First Ls460 Review

[OmarG]

Well i woke up in the middle of the night checked edmunds and found that they posted an LS460 first drive. Enjoy!

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drive...rticleId=116509

Also if your up for an interesting read, their generations articles are pretty cool too. The newest one is on the Acura Legend/RL

[CanadaCraig]

Hi OmarG!! :)

I hope you're OK.

Thanks for the link.

Click on THIS to see another 'First Drive' - from CanadianDriver.com

Craig!! :)

[OmarG]

Hi OmarG!! :)

I hope you're OK.

Thanks for the link.

Click on THIS to see another 'First Drive' - from CanadianDriver.com

Craig!! :)

I just looked at your Black Jade. Your car is incredible. Wow. Looks brand new... no joke. Maybe we can switch if you care about speed. :) 8.3 0-60 isnt too far from stock. Pearl White sound good? This might sound weird but i would rather have a very clean first gen LS over almost any new car. I guess thats good cause thats all i can afford! And you have an SRT8! And you had an NSX! I'm insanely jealous. I really need some more money.

Oh the Canadian Driver one is better. More like a personal review. Thanks!

[nc211]

You know the thing I really enjoy about the LS models, is that you see bits and pieces of engineering in the newest, latest and greatest model from the generations past. They don't just build a model with the theory that in 3 to 4 years, we'll completely redo it. They built the car, and even in this current rendition of it, you can see elements from the 1989 model. I notice similar stitching in mine to the new one. They all have power steering wheels, they all have a nice big arm rest, similiar lighting on the dash...that sort of stuff. It's like they started with the 1989 model....and just kept on updating it to perfection with new technology available at that time. Now granted, this new LS460 monster is clearly the biggest leap sofar in updating, and WOW IS IT NICE! But I like it so much because I look at it and can say "mine does that too" and it's 11 freakin' years old. To me it demonstrates the confidence Lexus has always had from day one. They've introduced a few model lines, and have stuck to them until they're ABSOLUTELY perfect....then make a few more drastic changes and keep on tweaking to perfection....Just says they know they're good, they know they're better, and they especially know there is a following for the used cars.

I hate it when a car maker comes out with a car that has the same badge as the previous, and they say "140 improvements". Makes me think to myself "what the hell is wrong with mine that required 140 improvemets?" and it also makes me think "if I buy this one with the 140 improvements, will I be missing out on the 160 improvements next year?" The LS doesn't do that. They just "tweak it" a little, year by year to make it fresh. I freakin' dig it! It's like Kewl says, people can't tell what year his car is. I get comments all the time from people who ride in mine that they can't believe it's 11 years old. Aside from lunatic maintence that I've done, it's the fact that mine still resembles the new ones in sutle ways.

Damn great on resale values too!

Rock on Lexus.....looking forward to my next one. You keep building them, and I'll keep on buying them. Well, used ones of course....too damn poor and cheap to buy a new one. Especially when they're so darn good!

[SW03ES]

CanadianDriver always has such good reviews...

You know...the more I look at the new LS, the more I think I like some things about the current one. I love the technology and the interior of the 460, but it almost looks "plain" next to an 06 430 without the beltline chrome trim and the chrome accents around the front grills and things like that. It looks "unadorned" to me. I guess I'll have to see one in person to be sure, but maybe I should just go out and cut a sweet deal on a new 06 430. I've had several opportunities to buy Modern Luxury model 430s for $10k off the sticker. Thats about $53k.

I know what I want though if I get a 460 LOL

Option packages

LS 460

Premium Package: navigation system and Mark Levinson audio system with 19 speakers.

That'll be $74k or so is my guess. I might swing for this:

Technology Package: adds 4-zone climate control, pre-collision system, rear seat side airbags, rear heated and air conditioned power seats with power recline, slide and memory system, power assist doors, power trunk, clearance and back-up sensor, dynamic radar cruise control and advance parking guidance system.

If its not TOO costly.

I'd like an "L" but I don't want to spend $80k or more. I think you can buy so much car for $75k, I dont see a point in spending more.

