Lexus News
12-16-2009, 12:36 PM
Filed under: Sedan (http://www.autoblog.com/category/sedans/), Performance (http://www.autoblog.com/category/sports/), Lexus (http://www.autoblog.com/category/lexus/), First Drive (http://www.autoblog.com/category/driving/), Luxury (http://www.autoblog.com/category/luxury/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/12/2010ls460sportfd_01_opt.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-lexus-ls-460-sport-first-drive/)
2010 Lexus LS 460 Sport - Click above for high-res image gallery
When Lexus (http://www.autoblog.com/make/lexus/) introduced the IS F (http://www.autoblog.com/model/is+f), enthusiasts were suitably skeptical about the automaker's attempt to go head-to-head with the Germans. After all, Audi (http://www.autoblog.com/make/audi/), BMW (http://www.autoblog.com/make/bmw/) and Mercedes-Benz (http://www.autoblog.com/make/mercedes-benz/) have specialized in creating autobahn-burning, Nordschleife-honed handlers for decades.
And then we drove it.
To everyone's surprise, Lexus pulled it off, but we figured it might be a one-time deal. We assumed the IS F was an outlier - just a distraction from the brand's cadre of well-built, less-than-sporty luxo-barges. We were wrong.
In the footsteps of the IS F was the introduction of the F-Sport accessories line, followed by rumors of a GS F and finally the LFA (http://www.autoblog.com/model/lfa) supercar. Lexus was becoming increasingly serious about making a mark in the luxury performance space, but on its own terms and at its own calculated pace.
Flash forward to October when a press release arrived touting a new Sport Package for the upcoming 2010 LS460. To be honest, our first thought was Lexus was overreaching. The LS is a fine sedan, with plenty of power and a reasonably good balance of ride and handling. But a sports sedan it's not. No matter. If Lexus was threatening to "F" up its LS with a "Sport" package, we needed to put it to the test. And we did just that.
Gallery: First Drive: 2010 Lexus LS 460 Sport (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-lexus-ls-460-sport-first-drive/low/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/12/2010ls460sportfd_01_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-lexus-ls-460-sport-first-drive/low/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/12/2010ls460sportfd_02_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-lexus-ls-460-sport-first-drive/low/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/12/2010ls460sportfd_03_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-lexus-ls-460-sport-first-drive/low/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/12/2010ls460sportfd_04_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-lexus-ls-460-sport-first-drive/low/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/12/2010ls460sportfd_05_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-lexus-ls-460-sport-first-drive/low/)
Photos by Frank Filipponio (http://about.frank4cars.fotki.com/) / Copyright (C)2009 Weblogs, Inc.Continue reading First Drive: 2010 Lexus LS460 Sport Package is F-ing with perfection (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/16/first-drive-2010-lexus-ls460-sport-package-is-f-ing-with-perfec/)
First Drive: 2010 Lexus LS460 Sport Package is F-ing with perfection (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/16/first-drive-2010-lexus-ls460-sport-package-is-f-ing-with-perfec/) originally appeared on Autoblog (http://www.autoblog.com) on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds (http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/).
Permalink (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/16/first-drive-2010-lexus-ls460-sport-package-is-f-ing-with-perfec/) | Email this (http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19276483/) | Comments (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/16/first-drive-2010-lexus-ls460-sport-package-is-f-ing-with-perfec/#comments)
More details... (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/16/first-drive-2010-lexus-ls460-sport-package-is-f-ing-with-perfec/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/12/2010ls460sportfd_01_opt.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-lexus-ls-460-sport-first-drive/)
2010 Lexus LS 460 Sport - Click above for high-res image gallery
When Lexus (http://www.autoblog.com/make/lexus/) introduced the IS F (http://www.autoblog.com/model/is+f), enthusiasts were suitably skeptical about the automaker's attempt to go head-to-head with the Germans. After all, Audi (http://www.autoblog.com/make/audi/), BMW (http://www.autoblog.com/make/bmw/) and Mercedes-Benz (http://www.autoblog.com/make/mercedes-benz/) have specialized in creating autobahn-burning, Nordschleife-honed handlers for decades.
And then we drove it.
To everyone's surprise, Lexus pulled it off, but we figured it might be a one-time deal. We assumed the IS F was an outlier - just a distraction from the brand's cadre of well-built, less-than-sporty luxo-barges. We were wrong.
In the footsteps of the IS F was the introduction of the F-Sport accessories line, followed by rumors of a GS F and finally the LFA (http://www.autoblog.com/model/lfa) supercar. Lexus was becoming increasingly serious about making a mark in the luxury performance space, but on its own terms and at its own calculated pace.
Flash forward to October when a press release arrived touting a new Sport Package for the upcoming 2010 LS460. To be honest, our first thought was Lexus was overreaching. The LS is a fine sedan, with plenty of power and a reasonably good balance of ride and handling. But a sports sedan it's not. No matter. If Lexus was threatening to "F" up its LS with a "Sport" package, we needed to put it to the test. And we did just that.
Gallery: First Drive: 2010 Lexus LS 460 Sport (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-lexus-ls-460-sport-first-drive/low/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/12/2010ls460sportfd_01_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-lexus-ls-460-sport-first-drive/low/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/12/2010ls460sportfd_02_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-lexus-ls-460-sport-first-drive/low/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/12/2010ls460sportfd_03_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-lexus-ls-460-sport-first-drive/low/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/12/2010ls460sportfd_04_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-lexus-ls-460-sport-first-drive/low/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/12/2010ls460sportfd_05_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-lexus-ls-460-sport-first-drive/low/)
Photos by Frank Filipponio (http://about.frank4cars.fotki.com/) / Copyright (C)2009 Weblogs, Inc.Continue reading First Drive: 2010 Lexus LS460 Sport Package is F-ing with perfection (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/16/first-drive-2010-lexus-ls460-sport-package-is-f-ing-with-perfec/)
First Drive: 2010 Lexus LS460 Sport Package is F-ing with perfection (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/16/first-drive-2010-lexus-ls460-sport-package-is-f-ing-with-perfec/) originally appeared on Autoblog (http://www.autoblog.com) on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds (http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/).
Permalink (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/16/first-drive-2010-lexus-ls460-sport-package-is-f-ing-with-perfec/) | Email this (http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19276483/) | Comments (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/16/first-drive-2010-lexus-ls460-sport-package-is-f-ing-with-perfec/#comments)
More details... (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/16/first-drive-2010-lexus-ls460-sport-package-is-f-ing-with-perfec/)