Jeremy Clarkson reviews the Lexus LS460L: a satisfying drive

XeroK00L submitted on 02/12/2007 Official AutoSpies Timestamp: 3:02 PM
from: driving.timesonline.co.uk

Tags: jeremy clarkson lexus ls460l ls460 review

jeremy clarkson lexus ls460l ls460 review

Jeremy Clarkson reviews the Lexus LS460L: a satisfying drive

And yet, behind the almost impenetrable shield of buttonry beats the heart of a very satisfying car.

What makes it work so well is that unlike Mercedes, Audi or BMW, Lexus has no sporting aspirations for the LS at all. Oh, it shifts, be in no doubt about that, but it is not supposed to be a driver’s car. And by taking that out of the mix they have been able to concentrate on making it, above all else, unbelievably comfortable and quiet.

Really quiet. It may be a 4.6 litre V8 up there under the bonnet, but at tickover it barely makes a sound. Then there’s the suspension. Sadly, it’s made from air, which means it doesn’t work very well in normal mode, but put it in “comfort” and the leviathan just glides.

The driver’s seat should be singled out for praise too. It’s like sitting on a sumo wrestler. Couple that to the gearbox, which changes so smoothly you cannot feel the shifts, and you have a car that can be compared to the Rolls-Royce Phantom.

Except for the price, of course. At first the starting price of £57,000 appears to be a lot but a Mercedes S 500 with a similar spec will cost you about £13,000 more. Read Article

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jon21 - 2/12/2007 4:50:31 PM

+6 Boost

Nice of Jeremy to understand the whole point of a luxury cruiser suppose to do.

"unbelievably comfortable and quiet."

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EL34 - 2/12/2007 5:32:37 PM

0 Boost

*snooze*

enthusiastx11 - 2/12/2007 11:57:00 PM

+3 Boost

exactly, it's a luxo cruiser.
so let's just stop the comparisons to the S, 7 and A8 now.
if you want to float buy this car.
if you want to drive, buy german.

lexusis350 - 2/13/2007 12:16:24 AM

0 Boost

Or wait for the possible LS-F.

EL34 - 2/13/2007 2:20:46 AM

+1 Boost

lexusis350, the next Lexus F car will be the redesigned SC-F.

The concept they've been showing.

S4cabriofoxone - 2/13/2007 6:07:29 PMView My AgentSpace

+4 Boost

No, EL. You have no right to say anything about any Lexus product- all you do is bash them!

It's called the LF-A, and it has nothing to do with the SC. It's an R8 competitor.

S4cabriofoxone - 2/13/2007 6:07:56 PMView My AgentSpace

0 Boost

There will be no LS-F. Until BMW makes an M7, Lexus wouldn't dare copy Audi or Mercedes-- they're trying to be BMW, remember?

enthusiastx11 - 2/14/2007 12:01:49 AM

+1 Boost

haven't heard they're actually making one. wouldn't really make sense to make a 'performance' version of a soft luxo cruiser.

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5MTenthus - 2/12/2007 4:55:37 PM

-1 Boost

I agree with renlex that this is not meant to be a driver's car. If you want a luxury car, buy this. If you want a sports car, buy a real sports car. None of this AMG automatic sports sedan business.

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Flight152 - 2/12/2007 5:01:42 PM

-9 Boost

I hate when he says 'bonnet'.

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Rupert - 2/12/2007 5:40:37 PMView My AgentSpace

+5 Boost

why? that is the word...
and he'll put his luggage in the boot, too, not the trunk.

AUDBMLEXMRC - 2/12/2007 5:34:58 PM

+3 Boost

I always liked jeremy's reviews. Funny and amazing and most of time objective. As told before i've tested this car and it's excellent. It' drivng is very pleasant. It's not as fun as a Z4(which i love to drive and i drive everyday) but it's something different. Different than any other car that i've drove
before! Try it you won't dislike it for sure!

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EL34 - 2/12/2007 5:48:42 PM

-5 Boost

What about the self-parking assistance for the parking impaired.

The LS460 is for those that like one million push buttons!

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htra0497 - 2/12/2007 6:48:24 PM

-9 Boost

Has Clarkson got rid of his Ford GT yet? Latest news is that he has just got a Gallardo Spyder.

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Lexus - 2/12/2007 7:47:14 PM

-4 Boost

He comparing the Lexury and comfort of this Lexus LS460 to the Rolls-Royce Phantom. Just wait until the Lexus LS600 hl come out. The Lexus LS600 hl is probably going to be compare to the Maybach for sure.

Good job Lexus

Lexus

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Agent009 - 2/14/2007 10:07:53 AMView My AgentSpace

0 Boost

He makes a good point and accurate assessment. If your are a "Driver" the car is not for you. (Like we didn't know that) If you are a "Cruiser" then the LS is the ticket for you.

Not everyone wants a carve corners, they simply want a nice car that won't spill their Starbucks latte. Different appeal to a different demographic.

enthusiastx11 - 2/14/2007 12:04:08 AM

+2 Boost

you're comparing apples and oranges. no LS is comparable to a rolls, bentley or maybach.

