Test drive when Lexus attacked the luxury class: newcomer on the street

Elite of the 90s: BMW 740i, Jaguar XJ6 4.0, Mercedes 500 SE and Lexus LS 400

In the 90s, Lexus challenged the luxury class. The LS 400 has entered the territory of Jaguar, BMW and Mercedes. Today we meet again with the four heroes of that time.

Oh, how well everything was arranged in the early 90s! Those who could and wanted to give themselves a special car, as a rule, turned to European aristocrats, and the choice was limited to the S-class, “weekly” or large Jaguar. And if it had to be something exotic, despite the dramatic repair shop bills and fussy equipment, it was there. The Maserati Quattroporte, whose third generation left the scene in 1990 and the fourth in 1994, has been hailed as a renaissance. A few friends of American heavy metal added a little color to the picture with the high-tech front-wheel drive Cadillac Seville STS.

So the cake was already split when Toyota decided to shuffle the cards. First in Japan, then in the USA, and since 1990 in Germany, a new flagship of the concern stood at the start. The LS 400 was the first and for many years the only model of the high-end Lexus brand, founded in 1989, to give Toyota access to the prestigious and lucrative luxury segment. It was not uncommon for top models to use a new brand. Back in 1986, Honda began installing its Acura, and in 1989, Nissan went to the top with Infiniti.

Apparently, the Japanese strategists knew that the proximity of their ambitious high-end products to the solid mass-produced products of the major brands would be an obstacle to success. Lexus was the solution. Incredibly successful in its home market, which was also a hit in the United States, in 1990 it was poised to turn the European luxury car market on its head – or at least shake it up.

Everything but charisma

Our LS model from the first series. He demonstrated in impressive fashion that even then Lexus could produce a car with the durability of the Camry, but with richer and more sophisticated equipment. If you find patina in the photos, slightly cracked leather on the seats or the gearshift lever, you can save the ironic comments - this LS 400 is well over a million kilometers behind it, has not received a new engine or new gearbox, and shows with the dignity of turning the equator more than 25 times.

Yes, the design is a bit indecisive, it leaves nothing to be remembered except for the feeling that you've already seen a lot of it. And the fact that the flashing green main controls, which were then highly regarded in every report or test due to the 3D effect, have the same simple graphics as in any best Toyota, is also true. Rotary light switches and wipers also come from the group's shared warehouses. There are more than 70 buttons to distinguish in the cockpit and handle them properly, some testers once complained. And they were happy to note that the Japanese art of working natural leather to give it an artificial look was brought to perfection here.

Such things may annoy you or complain about your lack of charisma, but this is not necessary. Because already today the first Lexus quietly and evenly talks about its then mission - Luxury, Tranquility, Reliability. The large four-litre V8 with a high-maintenance timing belt can only be heard at 5000 rpm with the timing belt; it hums softly in the cabin and harmonizes best with the four-speed automatic transmission. The driver in his large seat without real lateral support is alien to any rush. One hand on the steering wheel with an almost indifferent light movement, the other on the center armrest - so calmly glide along the road in this invisible sheet metal hat, in which almost no one recognizes Toyota's first step to the heights of the automotive elite.

Wood, leather, elegance

This is where the Jaguar XJ has always taken its place. The XJ40 has lost its elegance in some details such as ribbed shapes and rectangular headlights. But the X1994, which was only produced from 1997 to 300, went back to the old style even from 1990. Ford had the final say in Jaguar.

An elastic long-lasting monument reigned under the hood; four liters of displacement are distributed between six cylinders. With a capacity of 241 hp The AJ16 has less power than the Lexus, but makes up for it with sharper acceleration after launch. And at higher speeds, it encourages the driver to think about power and full throttle with light vibrations; The strengths of the engine, transmission and chassis are manifested in a smooth ride with the confidence that more is always possible when needed.

The headlining above the coffee-colored leather rear seat is low and you'll have trouble with the front if you want to stay in the hat. But wood is like wood, leather is like leather and it smells like that. Small deviations, such as small hard plastic buttons, obscure the impression of purebred sophistication a little, but the stable design overall overshadows many, if not all, flaws.

Personally, he felt best at 120–130 km/h, says owner Thomas Seibert. During the years he owned the car, he had no technical problems, and the parts were incredibly cheap. What's impressive about a relaxed ride in and around town is that the suspension on this XJ6 Souvereign doesn't have true caressing softness; The sleek, rack-and-pinion direct steering sedan isn't one-dimensionally focused on comfort alone. If you've ever ridden England's narrow back roads with tight turns between tall hedgerows and rolling pavement, you'll understand the reasons behind these settings, combining dynamic driving performance with exquisite serenity.

