What year

[Chasdad]

Can someone tell me what year a mk4 ls400 starts on and the exterior difference from a mk3. As some sellers dont say what mk they are and im having trouble telling them apart. 

[Bluesman]

1998 is the year they started as for the difference in spec there must be something on here or Google. The one big visual difference is the MK4 doesn't have rap around indicators on the front bumpers. These are sometime modified to clear glass rather than the standard orange.  Mike.

[mikeyv]

Also, look for sat nav screen under the radio, about 15cm square, and one piece headlamps, for want of a better expression.

Barring the odd example, if it's 1998 or later, it's MK4.

[Chasdad]

Glad i asked. Theres a mk3 on autotrader with lpg thats pretty cheap shame its not a 4

[steve2006]

Release date was October 1997, I had one 1st registered in November 97 but very few around.

[goldtop]

And on external photos, the Mk4's headlamps are no longer rectangular and they don't meet the central grille, unlike the Mk3.

 

They've started that backwards and sideways morphing of shape that would lead to the LS430 design.

[bigjap]

my mk4 was first registered in 1997, i think it was nov/dec

[Colin M]

There is some good information on the lexls.com website (note that the fourth letter is "l")

Google Lexus LS evolution and this will turn up a link to the relevant section on the lexls.com website (which is LS Generations in the Info section).  It was the second entry down when I did a Google search.

There is plenty of information on the differences and some pictures.

[RgrWynne]

Colin thank you for that info, it was really interesting 

[Colin M]

OK, Roger, glad you found it interesting.

I came across the site when I was first looking to buy a LS400 but was unsure which model to go for and decided to bookmark it for future reference.