Having premiered back in July and then in September for the European market, the flagship passenger car in the Lexus lineup has now been presented in its dedicated configuration for the U.S. market. All the coordinates are the same – focusing on comfort, quietness, powertrain refinement, ride quality... and a cockpit touchscreen.
Revealed back in 2018 for the American market as the fifth iteration of the series that basically established Lexus as a player in the premium segment, the “Luxury Sedan” (LS) is now just about ready to hit U.S. dealerships in its facelifted, 2021 model year, configuration.
The regular LS 500 will become available in stores later this month, and the pricing kicks off at exactly $76,000 (MSRP). That’s for the RWD version, with the AWD going for $79,250, while the F Sport trim is $79,600 and $82,850, respectively.
Fans of the electrified LS 500h need to wait a little while longer, as Lexus has scheduled its dealership arrival for early next year, with pricing to be announced closer to that date.
Lexus is upgrading the 2021 LS U.S.-spec with exactly the same enhancements operated on the global version, meaning the suspension has been improved for better ride quality, NVH levels have been lowered across the board, and the interior is now packing a new 12.3-inch infotainment system that’s finally touch-operated across the entire series.
As far as the powerplants are concerned, Lexus is going down the same subtle and evolutionary route, optimizing both the hardware and software for increased refinement, performance, and efficiency. The LS500 keeps the 3.5-liter, twin-turbo V6 capable of 416 hp (0-60 mph / 96 kph in 4.6 seconds), mated to a 10-speed automatic box with recalibrated shift logic.
The hybrid star of the lineup, the 2021 LS 500h, has also been visited by Lexus engineers – they tweaked the Multistage Hybrid System with a new battery-usage plan and increased emphasis on harnessing the electric motor's power under acceleration – but retains the 354 hp rating and the 60-mph sprint time of 5.1 seconds (RWD).
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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