New York Auto Show: Lexus LS460 wins World Car of the Year
The World Car of the Year Awards has just concluded with the Lexus LS460 earning the honor of being called the planet's best auto for 2007. The LS460 beat out the Audi TT and new MINI Cooper, which were also finalists. The Audi TT, however, did not walk away empty handed, earning a trophy for World Car Design of the Year. Audi earned yet another honor for World Performance Car of the Year, with the RS4 being handed that honor. The RS4 won out over such heavyweights in world performance as the BMW 335i and Porsche 911 Turbo. Finally, the Mercedes-Benz E320 BLUETEC won the award for World Green Car of the Year, earning bragging rights over rival BMW and its Hydrogen 7, as well as the Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Michael Karesh 9:33AM (4/05/2007)
This particular award has smelled odd from at least the time the finalists were announced. I don't doubt that the new TT and MINI are nice cars, but neither is groundbreaking in any way. They're just evolutions of the cars they replaced.
So, against these two it's hardly a surprise that the LS won. The real question is how these three cars got picked as the most significant of the year.
My site's page for the LS:
http://www.truedelta.com/models/LS460.php
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Avinash machado 9:45AM (4/05/2007)
Sorry for typo. I meant take a break not tale a break.
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bmoredlj 10:05AM (4/05/2007)
As a showpiece of technological wonders, fit and finish, smoothness and refinement, sure, the LS is an attractive luxury barge. But from what I've heard about Lexii, they are increasingly isolating the driver from any kind of input or feel for the road. When you have a car overloaded with computers controlling acceleration, braking, and safety systems, theres almost nothing for the driver to do but go along for the ride. In three years the LS570 will have a 10-speed automatic with automatic gas and brake and will lock the driver out of the car when he gets too close. It will simply drive itself around, free-range. Lexus hates drivers, and it shows. It's trying to make Sentient, self-aware electronic animals, not cares. And I admire that. But the LS is not a car, its a prototype for that ultimate goal.
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geo.stewart 10:00AM (4/05/2007)
Lexus: The best d**n appliance out there!!!!
Now there is truth in advertising.
That must be what they mean by world car. It certainly is not the best automobile by any true driver's standards.
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Bryan 2:00PM (4/05/2007)
Worlds most boring car of the year..congrats Lex-ass!
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Chad 2:15PM (4/05/2007)
For those of you complaining about the LS. It's a full sized LUXURY CAR not a sports sedan. You're not supposed to feel everything in the road. It's supposed to be a very nice way to get from point A to point B. Not a fun way. Not everyone cares about the "driving experience" most people just look at cars as a way to get from there to there. The LS460 does a good job of that. Knocking the LS for not being a "drivers car" is like knocking an Enzo for not having a high end stereo system and power windows.
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synergeist 2:49PM (4/05/2007)
How did this overpriced Toyota win "World Car of the Year"? It doesn't set the standard in any category, except "gratuitous use of technology for useless purposes". The semi-automatic parallel parking feature (which doesn't work properly in many tests) is about as useless as they come.
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Dave 3:32PM (4/05/2007)
Hmmm.....Gas Gulping Luxobarge of the year.
This is almost as impressive as the Saturn Aura being lauded by the International Carwash Association (or whatever it was they called themselves).
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Gooch 7:58AM (4/06/2007)
All of you dogging the Lexus -- have you actually driven, or even sat in the car? It isn't bad for what it is.
I have driven and rode in many fine luxury cars, from the Mercedes S-Class (nice ride, very solid) to the BMW 7-Series (like a sporty, large, luxurious 5-Series) and Audi A8 (much nicer than expected, although I could tell it was part of the VW family). The LS is more overtly luxurious than the Benz and Bimmer (the Alcantara headliner in the A8 was fabulous; I couldn't keep my hands off it), and yes, it was very quiet, very cosseting, and very refined. I could barely tell we were traveling over bumps, the car was so isolated. If you want sporty handling, get the Germans. If you want luxury without feeling the road -- which some people consider luxury to be -- get the Lexus.
The Levinson stereo was kick-ass, too. Then again, all the stereos in these cars were better than anything I've ever listened to.
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Ming 4:00PM (4/05/2007)
You can't build a car that's for EVERYONE. Every car has an "issue" with it. So far, the car closest to perfect... the Ford Taurus... :P
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Dan1212 4:08PM (4/05/2007)
The LS 460 gets 19 city/27 highway, which is among the best of the luxury flagship V8s out there. Plus if you read the awards press release, they cite the LS 600h and 600h L hybrids as a 'guilt-free' more environmentally friendly version.
On the technology front, the LS deserved recognition. It has the world's first 8-speed auto, navtraffic, HDD navigation and music, lane keep, pedestrian detection, and driver monitoring systems, front and rear pre-collision systems, etc etc.
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Crunkjuice 4:50PM (4/05/2007)
99.99999% of the so called guys who blog on this site wouldn't know road feel if it hit them in the back of the head. I don't know why all of these bitchy-assed trolls come out on every blog. For Christ's sake, it's a huge Luxury Sedan, not a G.D. sports car.
Tell you what, I'll take a new LS & race any of you little turds in whatever POS you drive & I'll blow your doors off.
Any takers? That's what I thought.
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Knowspinzone 5:56PM (4/05/2007)
Crunkjuice, you nailed it!
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Dan 1:09AM (4/06/2007)
listen at least when you sell that LS460 it will still be worth more money then any other full size luxury sedan. The LS sedans hold the highest value next to a LX or SC 430. Now no matter all the bashing, numbers tell it how it is. when the car's out on open market look up the lexus brand or even toyota used cars almost always higher then there counter parts. even honda..
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Barney 12:34AM (4/06/2007)
Difference: The 2006 Lexus GS is likely to spend 2.8 more days in the shop but will leave it on it's own power. Chances of the Ford leaving the shop is slim, very slim on it's own power and consequently will not have to return.It'll still be there.
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Dan1212 4:11PM (4/06/2007)
I have driven the car, and found it quite pleasant indeed. But the test drive was too short, didn't get to try the brake hold feature or the automatic parking. But it was smooth, refined, and cossetting as a luxury flagship should be.
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