Insight On What Is Offered With The New 2021 Lexus LS 500

As the flagship of the brand, the Lexus LS certainly made waves with its amazing blend of superior engineering, Japanese craftsmanship and high tech electronics. With the recent bookings opened, the Lexus LS will be seen strutting its stuff on the road this May 2021. Therefore, we at Caricarz have a little insight on what comes bearing with the new Lexus LS 500.

Malaysians will be getting the saloon in two variants, choices will be in between the Lexus LS 500 Luxury and the Lexus LS 500 Executive Kiriko. Comes in two new color options, Iridium Silver and Sonic Iridium. 

Driven by the conception of Omotenashi and the expertise of Lexus Takumi, the Lexus LS 500 is really a head turner of a car. The saloon has numerous styling revisions to enhance its sleek and elegant posture. These include a redesigned front bumper, headlamps and a sub radiator grille. 

The headlamps feature the new Ultra Slim 3-beam LED Projector design. It is paired with a characteristically Lexus L-shaped DRL’s and BladeScan type Adaptive High-Beam System packed with sharp-looking sequential signal lights.

The spindle grille is what Lexus calls it, extending all the way to the bottom of the front middle of the car with a dark metallic finish. The rear, the taillights are fixed with LED combination units, finished in some sleek looking piano black accents. Sophistication is key as it’s meant to exude a formal and classy outlook.

To complete the look, the wheels are fitted with 20-inch multi-spoke, hyper chrome metallic alloy rims. It comes with noise-reducing resonator holes incorporated into them and they are wrapped in a set of run-flat tyres with reinforced sidewalls to further improve ride comfort.

Architecture wise, it is built on the GA-L platform, optimizing the LS 500’s weight and giving it a lower center of gravity. This in turn makes the car more versatile for both city cruising and through fast winding roads. 

Also, installed in the Lexus is an air suspension system with an Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS), revised stabilizers and suspension bound stoppers. The LS 500 has a handling defined by Lexus to be excellent in stability, agility and sharp maneuvering. As an added thrill, it comes with Access Mode Control, this allows passengers to enter and exit the car in a fancier manner. 

Going under the hood, both variants are running with a 3.5-Litre, V35A-FTS Twin Turbo V6 engine which produces 415 hp of power at 6,000 rpm and 600 Nm of torque at 1,600 to 4,800 rpm. Paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission driving the rear wheels, it can go from 0-100 kph in 5 seconds and reach an electronically limited top speed of 250 kph. 

The engineering features newly developed pistons together with an improved variable valve control design that provides for low emissions and a smoother engine. To further enhance the driving experience, drivers can also tailor and customize the powertrain responses via the Eco, Comfort, Normal, Custom, Sport S and Sport S+ modes. 

The interior of the Lexus LS 500, is where the differences are significant in terms of comfort and system features. The LS 500 Luxury is offering an interior cabin with a choice of Chateau or Hazel interior color schemes. It is wrapped in semi-aniline leather for the upholstery. It has a functionality of 28-way powered adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation system and 18-way powered adjustable rear seats. 

As for the dashboard it is equipped with a fully digital instrument cluster and a color head-up display providing better view for the driver. Also installed, are a new high-definition 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen with an in-built Lexus navigation system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Other conveniences are a four-zone climate control system as well as a rear multi-operation touchscreen panel, which offers control adjustment of the seats, ventilation and powered sun shades. 

On the other hand, the LS 500 Executive Kiriko has the following features on top of what’s already offered in the Luxury variant. The interior comes in Black and Crimson or Black upholsteries. It features a Kiriko Cut Glass ornamentation trimming all around and hand-folded pleats on the door panels as well. Other conveniences include, 22-way powered rear seats with ottoman and massage functions and a rear cooler box. 

Entertainment side, it has a 16-channel, 23-speaker Mark Levinson Reference surround sound system, whereas the Luxury variant features only an 8-channel and 12-speaker Lexus Premium Audio system. The LS 500 Executive Kiriko is also installed with dual 11.6-inch LCD rear seat entertainment displays which get Blu-Ray, SD Card, Wi-Fi, and HDMI input functionality. All controls are consolidated into the rear multi-operation touchscreen panel mentioned above. 

Finally, both variants are equipped with the same set of safety systems. They include 12 airbags and the advanced Lexus Safety System+ (LSS+) which comes with Pre-Collision System (PCS), Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC) with Stop & Go Function, Lane Tracing Assist (LTA), Blind Spot Monitor (BSM), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) and Parking Support Brake (PKSB). It also gets a new Active Assist for the seat belt which increases the effect of the pre-tensioner by winding up the seatbelt using a motor if the vehicle detects a high possibility of collision.

All in all, the Lexus LS is always staying on the top of the game throughout all 5 of its generations. As per mentioned in our previous article on the open booking for the 2021 Lexus LS 500 in Malaysia, the price tags for the LS 500 Luxury and LS 500 Executive Kiriko will be at RM 1,023,629 and RM 1,304,768, respectively.