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Launched: Lexus LS460

Wheels Magazine
June, 2007

Model: Lexus LS460
Engine: 4608cc V8, dohc, 32v
Max Power: 280kW @ 6400rpm
Max Torque: 493Nm @ 4100rpm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
0-100km/h: 5.7sec (claimed)
Price: $184,900
On sale: Now

Something had to be done before it was too late. The average age of LS customers had risen to 61,well above the average of 49 for the first generation luxo Lexus of 1990.

If the pattern continued for too long, a fair share of LS owners would start to, well, drop off. They wouldn't be back for another one, so Lexus started work on a more youthful LS.

Style was first on the anti-ageing agenda, and the frumpy Mercedes-clone outline of the last model was replaced with a more toned shape with a touch of menace. The slab sides now have a curve, the headlights are sleek and two polished exhaust pipes now feature at each corner of the rear bumper, hinting at something special under the bonnet.

And that's a 4.6-litre V8 with direct injection, good for 280kW, a massive 73kW up on the previous 4.3-litre V8. Torque is up 76Nm over the old engine, with 493Nm available at 4100rpm.

That's enough firepower to sling the LS from 0-100km/h in 5.7 seconds, despite its 1945kg heft. It's sugar sweet, revving out smoothly. Like everything in the LS, the note is slightly sedated, but you can still pick it for an eight when pushing.

Something most drivers won't notice is the LS's eight-speed transmission. The Aisin-developed auto trumps both the seven-speed S-Class 'box and the six-cog shifter from the 7 Series.

It reeks of one-upmanship, but who cares? The Lexus transmission is brilliant, delivering velvet-smooth shifts. It can also jump multiple ratios to limit the amount of shifting.

The LS460 is the first Lexus sold here to feature a switchable traction control system, although it never really turns off, simply raising the tolerance level before coming back on at 55km/h. Further, the usual army of electronic nannies, so over-protective in previous LS models and the current mid-sized GS, has been eased off to allow some spirited driving. Yes, the systems still kick if they sense impending carnage, but aren't as intrusive.

Steering feel has also been improved to give the driver some feedback, so now it's possible to enjoy the fact this is a rear-driver with a fair share of urge and excellent grip levels.

The LS uses air springs, combined with monotube dampers to control the multi-link front and rear suspensions. The ride is on the softer side, which will please owners who are starting to stiffen, but three damper settings also give the driver a choice.

It's now more of a driver's car, but the LS460 is still best experienced from the back. The plush rear seats tilt, the headrests are adjustable, and what looks like a ski port is actually an access lid to a chilled compartment, in case you want a cold one while watching a DVD on the roof- mounted LCD screen.

Yet the rear is not as spacious as you expect from such a large car, feeling more on par with a Commodore. Also disappointing is the boot, which is a lot smaller than expected. Older owners - and perhaps lazy young ones - will appreciate the auto boot open and closing mechanism.

It's this type of standard feature that Lexus has crammed into the $184,900 LS460 which would cost an arm and both legs to option for the more expensive Germans.

Other top-shelf standard gear includes heating and ventilation for four seats, radar cruise control, and keyless entry and start. Oh, and the standard Mark Levinson sound system can shatter the peace with its colossal bass while also delicately revealing instruments you've never heard before.

However, many will just enjoy the silence instead, which is simply stunning. Even those whose hearing is still fully functioning won't pick the engine idling, such is the serenity. The isolation of wind, tyre and engine noise at cruising speeds is eerie.

So, it's as quiet as a library, but the LS460 is also far more exciting and appealing than its predecessors and, gasp, could even appeal to drivers who don't qualify for a Seniors Card.

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