2001 Lexus LS430 - Brief Article

Automotive Industries, Nov, 2000 by Lindsay Brooke

It's hard to believe a decade has passed since Toyota's Lexus LS400 crashed the Germans' luxury-sedan party. Because of Lexus (and to a lesser extent, Nissan's Infiniti cars), value is now as important to the luxo-car business as bells, whistles and outright performance. Mercedes and BMW should thank Toyota for the shrill wake-up Call in late 1989.

The second-generation LS keeps the alarm ringing. It brings the same high level of quality, bank-vault body structure, feathery gear shifts and magic carpet ride of its predecessor and adds many improvements. The '01 model is loaded with electronic sophistication, including a Denso laser-based cruise control that works as well as Mercedes' smart cruise, magic lingers in the back seats, rain-sensing wipers, ultrasonic park-assist and even power-shades for the rear side windows. Underbody fairings and optional air suspension help drop the body's drag coefficient to a remarkable 0.25 Cd. The slippery body makes the cabin even quieter at speed.

Greater mid-range oomph comes from 300cc more displacement and 20 pounds-feet of torque in the creamy V-8. Toyota also saw fit to raise the new LS's handling many notches. The cars I drove were a joy to fling around the Elkhart Lake, Wis., road course, though after a day of hard use they'd devoured brake rotors and pads, like the original LS.

While the LS is 90 percent new, Toyota kept program costs down. Retail prices begin at $55,000. Lexus no longer crashes parties; it hosts them.