2007 Lexus LS 460 First Drive

Written By: MyRide.com
Reprinted under license.

Lexus's new flagship sedan proves that obsession isn't necessarily a bad thing

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Overview

Lexus LS 460 - 2007 First Drive: Spend time driving around Austria and you'll get the distinct impression you've been transported to a parallel universe where the pursuit of perfection is an ordinary part of everyday life. From the neatly-tended flowerboxes outside picture-perfect country chalets to the fastidiously-kept 500-year-old buildings at the heart of the historic city of Salzburg, it's clear this is a nation of people to whom details are important. It's precisely that quality that made Austria's landscape a fitting backdrop for Lexus to introduce its all-new LS 460 flagship sedan.

While we've long been aware of this luxury brand's reputation for quality and innovation, the more we learned about the fourth-generation LS sedan, the more we were struck by the remarkable - even obsessive - attention to detail that went into creating it. From headlight elements mocked up in genuine crystal to tuning the sound of the closing doors to mimic the solid thunk of a heavy wooden door, the men and women behind the new LS have clearly sweated over details few buyers are ever likely to notice. As a result, we think anyone who drives the LS 460 can't help but come away with the impression that this is one very special automobile.

Model Mix

While the introduction of the first all-new LS model in six years is a significant event in itself, there are two unique developments that make this new-generation flagship particularly noteworthy.

For starters, 2007 marks the first time the LS will be offered in both regular (LS 460) and long-wheelbase (LS 460 L) body styles. This two-model approach is designed to allow Lexus to expand its share of the market by appealing to so-called "prestige-luxury" buyers who'd prefer to let their driver contend with the messy realities of rush hour traffic as they attend to business or pleasure in the coddling confines of their expansive back seat. The second major development comes next spring as the automaker introduces the world's first full-size hybrid luxury sedan. Despite its unwieldy mouthful of a name, the LS 600h L will offer a gasoline-electric hybrid all-wheel-drive powertrain tuned to provide a significant boost in performance along with a number of cutting-edge amenities.

As you might expect, the standard features list for the Lexus LS 460 is extensive and includes goodies like xenon headlights, leather upholstery and genuine wood trim, and a keyless starting system that allows you to unlock the doors, start the engine, and drive away without ever removing the key from your pocket or purse. Following the company's long-established pattern, there are no pre-packaged trim levels here, just an a la carte menu of options that includes such exotic items as heated and cooled front and rear power-adjustable seats, infrared body temperature sensors, power door and trunk closers, and an impressive 19-speaker, 450-watt Mark Levinson surround sound audio system.

We'd love to share pricing with you, so you can see if this new Lexus is going to be a bargain or not, but they were not set at this writing.

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