[nc211]

You know...the more I look at the new LS, the more I think I like some things about the current one. I love the technology and the interior of the 460, but it almost looks "plain" next to an 06 430 without the beltline chrome trim and the chrome accents around the front grills and things like that. It looks "unadorned" to me.

I agree....The 460 is sweeeeeeet, but there is something about it that just doesn't jump up like the 06' LS. Maybe it's becuase it shares very similar design characteristics of the new models across the board. Perfect example is the tail lights for the GS, Camry, Avalon etc.... To me, in a strange way, it sort of looks like a fat GS model. But I agree that only a visit to the dealership to see one for myself will tell the tale. The thing I like about the LS is that you never have to take a second look to know it's the LS. Same goes for the older GS and ES. Each had a very distinctive design that made it their own, and only their own. Now, it sort of feels like all three share similar designs...Just in small, medium and large.

I say you get the fully decked out 06' LS, and wait for the market to accept the new LS460's first, before spending that much money. Who knows, it might flop. I doubt it, but with something totally new, failure is always a possiblity. Either way, at some point I'll be up in DC again with some free time to give you a "southern's test drive" to show you what it can really do, Nascar style! Hahahaha

Rubin's Racin' on the 395.

[SW03ES]

LOL ;)

It wont flop, it'll be extremely popular. Look at the new S, its much less adorned with chrome and trim than the last one, its just the style nowadays.

I dont really want to spend $53k on a car right now though LOL

[blake918]

You know...the more I look at the new LS, the more I think I like some things about the current one.

Me too. I really don't care for how they ran the exhaust through the rear bumper. It just doesn't look right to me. Hopefully it'll look better in person!

[Robert Young]

I can agree with the sentiments from a few others. I would like a few things from the new LS 460 technology, but the first pictures of the LS 460 (not to mention the substantial price increase) actually did convince me to buy an 2006 LS 430 at a substantial discount from list! I certainly agree that the LS 460 looks "plain" next to an 06 430 without the beltline chrome trim. My wife really hates change and at least the LS 430 continues some of the styling elements that she liked on her volvo S90, which included beltline chrome trim. The only thing I really would like to have from the new technology is the XM radio traffic updates tied into the Nav system. I suggested to Lexus that they might be able to sell me XM radio for the LS 430 if they found a way to add that feature for any kind of reasonable price, which they might be able to do since so much the nav system is on a data bus architecture and the LS 430 comes set up to handle satellite radio (missing only the receiver, which I think goes in the trunk with the other electronics).

While the LS 460 certainly takes some some styling clues from the new GS and ES models, and I appreciate some continuity within a marques product line, that new Lexus styling is not growing on me at the moment. I used to think BMW had simply beautiful cars, but I also can't adjust to Bangle styling (although some of the more recent cars aren't quite as bad as the 7 series).

[SW03ES]

Overall i really like the new styling trend, but I don't know about the 460 pictures I'm seeing lately...

In person I'll probably feel differently.

[indiasfinest]

the thing how it parks itself is soooooooo cool..the 08 bmw is suppose to have something similar to that but you have to place a reflective sheet or something against the wall in your garage for it to work..so i dont think it parallel parks..but the cool this is. you get out of the car and push a button and it just does it itself..heres a link..

http://www.wired.com/news/technology...l?tw=rss.index

i dont remember if i already posted this link so srry in advance if i did

[SW03ES]

Well you can't get out of the car, you have to work the brakes and gas. It does the steering.

Toyotas had this technology a while, a whole bunch of Japanese models have it.

[Rx330driver]

yes, even their prius cars have this option...

p.s. that link is broken

[SKperformance]

OK this might change the angles of pics for you.

The new marketing material is at the dealers now for October delivery and the 600H is set for early in the new year.

I love the car inside out , it is a wide and mean looking car . I want this so bad with a GS450H as they are real super cars to me. Time to sell the house and get an apartment to buy this thing.

Here is some pics from the Toronto Auto show this year.