Lexus: LS News

Old 07-27-2012, 01:47 PM
  #521  
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I like it, but not diggin' the new GS tho... It's not sporty anymore
Old 07-31-2012, 01:11 PM
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Lexus Press Release

Lexus LS Flagship Luxury Sedans Redesigned For 2013 Model Year

San Francisco, Calif. – July 30, 2012 - With its dynamic handling, bold new design and superior craftsmanship, the 2013 LS flagship models hail the future of the Lexus brand as it embarks on its third decade in the premium luxury category. While retaining many of the qualities that have defined Lexus for more than 20 years, the LS reaches new heights with an exciting blend of beautiful design, modern refinement and advanced technology.

The 2013 LS line-up includes the LS 460, LS 460L, LS 600hL hybrid, and the first-ever LS 460 F SPORT. LS 460 and LS 460L are available in RWD and AWD. The LS Hybrid is available with a full-time AWD system.

The all-new LS 460 F SPORT combines a more aggressive exterior with a unique sport interior featuring F SPORT seats with larger bolsters, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with paddle shifters and genuine aluminum trim. With a sport tuned air suspension that has been lowered 0.4 inches, a Torsen® limited slip rear differential (RWD model), Brembo six-piston caliper brakes, and 19" forged wheels with summer or all-season tires, the LS F SPORT promises to be the most engaging LS ever.

The entire 2013 LS lineup is refined with dynamic, fresh styling that reflects the bold new face of Lexus. The aggressive spindle grille gives the new LS a greater road presence and stronger brand identity while heralding a significant improvement in driving dynamics, responsiveness and handling.

Increased body rigidity enhances stability, and allows for a more comfortable ride. Pitch and bounce control has been enhanced by adopting new frequency dependent shock absorbers, resulting in an even flatter, road-hugging ride. Revised steering offers improvements in accuracy and turn-in response. The braking system has been adjusted for more immediate power and greater pedal feel.

Available safety enhancements include the industry's most advanced Pre-Collision Safety (A-PCS) system with Collision Avoidance Assist. This system is designed to assist the driver in avoiding or mitigating collisions with vehicles and pedestrians under a wide range of city and highway speeds. At speeds lower than 24 miles per hour, this technology helps the LS to avoid accidents by automatically bringing the LS to a full stop.

The driver-focused interior integrates modern refinement with intuitive technology. The Advanced Illumination System (AIS), an all-LED interior lighting system, illuminates to greet the approaching occupants and then fades in sequence with the vehicle starting procedure.

The new, available Lexus Climate Concierge offers maximum comfort for every LS occupant. The customizable system uses multiple sensors to automatically regulate not only the temperature of the cabin, but also the climate control seats and the heated steering wheel, quickly bringing each occupant to their preferred temperature.

The standard navigation system is displayed on a 12.3-inch, split-screen, high-resolution multi-media display which is large enough to support simultaneous viewing of a large map display and other vehicle functions.

A next-generation Remote Touch, with one-push confirmation, is standard on all models and enables smooth, intuitive control of many vehicle systems. The Remote Touch allows the user to operate the climate, audio, phone controls, navigation system and more. The screen menus are selected with a controller conveniently located within easy reach on the center console. A number of well-placed buttons on the steering wheel and instrument panel enable the direct control of frequently used functions (e.g. temperature setting, fan speed, preset audio stations, etc.)

Lexus Enform® with App Suite leverages the customers' mobile phone technology to provide a new level of connectivity and information management. Users can conduct local searches through Bing™, utilize voice-enabled apps to make restaurant reservations through OpenTable®, get movie tickets via MovieTickets.com, tap into internet radio, including Pandora® or iHeartRadio, search business reviews on Yelp and check in on Facebook places. A one-year trial subscription is included for the App Suite.

