Lexus’ flagship LS sedan will deliver an even more refined experience than ever before with its updated 2023 range, which compliments supremely smooth driving performance with seamless access to information, communication and entertainment via the latest connectivity technology.

The most up-to-date and fastest Lexus Link Multimedia system transforms the LS range. It allows occupants to smoothly interact with the system through the in-car touchscreen display, voice commands or remotely via a smartphone with new wireless Apple CarPlay integration, alongside wired Android Auto.

New Lexus Link Pro as standard brings a more sophisticated, human-centred multimedia experience thanks to its 12.3-inch touchscreen display and “Hey Lexus” on-board assistant, which responds smartly to voice commands to search the internet, make calls and operate the audio or climate control.

Greater functionality and connectivity are not limited to the in-car environment with the 2023 LS range; convenient remote access enhances the user experience from afar. Over-the-air updates deliver the latest multimedia software, while Lexus Link allows remote windscreen defrosting and control of door locks and hazard lights through a smartphone app. Additionally, LS 500h owners can adjust cabin temperature and steering wheel heating remotely. The app also provides driving analytics, warning light information and advice on hybrid car driving techniques, as well as a “find my car” search function.

Stress-free driving with minimal delays comes courtesy of a powerful navigation solution which combines cloud-based up-to-the-moment traffic, road and parking information from the new Premium Connectivity service and an embedded, “always connected” navigation system.

Drivers can manoeuvre with renewed confidence and comfort using the new under-floor see-through view on the Digital Panoramic View Monitor, which displays conditions under the car, as well as tyre positions. Adding to the already wide range of convenience and safety solutions of the Lexus Safety System +, the Parking Assist Monitor aids spatial awareness during reversing by projecting the vehicle centre line.

These features are serviced by new switches on an updated centre console. The new multimedia system facilitates the discontinuation of the Remote Touch Interface, so switch locations are optimised to aid usability and achieve cleaner surfaces, while the centre console shape is refined to allow easy smartphone storage, without needing to open or close a lid.

Customers will experience for themselves the more refined, more connected Lexus LS when the first deliveries of the 2023 Model Year LS range begin in December 2022.

For more information, please visit https://www.lexus.eu/car-models/ls/

The goal is to produce paint quality that is unique to Lexus, providing colours with depth and lustre that not only catch the eye, but will last, too. The Lunar Silver paintwork on the new LS flagship saloon has taken the technology to new heights, achieved through years of dedicated research, development and breakthrough innovations.

Cosmo Silver

Lexus’s pursuit of an ideal metallic look yielded its first important results in 2003 with the introduction of Cosmo Silver, initially on the LS flagship limousine. This marked a significant evolution from a straightforward metallic finish to something that offered a much greater brightness and the fluid look of pure aluminium.

The key was precise control of the size of the aluminium flakes used in the paint to create an ultra-metallic look, giving an effect more like aluminium foil or chrome. This was achieved by selecting “radiant” materials, applying an orientation control technology for even arrangement of the aluminium flakes and using a multi-layer paint composition technique. With constant scrutiny for perfect quality, the result was an unprecedented metallic finish.

Breaking new technology boundaries with sonic paint technology

The next Lexus breakthrough was the development of sonic paint technology. Recognising that there were limits to what could be achieved using single base paint layer, Lexus developed its multi-layer composition technique so that each layer played a different role in the quality and appearance of the finished paint.

Sonic Titanium and Sonic Silver were the first Lexus metallic paint finishes made using the sonic process, initially introduced in the UK for the IS and GS saloon models from 2012.

Created by Lexus engineers in a five-year development programme, this technique produced a paint layer compressed to a thickness of just 12 microns. This brought the aluminium flakes floating in the paint into even closer and more uniform alignment. Used within the multi-layer finish, it brought new brilliance and shading to the cars’ bodywork, qualities enhanced by the precision of Lexus’s robotised paint process and the hand polishing overseen by its famous takumi specialist craftspeople. Although the sonic paint process requires more effort, when applied it needs fewer bakes in the drying process, so is more environmentally efficient.

Manganese Lustre

The launch of the fifth generation LS in 2018 signalled another breakthrough in sonic paint technology with the debut of Manganese Lustre, a paint finish designed to project the dense, solid feel of a metal mass. This was achieved using a thin metal paint layer to create a metallic accent in the bodywork’s highlights, in combination with a dark grey layer that emphasised the design’s tapering form.

