This luxury full-size sedan, which once made a "revolution" in its class, has been leading the model palette of the Japanese brand for several decades - imposing competition on such regulars of the "executive segment" as: BMW 7-Series, Mercedes-Benz S-class, Audi A8 and others. And “having survived” the next generational change, it became “a luxury car that symbolizes Japanese culture and its rich traditions” (at least - so the company itself says).
The fifth "release" Lexus LS, in all its glory, appeared before the global audience in January 2017 - on the catwalks of the International Auto Show in Detroit (though then only in the status of a pre-production model) ...
The car received a bold design and a luxurious interior, retained an exceptionally long wheelbase version, "moved" to a new modular platform and received a bunch of high-tech "bells and whistles".
In July 2020, the debut of the restyled sedan took place in the virtual space - the exterior was slightly "refreshed", a 12.3-inch touchscreen of the media system was installed in the cabin along with the previous passive screen, the suspension was reconfigured for the sake of driving comfort, noise insulation was improved and new options were added. In addition, the four-door received an electronic Lexus Teammate complex (however, initially it will be available only in the Japanese market) - this is an adaptive cruise control with lane keeping and warning of danger.
Without exaggeration, the "fifth" Lexus LS can be called the most spectacular "player" of the executive class - its aggressive and stunning appearance will hardly leave anyone indifferent, and original design ideas are literally everywhere. That only is the energetic front end with a huge honeycomb grille in the shape of an "hourglass", impressive LED headlights "zigzags" and a "curly" bumper.
And from the rear, the car is tucked up and good-looking - intricate optics and a powerful bumper, from which the trapezoidal pipes of the exhaust system "look out".
Well, another trump card of the four-door is a long and low silhouette, characterized by an almost “hatchback” collapse of the rear struts, with expressive sides and large wheel arches.
In terms of its dimensions, the fifth generation Lexus LS is considered a full-fledged representative of the F-class (by European standards): it is 5235 mm long, 1900 mm wide, and 1450 mm high. The wheelbase of the Japanese sedan "extends" to 3125 mm, and the ground clearance is 147-169 mm.
Interior
Inside the "EL-ES", first of all, one can see the horizontal insert on the front panel, stylized as "guitar strings", and the electronic dashboard with "protruding" horns on the sides, located behind the embossed multifunctional steering wheel of optimal dimensions.
And the center console looks impressive and presentable, flaunting a 12.3-inch multimedia center screen, a stylish analogue clock and an ergonomic zone "climate" unit.
The interior of the three-volume is finished with exceptionally luxurious materials - natural laser-cut wood, high-quality leather and aluminum.
The decoration of the fifth "release" of the Lexus LS is endowed with a four-seater layout, while all the seats can be equipped with heating, a point massager and ventilation, and the front ones by default "flaunt" a lot of electric adjustments. For the rear seat, standing behind the front passenger, an ottoman and a backrest tilt adjustment in the range from 24 to 48 degrees are available as an option.
The flagship Lexus is doing well with the luggage transportation capabilities - the cargo compartment of the four-door has a convenient shape and can "absorb" up to 480 liters of luggage.
The sedan's boot lid is electrically operated with a proximity sensor, and the spare wheel is missing thanks to Run Flat tires.
Specifications
In the Russian market, Lexus LS of the fifth incarnation is offered in two petrol versions:
- Under the hood of the LS350 is a V-shaped six-cylinder unit with a working volume of 3.5 liters, operating on the Otto cycle, with a chain drive, combined fuel injection, a 24-valve DOHC timing belt and Dual VVT-I electronic technology of variable valve timing, developing 316 horsepower at 6600 rpm and 380 Nm of torque at 4800-4900 rpm.
- The heart of the LS500 is a 3.5-liter Formula 1 aluminum V6 engine with twin turbochargers, direct injection and variable valve timing with electric drive, generating 422 hp. at 6000 rpm and 600 Nm of peak thrust at 1600-4800 rpm.
Both motors are equipped with a 10-speed "automatic" Aisin Direct-Shift with a manual gear change function, but the basic version is equipped with a rear-wheel drive transmission, and the top-end one is with permanent four-wheel drive.
Dynamics, speed and consumption
The four-door rushes to conquer the second "hundred" after 4.9-6.5 seconds, and the most capable of gaining 250 km / h (electronically limited).
In combined road conditions, the sedan consumes 8.4-11.2 liters of fuel for every 100 kilometers.
Design features
The "fifth" Lexus LS is based on the global "trolley" for cars of the highest price category - GA-L. In the body structure of the four-door, ultra-high-strength types of steel and aluminum alloys are abundantly involved.
The chassis of the "Japanese" is completely independent: in front - double wishbone, and at the rear - multi-link ("in a circle" with active transverse stabilizers). In addition, the sedan "flaunts" a fully steerable chassis with rear swivel wheels, and for a surcharge it can be equipped with air suspension.
This three-volume can move in three modes (Normal, Sport and Sport +), which affect the reaction and response of the engine and gearbox.
By default, "EL-ES" has in its arsenal a steering mechanism with an electric power amplifier and a variable gear ratio, and its wheels accommodate ventilated "pancakes" of the brake system, which is aided by the darkness of all kinds of electronic technologies.
Options and prices
In the Russian market, the restyled Lexus LS of the fifth generation in 2021 is offered in six trim levels to choose from - Comfort, Executive, F Sport, Premium, Luxury and Supreme (while the first two are available only with a 316-horsepower engine, and all the others - exclusively with 422 - strong).
A full-size sedan in the initial version will cost from 7,147,000 rubles, and the list of its equipment includes: ten airbags, 19-inch alloy wheels, a media system with a 12.3-inch screen, dual-zone climate control, all-round cameras, leather trim , door closers, heated, electrically operated and ventilated front seats, full LED optics and much more.
A car with a 422-horsepower engine can be purchased at a price of 9,514,000 rubles, starting with the F Sport trim level, while the most "packed" version costs at least 11,293,000 rubles.
"Top" three-volume has in its asset: air suspension, 20-inch wheels, four-zone climate control, Mark Levinson audio system, a massager in the front seats, rear seats with heating, electric drive and ventilation, a couple of screens of the multimedia complex on the second row, a complex of electronic Lexus Safety System + assistants, special Japanese-style interior trim and other bells and whistles.
