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Past Issues

744: Jaguar XF
The new sedan from Britain’s storied automaker proves that appearances are, in fact, deceiving
736: Suzuki Swift Sport
Suzuki’s bargain hatch proves big fun can come in small packages
732: Dualis & X-Trail
Nissan introduces a new SUV while its marquee model continues to play tough
728: Toyota Vanguard
Head off to the concrete jungle with a bit more vehicle than you need
724: Subaru Impreza S-GT
Japan’s automotive loudmouth learns some manners
720: Tokyo Auto Salon 2008
Get ready for some modification mayhem at Makuhari Messe
716: Dodge These!
Chrysler introduces three muscle-bound imports to Japan
712: Licensed to Drive
We guide you through the bureaucratic jungle
708: Tokyo Concours D’Elegance
Exotic autos from the past and present glide into Roppongi
704: Car Knows Best
Automakers are introducing technology that will let your ride decide if you’ve had one too many
700: Range Rover & Land Rover
We put three SUVs from the fabled British maker through their paces
696: Aston Martin V8 Vantage
Channel 007 in this latest incarnation of the marquee automaker’s “baby”
692: BMW R1200GS Adventure
The storied bike maker competes with itself to create a three-in-one masterpiece
688: Lexus LS460
The new sedan is big, fast, safe, classy—and unremarkable
684: Alfa Romeo Spider
We unleash the Italian monster on a 1,200km road trip
680: Ford Mustang
The American classic goes back to its roots
676: Citroën C6
The French automaker's latest eccentricity pushes its own boundaries
672: Nissan’s Pino and Otti
Japan-friendly K-cars pack a big punch
668: Jaguar XK
Forget James Bond—this is the UK’s sexiest export
664: Mazda’s Axela, RX-8 and Roadster
Here’s the word on Japan’s resurgent automaker: buy, buy, buy!
660: Mazda’s Axela, RX-8 and Roadster
Here’s the word on Japan’s resurgent automaker: buy, buy, buy!
656: Alfa Romeo Brera
This gorgeous Italian coupe is both poised and sexy
652: Premium wheels
Business is good for Rolls-Royce in Japan, with an eagerly awaited convertible due out next year
648: Citroen C3 Pluriel
The quirky French automaker barrels into the 21st century
644: Jeep Commander& Grand Cherokee
Off road and on, these 4×4s do their military heritage proud
640: BMW Z4 M Roadster
Beemer’s monster convertible provides the most fun you can have sitting down
636: Name dropping
What your car is called says something about you—and even more about automakers’ marketing departments
632: BMW Mini Cooper S
All hail the mighty Mini!
628: Mazda Roadster
Redesigned and retooled, this two-seater is now a car for enthusiasts
624: Hyundai Sonata
A rev-happy South Korean import tries to find its niche in Japan
621: Lexus IS350
Toyota brings its upmarket brand to Japan—finally
616: Volvo XC90 V8
A bit sleeker and a lot more spacious, this SUV still puts a premium on safety
612: Chrysler 300C
This black beauty recalls the golden age of motoring
608: The Big Ideas
Tokyo Motor Show 2005 was a concept car bonanza
604: Tokyo Motor Show 2005
The automotive world’s big players zoom into Japan with some high concepts in tow
597: Three brothers
We put a trio of Nissan sedans through their paces
593: Ducati 1000S DS Multistrada
The boys from Bologna deliver an Italian masterpiece for your garage
589: Mazda Demio Sport
A worthy cousin to the Atenza and RX8, this roomy sedan is happy around town and in the country
585: BMW K1200S
The boys from bavaria clothe an iron fist in a velvet glove
581: Chrysler’s Cruisers
The American auto manufacturer concentrates on the body beautiful
577: Suzuki Skywave 650LX
If you thought scooters were just for kids, think again
573: Cadillac STS 4x4
America’s flagship automaker recaptures its former glory
