The facelifted 2021 Lexus LS officially debuts

Lexus has finally unveiled the 2021 refresh for its LS sedan. Along with the mid-cycle updates, the refreshed flagship vehicle now comes with a new semi-autonomous driver-assist system with artificial intelligence dubbed the Lexus Teammate.

On the outside, the new Lexus LS comes with a slightly updated front end which still carries the brand’s signature spindle grille. The sedan’s side intakes have also been enlarged giving the vehicle a more aggressive look compared to its pre-updated version. Aside from that the side profile of the luxury sedan remains the same as before. Similar to that of the front of the vehicle the rear end comes with a few tweaks to update it. It now comes with an updated rear bumper that now comes with a new garnish on the lower bumper. The refreshed Lexus LS also comes with a new paint option called Gin-ei Luster. This shade of silver uses aluminum flakes to make it stand out above the rest.

On the inside, the revised Lexus LS remains familiar. It still comes with a luxurious atmosphere and all of the convenience features that come with it. What has been updated, however, is the new infotainment system. In the pre-facelifted model, it used to sit flush with the dashboard. On the facelifted model, however, a new 12.3 now juts out of it. The infotainment system now comes with SmartDeviceLink, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Audio functionality from iPhones and Android devices can now be used to control the infotainment.

The refreshed 2021 Lexus LS now comes with the brand’s Lexus Teammate feature which gives the vehicle additional sensors at key locations around the body. These are located in the front bumper, rear, bumper, and near the front wheel arches. The new system is paired with A.I. machine learning capabilities that constantly learns how the driver operates the vehicle. The Lexus Teammate system comes with two features that comprise of Advanced Drive and Advanced Park.

Advanced Drive scans the surrounding area of the vehicle via its sensors and uses this information to drive the vehicle by itself on the highway. The system is so advanced that it will even corner the Lexus LS and has the capability to even overtake another vehicle safely when needed. 

The Advanced Park system, on the other hand, gives the vehicle autonomous parking assistance through fully-automated acceleration, braking, and gear changes. Not only will it make parking the vehicle more convenient, Lexus even states that the system is so good that it is on par with how humans actually park.

Powertrain options for the 2021 Lexus LS still remain the same. It can be had with a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 gasoline motor for its LS 500 variant that produces 416hp and 600 Nm of torque. This powerful engine is mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission that sends exclusively to the rear wheels. The other engine option for the luxury sedan is a multi-stage hybrid powertrain. This hybrid system is capable of producing 345hp and 500 Nm of torque that is sent to the rear wheels via a 4-speed automatic transmission that works in conjunction with a CVT that comes with a total of 10-speeds.

While there is still no word yet if the refreshed 2021 Lexus LS will make its way into the Philippine market, one thing is for sure. The refreshed luxury sedan will be going on sale in Japan in the latter half of 2020, with a global rollout following shortly after.