In the United States auto market, the highest selling luxury brand is the Lexus. The brand is a division of the Japanese car company Toyota Motor Corporation. Its popularity among luxury car buyer is evident on the increasing acceptance of the Japanese brand in the United States auto scene.
One of the most notable models from the brand is the LS 460. The model is the ultra-luxury model of the brand. It made its debut at the 2006 New York International Auto Show (NYIAS) and since then has received positive reviews and feedbacks from consumers. Recently, the vehicle is named as the 2007 Best Engineered Vehicle by the Automotive Engineering International Magazine.
The Lexus LS 460 received the distinction after it received the most votes from AEI's subscribers. Kevin Jost, the Editor-In-Chief of the magazine, has this to say about the award: "The voters had good reason for choosing the Lexus LS 460. 'The LS 460 brings consumers at least nine world-firsts, including safety breakthroughs such as an advanced obstacle-detection system, emergency-steering assist and rear pre-crash systems. For driving pleasure, there's also an eight-speed automatic transmission." Indeed, the LS 460 is packed with a variety of features never before seen in a luxury vehicle.
One of the cutting edge features employed by the Lexus LS 460, as stated by Jost, is the eight-speed automatic transmission. This technology allows the vehicle to accelerate quickly since it provides smooth gear changes in with a wide variety of gear ratios. The smooth transmission also reduces the amount of power wasted thus increasing fuel efficiency.
The pre-crash safety systems are also a first for an automobile and the LS 460 provides such. This means that the vehicle not only provides a good performance but also protects its occupants. The obstacle-detection system provides drivers with sufficient warning to avoid possible accidents. The driver-monitoring system is also a feature of the Lexus LS 460. With this technology, safety can be checked basing on the driver's capacity to properly drive the vehicle.
Safety features also include the emergency-steering assist which checks oversteer and understeer. With the use of sensors and advanced electronic programs, this vehicle can provide valuable steering assistance to avoid or minimize the risk of accidents.
Aside from the said features, the Lexus LS 460 also employs an intelligent powertrain control system. This system adapts to the engine's need for power and other variables to provide good performance and respectable fuel efficiency. Rear collisions are also one of the most dangerous accidents a motorist can encounter.
To reduce the risk of severe injury caused by rear end collisions, the Lexus LS 460 features a rear pre-crash safety system. Its roof climate diffusers are also one of the advanced features that the LS 460 boasts of. Another advanced feature that made the LS 460 the top choice for most luxury car owners is the VVT-IE electrically actuated camshaft phasers. These features fused with Lexus truly make this one of the most advanced cars in the world today.
Winning the coveted title is made even sweeter by the fact that it outclassed some of the most famous vehicles. The Lexus LS 460 took the first spot with the Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra taking the second spot. The Silverado and the Sierra are acknowledged for their remarkable fuel efficiency.
These General Motors vehicles are known to squeeze 20 miles for every gallon. This is despite the fact that the Sierra and the Silverado are both full-size pickup trucks equipped with humongous V8 engines. Taking the third spot is the sports car from German car manufacturer Porsche, the Porsche 911 Turbo. The sports car made is acknowledged as one of the best engineered vehicles due to its advanced materials and aerodynamic engineering.
