Review: Lexus LS 460 F Sport AWD

Mercedes and BMW were the stuffy, blue-blood luxury establishment when the fresh-pressed Lexus kid arrived on the scene in 1990. Taking advantage of a clean slate, Toyota launched its new premium brand with these two Germans primarily in its crosshairs, attempting to outdo them at their own game. On many levels, Lexus did exactly that with its first LS sedan, which was solid, reliable and exceptionally luxurious, not to mention a buying and ownership experience that far exceeded those of, well, just about everyone else at the time.

Where the first LS fell short, however, was in its ability to connect with the more enthusiastic owner, that rare creature who actually enjoys – rather than deplores – the act of driving and cherishes a more visceral engagement with his car. Lexus matched, and on many levels exceeded, the old guard when it came to luxury, but the Germans still had the upper hand when it came to building big sedans with an athletic side. It’s been almost a quarter of a century, but now Lexus feels it has an equal to der alten Jugen Klub (which now includes Audi as well) in the form of the LS 460 F Sport.

What is it?

Lexus significantly updated the fourth generation of its flagship LS sedan for the 2013 model year, invoking the new corporate “spindle” grille design and revising the hood, front fenders and bumper accordingly, while also applying fresh aesthetics to the lighting at either end. This revision marked the second update to the current LS platform, which originally bowed as a 2007 model.

With the new look came a new option: the F Sport package. Similar to what had already been offered on other Lexus models, it was the first such use on the brand’s flagship. For the LS 460, the F Sport package includes upsized forged alloys, larger six-piston Brembo front brakes, a lowered suspension, paddle shifters for the eight-speed automatic transmission, deep-bolstered sport seats and a handful of F Sport-emblazoned cosmetic enhancements.

How does it look?

Despite its marketplace maturity, the LS still manages to present itself as fresh and contemporary thanks to its recent facelift. The spindle grille design, while initially considered controversial, lends a distinct identity to the Lexus face, finally setting it apart from its European competition.

Dressed in Obsidian Black as ours was, the F Sport is more elegant than overtly sporty, and almost entirely indistinguishable from any other LS, save for the 19-inch split 10-spoke alloys. A deeper, more sculpted front bumper with mesh-style (as opposed to linear) grille inserts and a small metallic “F Sport” badge on each of the front fenders and the decklid offer the only confirmation that this LS is a cut above the ordinary. No fender vents, no bumper diffusers, not even a trunk spoiler, although admittedly we admire Lexus for resisting the urge to overdress its flagship for a battle it will never see.

The interior of the LS 460 F Sport is similarly restrained and business-like in a fashion not too far off the old German stereotype. However, instead of a sea of black surfaces – dashboard, carpet, seats, headliner – our LS featured seating, door panels and its center console in a rich caramel color (Lexus calls it Flaxen) with black used more sparingly for carpeting, the dashboard and the Alcantara headliner.

The quality of materials in the cabin is first rate, with buttery-soft full leather upholstery and top-stitched padding on the dash and console. Where there might normally be hand-polished wood trim in warm, earthy tones, the F Sport uses the technical coolness of brushed aluminum to break up the cabin.

The F Sport treatment is a bit more expressive inside than outside, with F Sport logos embossed into the leather headrests and on the steering wheel. A set of alloy pedals hints at the LS’s sportier aspirations, while the more deeply bolstered front seats are a welcome change over the standard broad buckets.

Overall, the LS460 F-Sport’s aesthetic enhancements are subtle, both inside and out, with a focus on luxury and refinement rather than outright sportiness. In fact, it’s a running theme throughout this particular F Sport.

How does it drive?

You wouldn’t be wrong to expect a sportier model to be more powerful than the standard model on which it’s based, but it would appear outright power isn’t the real priority for the LS 460 F Sport. Lexus is content with the 4.6-liter V8′s standard output, and instead focused its attention on delivering a more engaging driving experience through improvements elsewhere. Namely, the chassis and brakes.

The unusual thing about output for the LS460 range, including the F-Sport, is that it is based entirely on whether you choose rear-wheel or all-wheel drive, with the former being the more potent setup at 386 horsepower and 367 lb-ft of torque. Ours, like the majority of Lexus LS models sold today, was equipped with all-wheel drive. In addition to the $2455 upcharge, this decision also results in the deletion of a limited-slip rear differential on the F-Sport and a significant loss of muscle all the way around.

Detuned to 360 horsepower and 347 lb-ft of torque, the all-wheel drive LS F-Sport’s output is adequate – if not particularly remarkable in a class where 400 is now the magic number – for a 4674-pound luxury sedan. Nevertheless, it manages a respectable 6.0-second launch to 60 mph, more than half a second slower than its rear-drive counterpart.

The only transmission available is an 8-speed automatic with manual shifting made possible using either the steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters or the standard shift lever. The combination is better suited to comfortable cruising than back-road blasts, shifting smoothly but not briskly, even when doing so manually.

Starting with the LS’ adaptive air suspension, the F Sport team dropped the standard ride height by three-quarters of an inch and then went to work calibrating the settings for a tighter, more responsive performance. The selectable sport mode stiffens the damping, but Lexus apparently had its core LS customer in mind when it tuned the F Sport’s chassis. Despite the larger wheels and lower suspension, its ride is still decidedly soft, though we doubt few owners will ever complain about this.

The F Sport steers with surprisingly good feel and impressive accuracy. Lexus has somehow managed to strike a balance between firmness and ease of input that the Germans have largely missed with their electronic power steering systems.

Ironically, the most dialed-in component on the LS F Sport may be the Brembo brake package. The front rotors are massive at 14.8 inches in diameter (0.8 inches larger than a standard LS460), squeezed by a pair of lightweight six-piston calipers. The rear brakes are the same 13.1-inch discs as a standard LS, with two-piston calipers. On the street, the braking performance is solid and predictable, regardless of speed. We don’t know how long they’d hold up to track use, but we doubt that really matters. Because the F Sport is several degrees removed from Boy Racer status, the upgraded hardware is finished off in understated black paint instead of the customary red or yellow that might normally shout “Brembo” to the rest of the world.

Does it all add up?

From a style standpoint, the LS F-Sport is probably a little too understated for the showboat crowd. It’s entirely too subtle to command much attention from a distance, and you’d probably need to get someone into the car before you could convince them it’s anything other than a really nice, well-made luxury sedan. In many ways, it’s exactly the opposite of its look-at-me competitors, particularly from Mercedes and BMW. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, either.

For the true driving enthusiast, the F Sport is certainly a step up from the standard LS 460, but the lack of any additional power tarnishes the gleam of its otherwise special badging. On the road, it delivers tight, well-controlled performance, but doesn’t really encourage the driver to take things to the next level the way a really great sport sedan should.

In the end, Lexus has managed to produce a sportier version of its LS 460 that seems to be aimed primarily at those owners who already know and love the virtues of the LS, but are looking for something just a bit more exciting. The premium for stepping up – nearly $8000 – may be a steep one for a package that flies so far under the radar.

Leftlane’s bottom line

Lexus still does luxury better than sport. The F Sport is a dialed-in, buttoned-down version of the LS 460, but not quite the focused performer that the “old boys” still produce.

2014 Lexus LS 460 F Sport AWD base price $82,945. As tested, $86,795.

F-Sport comfort package (cooled front seats, heated rear seats, power sunshade, power trunk open/close), $2,090; Blind Spot Monitor, $500; Accessory package (trunk mat, cargo net, wheel locks), $260; Destination charge $910.

Photos by Bryan Joslin.