Crucially the sonic process was developed so that a 12-micron layer containing mica particles would contract to a thickness of just four microns in the drying process, increasing the level of reflectivity.

Lunar Silver

Lexus’s ambition with the development of Lunar Silver (introduced in 2020 on the new LS) was to achieve “the ultimate metallic texture.”

A spokesman explains: “To achieve this, we were very discerning in selecting the type of aluminium we use and how to orient it uniformly in the coating. Specifically, the aluminium is deposited as a thin-film vapour that is a smoothly aligned in an ultra-thin layer. This produces a strong metallic reflection with a mirror-like lustre and smoothness, with strong and deep shadow contrasts.”

In this latest development of the sonic technique, the paint film contracts to an unprecedented thickness of just one to two microns. Producing such an extremely thin film free from any unevenness requires great skill and a perfectly smooth underlying surface – achieved through close collaboration between the paint engineers and Lexus’s manufacturing team.

Lexus has a dedicated in-house laboratory where a team of around 30 members research high-level paint technologies. It also recognises the importance of close collaboration with specialist partners on all aspects of paint development, design and production, and has worked with Kansai Paint and Nippon Paint since the Lexus brand was founded just over 30 years ago.

While the research programme is carried out in Japan, perceptions of and tastes in colours and quality are studied worldwide with paint colour options adjusted to suit different regions and markets.

Trends and tastes are important, but Lexus believes colour also relates closely to brand image. For example, while there are now several colours available that use sonic technology, these are characterised by their metallic qualities – the effects of brightness and shading – rather than the colour itself.

Structural Blue

For a more exclusive finish, Lexus’s technical centres in the USA and Japan and specialist thin film optical coatings and pigment producer VIAIVI Solutions worked together to produce Structural Blue. The lengthy project successfully produced a multi-layered pigment that replicated the iridescent blue of the Morpho butterfly – an effect created by light interference on the lattice structure of the butterfly’s wings.

Where conventional paints reflect less than 50 per cent of incoming light as visible blue colour, the level with Structural Blue was almost 100 per cent. Unsurprisingly, it required a highly specialised application process – no more than two cars could be painted in a working day. The colour was reserved for a special version of the LC Coupe, the LC Structural Blue Edition.

ENDS

To improve the driver’s night-time vision, the new LS has adopted the BladeScan^TM Adaptive High-Beam System (AHS) which Lexus first introduced on the RX SUV. This technology significantly increases the breadth and distance of forward illumination, so pedestrians, road signs and potential hazards can be seen earlier and easier than with conventional LED lighting. The BladeScan^TM system directs light from the headlights’ LEDs onto a fast-rotating mirror and then through a lens, giving much finer illumination control.

The driver’s view and awareness of their surroundings are further improved with a new digital rear-view mirror, which gives an unobstructed view of the road and following traffic using real-time images from the car’s rear-mounted camera. There is no intrusion in the driver’s sightline from headrests or other passengers, and the image is optimised for clarity in poor weather and night-time driving. Touch-activated controls make it easy to adjust brightness, image scaling and to scale the view up or down, left or right.

The 360-degree Panoramic View Monitor is an excellent safeguard against collisions when driving at low speeds, as when passing another car on a narrow road, parking close to a kerb or making a turn. The driver can check the car’s position and clearance from any obstacle or other vehicle, checking an image of the car as viewed from above. There is further intelligent protection with the LS’s Parking Support Brake. This can detect obstacles around the car and vehicles and pedestrians approaching at the rear. If there’s a risk of impact, it will trigger control of the drive force and brakes.

The new Advanced Park system is designed for simple and smooth automated parking, but with a natural feel that inspires. Lexus researched thousands of parking patterns and analysed the approximate distances, angles and speeds of entry to parking spaces. The results were incorporated into the system, together with updates based on real driver feedback gathered from numerous test drives. The result is prompt and secure parking at the press of a switch. The way the car manoeuvres itself may not seem the most efficient: this is because Lexus wants it to feel more like parking by a skilled driver, rather than parking by a machine.

