1998 Lexus Ls 400

It's an accepted fact in the premium luxury sedan field that price is a relative thing. Perceived value stands as the ultimate arbiter of who wins and who loses. When introduced for the '90 model year, the original LS 400 arrived with an astonishing base sticker of $35,000. Since then, that figure has escalated by 51 percent-to nearly $53,000. Sales softened as a result of this de facto market repositioning, and its main competitors-principally of the German variety-began to reclaim lost ground. That situation could well reverse itself in '98, as the result of a series of subtle but substantive changes Lexus made to the flagship of its fleet. This well-measured upgrade pro-gram has materially improved the new LS 400's cost-to-benefit ratio, endowing the car with an expanded performance envelope and more comfort and convenience features while holding firm on its bottom line.

One needs a practiced eye to spot the specific exterior modifications for '98. The most visible variation is up front, courtesy of a reshaped hood, fenders, and airdam complemented by new headlamps and foglights. The rear gets revised taillamps and a new license-plate housing. Both bumpers have been upgraded to full 5-mph spec, and even though the tires remain all-season 225/60VR16s (Bridgestone Turanza ER33s on this car), they now wrap around restyled, five-spoke polished-aluminum wheels.

Inside, the LS 400's tastefully revised interior gets even more of everything that's good and proper. A new strain of softer leather covers the seats and door panels, suitably set off by greater quantities of walnut trim. The truly demanding can opt for an extra dollop of wood on the steering wheel rim and shift knob. Already massive, the LS 400's list of standards-headed by dual-zone automatic climate control, a full range of power amenities, front/front-side airbags, cruise control, and an anti-theft system-has been lengthened by the addition of an integrated HomeLink garage door opener, automatic pollution-sensing microfiltration feature, new UV-rejecting tinted glass, multifunction trip computer system (with steering wheel controls), and rear reading lamps. A diversity antenna in the rear window glass replaces the conventional power mast.

Although the basic unibody carries over for '98, Lexus engineers reinforced the entire structure to deliver a smoother, quieter ride. In addition, thicker glass all around and extra sound deadening makes what was already one of the most peaceful passenger compartments in existence even more serene regardless of vehicle speed.

Underhood lies the most dramatic departure from '97. The corporate 4.0-liter all-alloy DOHC V-8 has been comprehensively massaged and now cranks out 290 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque-a sizeable plus-30 gain in both key categories. Central to this upgrading are all-new cylinder heads fitted with continuously variable valve timing (Lexus dubs this VVT-i) that markedly increase enthusiasm in the low- and mid-rev ranges. Freer-flowing intake and exhaust manifolding also helps the performance cause. Next up is a new five-speed automatic transmission with adaptive learning capability that allows it to fine-tune its shift timing to the driver's style. Final link in the propulsive chain is Vehicle Slip Control (VSC), a new standard that integrates the formerly optional traction control with the anti-lock brakes and throttle.

This high-tech matchup yields tangible gains in acceleration: The new LS 400's 0-60-mph time dipped from 7.0 to 6.3 seconds, and the quarter mile slipped by in a scant 14.8 ticks at 97.0 mph compared to a 15.2/94.3 best by the '97. Stopping power also was formidable-the '98 needed but 116 feet to halt from 60 mph with good pedal modulation and nary a trace of slue.