Lexus Magazine

[maneesh]

Latest Lexus magazine arrived. Very glossy and polished, so that's why they charge you so much for a service, to pay for these useless magazines ;-)

Noticed in there that LS430 has 278hp, website says the same too. However, wasn't last LS400 290hp? Have they really gone for a larger engine but less horsepower? What's the rationale behind that?

[ColinBarber]

No the V8 in the UK has always had less than 280bhp on the GS, SC and LS.

In the US it gets 290 on the LS and 300 on the SC and GS

[Steve]

i agree with colin.. 280 is the most... still.. not bad start off!

stick a supercharger on that and bobs your uncle!

[ColinBarber]

stick a supercharger on that and bobs your uncle!

Single supercharger You want one for each bank

[flotsam]

Noticed in there that LS430 has 278hp, website says the same too. However, wasn't last LS400 290hp? Have they really gone for a larger engine but less horsepower? What's the rationale behind that?

I've got the MkIV it's 280 bhp and 293lbft of torque. Japanese legislation limits bhp.

The larger engine has more torque and slightly less power. This is a luxury car not a racing car. It's supposed to have a relaxed gait and a higher mph/1000 revs than the average car; in this case 31 mph/1000 revs in MkIV and 32.7 in the LS430. Average cars have about 20~25mph/1000revs. The 0~60 time is slightly quicker, but I don't know why they bothered, the thing's silent as it is and there's plenty of oomph which is so genteel you don't even feel a kick in the back when you put your foot down. My old Scirocco GTi only had 0~60 in 8.3 but you got a kick in 1st gear.

If you look at the Honda S2000 for example there's 237bhp and 153lbft and a low 18.3 mph/1000revs with a close-ratio six speed box.