My LS tester was coated in Cypress Pearl metallic paint; Lexus speak for light green, and finished inside in Ecru, or light
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| Starting at $84,900, the LS 430 is reasonably priced when compared to the $93,900 Audi A8, $96,500 Volkswagen Phaeton, $96,800 BMW 745i, and $97,850 Mercedes-Benz S430. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
beige, almost cream-colored leather hides. The look, combined with a large dose of medium-tone burred walnut accents is opulent to say the least. This isn't the only interior, exterior treatment Lexus offers, of course, with seven additional paint coatings available, and an impressive three additional interior color choices. There's optional wood trim as well. I drove a 2005 model previously that featured a new antique finish to the wood, kind of like how an old violin is darkened around the edges and fades into a lighter woodgrain towards its center, an effect that I've never seen applied in a car before.
The base LS comes extremely well equipped for a very low $84,900, at least its sticker is reasonable compared to the $93,900 Audi A8, $96,500 Volkswagen Phaeton, $96,800 BMW 745i, and $97,850 Mercedes-Benz S430. It's even less expensive than its $88,000 Infiniti Q45 rival from Japan, or Britain's $87,500 Jaguar XJ8.
Of course, almost fully loaded as was the case for my LS 430 with Ultra-Premium package, consisting of a sweet sounding 240-watt,
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| My LS 430 tester, with Ultra-Premium package, came fully loaded with a long list of enticing features. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
9-speaker Mark Levinson audio system with a cassette deck and multi-disc changer hidden under a flip up wood cover, rear audio controls integrated into the fold down armrest (which don't work if there are five onboard by the way), rear auto climate control also incorporated into the armrest, adaptive cruise control, a DVD based navigation system, rear side sunshades, laminated side glass, automatic door closure, climate controlled front and rear seats, perforated leather seats throughout, power adjustable massaging rear seats, driver selectable auto load leveling front and rear suspension, and stylish chrome plated 17-inch alloy wheels.
