First Drive: 2010 Lexus LS460 Sport

Competition in the upper reaches of the luxury sedan segment is boiling over. Brands that aren't fronting advanced technology, improved mileage, enhanced performance, or combinations of all of the above are relegated to the back burner. To avoid that fate, Lexus has introduced a surprise Sport model addition to its range of placid LS sedans. Not a whit of extra power has been added but the exterior, interior, and chassis upgrades in this $6200 package are thoughtfully executed, setting the stage for a full LS-F performance flagship to follow in due course. We hope. Spiffed Exterior All Lexus LS models - standard, long wheelbase, AWD, and the 600hL hybrid - benefit from a modest facelift in their fourth (third in the case of the hybrid), model year. The alterations list includes bumper fascias, all lamps, the grille, color palette, and wheels. The Sport model gets its own dark, more aggressively textured grille, nifty 20-spoke 19-inch wheels, and a 360 degree body kit that lowers the car's visual center of gravity. Thankfully designers have resisted the urge to soil the exterior with sport badging and a rear spoiler. The split-spoke forged aluminum wheels shod with summer 45-series radials are a convincing touch, especially with hairy Brembo brake calipers peeking through the front wheel spokes. More Interesting Interior All 460s benefit from new active front seat headrests, updated metal accents for the center stack, redesigned audio controls and display, and cashmere instead of parchment toned leather. In addition, an ECO lamp has been added to the instrument cluster to encourage light-footed driving. The Sport edition has its own black and dark brown perforated leather upholstery with stitching in a contrasting color. A nice touch is seeing the brown tone through the perforations in the black skin. The steering wheel is leather trimmed and the front buckets are purposely bolstered with substantial side surfaces in support of this car's performance mission. The dark ash burl wood paneling has a tasteful matte finish. Paddle shifters attached to the wheel provide full manual authority over the 8-speed automatic's gear changes. Transplanted directly from the racy Lexus IS-F, this transmission is programmed for frequent heavy throttle use.