BOARDROOM AGENDA
Lexus sticks with a flagship that chairman and chauffeur each want to steer
Lexus is making a big deal out of a car that will sell in very small numbers. Just 10 Australians will take delivery of a LS500 Inspiration limousine. The business case isn’t as important as the statement it makes, highlighting that Lexus is in the business of building beautifully finished prestige cars.
In an era of opulent SUVs, ever fewer buyers consider a limousine. They’re missing out — most premium brands still regard limousines as their flagships, anointing them with the best design and technology they can build or buy.
The LS500 Inspiration, at $198,922 before on-roads, packs all the fruit a high-end executive can hope for. Outboard seats are heated, cooled and have a massage program and the rear pews recline, with the one on the passenger side (providing there’s no one in the seat ahead) doing the full ottoman routine.
The finish is superb, from the walnut inlays with laser-etched spindle motif to the stitching on the semi-aniline leather upholstery. Attention to detail is a Lexus trait but the Inspiration steps it up close to obsessivecompulsive levels.
Active safety is as good as Lexus can make it, noise suppression is first rate and the audio setup’s 23 speakers can drown out what little sound intrudes.
Convenience touches include 11.6-inch screens (yes, a pair of them) in the back, fourzone aircon, rear drinks chiller, floor mats with a pile to shame luxury hotel carpets and, side and rear, power sunblinds.
Combine the potent twin-turbo V6 (a hybrid version is also available with less grunt but much-improved fuel economy) with the slick 10-speed automatic and the LS500 Inspiration starts looking like a bargain compared with its German rivals.
Downsides are few and none of them would deter me from looking at the Lexus with a covetous eye.
The touchpad controller for the infotainment remains less than intuitive and the resolution on the 12.3-inch screen isn’t the crispest we’ve encountered.
The standard sunroof is just that, rather than a full panoramic panel to give rear occupants a better glimpse of the sky. As many buyers will be chauffeured, it seems as odds with the nature of the vehicle.
For the class, the boot is on the smallish side at 440L. Most European rivals have about 500L of luggage space but also wear considerably higher price tags for this level of kit.
ON THE ROAD
Adaptive air suspension varies the ride from pillowy to planted, depending on the chosen drive mode. In the sportier settings, the steering and throttle responses also sharpen, without delving into sports car territory.
In straight-line performance, the LS500 takes 5.0 seconds to reach 100km/h — impressive for a 2.3-tonne vehicle — and at that rate of acceleration there’s very little aural accompaniment.
From a standstill, the Lexus can pause for a heartbeat before take-off as the transmission determines which gear will provide the smoothest launch.
Precisely as you’d expect from a luxurious limo, the steering is light and fluffy in comfort setting, ratcheting up to firmer and with more feedback in sport.
The brakes with black-painted calipers are up to the job of repeatedly slowing the car at speed. Decent modulation of the pedal brings the car to a stop without the nose dipping.
It is a breeze to drive on freeways and country roads. Only in car parks does the 5.2m length become evident as you try to squeeze the Lexus into a standard spot.
VERDICT
The LS500 is part of a slowly dying segment as luxury buyers shift to SUVs. That doesn’t detract from its capabilities as one of the best vehicles to transport people in style, no matter which seat they occupy.