Test drive Lexus LS 2000 - 2003 sedan
Comfort evolution
A representative of a representative of a representative class resembles a dialogue with a warning interlocutor
The flagship of the Lexus brand, the LS400 sedan (ZR, 1998, No. 5) - the Toyota -Tselsior double - debuted in 1988 and was produced with some changes before the end of last year. This winter, in Europe, the sales of his LS430 successor, first shown in Detroit in January 2000, began. The top model of Lexus has a completely new body, and the volume of the V-shaped eight, now aggregated with a five-speed automatic, increased to 4.3 liters. The life of such machines on the conveyor is quite long - like the cut of tuxedo, their strict design is little subject to fashion to fads. Unless light strokes emphasize the modernity of the model. No revolutions are only an unhurried verified evolution with a picky selection of all the best in the automotive industry.
Lexus LS430 is no exception to this rule. He replaced the previous model only after twelve years - during this time in more affordable classes, two or three generations were replaced. The silhouette is solid and conservative, and the only sign of today's fashion is huge, free headlights. The external dimensions remained unchanged - by car more than five meters, it is difficult to move in a metropolis. So what has changed? In short - that's it. Or almost everything.
There are no extra cubes
This is exactly what the Americans think. Given the initial focus of the Lexus brand on the US market, these words were perceived by the designers literally. The volume of the V-shaped eight was increased from 4.0 to 4.3 liters, variable phases of gas distribution appeared and some other tested innovations. As a result, the power increased to 284 hp. (by 8%), but even more increased the moment - to 430 N.M (by 18%). The latter is more important for a respectable sedan - few will twist its motor to ringing, squeezing the peak values \u200b\u200bof the horsepower, but the ability to tear themselves away from the main stream without visible tension, using low and medium -speed lumpy meters, the owner will definitely evaluate. Surprisingly, the engine has become more economical. The new model in acceleration to a hundred recoups the predecessor for almost a second - 6.7 s instead of the previous 7.5 s, surpassing this indicator, for example, the twelve -cylinder BMW -750. The maximum speed, as in many powerful cars, is limited by electronics - 250 km/h, although record -low for the limousine, the aerodynamic resistance coefficient CC \u003d 0.25 gives reason to calculate (in the absence of restrictions) and for the best maximum speed in the class.
Streamed forms are also remarkable and unusually low level of aerodynamic noise - on the highway, even at speeds for a hundred, it seems, the ticking of watches. And getting into the car, once again you glance at the instrument panel - does the engine work or not?
For a boss passenger Sitting in the Lexus LS430, there is no need to vigorously slam the door. It is enough to cover one click, and the automation itself will pull it in place. The wheelbase grew by 75 mm, due to which the openings of the rear doors expanded, and the space for passengers sitting behind the passengers became simply huge. In accordance with the class of the car, they are given special attention here: servo drives are able to bring each of the halves of the sofa to a reclining position (when opening the door, they will return to the place for the convenience of planting), and the right front chair is to move forward to stretch their legs; Put out the head restraints, turn on the built -in heating, a massager (!) Or ventilation of the seats. For the first time through the perforated genuine skin of their seats upholstery, air conditioned air is pumped. Needless to talk about trifles: curtains on the windows, a refrigerator in the niche of the armrest, individual climate control panels and audio systems.
For the boss driver
It all starts with the fact that, in response to the touch of the ignition of Lexus with his hand, having identified the owner on the electronic card lying in the wallet, will automatically restore eight (!) Speech adjustments, two steers (for ease of landing, he drives up with the ignition turned off) as well as settings of seat belts and external mirrors. Moreover, the sizes of the salon and the control range are such that it will not even be closely to the basketball player. The key will not be needed - under a brilliant black window, scales and icons will be dawn on the instrument panel, and the arrows will come to life. Further communication with the machine resembles a dialogue with a smart and warning interlocutor: not being bought in question, he understands you at a glance. Parkthronics will help to get out of close parking, when reverse in the move, the right external mirror will automatically show the asphalt section at the rear wheel. Then the navigation system will enter into the case, carefully leading to the specified goal, and the cruise control will maintain a given speed. An adaptive machine will adjust the transfers algorithm for your driving style. Xenon headlights will automatically turn on in tunnels, wipers in the rain. If necessary, the internal mirror will darken, preventing the blinding with the headlights of the car going behind. The deflectors of the ventilation system are swaying to the left and right, blowing you filtered and chilled air, and if an environmentally friendly truck stops at the traffic lights nearby, the smoke sensor will immediately turn on the recirculation mode.
There is no safety
The price is worthless to any comfort, if the main thing is not protected - health and life. The creators of Lexus-LS430 approached this problem with all seriousness, supplying the brainchild of almost all the security tools used today. Systems of traction, stabilization, emergency braking and ABS will help prevent an accident. And to reduce the severity of its consequences - deformable zones in front and rear, safety capsule, anti -shut -off bars in the doors, telescopic steering column, breaking the pedal bracket, seat belts with pyrotechnic tensioners and eight inflatable airbags.
Good means expensive
You realize this truth in full when you look at the price list - depending on the equipment of the Lexus LS430, it costs from 80 to 90 thousand dollars in Russia. However, everything is known in comparison - for the representative car this is a normal price.
Lexus LS430 General data: number of places - 5; equipped mass - 1830 kg; maximum speed - 250 km/h; acceleration time from a place to 100 km/h - 6.7 s; fuel consumption in conditional suburban and city cycles - 8.9; 17.5 l/100 km; fuel supply - 84 liters; Fuel - AI -95. Dimensions, mm: length - 5005; width - 1830; height - 1490; base - 2925; Road clearance - 145; The volume of the trunk is 525 liters. Engine: gasoline, eight-cylinder, V-shaped with distributed injection, four valves per cylinder, with regulation of the length of the intake manifold and phases of gas distribution; working volume - 4293 cm; cylinder diameter and piston stroke - 91.0x82.5 mm; compression degree - 10.5; Power - 207 kW/284 l. With. at 5600 rpm; The maximum torque is 430 N.M at 4100 rpm. Transmission: rear wheel drive; The gearbox is an automatic five -speed. Suspension: Independent hydropneumatic with repetitive stability stabilizers, collected on subframes, in front - double transverse levers, behind - multi -link. Brakes: hydraulic ventilated, disk with a vacuum amplifier and ABS. The steering: rheck with an amplifier of a variable performance. Tire size: 225/55R17.
Text, photo / Yuri Nechetov
Source: The magazine "Driving"
