Lexus' New LS is Our Pick for Most Important Vehicle at '06 NAIAS.
This year's North American International Auto Show in Detroit
was business as usual for automobile manufacturers around the globe. Over the three-day-long press preview, the display of sights and sounds were plentiful, with numerous jaw-dropping concept cars, a few unexpected surprises and a good number of key production cars, not to mention a few celebrity guest appearances. Even Chinese carmaker Geely showed up to the party, announcing that it would have an affordable compact on our shores in just a few years' time. Now that everyone is settling down from North America's biggest automotive bash, it's time to reflect upon the show. Out of the dozens of appearances, one vehicle stood out from the crowd as perhaps the most important vehicle of the show - the all-new Lexus LS 460.
Out of all the products that debuted at Detroit, including the Dodge Caliber, Honda Fit and Toyota's all-new Camry, all of which were serious contenders to the title, why did we pick the LS 460 as our star of the show? Where the other cars provide practical solutions to everyday problems, the Lexus is on a completely different level of innovation, invention and, dare we say, perfection. It's true that the past three generations shook up the high-end luxury sedan scene dramatically, providing unparalleled comfort and bulletproof reliability, but now that Lexus has mastered such often overlooked basics, it has sights on upping style and performance for the new generation LS, charging full-steam ahead into relatively new territory for the Japanese brand, fueled by Lexus' determination to be number one in all segments it competes in.
One
is the number of looks that it takes to know that the LS 460 is going to be a ground breaking car. Previous versions were penned with an extremely conservative viewpoint, mimicking styling cues of the segment benchmark, the Mercedes S-Class, but now this has changed. The LS 460 is the third car to feature the L-Finesse design language, a styling theme that not only drastically improves the appearance of its new IS, GS and now LS models, adding an emotional edge that the previous examples lacked, but has also enabled Lexus to achieve class-leading aerodynamics. The wind-cheating design is both elegant and clean, two things that just can't be said about the new S-Class and 7-Series, which have all become rather cumbersome looking in an attempt to esude unique identities. Just the same, following the lead of its German competitors Lexus will now offer a long-wheelbase LS for the first time. The LS 460 L will feature an additional 120 mm (4.7 inches) between the front and rear wheels.
As the badge on its tail suggests, the LS is powered by a 4.6-litre V8, which is some 300 ccs bigger than the current model, yet, with this marginal increase in size, Lexus has managed to extract 380 horsepower and 370 lb-ft of torque! That's a jump of 90 horsepower and 50 lb-ft over the current LS 430. With the help of advanced direct injection and various other innovations, Lexus has overtaken BMW's 367 horsepower 4.8-litre V8, and nearly matches Mercedes-Benz's all-new 388 horsepower 5.0-litre V8. Keep in mind the fact that Lexus' engineers ensured that the LS 460's motor is even smoother, quieter and more refined, and you begin to see the many ways that they're superior to the traditional class leaders.
It doesn't stop at the engine, mind you, as the transmission is just as
advanced. With eight speeds - yes, you read that right - making Mercedes' 7G-tronic and the ZF 6-speed auto BMW's 7 uses, also used in many high-end luxury cars by the way, seem like ancient history. We thought it would stop at seven, but the new transmission's maker, Aisin (a Toyota subsidiary), managed to add an extra cog, while improving upon the current six-speeder's seamless gearchanges and immediate response. Like Benz's 7-speed unit, it benefits by improving acceleration, which is an estimated 5.5 seconds to 100 km/h from naught, while improving fuel consumption (yet to be announced) due to a taller final drive. Other noteworthy drivetrain advancements include the availability of a hybrid version, which Lexus hopes to pit against the M-B S600 and BMW 760iL currently in the $160,000+ market, providing the power of a V12 with the fuel consumption and emissions of a V6, for a substantial savings over the German super-sedans, no doubt.
This year's North American International Auto Show in Detroit
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| Not only is it bigger, faster, and more efficient, Lexus' new flagship sedan has style and smarts. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
Out of all the products that debuted at Detroit, including the Dodge Caliber, Honda Fit and Toyota's all-new Camry, all of which were serious contenders to the title, why did we pick the LS 460 as our star of the show? Where the other cars provide practical solutions to everyday problems, the Lexus is on a completely different level of innovation, invention and, dare we say, perfection. It's true that the past three generations shook up the high-end luxury sedan scene dramatically, providing unparalleled comfort and bulletproof reliability, but now that Lexus has mastered such often overlooked basics, it has sights on upping style and performance for the new generation LS, charging full-steam ahead into relatively new territory for the Japanese brand, fueled by Lexus' determination to be number one in all segments it competes in.
One
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| LS' interior is opulent, but not confusing, as with several high-end luxury automobiles. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
As the badge on its tail suggests, the LS is powered by a 4.6-litre V8, which is some 300 ccs bigger than the current model, yet, with this marginal increase in size, Lexus has managed to extract 380 horsepower and 370 lb-ft of torque! That's a jump of 90 horsepower and 50 lb-ft over the current LS 430. With the help of advanced direct injection and various other innovations, Lexus has overtaken BMW's 367 horsepower 4.8-litre V8, and nearly matches Mercedes-Benz's all-new 388 horsepower 5.0-litre V8. Keep in mind the fact that Lexus' engineers ensured that the LS 460's motor is even smoother, quieter and more refined, and you begin to see the many ways that they're superior to the traditional class leaders.
It doesn't stop at the engine, mind you, as the transmission is just as
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| Here stands the most advanced engine and transmission combo in a production car to date. Er, with the exception of the Veyron, perhaps. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |