Lexus LS460 (2006) CAR review

A new LS? What happened to the traditional Merc hand-me-down styling?

Lexus wanted to create a real identity for this one, so the 460 looks like a scaled up GS. Not unique but recognisably a Lexus and reasonably handsome in a bland Japanese fashion. It certainly looks much happier on the optional 19-inch rims than the standard 18s which are uglier and don't fill the arches as well.

No prizes for guessing that the '460' bit means the engine's new.

None at all. The new 4.6-litre V8 only gains 300cc over its predecessor but power is up by nearly 100bhp to 375bhp, torque by 55lb ft to 308lb ft. At 1945kg it's no Elise but that extra power makes for a fairly brisk package, the sprint to 60mph tumbling from 6.3sec to 5.7sec. Yet economy actually improves by 0.7mpg to 25.5mpg. That's probably got something to do with the addition of direct injection alongside traditional port injection and the variable valve timing system that now uses electric motors rather than oil pressure for better response.