2007 Lexus LS 460
By Bob Hume, 05th August 2008
Now in its fourth generation, the 2009 Lexus LS, is a completely new and redesigned car, the reborn flagship of the Lexus range. Competitors have a daunting task ahead of them to convince the world market that this car isn't the best luxury car in the world. There are more than enough reasons to think that it is the LS is bristling with cutting edge technology and on paper it's an utterly fantastic car.
I know that Lexus produce great cars; in fact I've known that fact for some time I've never reviewed a Lexus that I haven't liked. I've reviewed the entire current range and I always look forward to driving them. The Hybrids are mind-bendingly advanced, the finish, build quality and attention to detail are all incredible (almost to the point of obsession), they are among the safest cars in the world and they are quite simply pure pleasure to drive.
Lexus GB provided me with the test car, which was the LS460 SE-L; the long wheel-base version, powered by a brand new 4.6 Litre V8, which produces 375BHP capable of a 5.7 0-60 time and an electronically limited 155 MPH. My car was supplied with the Advanced Safety Pack and the Rear Seat Upgrade pack, including an entertainment system for the rear passengers.
The safety features are contained within the Advanced Safety Pack and include the Emergency Steering Assist, Driver Monitoring System (DMS), Advanced Obstacle Detection, Rear Pre-Crash Safety System and Front Pre-Crash Safety. Safety seems to feature very highly in the design of this car and is an area that Lexus has spent considerable time over. In brief, the DMS monitors the driver's head at all times using an infra red camera, this detects when the driver is looking away from the road. Working in tandem with the AOD, which uses radar to detect potential hazards, the car will sense when the driver needs to be alerted and primes an advanced pre-emptive braking system.
The safety system will also determine when the driver is likely to use evasive action and lighten the steering weight accordingly. All of this combined, is designed to gain the driver extra time, distance and warning in the event of a potential hazard. Seatbelts and airbags are also designed to prime, when the risk of a collision increases, whilst audible warnings alert the driver. Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keep Assist are also included in this package. Adaptive Cruise Control keeps the car at a safe distance from the car in front (again using radar technology) and Lane Keep Assist detects the white lines by using some sort of black magic and assists the driver to stay between them by actually steering the car itself!
Transmission is an eight (yes eight!) speed, variable ratio automatic gearbox, allowing smoother changing and better response throughout the rev range. The LS also features brand new adjustable multi-link suspension for a soothingly smooth ride.
I had the LS for a week and used every excuse to take it out. Driving it was a joy and whispering along A' roads and motorways was relaxing and refreshing. Plenty of power and torque is on tap when you need it it is breathtakingly quick throughout the rev range and the new suspension, steering and geometry are perfectly set up to make the LS a surprisingly agile car for its size.
Arriving anywhere in this car makes a statement about you before you even get out of it. The big
Lexus is, like all saloons in the range, sublimely beautiful, expensive looking but discrete and understated. This is a tastefully designed car for the well-heeled but modest professional it doesn't so much announce your arrival but whispers it in the right ears.
Other refinements include directionally adjusting bi-xenon headlights, advanced trip computer with colour display, satellite navigation, speed limiter, heated and cooled leather power seats (fully adjustable in both the front and rear), a Bluetooth phone system and a dynamic Mark Levinson entertainment system. The climate control is capable of creating four separate 'micro-climates' within the cabin. The list goes on and on.
Automotive technology is advancing steadily every year, with the Lexus LS seemingly spearheading an amazing revolution in automotive design. This car will keep you and your passengers safe, entertained, comfortable and if that's not enough; under the right conditions, it practically drives itself.
This is an exceptionally good car, bristling with technology, quality, design and safety and nothing about the LS has been able to convince me that this is not one of the best road cars in the world.
