Performance
While its 220-horsepower Twin Cam 6 provides very respectable acceleration, balance is what the LS is all about. Subtle but obvious feedback communicates the interaction of the car and the road. You can hear it in the sound of the engine. And feel it through the steering wheel, gas and brake pedals, and in the seat of your pants. You respond, and the LS reacts in direct proportion to your input.
Lexus engineers define performance as a harmony of all the physical forces generated by an automobile. They insist that each element of the many mechanical, electronic and hydraulic systems that supply this performance must work in balance with the rest.
But physics aside, there's a special gleam in their eyes when they talk about the LS' Twin Cam, 24-valve in-line 6. With 220 horsepower from just 3.0 liters of displacement, it is one of the highest-output 6-cylinder engines you can buy. In fact, it's even more powerful than some much larger engines, including some V8s.
A look inside this advanced powerplant reveals the technology behind its prowess. The precision-machined engine block (1) is deep-skirted, and has barrel shaped walls around each cylinder for higher rigidity, plus lower noise and vibration. Innovation resin-coated (2) pistons improve durability and reduce friction. High-strength, hot-forged connecting rods (3) contain integral oil jets to cool and lubricate each piston at high rpm.
At the top end of the LS' in-line 6 are four valves for each cylinder (4) to provide highly efficient engine breathing. Farther upstream, in the intake manifold, is the Acoustic Control Induction System (5) valve. Controlled by the engine computer, this ingenious system varies the length of the intake runners to optimize airflow -- and thus power -- at both low and high rpm.
Transferring power to the rear wheels is a four-speed Electronically Controlled Transmission with intelligence (ECT-i) that Automobile Magazine says "shifts like magic." With "power" and "normal" modes, engine/'transmission computer networking, and a 4.08:1 axle ratio, the LS drivetrain is a model of both smoothness and response.
Suspension
Scan the specifications of the Lexus LS and you'll see an impressive array of performance hardware. But far more important than this combination of components is the feeling you get when you drive the car. The LS rear-wheel-drive chassis was developed with the driver as the focal point. While tuning out harshness and annoying vibrations, Lexus suspension engineers dialed in just the right amount of feedback to the driver.
Lexus has elevated chassis tuning to an art form with the LS luxury-performance sedan. Its rear drive platform optimizes handling and dynamic weight transfer. And the suspension -- computer-designed and track-tested -- filters out enough sound and motion for a luxurious ride, while providing outstanding grip.
Suspension details reveal some of the story: Wishbone-shaped suspension arms help keep the wheels and tires perpendicular to the road. Large stabilizer bars check body roll. Wide, 16 x 7.5-inch alloy wheels maximize each tire's footprint on the pavement.
The LS' rigid body structure also plays a role in the car's superb handling. Its long wheelbase aids stability and comfort, and yields a more neutral weight distribution. Large outer-body panels, composed of several sheets of different metal alloys, are stamped as a single unit for high strength and light weight. Finally, substantial front and rear subframes isolate road noise and vibration.
But a spirited drive on some two-lane blacktop will tell you more. The LS' precisely tuned suspension pampers the passengers while exhilarating the driver.
Its rack-and-pinion steering also marries sportiness and luxury. Power assist is vehicle speed-sensitive, for parking ease combined with highway-speed feedback.
Stopping power is provided by large, ventilated disc brakes at each wheel and a sophisticated Anti-lock Braking System (ABS). During acceleration, an optional Traction Control System (TRAC) helps limit wheel spin for an extra measure of control in uncertain driving conditions.
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