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Now in its fourth generation, the 2006 Lexus LS, is a completely new and redesigned car, the reborn flagship of the Lexus range. Competitors have a daunting task ahead of them to convince the world market that this car isn't the best luxury car in the world. There are more than enough reasons to think that it is the LS is bristling with cutting edge technology and on paper it's an utterly fantastic car. One of the biggest reasons to suspect Lexus' global dominance is the fact that a panel of trusted international judges voted the LS460 World Car of the Year for 2007.

I know that Lexus produce great cars; in fact I've known that fact for some time I've never reviewed a Lexus that I haven't liked. I've test driven the entire current range and I always look forward to driving them. The Hybrids are mind-bendingly advanced, the finish, build quality and attention to detail are all incredible (almost to the point of obsession), they are among the safest cars in the world and they are quite simply pure pleasure to drive.

Lexus GB provided me with the test car, which was the LS460 SE-L; the long wheel-base version, powered by a brand new 4.6 Litre V8, which produces 375BHP capable of a 5.7 0-60 time and an electronically limited 155 MPH. My car was supplied with the Advanced Safety Pack and the Rear Seat Upgrade pack, including an entertainment system for the rear passengers.

The safety features are contained within the Advanced Safety Pack and include the Emergency Steering Assist, Driver Monitoring System (DMS), Advanced Obstacle Detection, Rear Pre-Crash Safety System and Front Pre-Crash Safety. Safety seems to feature very highly in the design of this car and is an area that Lexus has spent considerable time over. In brief, the DMS monitors the driver's head at all times using an infra red camera, this detects when the driver is looking away from the road. Working in tandem with the AOD, which uses radar to detect potential hazards, the car will sense when the driver needs to be alerted and primes an advanced pre-emptive braking system. The safety system will also determine when the driver is likely to use evasive action and lighten the steering weight accordingly. All of this combined, is designed to gain the driver extra time, distance and warning in the event of a potential hazard. Seatbelts and airbags are also designed to prime, when the risk of a collision increases, whilst audible warnings alert the driver. Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keep Assist are also

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