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When the Lexus LS 460 flagship sedan came out in 2007, I waxed on and on about how wonderful the back seat was, because that area can often become a no-man’s land when it comes to room and amenities. I also mentioned at the time that I’d be curious to experience the long-wheelbase version, the LS 460 L. That...




When the Lexus LS 460 flagship sedan came out in 2007, I waxed on and on about how wonderful the back seat was, because that area can often become a no-man’s land when it comes to room and amenities.


I also mentioned at the time that I’d be curious to experience the long-wheelbase version, the LS 460 L. That version is gifted with almost 5 additional inches in length, bringing the grand total to 202.8, a gain that should be very evident in the rear seat.


Well, now I have experienced the LS 460 L. And I am happy to report it is just as sumptuous as I remember its slightly shorter LS 460 counterpart to be – and all the more so because of its extra inches. And who is going to complain about that?


True, I only got to sit in the back seat, not ride around in it, since The Times-Picayune does not see fit to provide me with a chauffeur so that I can really test the rear seat in all situations. But I can still tell you this: the Lexus LS 460 L offers one of the best back seat experiences around.


Well-Equipped



It’s amazing what leather will do for your psyche. The LS 460 L I drove comes with leather seats, but optional upgrades, one of which was featured on the test car, make the experience of sitting all that much more rewarding. For example, the $2,280 luxury package on my car cloaked all the seats in semi-aniline leather (top grain leather with a small amount of pigment), while providing rear passengers with "climate comfort," aka heated and cooled seats, power controls and memory. There’s even a side airbag as a nice safety bonus.


Another $1,375 rear seat upgrade package ensures those rear passengers are treated like royalty, providing not only a four-zone air conditioning climate system, but rear-seat audio controls, a rear seat "cool box" and rear sunshades. People love sunshades.


Add in the LS 460 L’s inches and you’ve got a rear seat no passenger wants to leave.


Up Front


Obviously, Lexus is not going to shortchange the driver, who, for the most part, is the customer as well. They too get to experience all the luxurious comfort the LS 460 L has to offer - and they get to drive it.


Delivering performance on the rear-wheel-drive LS 460 L is a 380-horsepower 4.6-liter V8 with 367 pound-feet of torque, an engine which is matched to a technically advanced 8-speed automatic transmission that when it debuted, was the world’s first.


That combination sends this large luxury car from 0 to 60 mph in a very impressive 5.4 seconds, while barely registering the upshift in gears, thanks to the smooth sophistication of the transmission. In fact, the whole process is so quietly and deftly accomplished, you might not truly credit the car with the speed it is moving. Seemingly effortless performance has that effect on people.


The LS 460 L also offers power and snow modes, though obviously the last won’t get much use here in southeastern Louisiana. As for EPA ratings, those come in at 16 mpg in the city and 24 on the highway.


Handling is also unobtrusive. The Lexus LS 460 L’s mission is to deliver a luxurious ride, not a sporty one. So its double-joint multilink front and rear suspensions are tuned to control movement and roll to keep the car from bouncing and swaying all over the place, yet also tuned to provide the cushioned, pampered ride one would expect of a Lexus luxury car.


As for the brakes, they are less subtle. Armed with traction control, electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist, the electrically controlled antilock brakes do a very effective job of bringing the LS 460 L to a stop.


Before leaving the subject of performance, I should mention that Lexus h

Tags: Lexus, is-featured

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Lexus LS 460 L Lets You Know You Have Arrived was originally published by New Orleans Auto Reviews: Lexus. Read the full story by clicking here.