theceomagazine.com | 167For a big car, weighing
in at more than2.2
tonnes,
it can really get up
and go, albeit with
dignified restraint, hitting100km/h
from a standing start in
five seconds flat.SIZEABLE POWER
Of course, all that space in the back means
we’re talking about a very large car here –
5.2 metres long, 1.9 metres wide and 1.45
metres high – and it’s never easy to make
something that big look good.
The Lexus designers have worked hard to
distract your eye from its bulk with a whizzy
looking front grille, which has more than
5,000 surfaces and was so difficult to design
that it nearly broke the heart of the poor CAD
user who got the job, plus some LED lights,
which were intended to look like a lightsaber
(okay, that might be the reason for the
Skywalker spend).
You can’t quite fail to notice how big the
LS is, but it’s certainly no bloated whale on the
road, and could even be said to cut something
of a dash. Even its own designers admit,
however, that it won’t be to everyone’s tastes.
What anyone would have to love, however,
is the new engine, a 3.5-litre V6 that replaces
the previous model’s big V8, and yet somehow
manages to generate the same amount of
power (310kW) and a shedload of torque
(600Nm), all thanks to tricky turbocharging.
That means it uses less fuel (9.5 litres per
100 kilometres) but, of course, not that many
limo buyers are too worried
about that particular bill.
For a big car, weighing
in at more than 2.2 tonnes,
it can really get up and
go, albeit with dignified
restraint, hitting 100km/h
from a standing start in
five seconds flat.
In terms of what it’s like
to drive, the LS’s chief
engineer, Shinji Kishida,
was honest enough to tell
us that his goal was to make
it less boring than the
incarnations before it.
It’s a worthy goal,
and one he’s certainly
achieved. The steering
is far more involving,
although still slightly
remote and electronic
in feel, and the active
suspension does a fantastic job in the ride and
handling departments.
You’re never going to throw a luxo-barge
like this at a racetrack, but it does manage to
make you smile, while being almost deliciously
effortless at cruising speeds.
Driving it, of course, may well be the job
of your chauffeur, so what do you really care
about how much fun it is?
In terms of value, this dreamboat upwards
of S$435,800 including COE – very closely
priced against German competitors like the
Mercedes S Class, Audi A8 and BMW 7
Series. It also comes with more standard
features and fewer options.
And even at
the low end, it’s
still a lot cheaper
than hiring out the
Skywalker Ranch.Motor torque | INDULGE