In today's auto industry, luxury and technology go hand in hand. Items such as navigation systems, integrated cell phones, rear seat DVD players, and antiskid systems are available for all types of vehicles. One rule is certain: The higher the price tag, the more gadgets in the car. Nowhere is that more true than in the 2007 Lexus LS.
   2007 Lexus LS |
The last generation LS, called the LS 430, was a successful car, selling 26,000 units in 2005 in the U.S., compared to the 18,000 BMW 7-Series and 16,000 Mercedes-Benz S-Classes sold during the same year. The LS 430 was even a Consumer Guide Best Buy pick for its blend of comfort, refinement, workmanship, and resale value. Lexus has upped the ante with its latest LS, adding an all-new engine and a host of high-tech gadgets, some of which have never been seen before.
Let's take a closer look at seven of the more intriguing new technologies of the 2007 Lexus LS.
4.6-liter V8
The 4.6-liter V8 in the 2007 LS is the first all-new Lexus V8
engine since the company's inception in 1989. The first of
Lexus' new UR engine family, it is a dual-overhead cam design
with four valves per cylinder, an aluminum block and heads, and
magnesium head covers. The 4.6-liter V8 is unique in that it is the
world's first engine with electronically controlled variable
valve timing (VVT). Whereas all other VVT systems use hydraulically
controlled valves, the 4.6-liter V8 uses an electric motor to
control intake valve timing. The exhaust valves are controlled
hydraulically. Lexus says this design optimizes intake efficiency,
especially on cold starts.
Another unique feature of the 4.6-liter V8 is its dual fuel injection system. The Lexus UR V8 has both port injection, which squirts fuel into an intake manifold at the top of the engine, and direct injection, which shoots fuel directly into the cylinders. Direct injection is known to produce more power and fuel efficiency than port injection, but Lexus representatives say port injection works better for some idle and low-speed applications.
In the 2007 Lexus LS, the 4.6 V8 makes 380 horsepower at 6400 rpm and 367 pound-feet of torque at 4100 rpm. Those numbers are 102 horsepower and 55 pound-feet higher than the outgoing 4.3-liter V8 in the 2006 Lexus LS 430. Lexus' quoted performance numbers are quite impressive: 0-60 mph in 5.4 seconds, a quarter mile in 13.8 seconds, and EPA-estimated fuel economy of 19 mpg city, 27 mpg highway.
Eight-Speed Automatic Transmission
The 2007 Lexus LS is also the world's first passenger car to
offer an eight-speed automatic transmission. The new eight-speed is
about the same size as the six-speed auto Lexus has been offering,
but it is 10 percent lighter and 30 percent more structurally
rigid. Like the outgoing six-speed, it has two overdrive gears.
Lexus says that adding two gears and making the ratios tighter for
the 3rd through the 8th gears helps keep the engine in a rev range
that lets it run more efficiently, thus improving fuel economy.
 The '07 LS' Advanced Parking Guidance System guides the car into a parallel parking spot with very little maneuvering needed from the driver. |
The new eight-speed has advanced shift logic that adapts its programming based on engine conditions, driver habits, and component wear. It also includes a sport mode that holds lower gears longer for more available power. And for those who prefer a little more interaction with the drivetrain, there is a manual shift mode.
Advanced Parking Guidance System
The 2007 LS is sure to become known as "the car that parks
itself" thanks to Lexus' new Advanced Parking Guidance
System. Buyers who want this option must also opt for the
navigation system. The system includes Lexus' Intuitive Park
Assist, which uses front and rear sensors to detect how close the
car is to nearby objects, and adds two additional sensors to the
front sides of the car. Drivers can use the Guidance System to
either back into a parking spot or to parallel park. Here's how
it works in a parallel parking example:
The driver pulls up to the vehicle that he intends to park behind, lining up the driver's seat with the parked vehicle's rear bumper. Next, he pulls up to the parked vehicle's front bumper and shifts to reverse, keeping his foot on the brake. After the driver presses the parallel parking button, an image from the rear backup camera pops up on the navigation screen, displaying a flag icon and putting a green or red box where the Advanced Parking Guidance System has programmed the car to park.
If the box is red, the driver must adjust the location of the box through the navigation screen until it turns green. If the box is green, the driver should still make adjustments until the flag is positioned at the left rear corner of the parked vehicle. At this time, the driver can take his hands off the steering wheel and let the car back itself into the space. The driver keeps his foot on the brake to control his reverse speed.
