Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 179. Chapters: Lexus LS, Honda Legend, Chevrolet Impala, Acura RL, AMC Ambassador, Lincoln Continental, Lincoln Town Car, Jaguar XJ, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Range Rover, Mercury Grand Marquis, Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, Holden Caprice, Mercedes-Benz W126, Audi V8, Opel Omega, Range Rover Classic, Toyota Avalon, Volvo S80, Maserati Quattroporte, Bentley Arnage, Cadillac Fleetwood, Hyundai Grandeur, Nissan Cima, SEAT Exeo, Audi S8, Chrysler 300, Nash Ambassador, Toyota Crown Majesta, Opel Senator, Volkswagen Phaeton, Toyota Cressida, Infiniti Q45, koda Superb, Acura Legend, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, Rolls-Royce Phantom, Ford Five Hundred, Cadillac STS, Hyundai Equus, Maybach 57 and 62, Toyota Century, Aston Martin Vanquish, Peugeot 604, Nissan President, Daimler Sovereign, Citroën C6, Buick Lucerne, Rolls-Royce Ghost, Cadillac Brougham, Bentley Azure, Bentley Mulsanne, Cadillac STS-V, Pontiac Grand Ville, Mitsubishi Dignity, Kia Opirus, Toyota Century Royal, Kia Cadenza, ZIL-41047, Maybach Zeppelin, Hongqi HQE, Kia K9. Excerpt: The Lexus LS is a full-size luxury sedan that serves as the flagship model of Lexus, the luxury division of Toyota. Four generations of the sedan have been produced, all equipped with V8 engines and rear-wheel drive, although since 2006 all-wheel drive, hybrid, and long-wheelbase variants have also been offered. The original Lexus LS 400, the first Lexus to be developed, was introduced as the premium marque's debut model in 1989. Subsequent redesigns included the second-generation LS 400 in 1995, the LS 430 in 2001, and the LS 460/LS 460 L series in 2006. A domestic-market version of the LS 400 and LS 430, badged as Toyota Celsior, was sold in Japan until the Lexus marque was introduced there in 2006. For the 2007 model year the fourth-generation LS 460 debuted the first production eight-speed automatic transmission and an automatic parking system. In 2007, V8 hybrid powertrains were introduced on the LS 600h/LS 600h L sedans. Development of the Lexus LS began in 1983 as the F1 project, the code name for a secret flagship sedan effort. The resulting sedan followed an extended five-year design process at a cost of over US$1 billion, and premiered with a new V8 engine and multiple luxury features. The Lexus LS was intended from its inception for export markets, and the Lexus division was formed to market and service the vehicle internationally. The original LS 400 debuted to strong sales, and was largely responsible for the successful launch of the Lexus marque. Each successive iteration of the vehicle has ranked as the best-selling flagship luxury sedan in the United States. Since the start of production, each generation of the Lexus LS has been produced in the city of Tahara, Aichi, in Japan. In U.S. consumer publications, Lexus' flagship model is recognized as one of the most reliable vehicles ever built, having held the top ranking in J.D. Power and Associates' U.S. Vehicle Dependability Survey for fifteen consecutive years (1994 2009), and receiving Consumer Repo