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Lexus - 2/12/2007 9:13:19 PM

-3 Boost

If it a Camry why are you and your fellow Germanboys drooling all over it?

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lexusis350 - 2/13/2007 12:15:49 AM

+1 Boost

Good point.

lexusis350 - 2/13/2007 12:13:48 AM

0 Boost

S4, is that really you? Are you sick or are you being serious? You're absolutely right though, the Maybach is nothing more than an S-Class with almost triple the price. It doesn't have the highest quality materials for a car that goes into the six digits.

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Bill - 2/13/2007 6:25:04 AM

+2 Boost

Mr. Lexus IS350,

I suppose you have sat in a Maybach and can therefore make this claim?

Because I have sat in both and I've been given a ride inside a Maybach and let me tell you, the interior materials are perfectly fine. High quality, just as you'd expect in such a car.

Stop trying to promoto Lexus by "bullshitting" about other cars.

For comparison purposes. The LS interior looks "overrated" to me. Copy and paste the link and see for yourself.

LS460: http://autozeitung.de/online/bildDB/37643_1024.jpg

Maybach: http://autozeitung.de/online/bildDB/13040_1024.jpg

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Willis - 2/13/2007 8:06:05 AM

0 Boost

The Maybach isn't an S class, Lexus IS350. It merely uses the underpinnings of the W140 S class, which was built to withstand more weight than the W220 and W221 S class chassis.

By your logic, the Lexus LS460 must be nothing more than a Toyota Celsior then. Get my drift?

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lexusis350 - 2/13/2007 12:11:14 AM

+4 Boost

Jeremy Clarkson gives Lexus a good review?!?!? I thought for sure he would say it wasn't anything special.

"Couple that to the gearbox, which changes so smoothly you cannot feel the shifts, and you have a car that can be compared to the Rolls-Royce Phantom."

Wow. At least he can appreciate the true meaning of Lexus, to be a luxury car.

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answer - 2/13/2007 11:53:24 AMView My AgentSpace

+3 Boost

Why don't you go ask your mommy to help you take a piss and leave the typing to us grown ups.

Thanks.

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Lexluther - 2/15/2007 9:09:19 PM

0 Boost

Ricemaster,

I own and drive a Lexus LS 460, Lexus GS 350, Lexus SC 430, Bentley Continental GT, Maserati Quattroporte and a Porsche Cayenne Turbo S. I have spent more in a month than you have in your life!

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Gennissen - 2/13/2007 2:45:12 AM

-5 Boost

Here is a comment someone posted on Clarkson's article:

"Jeremy, I cannot believe that you actually LIKE this car! It is a gigantic missed opportunity.

The mid-range cars have been getting so good, that the high-end cars are increasingly pressed to justify the price difference. Mercedes and BMW responded by layering on problematical electronics. Mercedes reliabity has been dreadful. BMW ergonomics are unforgivably bad.

Lexus had the reliability and electronics nailed. What it needed was style and "fun to drive." The style is now fine -- certainly competitive with any rival save Audi. But this car is just AWFUL to drive: floaty suspension, vague steering, long stopping distances. It makes any secondary road a chore to be avoided.

My original 1990 LS was a better driving machine -- and I eventually sold that because it was too soggy. Where is 17 years of progress? Oh, it is in the automatic parking feature that only sort of works.

In short, this is a car for people who hate to drive. I found it profoundly disappointing". END

I haven't driven the car myself but can this guy say this i.e the 17 years of progress part

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narmeen13 - 2/13/2007 4:30:37 AM

0 Boost

"There can be no doubt, of course, that the three-letter acronym was created"... *falls asleep on keyboard* ZZZZzzzz

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narmeen13 - 2/14/2007 2:35:49 AM

+1 Boost

Na, just wanted to clarrify that JC writes too much sometimes and takes ages to get to the point, and someppl just have their own opinions on reviews.. so if u dont like mine, shuv it!

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OBSERVER1984 - 2/13/2007 10:42:54 AM

-2 Boost

Is there a video too!?!

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1995e34 - 2/13/2007 5:05:44 PM

+2 Boost

pure luxury. so it should be compared to caddy dts instead of germans right?

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S4cabriofoxone - 2/13/2007 6:11:06 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

Uhh.

Will, the reason they can't be compared is because the Germans (specifically Mercedes and Audi) had mastered "pure luxury" long ago. The A8 and S-Class are ultra-luxurious. The difference? They can also handle.

S4cabriofoxone - 2/13/2007 6:10:14 PMView My AgentSpace

-1 Boost

And yet you disagree with him on all other topics, i.e. when he lauds German cars?

Your will bends at his.

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1995e34 - 2/13/2007 8:48:46 PM

0 Boost

so if performance has practically no factor in these cars, why not make them with a solid rear axle, fwd, and v6 engines?

yes irs adds comfort, but most limos in the u.s. have solid rear.

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S4cabriofoxone - 2/13/2007 6:09:45 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

Lexusis350, check our names. Don't tell me you haven't seen this "S4cabriofoxone1" imposter; he's been posting for at least a month.