Dynamic Radar Cruise Control
Over the past few years, several luxury manufacturers have
introduced radar or laser cruise control, Lexus among them. An
antenna behind the grille of the new LS detects the frequency of
waves emitted by traffic in the lane ahead. Highly accurate, the
antenna can recognize targets up to 100 meters away, determine
their direction of travel (or if stationary), and tell if they are
in the same lane even when driving through curves.
The driver selects one of three following distances (short, medium, or long) and his desired mph, and the system allows the car to match the speed of the traffic ahead up to the chosen mph. For instance, if you choose a 65 mph cruising speed and traffic ahead is going 58 mph, you will be limited to 58 mph.
The system detects when traffic ahead slows down and cuts the throttle to match the speed. If the traffic slows down further, the antiskid system's electronic control unit can apply light braking to help match the slower speed. Should that not be enough, the system will sound a warning buzzer to alert the driver to apply more braking power. The system will not stop the vehicle entirely.
Pre-Collision System
The Dynamic Radar Cruise Control System also includes Lexus'
Pre-Collision System. The system uses the grille-mounted antenna to
track the relative speed, distance, and vector of targets ahead of
the car. It also works through the antiskid system to determine the
car's actual path versus its intended path. If the system
determines a crash is unavoidable within less than one second, it
will increase the available hydraulic brake pressure to allow for
maximum braking force and minimum reaction time.
If the system determines a crash is imminent in less than 0.6 seconds, it will retract the driver, front passenger, and rear outboard seating position seat belts. The rear seat belts are connected to a solenoid that gradually releases belt tension in the event of a crash to help prevent whiplash-type injuries. For cars equipped with air suspension, the Pre-Collision System firms up the suspension settings at all four wheels to help reduce nosedive. All of these measures are designed to make a crash safer for occupants, lessening the severity of impact and the chance of injuries.
 The navigation screen in the 2007 Lexus LS. |
Another option gaining popularity throughout the industry is Real Time Traffic. Lexus has teamed with XM Radio to provide this feature on the 2007 LS. The first year of service is included free with the purchase of a car equipped with a navigation system. Thereafter the charge is $3.99 per month with XM satellite radio or $9.95 per month without XM radio. Real Time Traffic works in 44 U.S. cities, targeting freeways and other main roads.
Once you've programmed your route into the navigation system, XM Real Time Traffic gathers accident and construction information from local authorities and vehicle speed sensors to inform drivers of trouble ahead. A green line denoting your intended route indicates clear sailing. A yellow line means traffic is traveling between 20 and 40 mph. Red lines mean traffic moving at 5-20 mph. Should your route be blocked, you can request the navigation system to calculate an alternative route.
Hard Disc Drive Audio
Just as you can load CDs into your computer, automakers are
increasingly allowing you to do the same in your car. Hard disc
drive audio is usually teamed with a navigation system, and the
hard drive holds all of the map information that was previously
loaded from CDs or DVDs. The 2007 Lexus LS has a 30 gigabyte hard
drive, 14.1 gig of which is dedicated to map data storage and
navigation system software. Another 13.9 gig are devoted to music
storage, enough for about 4000 songs, and the final 2.0 gig are for
Gracenotes, which holds the music data (album, artist, song title)
and provides the menu structure the system uses.
Songs can be loaded directly from music CDs at Normal or Fast recording speed, and you can listen to the radio while recording is in process. You can organize your music by song track, artist, or album name, and all of these parameters can be edited through the navigation system. Songs cannot be loaded to the hard drive through a laptop computer, thumb drive, iPod, or MP3 player, but there is an auxiliary input jack in the center console for iPod or other MP3 player connectivity.
But That's Not All
These aren't the only luxury amenities offered on the 2007
Lexus LS. Other notable standard features include steering-linked
headlights, dual-zone climate control, leather upholstery, sunroof,
and Lexus Link concierge service. Also available are DVD audio,
heated and cooled seats, heated steering wheel, power rear
sunshade, and a reclining, massaging rear passenger-side seat with
a built-in retractable table.
The 2007 Lexus LS 460 and LS 460 L go on sale in October. Pricing hasn't been announced, but the LS 460 should be a luxury car value, starting at about $60,00