Chassis/Body/Suspension/Brakes/Tires
• Numerous stabilizing fins help the LS to be one of the most aerodynamically efficient cars in its segment with a coefficient drag of 0.26.
• Laser screw welding, body adhesives and other structural reinforcements increase rigidity and enhance stability, steering feel and handling.
• New standard Drive Mode Select allows the driver to choose from 3 distinct drive settings (Eco, Normal and Sport). Vehicles equipped with the available air suspension add Comfort and Sport S+ modes.
• The available Air Suspension with Variable Gear Ratio Steering automatically adjusts the damping force for optimal comfort and performance.
• The available AWD system features a central, permanently engaged, Torsen Limited Slip center Differential (LSD) to further enhance grip, traction and cornering stability.
• Noise-reduction wheels channel resonant noise from the main air chamber to adjacent hollow areas within the wheels via resonator holes, resulting in an incredibly quiet ride.

Safety/Security
• The Advanced Pre-Collision Safety system (APCS) can detect stationary pedestrians and those moving at speeds of up to three miles per hour and stop the vehicle from a speed of 24 miles per hour if a collision with another vehicle is imminent.
• Available Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) constantly monitors the distance to vehicles ahead and is capable of operating at any speed. The system can bring the vehicle to a complete stop, and accelerate away once the road ahead is clear
• An upgraded, optional Lane-Keep Assist system (LKA) helps the driver stay in the intended lane.
• New to LS, the Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) uses rear millimeter-wave radar to monitor the vehicle rear side blind spots at 10 miles per hour or more. This feature includes Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) which automatically operates when the vehicle is in reverse, alerting drivers to the approach of other vehicles when backing out of a parking place.
• The Available Automatic High Beam system features a camera located in the inner mirror that detects light sources in front of the vehicle - including the headlamps of oncoming vehicles, the tail lamps of a vehicle ahead and street lighting - to automatically switch the high beams on and off accordingly.

Luxury/Comfort/Convenience
• Enhancements have been made to the sound insulation for an even quieter cabin.
• Redesigned front seats minimize pressure peaks and increase support. Both front seats feature an improved standard heating and cooling system with larger heating and cooling areas and reduced heating and cooling times.
• All AWD models including the LS600hL feature a heated steering wheel and Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) heating elements which warm the front cabin area quickly after vehicle start-up. Windshield de-icer and headlamp washers are standard on AWD models.
• The LS features a standard Lexus Premium Audio System with a nine channel amplifier, 10 speakers, CD / DVD player changer, DVD audio and video compatibility, MP3 sound enhancement, HD Radio™ with iTunes tagging, and a three-month trial subscription to SiriusXM™ Satellite Radio. Standard entertainment and connectivity advancements include enhanced Bluetooth® capability with automatic phonebook download and streaming audio.
• The optional Mark Levinson Reference Surround System provides a 5.1 home theatre surround with 7.1 architecture , discrete circuitry, 15 channel, ML3-16 Processor Power Amplifier covering a frequency range of 20Hz-20kHz, and 450 watts with less than 0.1% Total Harmonic Distortion (THD).

Luxury Options
• Available Power rear seats with Climate Concierge.
• An available Ottoman Seating Package with Shiatsu Massage and a Rear Seat Entertainment System featuring a Blu-ray DVD player, an SD card slot and a retractable, ceiling mounted, nine-inch full-color VGA screen.

Exterior Design
• The inverted trapezoidal upper grille and slanted lower grille that were first introduced on the GS sedan have been combined and integrated into a single element on the LS to create a more prominent spindle shape.
• When equipped with the optional three projector LED headlamp unit, the LS offers all LED exterior lighting, including turn signals an fog lamps
• LS 460 F SPORT features a unique front fascia with an enhanced three-dimensional mesh grille, larger cooling openings, black grille surround, and round fog lamps. A chrome-plated bar running along the bottom edge of the rear bumper accentuates the lowered center of gravity. F SPORT exterior badging completes the look.
• LS F SPORT offers six exterior colors; Ultra White is exclusive to F SPORT.

