Pros Highest
quality luxury saloon. Super reliable. Great value
second hand buys.
Cons Some
regard the styling as dull.
Overview
The LS 400 was the first Lexus model and was launched to
huge acclaim establishing the Lexus brand overnight. According to owners you
are pretty much guaranteed an ultra reliable product which offers the highest
levels of luxury and specification. The
4.0-litre V8 offering 260 or 280bhp will hold its own anywhere. Max speed is
155mph. Such is its reliability and reputation that even the earliest examples
are superb buys if they have been properly serviced. Lexus also has, of course,
a great reputation for dealer back up so consider buying second hand from an
approved dealer. There are four generations of the Lexus LS 400 all adding
extra technological features, luxury and safety spec as they were developed.
Key Dates
- 1990
Lexus LS 400 launched. Hi spec saloon with 4.0-litre 241bhp engine and
standard automatic transmission.
- 1992
Series two with larger 16-inch wheels, improved air-con, interior and
safety.
- 1995
- Series three with longer wheelbase, 260bhp, slight redesign.
- 1998
Series four. New 280bhp engine, five-speed auto with further body
revamp.
- 2000
- New LS400 introduced with more aerodynamic styling, Vehicle Stability
Control, revamp interior and 4.2-litre engine.
Lexus LS 400 Series 1 - From June 1990 - Detailed Specification
- Type
4.0 litre v8 four cam 32 valve
- Piston
displacement3969cc
- Bore
and stroke87.5.0mm x 82.5mm
- Compression
ratio10.5 to 1
- Max.
Horsepower241bhp (180kw) at 5400rpm
- Max
torque258lb.ft (350nm) at 4400rpm
- Fuel
system electronic fuel injection
- Fuel
tank capasity85 litres (18.7 gallons)
- Fuel
type unleaded only
- Four
speed automatic transmission
- Engine
tune is constantly monitored by an advanced computerised engine management
system
- Dual
stainless steel exhaust with catalytic converter
- Integrated
front and rear fog lights
- Integrated
halogen headlights with jet-wash and levelling facility
- Alloy
wheels and
- Electric
boot and fuel flap releases
- Console
box with leather soft lid/arm rest
- Cruise
control
- Four
spoke leather clad steering wheel with speed sensitive power steering and
electrically operated telescopic/tilt-lift function with memory
- High
quality hand-stitched soft-touch leather seats
- Electric
multi-adjustable front seats including lumbar support and 2-position
drivers seat memory adjustment
- Electrically-adjustable
heated exterior rear view mirrors
- Heated
exterior mirrors
- Electric
windows with auto-touch feature on drivers door
- Remote
control central locking system
- Air
conditioning controlled by micro computer
- Comprehensive
vehicle security system
- Rear
window demister with timer
- Walnut
interior trim
- Delayed-action
entry and exit illumination system
- Electric
tilt/slide sunroof
- Acceleration
(mph, km/h) 0-60mph, 0-100km/h: 8.3 seconds
- Maximum
speed 155mph (250km/h)
- Anti-theft
protected 7 speaker, 3 wave-band radio and Dolby stereo cassette system
- Compact
disc player with 6 disc CD
- Radio
features automatic height adjustment aerial, 18 pre-sets with one touch
tuning and network scanning facility
- Rigid
high-tensile steel cabin case
- Urethane
anti-chiaint
- Overall
length5005mm
- Overall
width1820mm
- Overall
height1425mm
- Tread
front1565mm
- Tread
rear1555mm
- Wheelbase2815mm
- Kerb
weight1815 kg
- Boot
capacity0.454m3 (16.03ft3)
- Tyres
205/65 zr15 (including spare)
Towing capacity
- Trailer
with brake 1600kg
- Trailer
without brake750k
Fuel consumption
l/100km (mpg)
- Urban
14.4 (19.6)
- Constant
56mph 8.8 (34.1)
- Constant
75mph 10.4 (27.2)
- Compression
ratio 10.0 to 1
Suspension
- 4
wheel independent
- Front
and rear double wishbones, coil springs, gas-pressured shock absorbers,
stabilizer bar
Brakes
- Front
10.8in ventilated discs
- Rear
11.4in ventilated disc anti-lock braking system
Safety
- Foot
operated parking brake
- Anti-lock
braking system (abs)
LS 400 Series 4 From Jan 1998 - Detailed Specification
- Type
- 4.0 litre v8 four cam 32 valve
- Maximum
speed 155mph (250km/h)
- Acceleration
(mph, km/h) 0-62mph (0-100km/h) 6.9 seconds
- Drag
coefficient (
- Fuel
consumption l100km (mph)
- Urban
cycle17.5 (16.1)
- Extra
urban9.3 (30.4)
- Combined
12.3 (23.0)
- Co2
emissions (g/km) 289
- Compression
ratio10.5 to 1
- Max.
