2000 Lexus LS Reviews

The Lexus GS F Sport – which will be officially unveiled on November 1 at the Specialty Equipment Market Association show in Las Vegas – has several unique features to set it apart from the standard Lexus GS. Visual cues include a sportier body treatment, with a mesh grille, aggressive front bumper and skirt and rear lip spoiler. The Lexus GS F Sport  rolls on staggered-width 19-in alloy wheels and 235/40/19 front and 265/35/19 rear tyres - the widest rear rubber ever on a Lexus sedan – to improve traction. It has adaptive sports suspension, thicker anti-roll bars, up-rated bushes and a range of technical systems to improve dynamics. These include Variable Gear Ratio Steering (VGRS) and a Lexus Dynamic Handling (LDH) system with Dynamic Rear Steering (DRS). With the systems monitoring vehicle speed, steering direction and driver inputs, Lexus says the best angle is calculated for all four wheels and both front and rear wheel steering angles can be independently managed to help improve turn-in response, rear grip, vehicle control and overall agility when cornering. Dynamic Rear Steer (a first for Lexus) alters the rear wheel angles between 0 and 2 degrees - offering greater manoeuvrability at low to mid speeds (up to 80km/h) and stability at higher speeds over 80km/h. It carries Toyota’s 228kW/371Nm 3.5-litre V6 engine with a twin injection fuel system (combines direct injection with traditional port injection) that gets Lexus GS F Sport from 0-100km/h in under 6 seconds.

The last time I was in something worth $750,000 it had a bathroom and a pool. There are only 10 (the last being delivered in late 2012) of the 500-build-run LFA supercars hitting our shores - all are gone. Several owners (both dealers and private owners) have apparently sworn never to sell their Lexus V10 supercars. That is far from difficult to understand, even after only a handful of laps behind the wheel.Carsguide was given an all-too brief opportunity to slot in behind the blue and black leather-wrapped carbon-fibre wheel (complete with a bit of ballast in the flat bottom) of the Lexus "demonstrator" at Sandown raceway in Melbourne.Having listened to its V10 soundtrack echo across the racetrack, the anticipation was palpable - there's something about the odd-numbered Vee configuration that has a real edge to it, the BMW M5 being the other example.The aesthetics of the car - which boasts a make-up of 65 per cent carbon-fibre, 35 per cent aluminium - are a little more demure than the manic soundtrack - it's a supercar, to be sure, but devoid of the styling lunacy that marks some of its supercar brethren, in fact more than a couple of people saw hints of circa-1990 Celica.A decade in the making, Lexus are aiming for an emotional response from this car and the models to follow - instilling LFA DNA into the rest of its range.If they can get one-tenth of the drive experience into other F and F-Sport models, it will make life interesting for BMW's, Audi's RS and Mercedes-Benz AMG.Low, sleek and brooding, the LFA still has presence, more subdued than maniacal, at least until the V10 is fired up and angry.So sharp is the rev response to the right foot as it prods the floor-hinged throttle (made from a single piece of aluminium) that the LFA needed a digital tacho needle for the flick to the 9000rpm redline, so Lexus says.As the revs rise the soundtrack is straight from the F1 V10 era - who says the Toyota's squillion-dollar spend on F1 was a waste of money?It's a V10 that takes up the same space as a V8 and claims fuel economy of a V6 - the 4.8-litre V10 engine pumps out 412kW and 480Nm of torque - serious supercar numbers, no doubt - for a sprint to 100km/h in 3.7 seconds on the way to a 325km/h top speed.The two straights at Sandown were enough (even with a makeshift chicane on the back straight) to top 200km/h, even with an ISF in front to prevents acts of tomfoolery sending the 1540kg LFA (and maybe its occupants) to an early grave.Other numbers to absorb in the pits when not behind the wheel included ninety per cent of peak torque available from 3700 through to the 9000rpm red-line, a spoiler that has a mind of its own and near-perfect weight distribution.All this is sinking in as we leave the pits, flicking the right-hand paddle for upshifts and slotting back through the sequential manual gearbox with a metallic "tink" with every shift - the 0.2 sec cog-swaps are quick but can be brutal at full-throttle.The gearbox is smart enough to offer seven gear-shift speeds and four driving modes - Auto, Sport, Normal and Wet - which tailor stability control and other parts of the drivetrain to suit.I'm sitting next to a racing driver - US pedal-man Scott Pruett is telling me where to go, so to speak - and I'm under no delusions as to my chances of a full-time drive in a race team - none. Pruett later demonstrates the considerable yet un-fussed talents of this remarkable vehicle at upwards of 230km/h, but for now he's sitting somewhat(?!?) comfortably in the passenger's seat.I have enough room for a helmetted-head (something the ISF with sunroof wasn't as obliging with) and a comfortable driving position. But pinging through the corners and scorching up the straights, the LFA feels vice-less - it's well-planted, the ride isn't abysmal, the LSD-equipped rear-end feels less mischievous than the ISF sedan and yet the body sits ridiculously flat.Under brakes - enormous carbon ceramic discs with six and four-pot calipers - the LFA feels like its dragging its rump on the track, pulling up with considerable force and little diving from the snout. All that safety equipment - including the first airbag-seatbelt airbag - is a pleasantly re-assuring back-up to have when droplets are sometimes hitting the windscreen, but it feels far from required.LFA chief engineer Haruhiko Tanahashi says the development of the LFA was a challenge."The goal of obtaining an unprecedented level of sensual and emotional appeal required not only a high-revving engine, or impressive aerodynamics - it required passion. What we needed was a vehicle that moved its driver in more ways than one, a vehicle that stirred each of the senses," he says.They have succeeded - it's a pricetag beyond the ridiculous for most, but as an R&D exercise, a performance leader and a marketing halo for the Lexus brand, it is worth plenty.

