Lexus previews updated LS sedan

Maybach-rivalling flagship Lexus LS sedan gets subtle revisions.

Published On Jul 12, 2020 08:00:00 AM

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Exterior and interior receive mild updates
Touchscreen infotainment system finally part of equipment
Revised LS claimed to offer better ride comfort and refinement

Lexus has taken the wraps off the updated 2020 version of its flagship LS sedan. It will hit Japanese showrooms by the end of this year, before being rolled out in global markets. Read on to know what’s new.

Design

The exterior of the updated LS gets changes like tweaks to the front bumper, a new black insert beneath the headlamp and tail-lamps, and a new ‘Gin-ei Luster’ silver paint shade with metallic flakes. The F-Sport variant, which is the sportiest in the range, includes a different coloured front spindle grille. What this LS also features are adaptive LED headlamps that adjust the intensity, light spread and throw of the headlamps depending on the ambient conditions and vehicle speed.

Interior and features

The interiors of the Lexus LS were always customisable, with multiple colour and trim options on offer, and now they also feature a new ‘Nishijin and Haku’ trim which is a combination of a decorative fabric and platinum leaves on the door pads and other areas. The steering controls are a bit different now, and there’s also a new switch to control the seat and steering heater on the centre console. A key addition is that the 12.3-inch system is now touch operable and it finally gets Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and SmartDeviceLink. Its rear view mirror now features a digital display for better visibility. Also, the seat cushioning now feature low-resilience urethane, for better vibration absorption and comfort.

Under the skin

The Lexus LS’ adaptive variable suspension now gets a newly-developed solenoid for better damping, and its spring rate as well as rigidity of the stabilisers has been tweaked for better driving manners. Changes to the engine mounts further reduce engine vibrations inside the cabin. Battery assist during acceleration has been increased in the LS 500h hybrid version for better performance.

LS for India

While there isn’t an official confirmation on when this updated version will hit Indian showrooms, expect Lexus to introduce it in early 2021.

In India the LS is available in the ‘500h’ guise which means that it is powered by a 3.5-litre petrol engine assisted by two electric motors (which draw power from a 310.8kV lithium-ion battery) delivering a combined output of 354hp. Power is transmitted to the rear wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission. This car goes up directly against the Mercedes-Maybach and is available in three variants – Luxury, Ultra Luxury and Distinct, priced at Rs 1.82, 1.87 and 1.94 crore (ex-showroom, India), respectively. What’s unique is that the LS offers multiple customizable options in terms of trims, paint, etc, and its backseat reclines up to 48 degrees with optional extended footrests. Active noise cancellation is standard.

Lexus has a dealership each in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, and plans to expand to four more cities – Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kochi. In terms of service, Lexus already has a presence in the aforementioned seven cities, in addition to Gurugram.

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