The system controls the steering, throttle, brakes and transmission shifts and works faster than rival systems. When the driver pulls up by a prospective parking spot, the Panoramic View Monitor makes a 360-degree scan of the surroundings. The system then calculates the right manoeuvre, keeping the car’s speed down if the space is tight. The driver can follow the progress via live images and graphics on the central display. The Advanced Park works with marked and unmarked parking spaces and it can store details of regularly used locations in its memory – a Lexus first and a first in the luxury car segment.

For further information, please visit https://www.lexus.eu/car-models/ls/

The aim was to deliver acceleration with a better sense of the car’s torque when the LS is being driven with modest throttle pressure, providing smoother and quieter acceleration without frequent gear shifts or sudden changes in engine revs. The solution was to increase the level of electric motor assistance by expanding the performance of the hybrid system’s high-voltage lithium-ion battery.

Lexus researched the many different acceleration scenarios experienced by millions of drivers around the world. Analysis of the big data created found that for about 90% of their time at the wheel, drivers only use around 50% of full throttle, usually generating no more than 0.3G. This led the LS team to prioritise more effective use of drive torque to gain the quality of lower-speed performance it sought – what it calls “leeway acceleration.”

The driver will notice this as quick response even when the accelerator pedal isn’t pressed hard, for example when pulling away from stationary, reaccelerating in traffic and driving on winding roads. Power delivery is prompt and the car’s increase in speed more faithfully matches the rise in engine rpm.

The high-voltage battery’s usable range has been expanded, which reduces the difference in drive force before and after shifting to give a smooth acceleration feel. This adds an extra 170 Nm of torque when driving at around 20 km/h with about 40% throttle. The increased contribution from the electric motor also means the 3.5-litre V6 hybrid petrol engine can operate at lower revs – reduced by about 500 rpm when accelerating from 0-100 km/h with just 40% pressure on the accelerator.

As a result, and with additional changes to upshift timing, there are no sudden changes in rpm under acceleration and performance is quieter and smoother while also better communicating the car’s “torqueful” quality. Urban performance in particular is more comfortable and the quieter running is noticeable, for example when the engine restarts after EV mode driving.

These changes have been accomplished while maintaining the Multi Stage Hybrid System’s performance benchmarks: total system output remains at 359 DIN hp/264 kW, with acceleration from 0-100 km/h in 5.4 seconds for the rear-wheel drive LS 500h and 5.5 seconds for the all-wheel drive model. There is also no impact on the high-voltage battery’s durability.

With the same goals in view, technical changes have also been made to the twin-turbocharged V6 powertrain in the LS 500. Here the focus has been on adjusting the throttle and ignition timing controls, as well as on revising the shift schedule of the 10-speed Direct Shift automatic transmission so there is less need for downshifting when re-accelerating.

In both the LS 500h and the LS 500, the driver’s perception of engine performance has been fine-tuned with adjustment of the Active Noise Control to deliver a quieter engine sound.

For further information, please visit https://www.lexus.eu/car-models/ls/

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Impeccable ride comfort has been a defining quality of Lexus’ LS flagship sedan, ever since the model helped found the brand 30 years ago. The benchmark set by the original LS has inspired the teams developing each new LS generation to always seek to do better, to find improvements in any detail that might deliver even higher comfort levels.

It’s that commitment that has brought about significant advances in the ride quality of the new 2021 LS, achieved not through a single breakthrough innovation, but through a comprehensive review of the parts and controls relating to driving performance, ride comfort and quietness. The changes go beyond the fundamentals of fine-tuning the suspension to include adjustments to the tyres and even the materials and methods used to structure and upholster the seats.

The result is unprecedented ride comfort, but importantly without sacrificing the car’s rewarding dynamic character.

The fifth generation LS, introduced in 2018, marked a leap forward in vehicle design, being the first to make use of Lexus’ GA-L platform. The immediate benefits of this underpinning included an excellent chassis balance, a low centre of gravity and much-increased body rigidity. New multilink suspension geometry was adopted and the performance of the Adaptive Variable Suspension was revolutionised, moving from a simple nine-stage system to near-seamless, continuous damping control through 650 levels.

These elements contribute to the Lexus Driving Signature, a combination of refinement, comfort and ride quality that is unique to Lexus.

