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Quality, Lower Price Copley News Service How you will respond to the 2001 Lexus LS 430 depends entirely on what type of buyer you are.
Would you analyze leather quality and warranties -- determined to pay the lowest price for the very best quality? The latter buyer would be the Lexus LS 430 owner. And considering the attributes of the newly reincarnated 2001 LS sedan, Lexus is clearly aiming for the status-conscious consumer who in the past might have considered the LS 400 predecessor to be boring at best. Even with its renowned silent ride, sports-sedan handling and take-it-for-granted reliability, many buyers of expensive Italian leather couches have yet to be wooed from the status of a German ride to the practicality of a Japanese one. Too bad. The response to that recalcitrant consumer is a 2001 LS 430 situated somewhere between Lexus integrity and ingenious plagiarism. The Lexus LS has morphed into a Mercedes wannabe. But -- like a brilliant prodigy who sets the bar even higher -- it's better. Rather than pursue the distinction of being different from the guy next door, Lexus may have bought into the "keeping up with the Jones'" school of thought. Borrowing styling cues from Mercedes, the wheels, headlamps, taillights and interior accents all mimic various classes of the German models. The taillights, though, should have been spared for an new adaptation of what the LS already had. Now, all that isn't necessarily bad thing, especially when trying to appeal to an established clientele for German engineering and you outperform the competition under the sheet metal.
Aside from the emulation of German styling, the LS sets the bar high for user-friendly technology, easily intuitive interior functions, comfort and performance. The LS 430 delivers the lux goods, from the heated or cooled leather seat bottom that moves independently from the backrest, to heated massagers in the rear seats and an abundance of walnut wood trim. Optional goodies include adaptive cruise control, intuitive parking assist and voice command navigational and phone systems. With a confident jab at Mercedes, Lexus has mimicked the 430 nameplate (430 is a designation for engine size - 4.30 liter) and a few other things on this third-generation LS. What it hasn't emulated is the price. At $54,005 base, and $68,500 fully loaded, Lexus is thousands less than the Mercedes S430. And despite a flurry of dubious ads featuring exterior shots of the LS 430 cruising European roads and Dinah Shore crooning "Shoo-fly Pie," the LS deserves far more enthusiasm than the ads will likely generate. "Imagine How It Feels To Drive," isn't the point. Driving it, however, is. And the LS doesn't disappoint. Newly styled and technology enhanced, the 2001 model makes freeway or back-road driving a purely enjoyable experience. Or, as one might mutter when behind the wheel, "like butter." Downshifting the automatic transmission in the sports suspension model, and driving manually through tight, winding turns at optimal speed, the air-suspension equipped LS hugs the road and absorbs road noise and vibration effortlessly. Cornering with precision through 10 miles of sports-car-friendly turns, the LS demonstrates the new optional approach to a firmer Euro ride. The sports suspension package is available at no extra cost and features stiffer bushings and 17-inch Dunlop SP Sport tires. Even with standard suspension and a transmission left to do its own work, driving the LS on twisting back roads is an impressive exercise in high performance. The transmission shifts are almost imperceptible. The variable valve timing performing just as promised: shifting seamlessly with consistent RPM even when challenged and responding with enough enthusiasm to out-drive the European competition. Absolutely silent, the Lexus ride through hairpin turns is tight and controlled. With 14-way seat adjustments that support the driver and 10-way adjustment for the passenger, the big sedan provides as much sport-car fun as it does luxury-car comfort. Braking is smooth and quick, partly a function of a new brake-assist system that uses computerized functions to determine under what conditions (like a heavily loaded vehicle) braking power should be boosted. Performance aside, the Lexus gives more than a nod to details that make a difference. The standard model comes with electronic brake-force distribution, traction control, dual zone climate control, electronic throttle control with "snow" and "power" modes, steering wheel mounted cruise control, rain sensor windshield wipers, water repellent glass and an in-dash CD. The "Ultra Luxury Package" option was included on the model I drove. Part of the Ultra Luxury Package is a moon roof that was designed to eliminate "thumping" wind noise and facilitate conversation at normal levels. Additional luxury-package options do everything but give rear passengers a pedicure. With reclining rear seats equipped with heated massagers and memory settings, rear air conditioning, air