569: Tour de Force
Yamaha’s FJR1300A offers an unbeatable blend of poise, power and price
565: Alfa Romeo GT and 156 GTA
With stunning looks and power to spare, these two Alfas are an enthusiast's dream
560: Driving the Future
The talk of the auto industry in 2004 was hybrids, safe driving and intelligent vehicles
556: Deja vu
Blast to the past on Harley-Davidson’s Road King Custom
552: Sports sensation
Nissan's new SUV breaks out of its class
548: Lean machine
Lighter, faster, stronger and sexier—a diet works wonders for BMW’s R1200GS
544: Kings for a day
The Honda Elysion is master of all it surveys
539: Rules of the road
New traffic laws are on the horizon. Turn off your cellphone, watch where you park and don’t ride in gangs, Chris Betros warns.
537: Open roadster
William Bonds gets up-close with the elements courtesy of the Nissan Fairlady 350Z convertible.
535: Extreme makeover
Volvo sheds its stodgy-but-safe image for sleek-and-sporty with the new S40 T5. William Bonds likes what he sees.
533: Sporting chance
Mazda has brought the station wagon up to speed with its Atenza Sport Wagon 23Z. William Bonds takes one for a spin.
531: Street smarts
Automakers are taking car safety to new levels with sophisticated warning systems that almost do the driving for you, reports Chris Betros.
529: Speed zone
Just down the road from Ueno Zoo, a virtual hog heaven has everything for the motorcycling enthusiast. Steve Trautlein cruises on over.
527: Italian Stallion
The Alfa Romeo 147 carries on its maker’s reputation for hot cars with unmatched sex appeal. William Bonds gets carried away.
525: Hot wheels
A cross between a snowboard and a scooter, the Wheelman is a quirky Australian invention that's grabbing attention worldwide. Tim Colquhoun takes one for a ride.
523: Mean Machine
William Bonds gets behind the wheel of the Nissan Skyline 350GT.
521: Show stealers
Toyota stunned attendees at the recent Geneva and Melbourne auto shows with two concept cars that represent a powerful vision for the future of motoring. Tim Colquhoun reports.
519: Mighty mouse
Subaru goes boldly against the tide with its new R2 minicar. Justin Gardiner admires this latest feat of audacity and engineering.
517: Trail blazer
Nissan's top-selling 4x4 features cool touches for winter sports fans. Justin Gardiner drove the latest X-Trail to the slopes
515: Up to speed
The Formula One circus is gaining momentum as the season opener in Australia draws near. Tim Colquhoun takes a look at the latest developments.
513: Good save
Hybrid cars are the rage this year with Toyota, Honda and Subaru touting their gas-electric vehicles. Chris Betros looks at what they're offering.
512: The road ahead
Despite the lack of a full-fledged Tokyo Motor Show in 2004, domestic manufacturers have a bevy of weird and wonderful offerings in store for this year. Justin Gardiner previews the lineup.
509/10: Top of the class
Justin Gardiner finds his favorites from this year's Metropolis test drives.
507: Mom-mobiles
Japanese mothers are trading in their once ubiquitous mama-chari bicycles for a new breed of K-car. Justin Gardiner tries a couple of the most popular mini-cars.
505: Cubic's rube
Nissan has lengthened its highly successful Cube a few centimeters and added an extra row of seats. But, as Justin Gardiner finds out, the result is a bit puzzling.
503: Globe trotters
Kerstin Gackle and Volker Aldinger left their native Germany on April 1 and pointed their Yamahas toward Australia. Eight months later Justin Gardiner caught up with the couple in Tokyo.
501: Back to the future
Cutting-edge technology and futuristic vehicles highlight the 37th Tokyo Motor Show at Makuhari Messe through November 5. Justin Gardiner offers a guide.

