Lexus LX 600: when over the top is what you want

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews can be seen here and in the Cruisin’ News, "Oregon, Nevada and California's classic auto news & marketplace."

Sacramento, California -- Lexus has an all-new, full-size, luxury flagship sport-utility vehicle.  The nicely equipped F Sport model starts at nearly $110,000, gets a combined fuel mileage rating of just under 20 miles per gallon and requires premium fuel.

So, right away, we've narrowed down the prospective buying audience for this vehicle.

Those fortunate enough to have the resources to consider such a purchase are not only fortunate, they're getting an incredible vehicle if they opt to take one home.

My week in the 2022 Lexus LX 600 F Sport was like one of those dream vacations you see advertised on television.  I was surrounded by luxury, exquisite engineering and a blizzard of contemporary safety, security, comfort and convenience features.

I savored all of it, knowing with some pain that I would have to return it to its keepers in just one week.

But in that time, I'm convinced that the bosses at Lexus simply went to their engineers and designers and said: "We need a new flagship SUV.  Throw everything you have into it.  Over the top. Money is no object."

To save time, the best I can do is tell you what is NOT in the vehicle.  It can't sprout wings and fly.  At least I didn't see a button for that.

Everything else is in there.  Remarkable seats.  Incredible fit and finish.  Aggressive exterior looks, including the now-expected, mega-size grille.  Believe me, new owners of this vehicle will need weeks to master everything.

Yet with all that, the thing that will stick with me the longest is the LX 600's remarkable performance and handling characteristics.

I will admit to being somewhat intimidated at the vehicle's size when I first climbed into it.  Ten minutes on the road made all that disappear.

The LX 600 has incredible agility.  Steering is perfectly balanced and just-right firm.  I felt like I was driving a compact pickup truck, not a parking-space-filler SUV.

The twin-turbo V-6 generates 409 horsepower, and here's where the tested SUV seemed to defy physics.  I moved off the line with eye-popping enthusiasm, easily closing out prospective cut-off artists and bolting out of harm's way with a mere blip of the accelerator.

At cruising speed on the freeway, the LX 600 was smooth and quiet.  The labors of the engine did not dominate the cabin, giving driver and passengers an uninterrupted period to sample all of the comfort/convenience goodies.

Sound like your cup of tea?  Hats off to those who can acquire this new Lexus luxury liner.