purifier and power sun shades, passengers might never emerge from the back seat. Included in this $14,450 package is adaptive laser cruise control, intuitive parking assist, air suspension, a fabulous Mark Levinson stereo system, DVD GPS and Lexus Link. Sampling some of this technology during freeway driving, the rain sensing windshield wipers proved to be a surprising convenience. Detecting a mist, they exhibit a perfectly timed and adaptive response to rain on the windshield. The DVD GPS navigation system is friendlier and quicker than most, and includes the option of voice commands. The screen is easily navigated to find other functions like the climate control settings. A slight caveat is that the system has been designed to receive information only while the vehicle is stationary or moving at less than three miles-per-hour. A safety precaution that makes good sense, but could prove annoying to behind-the-wheel multi-taskers. The Dynamic Laser Cruise Control is the only function not completely user-friendly without consulting the owner's manual. Designed to maintain a set speed and consistent distance from any other vehicle, the system is easily engaged, but not so easily tested. The laser cruise maintains a speed and distance set by the driver. The system is disabled when adverse weather conditions, such as rain or snow, are determined to be present. If the windshield wipers are engaged (which ours were), or the "snow" option for traction control is selected, the option is disabled. All of this is packed into a sedan that is shorter, narrower, and, at 3,957 pounds, 76 pounds lighter than the Mercedes S430. With a wheelbase three inches longer than last year's model, Lexus has increased cargo capacity from 15 to 16 cubic feet, and increased front and rear head room by an inch. Now a tighter package fueled by a 4.3 liter V8 featuring 290 horsepower and 320 foot-pounds of torque, the LS 430 is responsive at any speed. Acceleration from 0-60 in 6.3 seconds makes freeway passing an effortless pleasure. Compare that to the Mercedes S430 which generates 275 horsepower from its 4.3 liter engine and, according to some reports, takes a half a second longer to travel from 0-60 mph. Setting aside the deliberate similarities to its European mentors, Lexus has made and continues to make a strong argument for choosing affordable Japanese ingenuity over long established names in the premium luxury car category. Laura Byrd is a free-lance automotive writer and photographer based in San Diego. She is a contributing editor for The World & I magazine (a publication of the Washington Times), and regularly contributes stories and photography to Sports Car International, Global Television Network, Speedvision, Mopar Performance News and Car & Driver magazine.
Standard equipment -- Seven speaker AM-FM Dolby stereo with six-disc CD changer in dash; power tilt and telescoping steering column with automatic tilt-away; steering wheel mounted cruise control; 14-way power seat with three position memory for driver's seat, steering wheel, outside mirrors and seat belt; 10-way power seat adjustments for passenger; power door locks with anti-lock-out feature; Homelink programmable garage door opener. Safety -- Variable force seat-mounted side-impact air bags for front seat, side front and rear curtain air bags; height and tension adjustable front and rear seat belts; anti-lock brakes; vehicle skid control with throttle control and individual wheel braking; side impact beams; child restraint seat with tether anchor brackets; inside-trunk emergency trunk release.
Base MSRP -- $54,005; price as tested, $68,500 Options on test car -- Ultra Luxury Package: Mark Levinson Audio, DVD navigation system, Lexus Link with one year of service, power moon roof, Dynamic Laser cruise control, air suspension with AVS, laminated side glass, power rear sunshade and manual rear door sun shades, intuitive parking assist, power-heated rear seats with memory and massage, front climate-controlled seats, rear air-conditioner and air filtration system, headlamp washers, power door closers. Competition -- Mercedes Benz S-Class, BMW 7-Series. Where assembled -- Japan
PLUSES -- Responsive, sports-sedan handling; confidence boosting V-8 with almost flawless performance; intuitive, easy-to-comprehend dash functions; and comfortable ergonomics buoyed by smooth and virtually silent ride. MINUSES -- Annoying and seemingly irrelevant ad campaign; uninspired body design; triangulated tail lights stolen from the Mercedes bad-idea design book. News Index | Features Index |
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AutoWord Copyright© 2001 Copley News Service |
Would you pay full price for a flashy, name-brand Italian leather couch at the most exclusive furniture store in town? Or would you shop carefully, getting familiar with foreign and domestic furniture manufacturers?
But it is a bad thing when new owners of the LS 430 primarily will be previous LS owners; loyalists who would like to feel they own something special.