And went on a test drive of the RX 350 F-Sport
Within the Klang Valley area, there are three showroom or dealerships. Last week, I went to the Lexus showroom on Jalan Sultan Ismail. Today, Sunday, I paid a visit to the Lexus dealership at Sungai Besi. Most KL-folk would steer away from this area; I'm not sure what was the decisive factor to locate a Lexus dealership here, even though there are no fewer than 5 other dealerships along the same road, including Porsche. The fact that most of us wouldn't venture into this area makes it all the more interesting to do a write up of the Lexus Sungai Besi dealership. Let's take a look to see what's going on there...
Feels like home already... :-) I love how all Lexus showrooms have this clean, minimalist look. The floor space feels spacious, uncluttered, and well laid out. I don't know how far this is true, but I'm speculating that the Japanese philosophy of simplicity was applied when the showroom layout was designed.
There were only a smattering of visitors there. On display was a Lexus ES 250 Luxury, Lexus RX 350 and the Lexus NX 200t. Out in the parking lot were a few other Lexus RXs.
I was approached by a cheerful Sales Consultant named Gin Wong as we stood beside the Lexus ES 250 Luxury. I asked preliminary questions about the end of year promotions and only then introduced myself from All Lexus.
She informed me there are rebates between RM28,000 (for the Prestige edition) to RM30,000 (Luxury edition) for the Lexus ES 250, which I'm not mistaken, is more than 10% off the list price of the car which respectively stands at RM259,200 (Prestige) and RM278,600 (Luxury). This rather attractive end of year offer explains why Lexus has only a few more units left to clear for the year. The units which have already been spoken were parked on the 1st floor level of the showroom, barred to everyone unless you had already signed on the dotted line.
I wanted to arrange for a 24 hour test drive to report back to you, my dear readers, how the Lexus ES 250 performs under various road conditions and how the car's character changes as the day matures from day to night. Gin informed me all the Lexus ES 250s were out, but fingers crossed, there could be something they can work out next week. If that happens, expect a lengthier write up, so this should be a space to watch.
Since I was there, and I had taken all the pictures I wanted, there was just one thing to do, which was to go for a short test drive. Why the hell not, I thought, at least there's a treat for my awesome readers.
So we took the keys and right outside the front doors was the Lexus RX 350 F Sport.
As I said before, I can't tell you what this car does to me. Before you think I'm biased, let me tell you I'm not a fan of all Lexus designs. For example, I respect the Lexus LFA, I think it's marvellous technical achievement, rightly lauded by motoring journalists around the world for bringing the soul back to the Japanese supercar. But as a design exercise, I think it was a flop. And that's Lexus halo model we're talking about. But the Lexus RX design language works for me perhaps because for a long time I've developed a strong affinity towards angularity.
It's a keyless entry, so all you have to do is grab the door handles and the door unlocks automatically. Inside, you're cosseted in a world of sophisticated craftsmanship, highest grade materials and cutting edge technology. I know I've taken pictures of the Lexus RX before, but as I was about to embark on a test drive, I got a little carried away and decided to fire off some shots before we took off:
Only if you'd ever stepped inside the Lexus RX can you truly appreciate how big that screen is. It measures 12.3" corner to corner. Those of us who are used to a 5.5" screen on our smart phones will think of this as the mother of all phablets.
Curiously, as we took off, the screen remained 'off' for the first few minutes, so I asked Gin why this was so. According to her, some despicable visitors to the showroom went inside a similar car and selfishly nicked the smart card that contained the maps. The wayward miscreant probably thought it was cheaper to steal than buy his own, so now, as a precautionary measure, Lexus has removed the smart cards from the models on display at the showroom. I hope whoever illegally took the smart card will follow the GPS map that leads him straight to jail!
Pursuing speed, the bit about the Lexus is that it accelerates gently - in Comfort setting, that is. I know for a fact that almost all Mercedes are engineered to start on 2nd gear so that it cruises rather than catapults you up to speed. I wonder if the Lexus was calibrated similarly.
It has to be said that the steering of the BMW is direct and responsive but not every driver necessarily wants that. Some, like me, prefer to be as detached from the road surface as possible so that it mimics the feeling I'm floating on an airborne Persian carpet rather than driving along with Smeagol's hands clinging tightly to the road, while giving you the stats on every bump, pot hole or road imperfection you crash into.
But there was a problem. As quiet as the dealership was inside, there was no escaping the congestion on the main road outside. I couldn't build up the speed unless I was ready with a cheque book to pay the damage from rear ending cars in front of me. So I dialled it back to a civilised pace, going no more than 60kph, which as the Heads Up Display confirmed, the vehicle was hovering around the 59 kph mark.
Any car can drive fast. Heck, in my previous Lexus IS 250, even micro cars like the Perodua MyVi or Proton Savvy overtook me with ease, despite the Lexus on paper having more than double the horsepower. On the contrary, the most common characteristic of a car you'll live with is the way it feels when it is cruising at city driving speeds - between the bookends of 40-60 kph. It's at these speeds you can tell how well the vehicle maintains its composure on essentially crappy city roads, if it brushes off the dimples on the tarmac the way a man would flick dandruff off his suit shoulders, and how it cocoons passengers in a hushed cabin, without letting the noise from passing vehicles intrude and invade.
It's here where the Lexus RX 350 F Sport (and really all Lexus RX for that matter) truly excels. You can be driving at 60 kph and merely need to whisper for your passenger to hear. I adore the way the car maintains its composure on the road, the way it feels surefooted without ever feeling aggressive or 'too involved.' Purists may argue I may have gone off my rockers but I disagree. The Lexus takes aims at an entirely different breed of drivers, ones quite distinct from the speed-loving fanboys of German marques. To compare a Lexus with other marques is like complaining why a Rolls Royce Phantom feels lethargic getting up to 100kph compared to a Honda Civic Type R when in fact both do the Century sprint in equal times, 5.5 seconds. They're made for different people and it is not an apple-for-apple comparison.
