Lexus LS 460. Comfort Laboratory

Flawless image, laconic lines, smooth movements and impeccable quality — all the principles on which the current generation of Lexus is built have found their logical embodiment in the flagship model of the L-finesse family. Approaching a completely unfamiliar car with the world's most elegant card key in hand, I already know what sensations, smells and sounds await me behind the door of the new Lexus. And my expectations are met: the first minutes in the LS 460 are described by the phrase "just as I thought." And that's a plus. It means Lexus has finally found its own style and character — a quality invaluable for a prestige car.

The longer you get acquainted with the car, the more surprises it reveals. The story about it can be divided into two parts. No, it's too early to talk about soul and body, but about the material and virtual components — it's just right.

Listing all the technical innovations of the petrol V8 could go on forever. One of the most noticeable is the Dual VVT-i system: it adds electronics for the intake valves to the hydraulics of variable valve timing. Thanks to this, the system's operating range has expanded towards low revs and temperatures. In the fuel system, each cylinder has a pair of injectors, allowing the benefits of direct and port injection to be combined depending on the driving mode. Behind the wheel, you can safely forget about these details: the engine effortlessly delivers its 480 Nm, easily accelerating the heavy sedan without unnecessary noise or vibration.

The LS 460 features a new eight-speed (!) automatic — fully electronic and adaptive, so any discussion of it is impossible without mentioning the "brains." The gearbox takes into account not only the manner of pressing the accelerator pedal. The VDIM (Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management) stability complex previously combined ABS, electronic brake control and brake force distribution, traction control, stability control, suspension and steering management. Phew! Now this "matrix" has reached the transmission and engine. A simple example: on slippery surfaces, higher gears are selected, meaning lower engine revs. Little depends on the driver — even in manual mode, you cannot seriously interfere with the algorithms of the electronic intelligence. Of course, you can manually engage, say, eighth gear, but when you press the accelerator, the gearbox will quickly shift down. Where exactly — you don't need to know: all the driver's wishes are fulfilled, and the indicator will show 8.

The signature L-finesse silence also lives in the LS 460's cabin. The atmosphere of refinement is maintained not only by sound insulation. The car carefully looks after its passengers, with four-zone climate control featuring vents even in the ceiling. In Russia, the long-wheelbase version LS 460L will be available: more legroom for rear passengers and the option of an advanced Ottoman seat with extended adjustments.

The long-wheelbase climate system even takes into account the passenger's body temperature. Into this silence bursts aerodynamic noise above 120 km/h, and on minor bumps the suspension operates far from quietly. Choosing its operating mode (normal, comfort, and sport) is essentially choosing the adaptation algorithm for specific conditions. In terms of stability and maneuverability, it works excellently, but with ride comfort and bump absorption, things are not so rosy.

The kinematics of the multi-link suspensions and optional 245/45R19 tires allow for decent lateral acceleration in corners. But the car, with all its adaptive essence, makes it clear: being able to run is one thing (it's even allowed to disable VDIM), but wanting to do it is quite another.

The VGRS system with variable gear ratio has become better. The reactive force on the steering wheel now honestly reflects the road situation, and the system itself operates almost imperceptibly. So, is it ideal? VGRS itself — yes. But let's recall the virtual component. The "steering" section of the "matrix" has been complicated again, and it's still capricious. It's enough to activate the lane-keeping assist and adaptive cruise control on a straight road to forget about boredom. The system doesn't try to completely replace the driver: 15 seconds after it notices the driver's hands are off the wheel, it disengages. But during those 15 seconds, the car, left to itself, manages to dart from one lane marking to another a couple of times, increasing the yaw angles. Let's try working with the system together and no longer let go of the wheel.

The system obeys, but the presence of something alive in the steering continues to intrigue: when driving straight, it hints that you're going the wrong way and nudges the wheel either right or left — as if driving in the ruts of the Moscow Ring Road. When turning, the system doesn't like how you do it, and it reveals itself again: like a kitten playing, sitting on the steering rack.

The radars of all Lexus models, including the LS 460, use radio frequencies prohibited in our country. The equipment that allows the car to assess the situation and react to it will not be officially supplied to us. And while the absence of the lane assist won't cause regret in Russia, where road markings are the exception rather than the rule, you'll miss other devices more. Among them are the best active headrests to date: in the event of a rear-end collision threat, they gently adjust in advance to the position of your head. Other elements of the PreCrash Safety system are also remarkable — both familiar (obstacle detection, seatbelt pretensioning, emergency steering assistance) and new: a driver head position detector that prevents you from getting distracted when an obstacle appears, and a braking assistant for high collision probability.

The car is already on sale: from $112,700 for the standard version and from $120,300 for the long-wheelbase.

Advantages/Disadvantages:

+ Quality, modern engine, VDIM system, climate control, dynamics, safety.

- Problems with legalization of radio equipment, suspension comfort on bumps.

Our opinion

A progressive and high-quality car that is a serious alternative to German competitors. With the arrival of the Lexus LS 460, Toyota's voice as a designer in the world of prestige cars sounds more confident. The abundance of electronic innovations has provoked shortcomings in their settings, but there is no doubt that this is temporary. Unfortunately, many serious options are unavailable in Russia.