LS Chief Engineer Toshio Asahi explains: “We have been implementing improvements year on year to ensure the continual evolution of the LS as a Lexus flagship. With the driving performance of the new LS, I decided that we should focus on the ‘refined driving performance’ which forms the model’s DNA, and indeed is the starting point for our brand. Therefore, we went back to basics and refined the fundamental performance from the ground up.”

 Of course, damping performance is key to comfort, ensuring imperfections in the road surface are absorbed. The sophisticated AVS system has been revised with a new linear solenoid and an enlarged flow path in the control valve. The performance improvement not only helps improve the ride quality, it also plays a part in better steering response and stability.

Also, to reduce shock and vibration, the new LS has been fitted with liquid-filled engine mounts and rear suspension bushes. And to provide better control of the vehicle’s body roll when cornering, the thickness of the front and rear anti-roll bars has been increased.

The tyres form the single contact point between a car and the road and thus can make an important contribution to ride comfort. The LS is fitted as standard with run-flat tyres, which by their nature are more rigid than conventional tyres. Nonetheless, Lexus has been able to reduce their vertical spring rate to control the up/down movement of the sidewall. Even the tyres’ material compound and inner structure have been adjusted to factor out high-frequency vibrations.

In their turn, the car’s seats also have a critical role to play in how the occupant experiences ride comfort. The LS features the most sophisticated yet seen in a Lexus, with unprecedented, multi-direction adjustability, integrated heating and ventilation and different, precisely controlled massage functions. To improve comfort, the priority for the new model was the tactile sensation as you sit down, with greater cushioning to better disperse body pressure. The development team undertook repeated trials to select an ideal new low-resilience urethane material for the seat pad that will fit the body snugly and comfortably, with uniform performance at all temperatures.

Going further, the upholstery seams on the seat cushion have been set deeper than before, a detail that helps absorb vibrations and create a softer feel. With a focus on takumi craftsmanship, the new seams have been designed without creating any tell-tale creasing in the leather.

For further information, please visit https://www.lexus.eu/car-models/ls/

These qualities figure strongly in the new LS, where both the bodywork and interior benefit from new treatments and designs that embrace this fusion of art, takumi craftsmanship and functionality that Lexus has made its own.

The development team took “Time in Design” as their guiding theme, inspired by a classical Japanese concept of beauty that changes from moment to moment, as time passes and the environment changes.

LS Chief Engineer Toshio Asahi explains: “We wanted to capture an ephemeral scene to express the design atmosphere, taking an exquisite aesthetic sense that is uniquely Japanese to a high level of artistic value. With this in mind, the design team chose a scene of moonlight shining on waves as the theme to co-ordinate the interior and exterior design.”

Since 2003, Lexus has been constantly researching new exterior colours, focusing on innovative paint technologies to achieve an ever-more brilliant and lustrous appearance. The new LS marks its latest advance in this field, Lunar Silver, a finish that throws the curves and angles of the car’s bodywork into relief with contrasting brilliance and deep shadow, adding impact and intrigue to the subtleties of the design.

Lunar Silver changes its tonal quality according to both the angle at which the car is viewed and the time of day, with a different look under the midday sun compared to twilight. The effect is also heightened when the LS is in motion, with the passing scenery reflected across its mirror-like surfaces.

The key to this effect is a new advance in sonic painting technology. Standard colour paint is usually between 13 and 14 microns thick, while Lexus’ previous sonic shades have reduced this to around four microns. With Lunar Silver the technique has been taken to an even higher level so that the paint is compressed to just one to two microns. This results in the aluminium flakes that would normally float randomly in the paint being brought into a dense and uniform alignment, accentuating their brilliance and reflectivity.

Of course, this ultra-thin film cannot be effective on its own. It takes great to skill to apply and is sensitive to the qualities of the base and primer paint layers on which it sits, so Lexus has had to significantly refine their quality and smoothness, too. This called for close collaboration between the paint engineers and the manufacturing team, making repeated, detailed improvements until the desired pure silver, mirror-like finished was achieved.

The “Time in Design” influence has also produced a new interior trim combination, available in conjunction with the Lunar Silver paintwork. The Nishijin and Haku ornamentation for the doors follows on from the striking Kiriko cut glass and hand-pleated trims featured previously on the LS and is a similar reinterpretation of classical Japanese artistry.