The Lexus RX330 was an SUV with the lot aimed not at those who want to blunder through the bush, but was instead aimed at those with a taste for luxury.It arrived in 2003 and was widely hailed as the best luxury SUV on the market. It was a high-riding, five-seat medium-sized wagon that was well equipped with heaps of luxury features, comfortable and quiet, as befits a luxury brand.The smooth 3.3-litre engine was a willing worker, doing its best stuff at higher revs, but if there was a criticism it was that it lacked a little grunt down low. Despite that the performance was good. Reflecting its position in the market there was just the one transmission option, a five-speed automatic with sequential shift. There was no manual transmission on offer, but the sequential shift function allowed the driver to change gears manually. Final drive was through all four wheels all the time, which came into its own on wet or loose surfaces.The Lexus didn't have a low-range crawler gear and its ground clearance was somewhat limited, so it was not an off-roader capable of climbing rocks or ploughing through sand.On the road the steering was light, the ride comfortable and the handling safe and sound without being sporting. Inside it had leather trim, climate controlled air, cruise, remote central locking, power front seats, power windows, and six-speaker CD sound.IN THE SHOPLexus came into the market on a promise of above average build quality and has generally lived up to that boast. While that has generally translated into enviable reliability and durability it's always a good idea to conduct a thorough check of any car you're thinking of buying. Ask for a service record to ensure the maintenance has been kept up as recommended. The cam timing belt change is due at 150,000 km, which means early examples are coming up to that service.Most, if not all RX330s, will have been confined to family duties around town, but it's a must that you get underneath and check for evidence of off-road use. If you think a car has been used off the beaten track continue shopping. The RX330 came packed with features, all of which should be operated to make sure they still work. Fixing them later on can be expensive.IN A CRASHThe RX330 is well equipped to handle a crash with seven airbags, ABS brakes and stability control. All up it was good enough to win a four- star tick from ANCAP.UNDER THE PUMPSize, weight and all-wheel drive all work against the RX330 when it comes to fuel consumption. The official claim was 12.3 L/100 km on average, which gives a bit of a hint to what you could expect in real life. Regular unleaded fuel made life a little easier, and E10 was approved to open up further savings.AT A GLANCEPrice new: $69,990 to $78,500Engine: 3.3-litre V6; 172 kW/328 NmTransmission: 5-speed automatic, 4WDEconomy: 12.3 L/100 km Body: 5-doos wagonVariants: Sports, Sports LuxurySafety: 4-star ANCAP

