It is still not to be expected that he will seriously outstrip the Audi A8, 7 Series BMW or Mercedes S-Class. But with the new LS Lexus an even more spacious and - apart from the oversized grille - also more elegant upper class alternative than before. The new flagship of the Toyota subsidiary makes its debut at the trade fair in Detroit and is due to start in the USA in autumn. It is not yet known when the limousine will come to us.
The engineers stretched the wheelbase to a whopping 3,13 meters, giving the passengers significantly more interior space. Overall, the LS has also grown to an unwieldy 5,23 meter length, which makes hiring a chauffeur quite attractive - he can then take on the challenging search for a parking space, at least in the big city. While driving, the Lexus naturally benefits from the large space between the axles, as is well known, length runs well. All-wheel steering, adjustable stabilizers on the rear axle and a system that harmonizes the chassis, steering and drive with each other are intended to further increase comfort.
The interior is made of wood, leather and aluminum that is pleasant to the touch. The seats can be adjusted numerous times at the front and rear, the massage function ensures relaxation on long journeys and the Active Noise System reduces noise. Unlike in the past, the cockpit appears less playful, only numerous buttons can still be found on the steering wheel. In addition, two somewhat strange stumps flank the rather small instrument cluster. There is a touchpad behind the automatic lever for controlling the infotainment system. In the future, a ten-speed gearbox will be used, which should confidently manage the power of the 3,5-liter V6. The old V8 has had its day, but the performance of the six-cylinder with 305 kW / 415 hp is still higher. The torque has also increased noticeably with 600 Newton meters. That is enough to accelerate the LS to 100 km / h in under five seconds. There is still no information about a possible hybrid variant, and the price is still open.
(Michael Gebhardt / SP-X)