Test drive Lexus LS, BMW 7 and Audi A8. Mercenaries
In this test, we deliberately dispensed with the Mercedes S-Class. It's hard to believe, but 222 made it so that there is only him and the others. However, it is more and more difficult to choose among the rest.
In the most prestigious segment of the market, there is a serious struggle, and manufacturers barely keep pace with each other in the race for comfort, power and saturation with modern electronics. A driver's BMW, austere Audi and an Asian Lexus - it's time to forget these cliches, because in the modern world, executive sedans are the absolute embodiment of comfort and technology, but they still have their own character.
Actually, I am terribly shy about executive sedans: it seems that everyone around me thinks that I am a hired driver. Everything was spoiled by an elderly Georgian in an S-Class in the 221st body. In early 2014, when the new S-Class just appeared and made a splash even at Kutuzovsky, I heard a slightly offensive and very persistent question: "Who did you bring?"
Since then, I have been closely monitoring that the front passenger seat is in a natural position, and not tilted forward, and it is better when the body is slightly dusty, so there is less suspicion that someone will see the driver in me. With the Lexus LS500, all these manipulations are superfluous: the largest and most technologically advanced Japanese looks so bold and fresh that no one would think that I earn money by driving.
It's all about the F Sport body kit: it's more aggressive than the AMG from Mercedes and the S-line from Audi. A thick spoiler lip on the boot lid, immodest door sills and 20-inch wheels with intricate patterns clearly hint that there is no passenger in the back. And what is he to do here? No screens, no massage, no ottoman. All this LS, of course, offers, but in different versions.
In general, the interior may seem too laconic and generally even gloomy, especially for a demanding audience, accustomed to neon lighting, monitors with high pixel density and natural veneer. However, you should not be guided by the test specimen: Lexus offers velor and leather in several colors, including cognac and cream.
How cool it is to drive a huge sedan that isn't overwhelmed with options for an important passenger in the rear right. Nobody canceled the extremely comfortable air suspension, as well as the 3,5-liter supercharged engine with a 10-speed "automatic". In the urban rhythm, the LS500 is the epitome of grace. The sedan elegantly rebuilds from row to row, lulling with a smooth ride. But there is a problem: there is no gap between the Eco and Sport + modes, which is offered, for example, by BMW. In each of the modes, Lexus is too comfortable and courteous, it follows only the right manners, and does not accept the madness of the driver.
And in vain: here is a cool supercharged "six" for 421 force and 600 Nm of torque, which promises 4,9 s to 100 km / h. At first you don’t believe in these figures: it’s too textbook and verified Lexus picks up speed even in the “throttle to the floor” mode. Dynamics only comes to you when you get into the LS500 from a faster and meaner sedan like the BMW M5 or Mercedes E63 AMG. Believe me, Lexus is good even against their background.
It is hypothesized that this bold design with blades and strokes will quickly go out of style, but when did Japanese car buyers care? Right now, the Lexus LS500 is a furore and a breaking of the mold in the class, where for some reason it is customary to puff out the cheeks and be too serious. LS is not like that: they turn around and point a finger at him. Is this not the main thing in the 2020s, when cars and gadgets began to look the same?
In my opinion, by far the most daring person in the automotive industry is Jaguar Chief Designer Julian Thompson. In an era of universal tolerance and correctness, he is still able to speak out loudly and call a spade a spade.
Most recently, he went through the new fashion for large radiator grilles. And this despite the fact that among automotive designers it is not very customary to discuss the work of colleagues. Of course, Thompson did not name specific names, car brands or models, but only a blind man would not guess that it was primarily about massive Audi grills and huge BMW nostrils.
The new "seven" second after the flagship X7 crossover tried on the huge nostrils of the radiator lining, but for some reason it was against her that a flurry of criticism fell. Perhaps, because on a huge SUV, such a solution is much more harmoniously blended into the look. Or perhaps because the public, which prefers executive sedans, is much more conservative and reluctant to accept such radical changes. In any case, the abundance of chrome on the face of the "seven" caused a lot of discussions immediately after the debut.
And now I am standing in line at the car wash in this car, a huge number of people are wandering around, but not one of them turns to look at the car. Everyone just walks by the most magnificent BMW.
Of course, it should be borne in mind that this car wash is located in expensive Khamovniki, and you can hardly surprise the locals with such a car. Even a heavy luxury like the Bentley Flying Spur or the Rolls Royce Ghost is of no interest here. But the point is not only in the sophisticated public of the fashionable metropolitan area. Just alive new "nostrils" are perceived so naturally on this machine that they do not hurt the eyes at all.