Interior Design
• The dashboard is divided into two distinct zones: an upper Display Zone, with the large, 12.3-inch, LCD multi-display screen, and a lower Operation Zone, which allows access to system controls such as the second generation Remote Touch Interface (RTI).
• The driver's instrument meter cluster incorporates high-visibility, large diameter Optitron dials; a 5.8-inch Thin Film Transistor (TFT) Multi-information screen; and an aluminum analog clock with a GPS-based time correction function.
• The interior is offered in 5 color schemes: Ivory, Light Gray, Black, Black and Saddle Tan, and a newly available Topaz Brown.
• Optional wood includes Walnut, Shimamoku Espresso, Matte Brown Bird's Eye Maple. The LS 600h L also offers an eco- friendly Bamboo wood trim.
• The new, Shimamoku finish is an example of the finest traditional Japanese craftsmanship. Shimamoku, translated as "striped wood," involves the painstaking layering of angle-cut dark and light shaded wood veneers in a unique process which involves 67 manufacturing steps over the course of 38 days.
• The LS 460 F SPORT features aluminum ornamentation and a unique interior, featuring a black Alcantara headliner.

Warranty
• 48-month/50,000-mile basic limited warranty with roadside assistance for 48 months/unlimited miles.
• 72 months/70,000 miles powertrain and restraint system coverage.
• 72 months corrosion perforation protection coverage, regardless of mileage.
• Eight years/100,000 miles hybrid-related components, including the HV battery, battery-control module, hybrid control module and inverter with converter.








































Old 07-31-2012, 01:17 PM
  #523  
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That is a sexy luxo cruiser right there...I'll take an F Sport model please.
Old 07-31-2012, 03:51 PM
  #524  
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Still not a fan of the new Lexus grille (painting the center piece body color would help), but the LS is still the premier large luxury car on the market. The F Sport version looks great.
Old 08-01-2012, 12:43 PM
  #525  
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the interior is gorgeous, it's not as stylish as an Audi interior, but when you're surrounded by that much leather and rich wood, it's gotta be a nice place to sit.
Old 08-01-2012, 05:51 PM
  #526  
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Seems like it has lost that "expensive" feeling like the last gen IMO....the side and rear don't seem to fit a $100k vehicle....some pretty large overhangs too....the grille implementation isn't as good as ES and GS......interior seems nice though
Old 08-02-2012, 09:12 AM
  #527  
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Yea I'm not feeling the exterior like I was the last gen but the interior is holy sh!t
Old 08-02-2012, 01:57 PM
  #528  
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Originally Posted by chill_dog
Still not a fan of the new Lexus grille (painting the center piece body color would help), but the LS is still the premier large luxury car on the market. The F Sport version looks great.
The LS F-Sport grill is the best rendition of the "Predator grill" (much better than what's on the GS); that grill definitely looks better w/o bumper painted the same color as the body.

And I wouldn't say the LS is the premier large luxury sedan when it can't command anywhere close to the price of the S Class.
Old 08-03-2012, 03:07 AM
  #529  
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Blehh....


2013 LS460 F Sport:







Old 08-04-2012, 05:02 PM
  #530  
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The non F Sport looks better than then F Sport.
Old 08-07-2012, 11:56 AM
  #531  
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Originally Posted by jwong77
The non F Sport looks better than then F Sport.
+1

F Sport looks neither sporty nor luxury.....

the rear reminds me of this:

Old 08-07-2012, 05:18 PM
  #532  
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Originally Posted by onebadna1nsx
2013 LS460 F Sport:

Why is Princess Leia posing with a Lexus?
Old 11-27-2012, 11:46 AM
  #533  
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Introducing the Lexus TMG Sports 650

Introducing the new TMG Sports 650 concept, which will make its debut at Essen Motor Show. This 650PS high-performance car has a 4,969cm³, V8 bi-turbo engine and eight-speed high-torque capacity transmission. Its aerodynamics were developed in TMG's wind tunnels and significant development has been dedicated to handling.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...0330628&type=1

























Old 11-27-2012, 12:57 PM
  #534  
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that front grill reminds of ford or something
Old 11-27-2012, 02:10 PM
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Originally Posted by yohan81718
that front grill reminds of ford or something
+1

Mondeo.
Old 01-14-2013, 10:32 AM
  #536  
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Post 2013 Lexus LS 600hL

Info...

For 2013 the Lexus flagship is the LS600hL with hybrid drive. It combines the power of 389 hp V8 from the LS 460 with an electric engine to power the front wheels.

Hybrid-specific characteristics using blue accent s in front headlamps, front and rear “L” badges,
“HYBRID” side badging, taillamps, “600h” in rear “LS 600h L” badge, engine cover

The car comes in either four or five seat configuration weighing in at 5,115 or 5,202 lbs.