... but Lexus might just do it next year. That's how confident they are about the new GS medium prestige sedan ahead of its arrival in the first half of next year, according to Lexus Australia chief executive Tony Cramb. Together with the new-look nose arriving on the RX and LX models, the GS is described by the former Toyota executive as a car the company has never got quite right and the new model as "critical." "The GS is really important, for us it's a car that we've never gotten quite right, if we're truthful, the new car itself, we think it's better," he says. The company faces a big challenge to become a "serious player" in the prestige sedan market. "The thing we have to work out now is how to get customers to believe Lexus can produce a car of that nature," he says. "It's a big challenge, if we can get it right then I think people will take us a lot more seriously." Mr Cramb, speaking at the first local drive program of the LFA supercar and revamped ISF, also expressed a desire for a GS F but stopped short of confirming anything beyond the GS model being available with an F Sport pack similar to the current IS model. "I'd love to introduce a GS F but at this point there's not talk of one, there's no doubt that in time that's something we've got to think about, but I can't talk about future product discussions at this point," he says. And the suggestion of an LS F, in the same category as a Mercedes-Benz AMG S-Class, is deemed conceivable but unlikely. "An opportunity exists for us to redefine luxury and performance-luxury motoring, clearly we need to move in this direction," he says. The company remains on target to top its 2010 sales figures (they finished the year with 6526 sales) despite the interruption to supply from the Japanese natural disasters - so far this year it is 0.1% down. "We're almost back on track, apart from the RX, but from here on in you'll see full supply of Lexus - we'll be more than last year even with around 1500 cars missing from Japanese supply issues, it's not as good as we would have hoped, we would expect more next year," he says.

The Japanese luxury arm of Toyota is aiming for automotive botox with its expanding F-Sport range, now adorning the CT small hybrid and IS sedan ranges, but destined during 2012 for the bulk of the Lexus range. Lexus Australia chief executive Tony Cramb says the brand is broadening its appeal with F-Sport and the halo-car $750,000 LFA. "From our point of view it's something to inspire a new group of customers, even though only 10 will get to own one," he says. F Sport models will number 7 in total by the end of next year, starting with the new GS in the first half of next year and spreading through the passenger car and even the SUV ranks. Lexus marketing manager Peter Evans says Lexus is looking to improve its emotional appeal and attainability following the good response to the ISF sedan. "Our F-range of products started 12 months ago, there was a clear understanding that Lexus needed an attainable sports model," he says. The F-Sport upgrades - which focus on chassis, steering, brakes and the wheel/tyre packages - are not restricted to a small number of models and Lexus Australia is pushing the DNA link between the LFA supercar and its expanding range. "F-Sport will become a prominent part of our model mix, not just for the petrol buyer. CT hybrid set in motion an offering not considered before," he says. Since it was introduced into the Lexus brand 12 months ago, Lexus says the F-Sport packages account for almost a third of CT hybrid sales and nearly half of the IS sedan's sales tally. "The LFA has resonated with our customers, F-Sport in Australia has put us on the map as a global study, we're regularly requested by Japan to present on the program," Mr Evans says.

