Lexus LS460

The new Lexus LS460 has lots of hype about being able to park itself but little is said about the small print on their web site stating that the wheel/tire combination will get substantially less than 15,000 miles per year of tire wear or about the fact that the wing mirrors create wind noise that penetrates the cab under certain driving conditions at around 60 MPH. So as you park between the champagne glasses that have replaced the traffic cones blocking access to your favorite Starbucks ask yourself why would a car with such a price tag not have "quiet mirrors"?

In addition please keep in mind that all that cheap plastic skirting at the rear and at the front of the vehicle were the inspiration of some Japanese designer watching Americans having "flashy kits" applied to their car on pimp my ride. Yes I am old enough to remember when a bumper was a bumper. Nothing nicer than a shiny chrome bumper that it took two men to bolt in place to make you feel safe in lower speed accidents. Crack that plastic and watch your insurance agent cry . . .

Lets take a look at the competition. BMW 7 Series well you can rule that out with that silly mouse sitting between the seats and the Nav screen is set too high as it catches your peripheral vision all of the time. Anyone want to guess how much it will cost after the warranty runs out to replace or repair the I-drive? Mercedes too it would appear were visited by the stick a mouse in your car salesman. Hello folks cars are for driving. Speaking for myself I think a mouse between the seats is a safety hazard. I am only glad that the mouse salesman had not reached Japan by the time the LS460 design was finalized. You must however give credit to BMW for being the stylist who invented the "incorporate an aggressive look in your trunk" effect which the LS460 among others has copied.

OK so the new LS460 drive train is as smooth as silk and the car corners well at high speed (I hope the salesman who let me drive it alone it not reading this) and it accelerates smoothly all the way up to --- in 11 seconds. The problem I have with this car is that I hate the fact that after driving it I ordered one. Now I feel that every time I climb in my current car she is whispering to me do you still love me? People still remark on her beauty. Many lust for her affection offering to buy her from me. What is a man to do? She has been so faithful and completely dependable. I drove her across six states and back in three days lately in complete comfort covering over 2,000 miles in the process. How do I say baby you know your daddy just made a new big sister well she wants your garage?

I can just hear her now. I have a V8 and I have bucket leather seats and I have carried you safely anywhere you wanted to go for years and this is all the thanks I get? OK so the gold on my L is a little worn but that's from all the times you left me out in the sun and the rain and what is that white stuff that comes here occasionally . . . Oh and you don't even drink coffee so just where are you planning to take her that you haven't taken me?

Of all the cars I have had and I have been blessed to have had many luxury automobiles none delights me as much as the one I currently have. At 176,000+ miles she performs better than some of the rentals I get from Avis and Hertz with low digit mileage. Some may call it passion others may call it love. The devious people at Lexus call it brand loyalty. My compliments to the workers in Japan who built my SC400 and their attention to quality. I am sure that you laid down a tradition that my LS460 will follow.