Read more at http://www.supercars.net/cars/5950.h...x60qeVIajut.99
Old 01-14-2013, 10:32 AM
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Old 01-14-2013, 10:33 AM
  #538  
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Post 2013 Lexus LS 600hL Executive

Info...

Of all the packages for the LS 460 and LS 600, the Executive trim is the highest specification. It features split rear, reclining seats that add nearly 100 lbs to the 5,202 lbs saloon.

Other factory options of the executive package include:

*4-zone climate control with air purifier and rear infrared temperature sensor
*Leather door trim
*Leather glove box
*Leather Instrument Panel
*Power ottoman seat with massage and ottoman knee airbag
*Rear air conditioning with cool box
*Rear audio control
*Rear seat audio controls
*Rear seat side airbags
*Rear Seat Entertainment System with rear Blu-ray *DVD player, power nine-inch screen and wireless
headphones


Read more at http://www.supercars.net/cars/5951.h...3z6PXT6OwFQ.99
Old 01-14-2013, 10:33 AM
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Old 01-14-2013, 10:35 AM
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Post 2013 Lexus LS 600h F Sport

Info...

For 2013 the Lexus flagship is the LS600hL with hybrid drive. It combines the power of 389 hp V8 from the LS 460 with an electric engine to power the front wheels.

Hybrid-specific characteristics using blue accent s in front headlamps, front and rear “L” badges,
“HYBRID” side badging, taillamps, “600h” in rear “LS 600h L” badge, engine cover

The car comes in either four or five seat configuration weighing in at 5,115 or 5,202 lbs.


Read more at http://www.supercars.net/cars/5952.h...U72xmz6GUMC.99
Old 01-14-2013, 10:35 AM
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Old 01-14-2013, 12:07 PM
  #542  
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Yes please
Old 01-14-2013, 01:34 PM
  #543  
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Very nice.

Interior is sooo 7 series....and that's a good thing!
Old 01-14-2013, 02:47 PM
  #544  
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The executive could use some larger wheels. Overall though I really like the look. The F-Sport in particular looks amazing.
Old 01-14-2013, 06:13 PM
  #545  
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This looks hot. It's bold yet restrained. I think Lexus went overboard with the new IS.
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Old 02-11-2013, 02:02 PM
  #546  
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Cool

Super Sexy Beast!


























Last edited by MuGen7Modulo; 02-11-2013 at 02:09 PM.
Old 02-11-2013, 02:09 PM
  #547  
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holy smokes...that's what's it going to look like from the factory???

Wow Lexus is becoming interesting again.
Old 02-12-2013, 02:16 AM
  #548  
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wow, that satin finish!

I was indifferent to this car at first. But it has grown on me mightily. I noticed the Lexus 'L' in the tail lights the first time around, but it really stands out now. I really like the F Sport pics in the recent posts.
Old 02-12-2013, 03:07 AM
  #549  
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It's too rice for such a stately sedan.
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Old 02-12-2013, 07:08 AM
  #550  
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The more sport they add the uglier it gets, stop.

I agree with the poster who said the non sport is the best looking.
Old 02-12-2013, 03:18 PM
  #551  
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Most people would prefer the RLX
Old 02-12-2013, 06:26 PM
  #552  
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Originally Posted by doopstr
The more sport they add the uglier it gets, stop.

I agree with the poster who said the non sport is the best looking.
To me there's a clean contrast between what the Japanese are doing and what the Germans are doing, and the LS and RLX are perfect examples:

- Germans: starting with clean, cohesive, sporty lines and adding tasteful and usually subtle bits to make the sport model more aggressive

- Japanese: starting with a boxy generic anonymous design and adding increasingly outrageous bits to try to make it look like a "sport" version
Old 02-12-2013, 06:45 PM
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Originally Posted by Black Tire
holy smokes...that's what's it going to look like from the factory???

Wow Lexus is becoming interesting again.
It's just a concept from Five Axis. The entire 2013 LS lineup is already out, except the LS600 F-Sport, which is news to me.