Perfect filtration

Guido Schuhert's switch to a silver 740i brings a certain sobriety. Well, BMW has also invested in wood and leather in its E38, and workmanship is no less than Jaguar's. But the E38 looks simpler and smarter than the Jag, which seems like a living hero of British imperial folklore.

Compared to its predecessor, the E32, the front and rear of the E38 have lost some of their characteristic tightness and look less muscular when viewed from the side. However, the E38 proved to be extremely successful – because it combines the ideas of a car to drive and a chauffeured limousine.

Somehow BMW manages to convey to its driver only in a filtered form information that will cause long-term irritation, and vice versa, anything that contributes to driving pleasure reaches him ideally through the steering wheel, seat and ears. The four-liter V8 engine from the ingenious M60 series sings its wonderful song at 2500 rpm; when you press the gas pedal, you can hear the wonderful roar of the V8 without the rough intonations of American eights with lifting rods. The only one of the four cars, the Bavarian, is equipped with a five-speed automatic (quick manual intervention in the second channel for the lever will only be possible with an upgrade and a 4,4-liter engine) and generously provides traction in all life situations.

The E38, owned by Schuchert, has more than 400 kilometers on its meter and, other than repairing the timing chain tensioner, no major interventions were required on it. The owner, a Dorsten auto mechanic, called his car a "flying carpet." A model that unambiguously proves its versatility.

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Such a race will probably never be possible for the participants of our 500 SE class meeting. He leads a safe existence in Mercedes-Benz warehouses and only appears on the road from time to time.

When he first set foot on the asphalt in 1991 on his 16-inch tires, he was met with a storm of spit. Too big, too heavy, too arrogant, too small - and somehow too German. This strains the nerves of Daimler-Benz employees. They produce commercials that are touching from today's point of view, in which a two-ton car drives along a dusty or muddy road, jumps over hills on the road and rotates 360 degrees pirouettes. The model that symbolizes the era of Helmut Kohl is not as elegant as the representatives of Jaguar or BMW, he radiated awe with his desk, his smooth sheets and the impatient nature of a man who thinks he knows what to do.

In any case, the contradictions in the views of those years eventually faded away. What's left today, when the W 140 doesn't seem too big, is the realization that we're picking up a car built with great difficulty. Of course, much about the W 140 resembles the smaller W 124 - the dashboard with a large speedometer in the middle and a small tachometer, center console, gear lever in a zigzag channel. However, behind this surface lies a solidity that stems, as if without thought of economy, from the motto according to which the brand lived then and today uses for advertising purposes - "The best or nothing."

Comfort and security? Yes, you can say that. Here you feel something similar, or at least you want to feel it. You finally get it, like moving into a much larger house that feels more intimidating than cozy at first. The Jaguar's sensibility, the BMW's finely dosed functionality, seems to be slightly outclassed by the big Mercedes - like the Lexus, it's a rather distant character, despite its aspirations for a welcoming atmosphere.

The five-liter M 119, which drives both the legendary E 500 and the 500 SL R 129, rotates smoothly on its main bearings and does not seek to dominate. A large car glides along the road, following the impulses of the imposing steering wheel carefully, without bursts of vivacity. The outside world mostly stays outside and quietly descends past you. If someone was sitting in the back, they would probably close the blinds and study some documents or just take a nap.

Conclusion

Editor Michael Harnishfeger: This trip back in time was wonderful. Because communicating with a Lexus LS, BMW 7 Series, Jaguar XJ or Mercedes S-Class today was characterized by a large dose of carefree calmness. These longs exude, each in their own way, a nervous luxury that captivates you not only on long journeys. Once you have experienced this, it will be difficult for you to part with it.

Text: Michael Harnishfeger

Photo: Ingolf Pompe

technical details

BMW 740i 4.0	Jaguar XJ6 4.0	Lexus LS 400	Mercedes 500 SE
Working volume	3982 cc	3980 cc	3969 cc	4973 cc
Power	286 k.s. (210 kW) at 5800 rpm	241 k.s. (177 kW) at 4800 rpm	245 k.s. (180 kW) at 5400 rpm	326 k.s. (240 kW) at 5700 rpm
Maximum torque	400 Nm at 4500 rpm	392 Nm at 4000 rpm	350 Nm at 4400 rpm	480 Nm at 3900 rpm
Acceleration 0-100 km / h	7,1 with	8,8 with	8,5 with	7,3 with
Braking distances at a speed of 100 km / h	no data	no data	no data	no data
full speed	250 km / h	230 km / h	243 km / h	250 km / h
Average consumption fuel in the test	13,4 l / 100 km	13,1 l / 100 km	13,4 l / 100 km	15,0 l / 100 km
Base Price	105 marks (in Germany, 500)	119 marks (in Germany, 900)	116 marks (in Germany, 400)	137 marks (in Germany, 828)