Nishijin evokes the shimmering path of light created by a full moon above the sea. It is created using the same historical technique once used to make woven material for Japanese noblemen: fine threads of metal foil are mounted on washi paper and cut into thin strips to make a yarn. For the LS, the threads are minutely woven into a jacquard pattern with a three-dimensional effect in tones of silver, grey and black.

This blends beautifully with a Haku panel that curves around the door handle. The history of Haku – the Japanese word for “metal leaf” – can be traced back 400 years, a highly skilled process in which an ingot or lump of previous metal is hammered into a foil that is just a few then-thousandths of a millimetre thick. This is then hand-applied to the panel’s surface to create a beautifully textured finish.

The new LS range also introduces a new Laser Cut Special Ash Open Pore trim finish option. This uses natural wood, dyed black to bring out the richness of its grain. A precision laser-cutting process is then used to reveal bright detailing from a layer of metal beneath the wood, using a skill developed by Japanese master musical instrument makers.

For further information, please visit https://www.lexus.eu/car-models/ls/

Lexus reveals today, in European premiere, its new, updated LS sedan, introducing new technologies, equipment and design features that reinforce its status as the flagship of the brand. The new model is revealed ahead of its sales launch in Europe in late 2020.

Lexus International President Koji Sato said: “In developing the new LS, we aimed for further evolution of the exceptional quietness and comfort that have been a constant feature of the LS since its first generation, and the starting point of the Lexus brand.”

More power, even smoother driving performance

The supreme smoothness, refinement and effortless power of the LS 500h have been further increased through technical revisions that strengthen the contribution of the lithium-ion high-voltage battery.

In making the changes, Lexus focused on improving the car’s drivability by increasing the level of assistance the battery provides to the electric motor, and expanding its range of operation. The focus was on the quality experienced in the “normal” driving that accounts for around 90% of the time on the road, when the driver is applying only moderate pressure on the accelerator pedal and only low G forces are generated.

As a result of the changes, less effort is needed to move faster: acceleration is smoother and more linear, keeping the vehicle stable and suppressing G forces. This makes for more comfortable city driving, but there are also benefits when travelling on winding routes, or when pulling away on an uphill gradient. Only slight pressure on the throttle is all that’s needed to make smooth and powerful progress.

With the hybrid battery playing a greater role, the engine is able to operate at lower rpm, which makes for even quieter running, for example when the engine restarts after a period of EV electric mode driving.

Twin-turbo V6 engine

Performance of the twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine in the LS 500, available in Eastern European markets, has been improved with a revised shifting schedule for the 10-speed automatic transmission. Adjustment of the fuel injection control and a new lip design on the upper surface of the pistons ensures a rich fuel-air mixture around the spark plugs and has reduced noise, particularly when the engine is cold.

Ride comfort

Achieving the best possible ride comfort has always been a touchstone quality for the LS and in its latest revisions, Lexus has looked to the performance of the tyres, the Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS), the anti-roll bars and even the construction of the seats to achieve improvements.

Where the tyres are concerned, the vertical stiffness of the sidewall has been reduced, without compromising their run-flat capability, to give a more comfortable ride.

The AVS benefits from a new linear solenoid and an enlarged flow path inside the control valve. This expands the dampers’ variable width, giving better performance over rough surfaces. As well as added comfort, this supports better steering response and vehicle stability. Adjustments to the rigidity of the anti-roll bars achieve a better load transfer during vehicle roll for a more a more comfortable vehicle posture when cornering, and line-tracing that’s more faithful to the driver’s intentions.

The quality of the seats is critical to the comfort experienced by driver and passengers, so Lexus has made changes that include new urethane seat padding, an additional, softer layer on top of the cushion padding and deeper seams between the cushion/backrest and the bolsters. The result is more comfort, less vibration and better body-holding.

Fully automated Advanced Park

Lexus takes all the effort out of parking with its fully automated Advanced Park system, appearing for the first time on the new LS 500h. It is also the first Lexus system and the first in the luxury car segment to have a memory function that will recognise and store details of spaces the driver uses regularly, making the parking process even easier.

The system goes further than any previous Lexus parking assistance technology, by controlling steering, throttle, brakes and transmission to execute safe and accurate manoeuvres. As well as being smooth and precise, it also operates promptly – the time taken to execute a parking manoeuvre is quicker than rival systems.