Very nice cars inside & out, and a solid overall product for the money.
Old 02-12-2013, 07:52 PM
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So I've seen a couple of these by my local Whole Foods. The car is not particularly imposing. The rear is hard to tell apart from a 7 until you pull closer (The trunk is a copy of the 7 although I realize BMW copied the integrated exhaust and 'L' LEDs). Design is on par with the new A8 (XXL A4).
Old 02-12-2013, 08:28 PM
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Originally Posted by Belzebutt
To me there's a clean contrast between what the Japanese are doing and what the Germans are doing, and the LS and RLX are perfect examples:

- Germans: starting with clean, cohesive, sporty lines and adding tasteful and usually subtle bits to make the sport model more aggressive

- Japanese: starting with a boxy generic anonymous design and adding increasingly outrageous bits to try to make it look like a "sport" version
this
Old 03-07-2017, 07:39 PM
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2018 looks good
Old 09-26-2017, 05:15 PM
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It’s one thing to design and engineer a luxury car. It’s another to make it go around a corner without making the outside front tire squeal like a 15-year-old in the front row at a Hanson concert (in 1999).

“I … wanted the experience of driving the new LS to be amazing,” said chief engineer Toshio Asahi.

That’s a tall order for a steel-chassis sedan that weighs between 4,707 pounds for a RWD LS 500 with coil springs and 5,225 pounds for an AWD LS 500h hybrid with air bag suspension and Executive Package. How did Lexus do it? Technology. And acronyms. But the most important thing in wrestling a two and a half ton LS 500 around a corner is probably the electronically controlled anti-roll bar. More on that in a minute.

The 2018 Lexus LS rides on an almost-all-new platform, the Global Architecture-Luxury or GA-L platform. This was first used in the sporty LC 500 coupe, which we have driven and mostly liked. The LS 500 is a stretched version of the LC 500’s GA-L chassis, with a 123-inch wheelbase. Because they spent so much time developing the LC 500, engineers say they were able to make the new LS that much better by applying everything they’d learned on LC to LS.
The LS 500 interior has everything you want in a luxury sedan.
We told you about the basics of the LS last week. But here’s a brief recap: It comes with only a V6 -- no V8, but the V6 is better than the V8 by almost every metric. The 3.5-liter longitudinally mounted twin-turbo DOHC V6 makes more power and torque across a wider band than the previous V8, all while spewing fewer emissions. The gasoline, non-hybrid V6 makes 416 hp and 442-lb-ft of torque, while the hybrid cranks out 354 combined hp. The biggest difference with the non-hybrid vs. the old V8 is the torque from 1,800 to 4,000 rpm, which is prodigious. Zero to 60 comes up in 4.6 seconds in the RWD LS 500 and 5.1 seconds in the hybrid.

The transmission is a 10-speed automatic in the non-hybrid V6 and a hybrid transmission in the hybrid, the latter featuring four regular automatic gears and six “synthetic” gears helped along by electric motors to create the sensation of a 10-speed. Life is weird sometimes.
The LS comes in rear- or all-wheel drive.
Lexus controls all that mass and all that torque using a tried-and-true method: acronyms. The acronyms all delineate various electronic systems. The main means of harnessing 5,000 pounds of kinetic Lexus when it’s time to go somewhere other than a straight line is VDIM, vehicle dynamics integrated management. This takes over everything it can get its electronic hands on: ABS, TRAC/TRC (traction control), VSC (vehicle stability control), EPS (electric power steering), VGRS (variable gear ratio steering) and DRS (dynamic rear steering). If you get the airbag suspension instead of coil springs, it also controls a new, more advanced adaptive variable suspension or AVS. (There are a few hundred thousand more acronyms covering safety systems, but we only have so much space here.)

When we got behind the wheel and threw the LS into a bunch of corners, the biggest standout among all the electronics was the electric roll bar. Or at least it felt that way. There were other systems at play.

“The new VDIM system implements cooperative control of all vehicle subsytems -- braking, steering, powertrain and suspension -- to control basic longitudinal, lateral and vertical motions as well as yaw, roll and pitch,” Lexus explained.
You can get rear seats as comfy as your own private Idaho.
The idea is to offer ride, handling and tonnage control in the same car. How does it feel from behind the wheel?