On the other hand, if the owner does not manage to surprise others with his car, then maybe it will be possible to do it with the one who sits in the back row with him? Unfortunately no. "Seven" is luxurious, like any car in this class. But nothing more. There is nothing in the decoration or in the set of equipment that can show off. And some digital solutions, like the Samsung tablet integrated into the center armrest, now even seem archaic.
A few years ago, the very fact that you can control all salon equipment from a tablet, and then just take it home, was shocking in itself. And now, in an era when, from an ordinary Chinese smartphone, you can set the trajectories of the robot vacuum cleaner in your apartment, and this solution, and the gadget itself with a rather wide frame around the screen seems to be something outdated.
But do not think that I am embittered by the "seven" and try to present it as the weakest in our three. On the contrary. If on my account there was a sufficient amount with six zeros to buy such a car, then I would give preference to the Bavarian. First, because it has an excellent balanced chassis. It is not only comfortable to move from behind, but also interesting to sit behind the wheel. And secondly, the diesel under the hood of BMW is a real work of engineering.
Yes, this is not an innovative four-turbine engine of the 750d version, but also a "six", and with three superchargers. With a maximum output of 320 liters. with. it has an impressive peak torque of 680 Nm, which is available from 1750 rpm. Based on these figures, there is even no point in explaining what it is like to accelerate to "hundreds" in 5 seconds on a sedan weighing over 2 tons. This is, of course, impressive.
However, most of all in the engine of the "seven" it is not the power-to-weight ratio that is surprising, but the appetite. It is clear that the passport indicators are unattainable, but if you press the accelerator without fanaticism, then even in Moscow traffic you can keep within 8-9 liters per “hundred”. Impressive, right?
Well, here we are and have changed places. A year and a half ago, Roman and I were already comparing these cars, but we were on opposite sides of the barricades. Then he defended Audi, and I - Lexus LS. Now it's the other way around. Moreover, another rival appeared in this battle - the updated BMW 7-Series.
My main argument last time was how the LS drives and that you don't feel like a driver in it. Now I'm on the A8 and I don't want to get out of the wheel again. And the fact that in this car (especially it was the L version) they could confuse me with the driver is not so important.
And this is not the only argument in a dispute with rivals. Firstly, I believe that in terms of ride comfort, it is the A8 that is the clear leader among the three cars presented in the material. Well, in terms of acceleration ... Yes, according to Audi's numbers, the slowest of the trio: 5,7 s versus 4,9 s for the Japanese sedan and 4,6 s for BMW. But in the dispute of seconds, traffic cameras won out long ago, and as soon as you press the pedal a little harder, you have to pay another fine. And I would also undoubtedly exchange the second of acceleration (especially when we are talking about cars that manage to get out for 100 km / h in less than 6 seconds) for the comfort that I have already mentioned above.
The A8L turned out to be a versatile vehicle for me. I never thought before that it was possible to say this about an executive class sedan, but it was equally convenient on it to go along a poor-quality road to the country house, to pick up some things forgotten in the fall, and to rush along an empty highway, and stand in traffic jams ... Special thanks for this to the air suspension, which can raise the body by 12 cm if necessary, and, of course, the already celebrated all-wheel drive Audi - quattro.
And this Audi has incredibly comfortable seats. And right now I'm talking about the driver's seat. I set it up once, when I just picked up the car, and never touched the numerous adjustments again. By the way (more on this will be in one of the following texts), on the A6, which I drove after, I never managed to find the most comfortable driving position.
Someone might call the interior of Audi too strict. One of my friends, for example, is sure that this is how a classic German office on wheels should look like. I remember how at one time the world admired the interior design of the new BMW 7-Series, and in comparison of these two cars, for me personally, the interior of the A8 seems more interesting.
I have no children, but it seems that both the two tablets fixed in the backs of the front seats (they can be removed and, for example, taken away with you), and the control panel stylized as a smartphone, are able to completely win their attention even on the longest trip. and this, of course, is a big plus. The ability to interact with the two large screens in the center console is quite capable of captivating adults as well.
And the last thing: you can break millions of copies in a dispute about aesthetic preferences, but personally to me, it is the A8 that seems the most beautiful of the trinity. This means that for me this car is not just universal, but also as harmonious as possible. It's nice to look at it, it's nice to ride on it. And even if someone thinks that I am the driver here, this is a negligible price for all of the above.
