‘LUXURY TWEAKED WITH MORE SPORTY STYLING AND PERFORMANCE’
The Lexus flagship LS 460 has always had the reputation for the ultimate in luxury with a quiet, comfortable cabin and a smooth ride. The all-new LS 460 F SPORT brings more performance, styling and interior sporty cues by combining a more aggressive exterior with a unique interior featuring F SPORT bucket seats with larger side bolsters, a sporty leather-wrapped steering wheel with paddle shifters an F SPORT medallion and aluminum foot pedals. The sport-tuned air suspension offers five-different suspension settings, and the chassis has been lowered 0.4 inches. This new LS 460 also comes with a Torsen limited slip rear differential, Brembo six-piston calipers up front and rides on 19 inch forged alloy wheels with summer or all-season high-performance tires. After my seven day test drive, the new LS F SPORT is the most engaging and fun-to-drive LS 460 I have ever tested. Even though the new LS 460 F SPORT is exciting to drive, it doesn’t lose any of the premium luxury attributes that make the LS 460 one of the world’s great full-size luxury cars.
Like all new LS 460 models, the body rigidity has been strengthened to enhance stability and a more comfortable ride. Pitch and bounce control has been improved by adopting new frequency dependent shocks resulting in an even flatter, road-hugging ride. Revised electric power-assisted rack & pinion steering offers improvements in accuracy and turn-in response. The braking system has been adjusted for more immediate power and great pedal feel. The all-new LS 460 F SPORT model does that and more inside and outside.
The inverted trapezoidal three-dimensional black mesh upper grille is huge and the slanted upper grille has been combined and integrated into a single element to create a more prominent spindle shape with a full chrome surround. The sides of the lower bumper features LED foglamps and wide open tunnels that channel cool air to the giant 14 inch front vented discs. The large Xenon HID headlamps are adaptive for added night driving safety and the arrow-shaped LED daytime running lamps just adds to the aggressive front end. Also up front is a splitter jutting out form the lower front grille and a flat underbody panel that keeps the LS 460 F SPORT glued to the ground further enhanced by its low 4.7 inch ground clearance.
From the side are steeply raked windshield A-pillars, aero-styled power-remote/heated/power-folding sideview mirrors, a flat roof, deep side extensions, chrome pull-out door handles and a wide chrome strip around the greenhouse and door bottoms. An F SPORT badge is placed on each front fender. Out the rear are large, wraparound LED lamp clusters and a chrome-plated bar running along the bottom edge of the rear bumper that accentuates the lowered center of gravity. You’ll also see a diffuser in the center of the wide, polished dual exhaust tips. A lip spoiler at the end of the trunk lid further enhances rear downforce. This stunning ‘sculpted from a solid piece of metal’ LS 460 F SPORT cuts through the air with an amazing 0.26 coefficient of drag. a truly world class number and unique aggressive look from any angle.
The 4.6 liter, 32-valve, all-aluminum DOHC V engine features VVT-iE with an electronically controlled intake and an electronically controlled direct sequential fuel injection system. It now generates 386 hp at 6,400 rpm and a solid 367 lb.ft. of torque at 4,100 rpm. This potent V8 engine is mated to an eight-speed sequential shift gearbox with paddle shifter mounted onto the steering wheel for better action, and a limited slip differential that puts all of the power and torque on the pavement.
What really differentiates the all-new F SPORT from the standard LS 460 is the sport-tuned air suspension. Up front is a multi-link setup with air springs, new frequency dependent gas-filled shocks and a stabilizer bar. The rear is a double-joint setup with air springs, new frequency dependent gas-filled shocks and a stabilizer bar. The new air suspension with the variable gear ratio rack & pinion steering system automatically adjusts the damping force for optimal comfort and performance. The suspension system has four settings: Eco, Comfort, Normal, Sport S and Sport S+. You can quickly change the setting as you like the car to respond to your driving inputs by simply turning a large dial on the center console. The variable gear ratio power-assisted rack & pinion steering system features 2.3-3.5 turns lock-to-lock and 11.1-17.0:1 overall ratio. It smoothly and quickly responds to my steering input whether I am attacking steep curving roads, or passing cars at high-speed on the highways. Awesome acceleration from 0 to 60mph takes just 5.3 sec. That is not bad for a full-size sedan weighing 4,277 pounds.
