For any motoring enthusiast, the day becomes a great one when one gets to try out a new car — the objective being to experience as many vehicles as possible. And so when Abdullah Abdulghani & Bros, the sole distributor for Lexus in Qatar, decided to organise a test drive for their latest range of vehicles, the day started off as perfect even before we got behind the wheels of these great machines.
A delectable range of Lexus vehicles were on offer for the journalists to experience. The sedan category had the IS, LS and ES models and among the SUVs, there were the RX, NX, GX and the LX. And then there was the RC!
The journalists gathered at the Hilton Hotel where RK Morgan, Operations Manager, Automotive Division at Abdullah Abdulghani & Bros; Takayuki Yoshitsugu, Chief Representative for the Middle East & North Africa Regional Office for Lexus and Ismail Yagen, Public Relations Director for the Middle East and North Africa Lexus spoke about the new features and technologies that had been introduced in the new Lexus range.
The plan was to drive till Al Khor Corniche and back, switching as many cars as possible at the different pre-decided waypoints. We began our journey in the Lexus flagship sedan, the LS460L. The beautifully crafted interior whispers luxury into the occupants’ ears. While the 4.6-litre V8 does entice the driver in you, it’s a car where you would like to be driven around, enjoying the plethora of comforts in the rear seat. And the extra 120mm of length in the LS460L, adds that additional legroom, for when you want to stretch your legs just that little bit more.
With many journalists present, switching cars took place at a fast pace and even before we could finish counting the number of buttons in the LS, we switched to the NX200t. This luxury crossover, introduced only a year back, is definitely a head-turner with its looks. The sleek design focused on the remarkable spindle grille upfront, gives this SUV a great shape to look at. The 2.0-litre turbocharged motor and a light steering make it an easy vehicle to zip around in the city. Add to it the Lexus luxury touch and this is definitely a good choice for Qatar.
After the NX crossover, it was the turn to get behind the wheels of the big daddy, the LX570S. This 2016 model has had a host of refreshes done from its predecessor making it sharper to look at and giving it that much more of a road presence. More changes have taken place inside where Lexus has now added multiple safety and convenience features. There’s a new camera set-up, which offers front and side views, helpful when manoeuvring through tight spaces. In safety features, the highlight is the introduction of the Pre-Collision System (PCS), which has pedestrian detection. In simple words, this SUV can detect vehicles and people and if it believes that a collision is likely, it will automatically apply the brakes.
Our next set of wheels was the IS200t. The first-ever turbo under the IS badge is a rev-happy customer. This sedan offering from Lexus is one that excites the enthusiast in you. The track-tuned chassis, along with the quick-shifting 8-speed direct-shift transmission makes you yearn for a couple of laps on the Losail Circuit. It has two performance modes – S and the S+, which further increases the response of this vehicle.
The only reason why we gave up the IS200t was because the next Lexus that we got to try was the IS350. Moving to the powerful IS, all the experiences from the 200t were further enhanced. The 60HP increase in power meant that every press of the accelerator pedal was met with a smile plastered on our faces. And there was the gorgeous sound of the 3.5-litre V6 burbling in your ears and that smile simply didn’t wipe off.
Our Lexus journey ended on an exhilarating note with the only regret being that we didn’t get to try our hands on the RC350. That’s for another day then. From the LS to the IS, it was a day spent experiencing some wonderful and exhilarating machines. The refreshed 2016 Lexus has a lot to offer for each category of vehicle owners.