Among iconic luxury sedans, the very definition of flagship in the dictionary should have a photo of the Lexus LS400 next to it. There’s no question in my mind that the LS deserves top billing in this category, even more so than the S-Class and 7-Series models from the German makes that I love. The LS shown here is a claimed one-family owned example that shows under 100,000 miles and looks to be in excellent condition. The seller has listed the Lexus here on craigslist in Torrance, California, and is asking $10,900 for the car.
Similar to when Mazda studied the Lotus Elan to create the first Miata, Lexus took a close look at the then-benchmarks in luxury sedan building. The Japanese have knack for making cars that are either soulless appliances or charming, charismatic driver’s cars, but it’s clear they draw a line and place a vehicle in one of those two categories. While the Honda Accord may be a phenomenal mid-sized sedan, it’s clear Honda saved the “exciting” DNA for the likes of the Civic Si and S2000 roadster. In the same vein, Lexus is a company that can make a supercar when it feels like it, but is better suited to building a car like the LS400 that delivers the same unflinching reliability, time and again.
The LS interior is not unlike the W123-era Mercedes (heck, it wouldn’t surprise me of Lexus tore one of those apart in the R&D phase for this model) – it looks good seemingly no matter what or the number of miles on the clock. But in a car that’s been looked after, you can pretty much guarantee the leather surfaces will look like this. The beige interior is likely the most popular color scheme for an LS, and it’s amazing to see virtually no signs of staining or soiling. The seller notes that everything works and that the dashboard is crack-free. The air conditioning has been converted to R134A.
Power-wise, the LS was as well-rounded of a package under the hood as it was everywhere else. A 4.0L V8 delivered 250 horsepower and 260 lb.-ft. of torque to the rear wheels. Though not fast or particularly sporting, if you were an S-Class or 7-Series shopper in the early 90s, you were generally just looking for an unflappable driving experience and bulletproof reliability. The LS is one of the few modern-day million mile-capable cars, and for people who just needed a turnkey car with good power and ample prestige, the LS was hard to beat. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Mitchell G. for the find.
Nice cars, should last someone a few hundred thousand miles however the engineers who decided that the starter placement was a good idea should be forced to change one outside on a rainy day
boring.
Car Care Nut doesn’t want to see this!
What a nice clean car to have as a daily driver.
These cars were a sensation when introduced. Luxurious and finely crafted, their $35,000 price undercut the BMW 7-series by $15K and the Mercedes 560SEL by half. When I was a young engineer working for Ford, there was a brand new LS400 in the experimental garage being disassembled and analyzed. Ford (and other automakers) believed Toyota was selling them at a substantial loss, but had no proof.
As I get older, if I start getting things backwards, I will trade in my Escalade and get a Dis-Lexus! LOL
What a quality made vehicle. Lexus got this one right.
A very nice car.
That’s an LS V8 I can admire. I’d “LS swap” THIS engine into something.
Always loved these luxury fliers. 👑 Toyota’s top shelf. 3750lbs, 1/4 mile 15.9/90mph. 150mph top speed.
( Car and Driver )
Bar of soap styling. One thing you can say about Cadillac and Lincoln, as their models age they may get funky but they still have style. The original Infinity Q45 was the exception among all the Japanese luxo-posers. That had style but since they ripped off Jaguar in that department they get credit.
My 1990 LS400 was a dream to drive. Even at 130mph it simply floated down the interstate. Quiet, smooth, and refined from the word ‘go.’ The only thing Mercedes did better were the seats in my SE300. My back never was tired after a long trip in it.
I own the same car . Same color and interior combination. I brought it Dec 2023 with 101k miles and it looks just as good as the one for sell. Absolutely the best car I’ve ever owned. The only question I have is when would you recommend a timing belt change? I plan for this to be my last car purchase. But you never know.
Obviously, to be safe and not knowing if it is an interference engine, you should change it right away since you probably do not know anything about it.
I have done all my work from age 16 to present(66) and would never own a foreign vehicle or any vehicle with a timing belt but that’s just me. Good luck on it.
I did a quick internet search and the engine is non-interference, which is great, considering that you have no idea of the timing belt has ever been changed.
The other thing I found was that the timing belt should be changed at 90k miles, or every 6 years, what ever comes first.
If it were me, I would be making that appointment tomorrow.
Thanks guys. The last time I checked it was about a 12 hundred dollar job.
That would be a worthwhile investment.