After drawing up alongside a parking space, the driver engages the system which then uses clearance sonars and the Panoramic View Monitor camera to gain a 360-degree view of the area and any obstacles. It automatically calculates the most efficient and safe parking manoeuvre, suppressing the vehicle’s speed if clearance is tight. The live image and clear graphics on the central display keep the driver informed of the vehicle’s path and any obstacles.

It will also operate regardless of whether the space is marked out with lines, or if there are no adjacent vehicles.

New technologies for safety and driver assistance

The new LS makes use of new technologies to provide a higher level of safety and driver assistance. It follows the Lexus RX in adopting a BladeScan™ AHS (Adaptive High-beam System) in which a fast-rotating mirror projects light from LEDs to provide smooth and fine illumination over a wider area than current, standard LED systems.

It also introduces a new digital rear-view mirror, which presents real-time images from the rear parking camera. This means the view is not impeded by headrests or passengers and is clearer in night-time and wet weather driving. The driver can switch from optical glass to digital display and adjust the image for brightness and up/down and left/right scaling using touch-icons along its lower edge.

Further upgrades include a pedestrian detection function for the 360-degree Panoramic View Monitor and additional motor assistance to tighten the seatbelts (in addition to the pretensioners) when the Pre-Collision System delivers emergency braking ahead of an imminent impact.

New multimedia system and improved HMI

The new LS adopts Lexus’ latest generation multimedia system, with increased functionality and improved HMI for simple, intuitive operation.

The system is controlled by a new 12.3-inch touchscreen, located on top of the instrument panel, closer to and angled towards the driver. This means it sits within the natural reach of people of different heights and builds; its positioning also avoids intrusion in their sightline along the bottom edge of the windscreen.

The functions now include easy smartphone integration via Apple CarPlay™*¹ and Android Auto™*¹, giving access to popular apps for navigation, entertainment and messaging using the car’s multimedia touchscreen*².

With Android Auto, the Google Assistant and Google Maps*¹ can be used and tailored information can be sourced based on the user’s calendar, previous activity and established preferences.

Apple CarPlay allows users to access the familiar interface from their iPhone®*¹ through the vehicle’s multimedia display. An iPhone can be connected to obtain journey directions, make calls, send and receive message via Siri®, and gain access to apps such as Spotify, Audible and Apple podcasts.

The touchscreen functions also include a new call-up switch to give instant access to frequently used controls, such as adjustment of the seat and steering wheel heaters.

The auxiliary switches on the steering wheel now have a unified black finish and have been re-contoured for easier, intuitive use. Likewise, the air conditioning panel has a new piano black finish for a more unified interior appearance.

Exterior design

Lexus has applied exterior styling changes to the LS, focusing on details that emphasise the design’s expression of strength.

The front bumper has been reshaped and the signature spindle grille has a new dark metallic finish to its inner surfaces. The headlight units have also been revised to a slim, triple projector unit that accommodates the new BladeScan™ AHS (see details above) and the daytime running lights, arranged in an “L” motif. New contrast black and bright machined finish 20-inch alloy wheels are available for the mid and high grades model.

The small, subsidiary grilles in the lower bumper have been moved outwards and have a squarer shape, emphasising the car’s width and stance. This is amplified on the LS F SPORT, where the grilles now wrap around the corner of the bumper. Also on the F SPORT, the inner grille treatment is a new low-gloss black, the wheels have a black, sputtered finish with black centre caps and the rear combination light units gain a piano black moulding.

New advanced paint finish

Lexus has explored new possibilities in paint technology to create Lunar Silver, a finish that throws the contours of the bodywork into sharp relief with contrasting brilliant highlights and deep shadowing. It is combined with the new Nishijin and Haku interior hand-crafted black and silver interior ornamentation (see details below).

Sonic technology is used to condense the paint into a layer that is just one micron thick. This means the aluminium particles it contains are packed more densely and are more uniformly aligned to give a flawless finish with a mirror-like shine. To achieve these results the surface of the base paint, primer and clear layers have also had to be rendered as smooth as possible.

Hand-crafted interior detailing

Lexus’ design provides many contemporary interpretations of traditional Japanese decorative arts and aesthetics. For the new LS it has combined two time-honoured skills to produce striking new interior detailing.

The Nishijin and Haku option for the door panels weaves together black and silver in an organic pattern inspired by waves shimmering in moonlight. This application of weaving and metalwork techniques is a “simulation” – the Japanese art of using diverse materials to express the beauty and character of the natural world.