ISSUES 499-
ISSUES 449-
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Cars&Bikes

Text and photos By William Bonds

Lexus LS460
The new sedan is big, fast, safe, classy—and unremarkable

“Lexus was conceived to offer a level of refinement and excellence going beyond all that was considered the norm of refinement and excellence at the time. Its tagline at the time in the US, where it debuted, was ‘The Relentless Pursuit of Perfection.’ Perfection continues to be the underlining theme of Lexus.”

And who are we to argue with the chaps at Lexus/Toyota? Who would dare to question their credentials? Well, from a technical or mechanical point of view, probably no one.

The JD Power and Associates rankings, which basically tells us who the most reliable automakers in the world are, has had Lexus at the top of its list for the last 12 years. The Top Gear and Auto Express survey has had them there for 15 years. If you’re going to have a go

at Lexus, you won’t get them on technical deficiencies. OK, so they have had a few minor recalls over the years, but their vehicles haven’t exactly been self-immolating.

Indeed, they’re finding it really hard to get bad press. In the US, the LS460 was named International Car of the Year (as well as Top Luxury Car and “most respected” car), while in Europe the same vehicle was recently voted World Car of the Year.

I have had a bit of a soft spot for Lexi over the years, frequently renting them in the US (LS400) and the UK (GS300) back in the ’90s. My mum loves them, children drool over them, and other drivers respect them. But my association with the car began almost by accident. When I first rented an LS400 in Atlanta, it was only because the rental company had misplaced the Cadillac I’d ordered. As I cruised up the interstate toward Nashville and then slipped onto the smaller state highways, the LS400 combined supreme comfort with ferocious speed and astonishing quietness. It was a joy to drive on the generous highways of the US.

And I suspect the LS460 is also a joy to drive in Widetown, USA. But we don’t live in Widetown.

The LS460 is 34cm longer, 46cm wider, 41cm higher and 161kg heavier than the old LS400. It’s a lot of car in more ways than one—and can be even bigger if you opt for the extra 12.2cm of length offered by the long-wheelbase version. The LS460 has double the number of gears in its 8-speed automatic/semi-automatic gearbox, although I’m not sure what makes that so great. Personally, I don’t need to spend all my time looking at the rev counter to find out when to change gear (of course, you’ll never hear the ultraquiet engine—even when you’re not listening to Corrosion of Conformity at max volume). It’s unlikely that most Lexus owners even know they have eight gears, and even if they did, they wouldn’t care. People who drive automatics seldom need more than “drive” and “reverse” on the gear stick. I’ll try to live with automatics, but I’m only interested in how fast they go from 0-100 kph (5.7 seconds for the LS460, apparently) and how quickly they stop. The LS460 is brilliantly quick, but it still brakes like a two-ton car. I never had any confidence in its stopping power, which is not a good thing when you’re slamming your right foot to the floor a lot.

So what is the aim of the LS460’s design? Simple, really: it’s intended to impress, not inspire. The car is certainly not ugly, but the truth is there is absolutely nothing interesting about the design, except maybe the rectangular exhaust outlets and the shark’s-fin keel on the roof that reminds everyone of the BMW 7 series. In fact, as the design of Lexus’ flagship has progressed, you can almost see the bits of BMW and Mercedes that have been blended into the car. It’s like watching Tony Blair become a moronic Texan cowboy.

Except, of course, that the LS460 is anything but moronic. In fact, it’s one of the smartest cars out there. It can call the police, park itself, lock itself, see in the dark, avoid crashes and do the laundry. Bells and whistles, it has in abundance. But does it have style? Does it have soul?

It looks… nice on the outside. It’s… tasteful on the inside. It’s… very, very comfortable. But is it interesting? Does it offer you a great driving experience? Does it capture your imagination? Will it impress women younger than me? Would I want to spend ¥9 million on it?

I don’t think so.

Lexus has succeeded in becoming Japan’s BMW or Mercedes-Benz, but to be perfectly honest, that doesn’t impress me either (and besides, in terms of design, Mercedes has recently moved beyond its own boring past into some seriously interesting territory). If they’d brought out something to compete with the loud, beautiful, beastly and very much in-your-face Chrysler 300C, which costs less than ¥7 million, that would have impressed me. But bringing out boring to compete with boring is just, well, boring.

Autofile

The 40th Tokyo Motor Show will be held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba from October 27 through November 11. This year, the organizers have added special events to promote audience participation—including test rides.

In addition to the usual attractions (which includes, of course, the babes adorning the various cars), a full lineup of funky concept vehicles will be unveiled. Nissan is showing off its battery-powered Pivo 2 (pictured), a state-of-the-art electric car that can move laterally and has a small robot to assist with navigation—and to keep an eye on things in general. The round-eyed ’bot head sitting on the dashboard has cameras that can tell when a driver is getting sleepy. It’s also bilingual, and can say things like “You look tired. There’s a coffee shop 500 meters ahead on the left.”

Meanwhile, Mazda’s theme for the show is “Sustainable Zoom-Zoom,” and the automaker will be debuting its all-new Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid, which visitors will have the opportunity to take on a test spin at the “clean energy vehicle demo drive course.”

www.tokyo-motorshow.com/show/2007/eng. Chris Betros

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