First Ls400 Road Test From Top Gear.

[bazgtr]

I don't know if this has already been listed, But here it is.

Here's a link to one of the first proper road test from Top Gear that looks at the new LS400 and compares them to the competition at the time.

Your Tube link

BMW 735i vs Lexus LS400 vs Mercedes 420 SE vs Jaguar 4.0 Sov

http://youtube.com/watch?v=r-B2SJzUTLk

Must say I enjoyed this seven minutes and just seeing some of the old presenters brought a tear to my eye and reminded me how good top gear reports were back in the day when they fully covered the car and whats in it etc.

NOT LIKE tHE NEW TOP GEAR ROAD TESTING FORMAT. Which is really :tsktsk: .

Best bit was the water balance test on the engine.

I wonder how many of us will do the same test to see if you're engine is OK after all these years at 6,000rpm?

I'm trying mine in the morning to see if it passes.

ENJOY fellow owners.

[lfoggy]

Water balance test was truly amazing !

[trooper00]

I remember seeing that on TV all those years ago.

Toyota got it right straight out of the box and it was a much newer design than the European offerings at the time. The Merc was ancient at the time and the old Jaguar XJ40 was a motoring joke

It took Europe a long time to catch up but by then the Lexus brand was established. Well done Toyota!!

As for the "near silence" and "great handling" I'm still not convinced, especially the handling which is :o

[Mat]

Cheers for put that up!!!

Mat

[bazgtr]

I remember seeing that on TV all those years ago.

Toyota got it right straight out of the box and it was a much newer design than the European offerings at the time. The Merc was ancient at the time and the old Jaguar XJ40 was a motoring joke

It took Europe a long time to catch up but by then the Lexus brand was established. Well done Toyota!!

As for the "near silence" and "great handling" I'm still not convinced, especially the handling which is :o

I though you might still find some fault being from Germany(wink).

If you want to transform the handling then get some strut braces front and rear as that makes the body roll drop about 80%.

[Matrixabc]

I came across this while looking at the link above, a supercharged ls430

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXGifEgI0cU...feature=related

Nice!!

[RedDog]

I came across this while looking at the link above, a supercharged ls430

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXGifEgI0cU...feature=related

Nice!!

Brilliant!..........Absolutely majestic! Thanks for the link.

[Chris Skelton]

I came across this while looking at the link above, a supercharged ls430

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXGifEgI0cU...feature=related

Nice!!

Great link(S). The Supercharged one looks good. Someone tell me all the changes to that car's body?

Nah! I'm too old for THAT fast! reflexes reduce after 50!. Nice to watch though!

[johngs]

Well, after 110,000 miles and 13 years, done the water test, and if anything mine was actually smoother than the top gear test!!, Ok i have got the 1994 Celsior with air suspension, which helps soak up a bit more vibration.

Keep going to sell the car, but just cant, got a very practical 2001 diesel discovery, 7 seats and all that, and really shouldn't keep, two cars, however the Celsior on a run produces the same if not better MPG, than the disco, and with petrol being cheaper than more economical, and all of this in near silence!

if and when i decide to sell the car, will put it on this site first, as its in great condition, and would be nice to see it go to an enthusiast.

John

[Haylands]

My brother has been up for a few days with his 1991 LS400 its now done 106,000 miles so we tried the water test, that was boringly good so we tried balancing a £2 coin on the engine and then reving it to 3000rpm, he treats it like a baby so didn't want to rev it any higher.... anyway did the coin fall over????

Watch here to find out

This is the car

Pete

[Chris Skelton]

Wow!!! Shiny!!! Looks great.....and inside too. a credit to the owner!

Thinks.....must go and wash mine.........

[alanr]

Very impressed with the coin. I just wish that I could keep my vehicles as clean and tidy as everybody else seems to.

Regards,

Alan

[Parthiban]

Wow that car is in unbelievable condition! I can't believe it's done over 100k miles, it looks like a brand new car :o

[Haylands]

Yeah and the anoying thing is if you close your eyes whilst driving in it (as a passenger!!!) it is hard to tell the difference between it and my LS430

and it cost 12 times less than mine did.....

still at least my doors self close!!?!?!??!

Pete

[nelson]

conrayulations to your brother on the condition of that lovely LS.Is he keeping it or does he fancy a 430 like yours.

[Haylands]

Here are a couple more pics for you, if you look closely you can see the repair needed on a rear light, he then did the other to match.... anyway it has just had a new set fitted, got complete front and rear off eBay for £20!!! and they were in really good nick, he sanded then down with 2500 grit paper and polished them. He is in the process of making it look even better, he has sanded the paint on the offside of the car with 2500 grit then polished it back to a deep mirror shine, it really does look better than new. The dash is fine, which is amazing for a car this age, the temp display has just been replaced and the only thing that doesn't work as Lesux intended is the nearside mirror doesn't move electrically.... not bad for a 17 year old car!!!

Pete

[Haylands]

conrayulations to your brother on the condition of that lovely LS.Is he keeping it or does he fancy a 430 like yours.

He has no plans to change it, its just not worth selling, the price it would get would nowhere near get anything better... if you see what I mean...

Pete

[JellyBean]

Wow!!! Shiny!!! Looks great.....and inside too. a credit to the owner!

Thinks.....must go and wash mine.........

Shame about the colour.

[floggit]

What a well kept LS, gorgeous black looks like liquid !!. Will be doin the water / coin test at w/end, mine a 95 on 160k so will be interestin.

Cheers steve.

[Mat]

Hey heylands,

Great photos of a well kept LS, i know what you mean about its not worth anything much, i spent a lot of money on mine and wont get anything back, but hey its a passion!

A car of that age in that nick, good work!!! Credit to the man!

Mat

[jsj24uk]

That is a fine looking LS400. I'm assuming from the registration letter that it is a mark 1. It certainly puts my 2004 LS430 to shame in terms of shiny paintwork. I have a man coming round in a few Saturdays time to detail mine so I shall put a couple of pics up once he has worked his magic.