Also separating the LS 460 F SPORT from the standard LS460 are the huge brakes that quickly and safely slows the car down from speed. Up front are 14 inch vented discs clamped with Brembo six-piston calipers and 13.8 inch vented discs clamped with dual-piston calipers in the rear. These brakes are enhanced with standard ABS, EBD and BA with a special calibration of the VDIM (vehicle dynamics integrated management) system. Further separating the LS 460 F SPORT are the massive 19X8 inch forged aluminum alloy wheels wrapped with Bridgestone Turanza 245/45R19 inch summer or all-season high-performance tires for a smooth, quiet ride and incredible grip.
The interior of the LS 460 F SPORT is also different from the standard LS 460. The wide opening doors reveal a leather trimmed interior with excellent attention to detail. Instead of wood trim on the dashboard, steering wheel and door switch plates, the F SPORT features real aluminum pieces plus black piano veneer found on the center console and door switch plates. The front bucket seats have extra side bolstering to keep me and my front seat passenger snug during spirited cornering maneuvers and are heated and cooled. The leather-trimmed and perforated steering wheel feels perfect in my hands and features power tilt/ telescopic for the perfect reach and angle to better use the wheel. Also found only inside the LS 460 F SPORT are aluminum-faced foot pedals and foot rest. The stick shifter is also wrapped in leather and is easy to work if I didn’t want to use the paddle shifters. Other than these F SPORT exclusive features the LS 460 F SPORT comes complete with all of the features that make the flagship Lexus one of the world’s great luxury sedans. Standard features include all express up/down power windows, door locks, self-dimming rearview mirror, power trunk opener, remote fuel filler door, carpeted floor mats, cargo floor mat, power seatbelt shoulder height adjusters up front, three-position memory for me and my front passenger, a giant 12.3 inch color display, a beautiful Lexus analog clock with GPS functionality, dynamic radar cruise control, electroluminescent gauges, HomeLink programmable garage door opener, remote touch interface, SmartAccess with push button start/stop, map pockets behind the front seatbacks, TFT color multi-information trip computer display, 12 volt outlet in center console, dual cupholders, dual-zone front climate control with smog sensor and automatic recirculation control, easy entry/exit driver’s seat, first aid kit, individual vanity mirrors front and rear, Lexus HDD navigation with backup monitor, Bluetooth hands free phone with automatic phonebook download capabilities, Lexus Enform with safety connect enhanced roadside assistance, intuitive park assist, acoustic glass windshield, high-strength steel alloy and ultra-high strength sheet metal used in the body structure, laminated side window glass up front, Thinsulate insulation for more effective sound absorption, power tilt/slide moonroof, transitional LED ambient lighting, the Mark Levinson Reference Surround Sound audio system with 19-speakers, 450-watts of power, MP3 and USB/iPod audio input plugs, streaming audio via Bluetooth, a power rear sunshade, alcantara headliner, padded armrest with storage box up front, rear pull-down armrest with dual cupholders and storage box, storage in each door, aluminum kick plates at each door, rear air-vents for rear seat passengers, rain-sensing wipers, illuminated entry, self-closing doors when left ajar, heated steering wheel, grab handles above each door and thick-cut carpeting.
Standard safety systems include 3-point safety belts and headrests for all three rear seating positions, active front headrest with power height adjusters, tire pressure monitor, dual stage driver/front passenger airbags with pretensioners/load limiters, front passenger twin-chamber airbag, knee airbags up front, side airbags up front, side-curtain airbags, front/rear crumple zones and steel beams in each door. My test LS 460 F SPORT also came equipped with Blind Side Warning, rear side traffic warning and front object warning. Security systems include a theft-deterrent system, engine immobilizer, remote window ‘down’ feature, automatic headlamps, puddle lamps, theft alarm and a panic alarm.
The all-new 2013 Lexus LS 460 F SPORT was one of those vehicles that I didn’t want to give up after my seven-day test drive. It features higher levels of handling performance with all of the delights, comfort, luxury, convenience, and safety that makes the flagship Lexus LS 460 one of the world’s great full-size luxury sedans. The new Lexus LS is now more fun and exciting to drive!
COPYRIGHT: 2013: HARVEY SCHWARTZ