There was no lack of conviction on the part of Toyota; it was serious about winning F1. Part of the massive effort was focused on a design and engineering facility in Cologne, Germany called TMG - Toyota Motorsport GmbH. Here, they built a complex with not one but two wind tunnels expressly to refine their F1 car's aerodynamics. They built engine and chassis dynamometers, rooms full of computer milling machines to fabricate special parts, a pair of carbon fibre ovens to bake F1 parts, rooms full of design computers and much more. Up to 800 people were employed at TMG in its heyday. Now, there are about 200 people there doing special projects for Toyota including the production of some Lexus LFA parts and also developing an exclusive sports brand similar to Mercedes-Benz's AMG and BMW's M brands. Lexus already has the F sports brand (IS-F) but TMG vehicles could take things a step further. TMG has gone a fair way towards its goal with the first car to benefit being the Lexus LS 460 - normally a limousine but in TMG guise, a fire breathing sports saloon with no less than 478kW and 710Nm output from its supercharged 5.0-litre petrol V8 engine. The engine is lifted from ISF and the LS600h and redlines at 9000rpm. The matte gold TMG Lexus "prototype'' has a six-speed dual-clutch manumatic transmission and huge carbon ceramic brakes from the LFA with six piston Brembo calipers. Despite weighing in over two tonnes, it has been tested at 320kmh and puts away a 0-100kmh sprint in the 4.0 second bracket. The underpinnings are all upgraded to near sports sedan racing spec' and a flat under tray is used in conjunction with a front air splitter and rear diffuser for better aerodynamics. All the aero parts on the test car we saw were in carbon fibre. It rolls on 20-inch wheels with 335 tyres. A big bore exhaust system is fitted that gives a full bodied V8 rumble - most un-Lexus-like. Though the car is only a prototype Toyota and Lexus are seriously evaluating the possibilities of a specialised TMG brand to capture a new market and to enhance its sporty kudos. TMG is also developing an entry level rally car based on the new Toyota Yaris that is designed as a lead-in to mainstream rallying for novice rally drivers.

Styling will remain unaltered, with the most important upgrade being in a refined suspension to give the exec express a more compliant ride. To that end, it is fitting advanced new low friction shockabsorbers from the German Sachs company which give a softer ride at low speeds, but work in tandem with increased spring rates front and rear to keep the car cookie-flat through high speed corners. The new suspension will also be fitted to the 2012 Lexus GS, due for local release in the first half of next year. The IS-F also gets a set of new-design BBS alloys, the front ones up from 8 to 8.5 inches in width, with the rears unchanged at 9-inches. Other changes are to the interior, where red-and-black leather trim replaces the orange-and-black, and there are some new exterior colours. It's the third upgrade since IS-F was launched in 2008. In 2009 the original electronic differential was replaced with a Torsen mechanical unit and last year the car got a revised suspension system, new dash and daytime running lights. The high performer has been in steady demand in Australia, with its monthly quota of about 12 always sold out. "Some IS-F owners are on their second or third one," Lexus Australia's Peter Evans says. "There's a lot of loyalty to the brand." Pricing for the new one will still be $126,800.

