Lexus LS 400 (XF10) 1989-1994

[Revo]

Lexus LS 400 - a short history

In 1983 the then Toyota chairman Eiji Toyoda started a project called the F1 or "Flagship No. 1 vehicle” project, it was to produce a world-class luxury sedan for the international market. The F1 project was not given a time scale for completion nor did it appear to have any budget constraints, as a result the vehicle was entirely new it did not use parts from the existing Toyota parts bin. The final cost of the development was more than 1 Billion US$

The result appeared in 1989 as Lexus’s flagship model LS 400, a smart, luxury design notable for a number of key design and engineering elements: a whisper-quiet cabin, vibration insulating rubber engine mounts, a steering wheel with an airbag, a Nakamachi premium sound system and a power-steering system that vastly improved handling.

The car was an immediate hit, much to the chagrin of Mercedes, whose S-Class was more expensive, less luxurious, and, it would turn out, less reliable.

[Revo]

At the heart of the LS was a 4.0-litre V8 powerplant that represented the pinnacle of Toyota’s engine building skills. The new 1UZ-FE engine featured an aluminium block with cast iron cylinder liners for immense strength, and the crankshaft ran on five bearings for maximum support. Four camshafts were employed in order to utilise four valves per cylinder, while lightweight aluminium cam followers were used to reduce inertia in the valvetrain – a world first. Smooth running was ensured by reducing the machining tolerances of all moving parts by up to 50%, and the engine itself was suspended on hydraulic mounts.

The engine was capable of 190 kilowatts (250 hp) and 353 newton metres (260 ft·lbf) of torque and it was linked to a new four-speed automatic transmission.

[Ferrer]

Perhaps the best article on the Lexus LS.

Upwardly Mobile: The Lexus LS400 and the Birth of the Japanese Luxury Brands - Ate Up With Motor

Worth a read.

[pimento]

I think this is Matt Farah's Million Mile Lexus.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljpk_9X4xCY"]Regular Car Reviews: 1990 Lexus LS400 - YouTube[/ame]