Nishijin has its roots in materials created for Japanese nobility. Metal foil is stretched on washi paper and cut into thin strips to make a flat yarn that is woven to produce an organic pattern in which the silver threads create a shimmering wave effect. Used within the new LS’ door panels, this is matched to a Haku door handle surround. Haku is a heritage craft dating back more than 400 years, in which metallic foil is flattened to a thickness of between one and two microns. Hand-applied by takumi craftspeople to the new LS, it has a delicate shine, evoking moonlight.

A new Laser Cut Special Ash Open Pore trim finish uses natural wood that is dyed black to bring out its strong grain pattern. This creates a sharp contrast with the silver metal layer beneath, revealed by a highly skilled laser-cutting process.

For more information, please consult : https://www.lexus.eu/car-models/ls/

 *¹ Apple and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Apple CarPlay is a trademark of Apple Inc. Android, Android Auto, Google Maps, Google Assistant are trademarks of Google LLC.

*² Availability of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto may vary according to market.

The original luxury disruptor when it debuted to launch the brand, the Lexus LS has for nearly three decades set benchmarks for powertrain smoothness, ride quietness, craftsmanship, attention to detail, and long-term quality. The 2018 LS will offer the most dynamic driving experience in the model’s history; now it has the possibility of being enhanced further with the new F SPORT model.

Available in petrol and hybrid powertrains, the F SPORT version of the LS, will imbue the standard model with a more engaging driving spirit through carefully applied chassis tuning and enhancements, while still emphasizing exceptional comfort.

F SPORT Look

Lexus designers didn’t hold back when giving the LS its coupe-like silhouette and dramatic rendition of the Lexus signature spindle grille that shows even greater intricacy in the design. Developing the F SPORT grille took computer-aided design (CAD) operators some five months to achieve the desired texture and interaction with light. Even then, they adjusted 7,100 individual surfaces to achieve the desired look and texture (compared to 5,000 for the standard model’s grille). And when combined with the sporty enlarged side grille, the F SPORT grille is functional as well, helping to maintain the vehicle’s cooling performance.

The special F SPORT front grille, rocker panel, and trunk mouldings accentuate the sedan’s rakish profile, while F SPORT badging on fenders and exclusive 20-inch alloy wheels complete the exterior transformation. And for those looking to really stand out, White Nova and Heat Blue are offered as F SPORT-exclusive exterior colours.

F SPORT Inside

As it did with the exterior, Lexus shifted the LS cabin into F SPORT spec by applying trim and features exclusive to this version. A common thread through all LS models remains: Omotenashi, the concept of Japanese hospitality. Applied to the LS, it means taking care of the driver and passengers, anticipating their needs, attending to their comfort and helping to protect them from hazards. The F SPORT adds a performance attitude to the mix.

The F SPORT persona shines throughout the cabin, starting with the F SPORT-exclusive front seat, which provides enhanced support for dynamic driving. A perforated-grill pattern on seating surfaces and unique scored aluminum trim elements add additional sporty flair.

The driver faces a special F SPORT steering wheel as well as a speedometer and tachometer in a movable meter with a meter ring that slides to display information, a design adapted from the limited-production Lexus LFA supercar and a further expression of the car’s dynamic character. Attention to detail shows in the aluminum accelerator, brake and footrest pedals, as well as the F SPORT perforated shift handle and footrest. Ultrasuede in the seats and headliner is the crowning touch. For those desiring the ultimate sporty look, a new Red interior is available exclusively on F SPORT models.

LS Chassis Details

2018 LS F SPORT model features the latest generation of the brand’s advanced chassis control technology, Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM), which has been refined since its debut more than a decade ago.

In 2004, Lexus introduced the first integrated control system that combined the previously independent ABS, TRC, VSC and EPS, as well as other functions, into a single system.

In 2012, the brand adopted the four-wheel active steering integrated control system—known as Lexus Dynamic Handling, or LDH—from the GS for enhanced safety and driving performance that responds to the driver’s intention.

The new VDIM system implements cooperative control of all vehicle subsystems – braking, steering, powertrain, and suspension – to control basic longitudinal, lateral and vertical motion as well as yaw, roll and pitch. Optimal control of these motions helps to enable exceptional ride comfort, enhanced traction and safety and handling agility, and allows for enriched flat vehicle posture during cornering as well as a more comfortable and stable ride overall.

