Jeremy Clarkson reviews the Lexus LS460L: a satisfying drive
XeroK00L submitted on 2/12/2007 Official Bell & Ross Timestamp: 3:02:56 PM
68 user comments | Category: Reviews | Source: | SOURCE: driving.timesonline.co.uk
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.
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