Luxury brands typically make grand technological statements when redesigning their flagships. So what to make of Lexus' rather bland evolution of its LS 460 sedan? Before condemnations rain down, remember that a key portion of r&d and engineering work for this car coincided with the unintended acceleration recall crisis, which forced Toyota Motor Corp. to divert a healthy chunk of its engineering resources. If there was to be a dramatic redo of the LS 460, the scandal set it back significantly. Then the Japan earthquake last March finished it off.
Although Satoru Ohsaku, the LS assistant chief engineer, said 1,000 engineers were involved in the car's development, other executives confirm that some brainpower was reassigned to cope with the recall crisis and quake.
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