If you’re going in a straight line, the new LS is everything you want in a giant Lexus: It is quiet, commodious and comfortable. You can get seat massagers to knead your aching back, for instance. You can even order a special suite of rear seat comforts for the *cough* Chinese market *cough* where they like to ride in the back. In a straight line, you will be perfectly happy in any model of the new LS.

Our first drive was in an LS 500h, the hybrid. This combines a 295-hp 3.5-liter gasoline V6 with two electric motors for a total system power rating of 354 hp. Lexus promises 25 mpg city, 33 mpg highway and 28 combined for the RWD 500h, slightly less with AWD. But on the highway, driving it like a Lexus LS driver would, it felt perfectly luxurious: quiet, comfy and climate-controlled. We might have expected better mileage but then who are we kidding, it weighs two and a half tons!

Next we got into the surprise Easter egg of LS 500 launches, the F Sport model. Yes, it will have an F Sport available at launch. This is a bold move for a vehicle that, as we seem to keep saying, weighs two and a half tons. The output of the twin-turbo V6 in the F Sport is the same as the non-F Sport LS 500, at 416 hp and 442 lb ft of torque. In a straight line, that’s enough to launch from 0-60 in 4.6 seconds.


The F Sport makes life worth living for LS owners.


But what about cornering? Does it feel at all sporty? Well, crank the steering wheel and be amazed, as every acronym in the substantial Lexus alphabet goes to work trying desperately to make your Lexus corner flat, despite its overwhelming desire to heave and flop over onto its Takumi-sculpted sides. Through the miracle of modern electronics, it does corner surprisingly flat, so much so that you may have to try a few corners at less than your usual 10/10ths to get the feel of it. But the feeling is a little forced, like someone giving the best man’s speech who has over-rehearsed everything and isn’t letting it all flow organically. Some big, heavy AMGs are like that. You’d have to go up a class or two to something like a Bentley to find a large sedan like this that corners with what feels like a more natural, less-forced roll control. The Lexus LS 500 F Sport feels a little robotic. But it does get you through the twisties with what might be, in a new interpretation of the word, fun. In fact, if we had to buy a Lexus LS 500 sedan, we would definitely get the F Sport.

Specific prices aren’t out yet, but Lexus says to expect a range of from $75,000 to $100,000 when the car hits showrooms in February. If your spouse insists on a Lexus LS but you kind of enjoy driving, get the F Sport. If both of you like luxury and don’t care about corners, take your pick of the rest of the LS line. Maybe skip that hybrid model, since it only gets 5 mpg better combined. Get the F Sport and maybe drop it into eco once in a while.Read more: Everything you need to know about the 2018 Lexus LS 500 luxury sedan
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00TL-P3.2 (09-27-2017)
Old 09-26-2017, 05:59 PM
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From side profile, current design looks better.

Is there more front overhand now too?

Lexus: LS News-98vldhe.jpg

vs

Lexus: LS News-4cbh8bo.png
Old 09-26-2017, 06:10 PM
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Maybe i need to see more pictures. But that picture makes the LS looks "weak" like it is an ES350 or something.
Old 10-26-2017, 08:45 AM
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https://www.topgear.com/car-reviews/...to/first-drive

A new Lexus LS?
Yep. Almost 30 years after the launch of the original – Lexus’s first car full stop – this is our first drive of the fifth-generation limo.

It will come with a choice of pure petrol and petrol-electric drivetrains, and it’s the hybrid LS500h we’ve driven here. It pairs a 3.5-litre petrol V6 with two electric motors for a 354bhp total, and you can have it with rear- or all-wheel drive. Its gearbox is a CVT.

The LS500 petrol is rear-driven only and uses a 416bhp twin-turbo V6 with a ten-speed auto – the same one that works really rather well in the Lexus LC500 sports car. The UK is likely to only get the hybrid, mind.

Is there loads of tech?
Naturally. There’s air suspension to keep the ride comfy and something called ‘Lexus Dynamic Handling’ to keep keener drivers happy.

But it’s the swathes of safety stuff – all combined into Lexus Safety System+ – that’s of interest here. Our first drive of the car has been limited to a toddle through Tokyo traffic with the aim of showing off its active cruise, lane keeping and lane change systems. The three combine to make this a semi self-driving saloon.

