MANILA: Lexus believes that setting new luxury standards requires more than just adding extra features, technology, and equipment. The main goal is to create modern luxury that not only welcomes and caters to the occupants, but also makes the driver feel fully connected to the vehicle.

Lexus has continually strengthened the fundamental interface between man and machine over the years, but the Lexus Driving Signature (LDS) represents a huge step forward in this endeavor. This innovation ushers in a new era in the Lexus brand's evolution. The responsibility of creating the LDS was handed to the brand's chief engineers, who then fine-tuned every part of the IS's character at the Shimoyama Technical Center Test Track — where the world's most demanding roads have been replicated. LDS has rapid and linear control with integrated throttle, brake, and steering responses; superb handling, grip, and confidence control in any situation; and enhanced ride quality with discernible quietness.

The Lexus IS, the first model to have LDS, is a luxury sports sedan designed for thrills. “What we had foremost in mind in developing the new IS was to make it a car that excelled in communicating with the driver and, as a car with wide latitude for providing such, would never fail in doing so, regardless of the road conditions or driving status,” Lexus International Chief Engineer Naoki Kobayashi stated. “Toward achieving this, we retained the compact body that had been well received and, with our team united, we endeavored to bring such to maturity by developing the new IS on a new test course. We aimed to make the new IS a Lexus compact sports sedan that provides high-quality riding comfort while offering a high level of vehicle control. We wanted it to be a car that enables people to make new discoveries, such as the discovery that the longer the new IS is driven the more one can experience the fun of driving and we wanted it to be a car that enables people to feel the aspirations of those who created it.”

“With an aim to pursue the fun of driving, and based on the philosophy that 'roads make cars', we brought the new IS to life by thoroughly driving it in harsh environments, including at Shimoyama Technical Center, which opened in 2019,” Lexus International Takumi Yoshiaki Ito said. “We paid particular attention to aesthetic and emotional values, which cannot be measured using numbers alone, so as to pursue linear operation that is faithful to driver intention, such as during successive driving operations and in terms of driving rhythm. In creating the desired driving sensation, we examined elements of impurity, such as unpleasant vibrations and noises, from every possible direction, and we thoroughly investigated and eliminated their causes, returning to the basics so that we could evolve a comfortable driving sensation.”

The IS is a perfect marriage of form and function. This outstanding sports sedan has sought the pleasure of driving and acted as a whetstone for polishing drivers' abilities since its introduction in 1999. The latest iteration of the IS helps customers rediscover the excitement of driving, thanks to its high-level driving performance and dynamic appearance. This unwavering attention to detail has produced the most thrilling IS ever, as well as a driving experience that is spectacular both on and off the track.

The IS offers a fluid transition from deceleration to steering and acceleration during cornering with feel-good performance and responses that are true to the driver's desires. Of course, comprehensive safety is also essential. Lexus has developed new safety technology with one purpose in mind: to make the world accident-free. The latest Lexus Safety System+, which includes features like Emergency Steering Assist and Lane Tracing Assist, is included in the 2017 IS. These developments are part of Lexus' ongoing efforts to decrease driver burden, reduce traffic accidents, and create driver-assist systems that give a more intuitive and safer driving experience.

This breakthrough in the vehicle development process aims to not only maintain the brand's high level of refinement, but also to build vehicles with a distinct Lexus identity. The LDS philosophy is a new phase in the luxury brand's history. Every new Lexus model will include the LDS, which ensures an exceptional driving experience every time. The LDS is the new development standard.

These new models will be easier to drive, more intuitive, and will feel custom-made for every driver. Each will be deliberately constructed to feel "bespoke," with predictable behavior thanks to the linearity of all controls, which eliminates any disconnect between the brake stroke, steering wheel movement, and shifting. All of these features, when combined, create a sense of trust in the car and an emotionally stimulating drive.

To learn more about LDS, log on to lexus.com.ph and follow @lexusmanila on Facebook and Instagram. To book an appointment with a personal sales consultant, log on to the Lexus Remote Page at https://fal.cn/3eSWW.

Photos from Lexus Philippines

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