugger already), the car’s throttle sensitivity is greatly reduced for economical reasons no less. In terms of handling, for its size, the LS negotiates the corners admirably, with its steering sharp and with plenty of feedback and minimal body roll if any at all. The brakes are also well served, and speed retardation is excellent.
Lexus will undoubtedly find plenty of admirers with this new LS of theirs. With a solid reputation for reliability, luxury and more recently an added tinge of performance, Lexus has got a definite winner in their hands, though it might take some convincing and good marketing to convince the Europhile to part with his or her cash, but it will definitely be money well spent, considering the slew of amenities and the luxuriant qualities that this car has. And should you want something even sportier, there is always the F Sport variant.