Like a Tesla Model S?
Kind of, and the technology is certainly similar. The key thing here is that Lexus doesn’t refer to it as ‘autopilot’ or anything else that might lead you to think you can press some buttons and then sit back. Or switch on your camera to record some unwise YouTube footage of the car doing all the work.

The car can keep in the centre of its lane, though only when you’ve set the active cruise control and taken your foot off the throttle. And it does so rather well. There’s none of the jutting between the white lines you get with some rivals’ systems and it’s all nice and smooth.

Obviously, you’re not meant to take your hands off the wheel. We did, and found a pretty lengthy period before the car asked us to grab the wheel again. Ignore it for too long and the LS draws itself to a gentle halt, sounds the horn and calls the emergency services, presuming you’re very unwell and need attention. So best not tease it too much and keep your hands close by.

What else does it do?
Lexus also boasts of the LS’s ability to change lanes itself. Hold the indicator down for a second or two and, so long as it’s clear behind you, the car will merge into the next lane, the direction chosen by whichever way you flicked the stalk.

Again, it’s very smooth, though the time it takes for you to hold the indicator down and the car to meticulously check its surroundings mean it would be far quicker and easier to just change lane yourself, via the usual blind spot checks and small steering inputs.

Tech for tech’s sake, then?
Not necessarily. Toyota – which Lexus is part of, don’t forget – is targeting zero road fatalities by focusing, one-by-one, on each type of road accident. So by fixing each with a bit of tech, it will eventually make a set of safety systems theoretically able to avoid each one. The haphazard motorway overtake looks to have been neutralised here, but this feature will probably make more sense when there’s a full suite of autonomy for it to work alongside.

What else have they focused on?
Parking accidents. The car is ready to trigger its brakes at very low speed, such as when you’re pulling out of a bay (when there could be oncoming cars or errant pedestrians) or creeping towards a wall or barrier (which you’ll need to, in order to fit the 5.2m LS in a space).

We got to have a go with both scenarios, with a child-sized doll playing the part of a passer-by behind the car where the rear-view mirror might not see. And both times the car beeped incessantly before stamping itself to a standstill when its warnings were ignored. Anti-crash tech isn’t new, of course, but it traditionally focuses on frontal impacts.

And what if I really want to drive it myself?
First impressions are that you’ll have bought the wrong limo. If you want a sharp-driving saloon car, there’s still nowt wrong with a Jaguar XJ or Porsche Panamera. The LS is a far waftier thing than either, especially if you’ve gone for this hybrid.

Comfort is the order of the day, even if the same sport mode selection dial from the Lexus LC500 coupe features above the steering wheel. In silent EV mode it’s pretty serene, though our car was keen to let tyre noise in. And engine noise too, when the V6 kicked in.

It feels like it’ll be swift enough outside of Tokyo traffic – 0-62mph is a claimed 5.4sec – and its all-wheel drive should make it a reasonably easy thing to hustle along, with the usual caveats associated with CVT gearboxes and their dull and sometimes clumsy responses. However, full judgement is reserved when we drive it at bigger speeds on better roads in a couple of months.

It’s a limo. How is it inside?
Serene and comfy enough to send a jet-lagged colleague straight into slumber. And more stylised and individual than any other Lexus saloon we’ve driven. The original LS launched to be a very rational purchase; 28 years on and its maker wants it to be more desirable.

So there’s complex sculpturing everywhere, right down to a dashboard that looks like it’s had guitar strings stretched taut across it. There’s even an ‘ornamentation panel’ on the passenger side, like in the new Rolls-Royce Phantom.

It’s the usual Lexus mixed bag, mind. A stunning dial setup is flanked by neat knurled switches, but nearby, an unintuitive mousepad system controls a media system that lacks the classy layout and typography of rival efforts.

We do like how much effort has been put into making it look different, though, even if the design outclasses the materials. The dramatic door inlays are modelled by origami, but house familiar plastic switches. But then, at a smidge over £70,000, prices start a lot lower than the outgoing LS, which bowed out in £100k top-spec trim only.

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