Horsepower280bhp (194kw) at 5900rpm
- Max
torque293lb.ft (398nm) at 4100rpm
- Fuel
system sequential multi-point injection
- Fuel
type unleaded only
- Variable
valve timing (
- Engine
tune is constantly monitored by an advanced computerised engine management
system electronic throttle control system (
- 5-speed
electronically controlled transmission ()
with intelligent computer control
- Dual
stainless steel exhaust system with catalytic converter
- Wheels16
x 7jj
- Piston
displacement 3969cc
- Bore
and stroke87.5mm x 82.5mm
- Compression
ratio10.0 to 1
- Tyres
225/60 r16, 97v (including spare)
- Transmission
5 speed automatic transmission with electronically controlled intelligent
transmission (
- Steering
rack and pinion speed-sensitive variable power assistance
Size
- Overall
length5005mm
- Overall
width 1830mm
- Overall
height1435mm
- Tread
front1570mm
- Tread
rear1570mm
- Wheelbase2850mm
- Kerb
weight1815kg
- Boot
capacity463 litres
Suspension
- Suspension
4 wheel independent
- Front
and rear double , coil springs, gas
pressured shock absorbers, stabilizer bar
Brakes
- Front
315mm ventilated disc
- Rear
307mm ventilated disc anti-lock braking system (abs) vehicle stability
control (
Towing capacity
- Trailer
with brake2000kg
- Trailer
without brake750kg
Overhang
- Front
910mm
- Rear1245mm
- Type
4.0 litre v8 four cam 32 valve
Other Features
- High
intensity discharge (hid) headlamps with automatic headlamp levelling,
luminance sensing system and headlamp washers
- Alloy
wheels (5 spoke)
- Mudflaps
- Electrically
multi-adjustable front seats, including lumbar support (plus 2-position
drivers seat memory function)
- Four-spoke
leather finished steering wheel.
- Speed-sensitive
power assisted steering
- Electrically
multi-adjustable steering wheel position
- Cruise
control
- Electrically-adjustable
heated exterior rear view mirrors, with passenger side reverse auto
tilt-down
- Electric
sunroof with jam protection
- Electric
windows with one-touch auto up/down feature and jam protection
- High
quality leather upholstery with heated seats front and rear
- Front
centre console box with cellular telephone capability
- Multi-information
display system including trip computer with steering wheel mounted
controls
- 7
speaker stereo audio system with 3 wave-band radio and
cassette
- 6
disc
fitted in the dashboard
- Rds radio with one-touch tuning and 18 pre-sets
- Electric
aerial
- Automatic
sound which adjusts audio volume
according to ambient noise levels
- Digital
processing for improved sound quality
- Rigid
high-tensile steel cabin case
- Super-high
quality finish featuring multi-layer paint treatment
- Extensive
anti-corrosion protection
- Side
- 7
speaker stereo audio system with 3 wave-band radio and
cassette
- 6
disc
fitted in the dashboard
- Rds radio with one-touch tuning and 18 pre-sets
- Electric
aerial
- Automatic
sound which adjusts audio volume
according to ambient noise levels
- Digital
processing for improved sound quality
- Rigid
high-tensile steel cabin case
- Super-high
quality finish featuring multi-layer paint treatment
- Extensive
anti-corrosion protection
- Side
- Drinks
holders, front and rear climate-control air conditioning with separate
left/right temperature controls and automatic recirculation system
key-integrated remote control central locking system with open/close
facility for windows and sunroof comprehensive vehicle security system
including immobiliser with key-integrated set/unset control rear window
demister with timer walnut interior trim
- Delayed-action
entry and exit illumination
- Lexus
navigator system
- Electric
boot and fuel flap releases
- Driver
and front passenger airbags
- Front
seats side airbag system
- Front
seatbelt pre-
- Vehicle
stability control (
- Traction
control
- Anti-lock
braking system (abs)
- High-mounted
rear stop lamp
- Foot-operated
parking brake
- Upper
interior head impact protection
- Photochromic rear view mirrors (automatic anti-glare)
- Five
3-point seatbelts and headrests
- All-round
independent double wishbone suspension with coil springs