Sporting Genes

The LS is based on an extended version of the brand’s premium global architecture for luxury vehicles (GA–L) platform from the new Lexus LC coupe. The GA-L platform sets the stage for enhanced handling, ride smoothness and cabin quietness. The LS F SPORT capitalizes on the platform’s responsiveness and agility.

Equipping the LS F SPORT with standard 20-inch wheels and 245/45RF20+ 275/40RF20 tyres, along with larger front and rear brakes (6-piston callipers on front and 4 pistons on rear), unlocks more of the platform’s intrinsic performance capability. The LS F SPORT is equipped with LDH (Variable Gear Ratio Steering and Dynamic Rear Steering)* and has a sport-tuned air suspension with rapid height function. The result is a full-size premium luxury sedan that responds more like a sports coupe through curves, helping to underline what F SPORT stands for.

415-Horsepower Heart with a 10-Speed Partner Lexus designed an all-new 3.5-litre V6 engine specifically for the new 2018 LS 500, using twin turbochargers developed through the company’s F1 technology. This new twin-turbo V6 offers V8-level performance – 415 horsepower and 442 lb-ft of torque – paired with the first-ever 10-speed automatic transmission in luxury sedan.

The engine yields a broad torque curve and, perfectly in tune with the F SPORT spirit, the new engine and transmission deliver instant acceleration and a constant build-up of torque toward the vehicle’s redline. The LS 500 is undeniably quick, with a 0-60mph time of 4.5 seconds (petrol, RWD**). Electronically controlled wastegates are among the features that contribute to the engine’s rapid responses. The driver can tailor powertrain response and feel by choosing from Normal, Sport S or Sport S+ modes, and just enough of the exhaust note is heard to enhance the sporty feel.

F SPORT Performance, Hybrid Efficiency

The LS 500h F SPORT infuses high efficiency into the sporting formula. The new Multi Stage Hybrid System combines a naturally aspirated Atkinson-cycle 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine with two electric motor/generators and uses a compact, lightweight lithium-ion battery. The V6 engine uses D-4S direct fuel injection, and lightweight valvetrain components, with Dual VVT-i ensuring ample torque across the engine speed range. Combined system output is 354 hp.

The new system adapts the planetary-type continuously variable transmission from Lexus Hybrid Drive and also adds a unique four-speed automatic transmission. Working in concert, the two gearsets alter output in four stages to utilize the V6 engine across the entire speed range.

In manual mode, the two gearsets act together to provide the effect of 10 ratios, giving the LS 500h F SPORT an enhanced dynamic feel on the road and allowing the driver to shift through the ratios with paddle shifters. The Multi Stage Hybrid System allows for more electric assist at lower vehicle speeds, and it enables the LS 500h under certain conditions to operate with the petrol engine off at speeds of up to 87 mph. What’s more, this system allows the RWD LS 500h to propel from 0-60mph in 5.2 seconds – which is on par with the previous-generation V8-powered LS 460 and 3 /10th of a second faster than the AWD LS 600h.

* LDH is available exclusively on RWD models.

**In Europe LS 500 is available exclusively in AWD version.

The all-new LS is based on an extended version of the brand’s premium global architecture for luxury vehicles (GA–L) platform – the stiffest that Lexus has ever developed – which offers enhanced handling, ride smoothness and cabin quietness. F SPORT models will capitalize on the platform’s responsiveness and agility to present the most engaging LS driving experience yet, and will be available on the LS 500 and LS 500h.

The 2018 LS 500 F SPORT will be on display starting April 12th at the Lexus booth in the Javits Convention Center for the 2017 New York International Auto Show.

The introduction of the LS 400 in 1989 in Detroit made automotive history. Not only did the vehicle make its mark by offering the drive performance, quietness, and luxury that consumers expected from a premium vehicle, its unveiling heralded the birth of the Lexus brand.

Now, 28 years later, the all-new LS sedan will boast a bold new look with a coupe-like silhouette without compromising roominess, visionary technology, and will be built on an extended version of the company’s all-new global architecture for luxury vehicles (GA–L) premium rear-wheel drive platform—shared with the LC—for a more dynamic experience on the road.