Also, he has plenty of grammatical errors. I do not regularly make grammatical errors. English clearly isn't his first language.

I don't like the Maybach either, but I still have sense enough to know that the LS600hL isn't competition for it.

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S4cabriofoxone - 2/13/2007 10:12:05 PMView My AgentSpace

-3 Boost

Both the LS600hL and S600 are Continental Flying Spur competitors, IMO. Not as prestigious- but more modern, and slightly less powerful.

That also applies to the W12 and 760Li.

S4cabriofoxone - 2/13/2007 10:15:22 PMView My AgentSpace

-2 Boost

Well, when you consider the cars, the LS600hL and S600 could both be thought to be Maybach competitors. Maybach does have the much more exquisite interior, but when it comes down to it, a fancy interior isn't worth $200,000. The S600 is a better alternative, because (obviously) of the price difference, the power, and the S-Class's coolness. The LS, while every bit the mini-Maybach, is upstaged by the S600 IMO. Although the 600hL has the trendy hybrid system, I don't think that's what anybody buying this kind of car cares about. The S600 has about 100 extra horsepower, and the Maybach looks (that could be a good or bad thing). Advantage, Mercedes.

S4cabriofoxone - 2/13/2007 10:59:54 PMView My AgentSpace

0 Boost

No, Will. Why do you relentlessly diminish my comments? You know I'm not some dumb@ss biased German fan. See through my car and into what I have to say- it's a lot more than what you can comprehend.

EL34 - 2/13/2007 9:13:43 PM

-2 Boost

So in other words Jeremy Clarkson thinks the LS460 is a POS.

hmmmm.

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S4cabriofoxone - 2/13/2007 10:18:43 PMView My AgentSpace

0 Boost

Good. Nice job. Admission of faults. That's step #1 to being human.

Although, what you said is arguable. I'm not personally going to argue with you... but... oh, it's so hard! The LS is as COMFORTABLE as the competition, but-- THE S-CLASS AND A8 ARE BETTER ON THE INSIDE. Ah. I let it out. There.

I'd take an LS460L if they gave me $10,000 off. Otherwise, I'm inclined to go elsewhere for my luxury sedan. On my personal list, handling is tied with luxury. That's what make the S-Class and A8 so appealing to me.

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bulldogz - 2/14/2007 1:26:04 PM

+2 Boost

"On my personal list, handling is tied with luxury"

...yet you drive an Audi S4 conv.? My hardtop S4 handled WORSE than my wife's M3 cabrio, and was hardly what I'd consider luxury, especially after a year..stuff would just stop working altogether. Don't miss that car at all.

bulldogz - 2/15/2007 3:38:45 PM

+1 Boost

how's this: http://www.autospies.com/news/A-Controversial-Grille-That-Has-Gone-Mainstream-12151/

and come on, we know you don't really have a girlfriend...unless you include inflatable, assclown.

But thanks for playing.

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bulldogz - 2/16/2007 9:45:47 AM

+1 Boost

uh, no I didn't spend all day, it took less than a minute. But unlike you I don't spend every waking moment on here, I actually have a life, you're just a tool that no one would care about if you suddenly disappeared.
Just drink the bleach already.

Oh, and your Mom says hi.

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huu76 - 2/14/2007 11:59:30 PM

+2 Boost

Nice that someone finally pointed out to us that the LS is a limousine, not a sports car.

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cdoke - 2/15/2007 12:29:27 PMView My AgentSpace

+6 Boost

I really shy away from comparing the Lexus LS to the Rolls-Royce Phantom. Sure they share certain design traits, but they are truly different types or styles of luxury.

The Lexus LS is really an aggrandized Japanese car, by which I mean it is in the Japanese style of luxury. There is a rather plain, if plastic looking dash structure with no stitching on it. The buttons are small and precise looking. The interior of the car for some reason reminds me a bit of a watch. The character of the car is demur and unassuming.

The Roll-Royce on the other hand is built in the English style of luxury, lots of exposed stitching on both the dash and the seats. Copious wood abounds in the cabin. Attention is paid to the details: this Monday I looked at Roll-Royces and Aston Martins for about 3 hours and you know the more I look at the RR the more I like them. Originally, I hated them, hated them hated them: they looked like some horrible German bastardization of and English car defined by planes and not by curves. I found it offensive that some upstart German car company could ever have pretensions of being an engineering firm with the prestige of Rolls-Royce offensive. I realize now that the front is defined in a semi-planar way, but the rear is not really planar at all. Anyway, the Rolls-Royce is a behemoth even compared to the LS, and it isn’t demur, it is anything but. Probably the only thing you will find with comparable aerodynamics is a refrigerator.

As for the Maybach: Robb Report recently called it the “Why-bach?” It is a very expensive aggrandization of a Mercedes which is made stylistically to compete with English luxury. It is a horrible device: reminds me of some botched plastic surgery. What an obscure name for them to pluck out of history. If there is ever a single brand that should be brought back it I think it should be Deusenberg. The problem, of course, is actually making something worth the name.

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