Enter the improvers for the 'new' Lexus, says Andrew Hamilton
The constant pursuit of perfection and improving on the superlatives, can be a bit confusing for some of us. Wasn't it only a couple of years ago, we lauded a new Lexus flagship for being even more weirdly quiet, with the sort of Trappist silence that other luxury makers can't - or aren't that interested in matching? Well, actually it happened in 2000 but Lexus people still found reason for further improvement.
They confused us by saying that the LS430 we drove up and down Swiss mountains last week, was "new" and "next generation". The words are, in fact, peppered through all the press material. Yet our test car looked remarkably similar to the one we first drove a couple of years ago - sorry 2000.
Externally most of us would be hard pressed to notice that the body surface is even flusher than before. But a somewhat more muscular look is emphasised by increased space between the headlamps and the grille which also serves to show off more bonnet bulge.
Perhaps one of the most significantly "new" features is the newly-developed six-speed electronically-controlled semi-sequential automatic transmission, meant to improve driving dynamics and give a wider range of closer gear ratios. Up and up the Swiss hills, it powerfully and imperceptibly made light work of the driving business, especially when we lazily stayed in the D position.
Another first is air suspension and it will be standard on the 2004 cars that will be presented to Irish customers next month, in readiness for a January launch. Of course, the power and glory of the Lexus flagship is its 4.3 litre V8 engine with 281 bhp that propels it from zero to 62 mph in just 6.3 seconds. Top speed is limited to 155 mph. Fuel consumption with gentle hands and feet, should be at least 25 mpg.
So why a new or revised LS430 just now? Could it be that the 2000 version was ever so slightly imperfect?
Chief engineer Morita Yoshida gave some interesting thoughts at the international press launch. "I thought for a long time about what is lacking in LS. What was lacking was the emotional image. The car is very efficient, but a little detached from the heart of the owner. Thus we made the car more fun to drive on the one hand, more entertaining, but still with a superb ride. "
That's the new, modified or upgraded Lexus LS430 in a nutshell: now it's more fun and entertaining.