The Lexus LX470 four wheel drive got its Australian debut at the 1998 Melbourne Motor Show. Doing its best not to be a Toyota LandCruiser 100-series it was on the quite separate Lexus stand and not on the Toyota stand; it's all a little bit confusing - the LX470 is basically an upmarket, luxury 100-series. As the sales pitch went, there used to be one choice in luxury four wheel drives (you know who) now there are two.

There is a strong resemblance between the Lexus LX470 (~ 100-series) and the Toyota LandCruiser 80series but a great deal is new. Front suspension is independent! The live front axle is out. Hard four wheel drivers will have mixed feelings about this although on-road handling is improved. The rear end still uses a live axle and the differential is still offset to the right which gives a little more effective ground clearance on bush tracks. The suspension is electronically controlled and the height can be adjusted - low of the highway and high for offroad.

Under the bonnet is a 4.7L V8 derived from the Lexus LS400 saloon. It gives 170kW at 4800rpm and 410Nm at 3400rpm.

Lexus vehicles are sold through separate dealers - hence the separate stand at the show - and are very much in the luxury market. So, the LX470 has such touches as power adjustable seats with memory, security system, seven-speaker audio system, 6-disc CD player and bronze window tinting.

Lexus LX470 1998 . . .

• station wagon, 5+3seats, 4 doors, front seatbelt pretensioners, ABS brakes
• loa: 4890mm, width: 1940mm, height: 1920mm +/-
• wheelbase: 2850mm, track: 1620mm/1615mm
• weight: 2530kg (unladen), GVM: 3200kg towing: 750kg (unbraked) to 3500kg (braked, regulations permitting)
• 4.7L V8 petrol engine:
  • 2UZ-FE, 4664cc, petrol, V8, mpfi, 4-valves/cyl, dohc
  • bore: 94.0mm, stroke: 84.0mm, c.r.: 9.6:1
  • power: 170kW at 4800rpm, torque: 410Nm at 3400rpm
• transmission: A442F 4-auto' (2.95:1, 1.53:1, 1.0:1, 0.765:1, rev 2.678:1), full-time 4WD transfer case (1.0:1 hi, 2.488:1 lo)
• suspension: independent front s' with double wishbones and torsion bars, rear live-axle with 5 links and coil springs,
  variable height suspension (120mm front, 110mm rear) also reacts to resist roll, pitch and squat,
  brakes: disc/disc, ABS; handbrake acts on rear wheels (drum in disc)
• tyres: 275/70R16, fuel-tank: 141L=96+45
• notes: fitted with gas-discharge main-beam headlights, power front seats, sun roof, climate-control air-conditioning, tinted glass from B-pillar, 6-stack CD player, 8-litre fridge in centre console!
• launched in Australian: April 1998
• price: $115K Aus
• competition: Range Rover

Go to the Toyota and 100S pages