Lexus has given us our first official taste of what its revised 2013 flagship is all about with a clutch of new images and details regarding some of the innovative features we can expect to see on board.
Although Lexus will only reveal performance and powertrain details at a later date, we can expect the 4,6-litre V8 in the LS460 and the 5,0-litre V8 hybrid powerplant in the LS600h and its long-wheelbase spinoff to remain largely untouched. A further F Sport model will also join the line-up with a 10 mm reduction in ride height, along with an aggressive body kit, a Torsen limited-slip differential six-piston bake calipers and a rev-matching system that blips the throttle when utilizing the paddle-shifters.
Lexus’s latest iteration of its L-Finesse design language has been applied to the firm’s flagship and introduces a prominent take on the recently introduced spindle front grille, revised headlamps and a modest re-style of the brakelamps, both of which can be specified with optional LED elements.
Lexus also aims to improve the LS’s refinement by utilising additional insulation to suppress engine-, road- and wind noise. Among the interior features are automatically controlled seat heating/ventilation and steering wheel heating (a first in the segmen, according to Lexus), a revised sat-nav system with Internet connectivity and a 12,3-inch screen and, for certain markets, a 19-speaker audio system and rear-seat entertainment system with Blu-Ray player.
On the driving dynamics and safety fronts the 2013 LS will feature a selectable driving mode function (Eco/Comfort/Normal/Sport/Sport+), revisions to the adaptive variable suspension to better rein in body roll, refinements to the braking and steering systems and a raft of safety features that include lane-keeping assist, pre-emptive crash safety system and collision avoidance assistance.
The LS460 will reach the local market by November of this year, followed by the normal and long-wheelbase versions of the LS600h in January 2013. The F-Sport package will also be available on our market.
