Japanese luxury car stalwart Lexus have brought along their new LS limousine to the New York autoshow, and pulled the wraps of the LS F-Sport, the most performance-oriented iteration of the big saloon in the new lineup.
LS F-Sport will be available with both the LS500 and LS500h hybrid drivetrains, but features unique design details inside and out. On top of that, Lexus claims that the F-Sport balances agility and comfort like no other LS before it (which isn’t saying much, as previous iterations of the LS were designed to cruise and waft and lean comfortably in corners). A handling pack (an option only on rear-wheel drive models) will see the LS F-Sport fitted with a variable-ratio steering setup, active rear-wheel steering (which has a way of making big cars seem much smaller than they are), an active stabiliser bar, and retuned air suspension that’s capable of adjusting damping rates and ride height exceptionally quickly.
Standard exterior revisions see unique 20-inch alloy wheels fitted, a new front grille pattern, a new side-sill garnish, and six-piston callipers hiding behind the front wheels (with four-piston units at the rear). The cabin of the LS F-Sport sees the inclusion of more cosseting front seats replete with a perforated pattern in the centre, and an aluminium finish around the controls and most of the trim. The headlining is trimmed in something called ‘ultra suede,’ the transmission shifter in perforated leather, and the instrument cluster design sees inspiration from the LFA supercar. The steering wheel is of a unique design as well, which is nice.
Ultra white (that you see here) is unique for the LS F-Sport, as is ‘Circuit Red’ interior trim. There are no mechanical changes to the LS, with the LS500’s 3.5-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol still churning out 310kW & 600Nm (with power going either to the rear or to all-four wheels through a 10-speed auto), and the LS500h manages 264kW from its multi-stage hybrid system, with its unique automatic gearbox setup sending power to the rear wheels.
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