There are just a handful of Lexus LFA supercars running around in Australia but already, the Japanese luxury car maker has launched a performance-enhanced model named after the legendary Nurburgring race track in Germany. It's called the LFA Nurburgring Edition and is a more track-focused version of the LFA -- if that's possible. Only 50 will be made.Where the standard LFA runs a 412kW/480Nm, 4.8-litre V10 engine, the Nurburgring model is pumped up to 420kW with the same torque output. The compact, dry sump V10, hand-built in two days at motorcycle manufacturer Yamaha by one of four engine builders, features cylinder heads by Yamaha and a block from Toyota.Yamaha has a long association with Toyota, Lexus' parent company. The LFA engine uses high quality forged pistons, valves and conrods and has direct fuel injection among a raft of high tech' features. It's fitted front/midships and is connected, transaxle style, to the rear-mounted six- speed automated manual transmission by a carbon fibre torque tube. This gives the rear drive LFA an ideal 48/52 balance front to rear. Engine redline is 9000rpm.Both the standard and Nurburgring models are capable of despatching a 0-100kmh dash in around 3.7 seconds and top out at 325kmh. This is slap bang in supercar territory and up with the latest from Ferrari and Lamborghini.The fully kitted standard model weighs in at 1580kg, the Nurburgring model is 100 kegs less. It has more down force courtesy of a large, fixed, rear carbon fibre wing, winglets on the front bumper, larger front spoiler, low 100mm ride height and carbon fibre interior trim.The double wishbone front and multi link rear suspension has been slightly retuned with stiffer responses. Lexus didn't hold back on quality components for LFA equipping it with carbon ceramic front discs of 390mm diameter with six piston calipers. The rears are slightly smaller with four pistons. Forged alloy 20-inch wheels run Bridgestone high performance rubber and the KYB dampers feature remote reservoirs for superior and consistent performance. Buyers score race tuition and a year's pass to drive the Nordscheleife (Northern Loop) of the Nurburgring.LFA is an incredible car from a technical standpoint because apart from the mind boggling engine with arguably the best exhaust note in existence, it is 65 per cent carbon fibre with the majority of the chassis and body in the stuff. The rest is aluminium. Lexus attaches the two materials to each other with aluminium brackets baked into the carbon fibre.Special carbon fibre ovens and techniques to handle it were developed during the 10 year LFA program which started in 2001. Initially, the car was to be all aluminium but this was changed in 2005 to carbon fibre. Lexus makes 20 LFAs a month with total production amounting to only 500 units. It is a loss making enterprise for Lexus which obviously places greater value on the publicity and new perceptions LFA will generate.Marking the arrival of the Nurburgring Edition was a special test week held at the Nurburgring to which we were invited and allowed five unfettered laps of the 21km Nordschleife. It was like a bucket-list tick off for anyone with benzene in their veins - a supercar drive at the world's most demanding race track with 140 plus corners and a fearsome reputation. With a degree of trepidation, we sprung out of pit lane in the orange projectile for a pilot lap behind a Nurburgring specialist leading in a Lexus ISF.This 'sighting' lap took around 9 minutes and then it was over to us. The LFA is near perfect weapon for the Nordschleife because it has almost endless power and torque, controlled and responsive dynamics and brakes that never go away. We would be ripping up to a tight turn at warp speed and simply stab the brakes, flick the wheel a touch and the LFA was around and the right foot was (re) planted to the firewall.It steers with such precision and has such prodigious grip that an accompanying Lexus ISF race car looked like a bucking dray. But that's not fair, the LFA is a tame race car built to impeccable standards while the ISF is a weighty, sports luxury sedan. It's intersting that none of the owners of the first run of LFAs has taken it on a race track. Shame, but word has it that some of the 10 Aussie LFA owners will break the cycle - here's to them.

The McLaren MP4-12C tops the list of Dad's dream cars.

The latest Lexus GS leads the way, as well as the style direction, for a brand that has been personally tweaked by the very top man at Toyota. Akio Toyoda, grandson of the company founder and a keen amateur racer, says he planned to cull the GS before forcing a massive change for a car that now carries his personal fingerprints."Initially, I did not want to proceed with this project. I told our engineers that we are not moving ahead unless we do it right from the start," says Toyoda, speaking at the global GS preview in the USA. The car had to be improved much more. It needed to be designed, engineered and manufactured without compromise."The result - proven by an exclusive Carsguide preview drive in Los Angeles - is a car that has lost the fuddy-duddy feel of the previous GS and is much more likely to be shopped against a 5-Series BMW.We cannot be sure until it reaches Australia, but it reflects some fresh thinking and track work at the Nurburgring - including hot laps by Toyoda. He says the GS previews a range of changes at Lexus, from the new family grille for the upscale brand to more emphasis on driving enjoyment."Our vision is that Lexus becomes the best, not the biggest," Toyoda says. "Simply put, we have internationalized Lexus. In fact, Lexus is leading the way in how the entire Toyota Motor Corporation should operate. "There are no extra layers, this new division reports directly to me and I have given them autonomy over business decisions. This allows the team to react quicker to customers' needs and desires. This internal process is unique from any other division at TMC and I am very pleased with this new direction."Toyoda says the new nose on the GS - officially the 'spindle grille' but more like Darth Vader's helmet - will migrate quickly to the rest of the range. "It had to be bolder, stronger, and more confident," he says. "And this is just the beginning. Next year, Lexus will launch nine new or updated vehicles. And we have many more in development.