by Pete Ridgard
Who says your car had to be big to be powerful? Once upon a time American muscle cars may have been the meat on the bones of the car market, but thankfully times have changed. We no longer rely on having a huge beast of a car, complete with humongous wheels and a body to boot, in order to experience the torque and pull of a truly powerful drive.
One such example of this compact power is with the LS F. In fact, this sleek little car looks a little too preened to be packing such a punch, what with its smooth edges and curvy ways. Not often does a saloon this stylised and good looking (and dare I say it, feminine?) actually produce anything worth reporting when on the track. Not with this baby, however. With this one, whether a new or used Lexus, appearances do offer a clue to what lies beneath.
One way to do it might be by making the scenery penetrate the automobile. A polished black sedan was a good subject, especially if parked at the intersection of a tree-bordered street and one of those heavyish spring skies whose bloated gray clouds and amoeba-shaped blotches of blue seem more physical than the reticent elms and effusive pavement. Now break the body of the car into separate curves and panels; then put it together in terms of reflections.
—Vladimir Nabokov (1899–1977)
It seems that Lexus have gone all out with this sporty automobile to produce a beast that looks housetrained and domesticated on the outside, but purrs like a wild thing on the inside. That engine, if we are honest, is the real selling point of the car. You can get plenty of pretty cars with swish interiors and shiny paint, but finding that with an engine worth mentioning really doesn't happen enough.
Here, however, the engine does live up to expectations. With a sizeable 2.5-litre V6 monster tucked under the lid you are likely to be impressed by the power and pull. For a car this size, any more will make the ride too raw and uncomfortable, but this amount lets you roar ahead without putting your back out! All too many fancy cars forget that driving isn't just about speed, and is more about manageability, holding tightly onto the corners and letting you relax, whether as a driver or a passenger. That said, 4.8 seconds to get from 0-60 may be enough to tempt anyone into wanting a test drive!
So if this fast and sexy car is so good, where is the best place to find one? Lexus dealerships advertise the LS F with a slightly maniacal look in their eyes, waxing lyrical about the rarity of the car, the grip of the wheels, and any other weird and wonderful terms of description that they can dredge up. Your best bet, although depreciation is slightly less with this model than with other cars, is to fall in love with this once that registration plate is just a little out of date.
It’s like driving a car at night. You never see further than your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.
—E. L. (Edgar Lawrence)
A Pete J Ridgard is a writer and a car enthusiast. He currently writes for the automotive industry. Here he discusses Used Lexus cars.