Lexus Large drips with pop, luxury

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews also can be seen on the Business page of The Sacramento Bee’s website – via the “GALLERY: Reviews of new cars” link at www.sacbee.com/business

This review originally appeared in the April 2013 edition of the Northern & Central California Cruisin’ News published out of Folsom, California – mg

Sacramento, California – Call it Lexus Large … And by that I mean a Lexus sedan stuffed to the brim with luxury, performance and style.

You don’t turn down a ride in 2013 Lexus LS 460 F SPORT sedan when it comes along.  For the record, my tester was a pre-production model, but there were no bugs to work out.  It was a top-level experience all the way.

And if you want this machine, figure on paying $80,000 minimum for it.  Just so you have a starting point, right?

So many luxury features to count, but here are a few that you don’t see on a typical sedan: heated steering wheel, folding exterior mirrors, power-operated rear window shade, a lane-change warning system that is actually timed to perfection and leather seating surfaces so opulent that you’ll think they were stolen from a five-star hotel.

Power is provided by a 4.6-liter V-8 approaching 400 horsepower.  Combined city/highway fuel mileage comes in at a not-so-hot 20 mpg, but hey, who’s thinking about saving pennies on fuel when you drop 80-grand or so on a car?

Here’s the best part about this ride: Out on the highway, it serves up power like microwave-softened butter.  You’re hitting the accelerator and everything around you just freezes as you effortlessly approach warp speed.  No engine roar, no suspension lurching.  Just pure, raw power spreading like hot chocolate sauce over vanilla ice cream.

Seriously, it’s an incredible sensation.  That experience alone is worth driving a hundred miles for a test drive.

Beware, however, that you can find yourself topping 80 miles per hour in mere seconds.  Eighty miles per hour feels like 50 in this Lexus, so tread carefully.

But wait, the pleasure ride goes even further with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, seriously grippy Brembo brakes and a sport-tuned suspension.

For all its power and luxury, the exterior look is actually pretty understated.  It’s elegant enough, with just dash of sportiness, but you don’t see needless wings and sharp-angle cuts on the car, which is fine with me.  The car makes plenty of statements on its own, sans frills.

Want to live large?  This loaded Lexus should be on your test-drive list.