I wished the test drive could have been completed on a more representative set of roads, where the long straights combine with twisty bends into a ribbon of automotive perfection. Alas, after a mere 20 minutes, the test drive was over so I guess a more comprehensive test drive would have to wait for another day.
Should you get one? Definitely if you have the RM486,300 lying around. It comes with a 3-year warranty or 100,000 km travelled, whichever lapses first. Are there discounts? I didn't ask about this one, but you can ask Gin yourself.
The Lexus Sungai Besi Dealership is located at:
No. 314, Jalan Sungai Besi
57100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-9222 2268
Cheers,
All Lexus
Within the Klang Valley area, there are three showroom or dealerships. Last week, I went to the Lexus showroom on Jalan Sultan Ismail. Today, Sunday, I paid a visit to the Lexus dealership at Sungai Besi. Most KL-folk would steer away from this area; I'm not sure what was the decisive factor to locate a Lexus dealership here, even though there are no fewer than 5 other dealerships along the same road, including Porsche. The fact that most of us wouldn't venture into this area makes it all the more interesting to do a write up of the Lexus Sungai Besi dealership. Let's take a look to see what's going on there...
Feels like home already... :-) I love how all Lexus showrooms have this clean, minimalist look. The floor space feels spacious, uncluttered, and well laid out. I don't know how far this is true, but I'm speculating that the Japanese philosophy of simplicity was applied when the showroom layout was designed.
There were only a smattering of visitors there. On display was a Lexus ES 250 Luxury, Lexus RX 350 and the Lexus NX 200t. Out in the parking lot were a few other Lexus RXs.
I was approached by a cheerful Sales Consultant named Gin Wong as we stood beside the Lexus ES 250 Luxury. I asked preliminary questions about the end of year promotions and only then introduced myself from All Lexus.
She informed me there are rebates between RM28,000 (for the Prestige edition) to RM30,000 (Luxury edition) for the Lexus ES 250, which I'm not mistaken, is more than 10% off the list price of the car which respectively stands at RM259,200 (Prestige) and RM278,600 (Luxury). This rather attractive end of year offer explains why Lexus has only a few more units left to clear for the year. The units which have already been spoken were parked on the 1st floor level of the showroom, barred to everyone unless you had already signed on the dotted line.
I wanted to arrange for a 24 hour test drive to report back to you, my dear readers, how the Lexus ES 250 performs under various road conditions and how the car's character changes as the day matures from day to night. Gin informed me all the Lexus ES 250s were out, but fingers crossed, there could be something they can work out next week. If that happens, expect a lengthier write up, so this should be a space to watch.
Since I was there, and I had taken all the pictures I wanted, there was just one thing to do, which was to go for a short test drive. Why the hell not, I thought, at least there's a treat for my awesome readers.
So we took the keys and right outside the front doors was the Lexus RX 350 F Sport.
As I said before, I can't tell you what this car does to me. Before you think I'm biased, let me tell you I'm not a fan of all Lexus designs. For example, I respect the Lexus LFA, I think it's marvellous technical achievement, rightly lauded by motoring journalists around the world for bringing the soul back to the Japanese supercar. But as a design exercise, I think it was a flop. And that's Lexus halo model we're talking about. But the Lexus RX design language works for me perhaps because for a long time I've developed a strong affinity towards angularity.
It's a keyless entry, so all you have to do is grab the door handles and the door unlocks automatically. Inside, you're cosseted in a world of sophisticated craftsmanship, highest grade materials and cutting edge technology. I know I've taken pictures of the Lexus RX before, but as I was about to embark on a test drive, I got a little carried away and decided to fire off some shots before we took off:
Only if you'd ever stepped inside the Lexus RX can you truly appreciate how big that screen is. It measures 12.3" corner to corner. Those of us who are used to a 5.5" screen on our smart phones will think of this as the mother of all phablets.
Curiously, as we took off, the screen remained 'off' for the first few minutes, so I asked Gin why this was so. According to her, some despicable visitors to the showroom went inside a similar car and selfishly nicked the smart card that contained the maps. The wayward miscreant probably thought it was cheaper to steal than buy his own, so now, as a precautionary measure, Lexus has removed the smart cards from the models on display at the showroom. I hope whoever illegally took the smart card will follow the GPS map that leads him straight to jail!
Pursuing speed, the bit about the Lexus is that it accelerates gently - in Comfort setting, that is. I know for a fact that almost all Mercedes are engineered to start on 2nd gear so that it cruises rather than catapults you up to speed. I wonder if the Lexus was calibrated similarly.
It has to be said that the steering of the BMW is direct and responsive but not every driver necessarily wants that. Some, like me, prefer to be as detached from the road surface as possible so that it mimics the feeling I'm floating on an airborne Persian carpet rather than driving along with Smeagol's hands clinging tightly to the road, while giving you the stats on every bump, pot hole or road imperfection you crash into.
But there was a problem. As quiet as the dealership was inside, there was no escaping the congestion on the main road outside. I couldn't build up the speed unless I was ready with a cheque book to pay the damage from rear ending cars in front of me. So I dialled it back to a civilised pace, going no more than 60kph, which as the Heads Up Display confirmed, the vehicle was hovering around the 59 kph mark.
Any car can drive fast. Heck, in my previous Lexus IS 250, even micro cars like the Perodua MyVi or Proton Savvy overtook me with ease, despite the Lexus on paper having more than double the horsepower. On the contrary, the most common characteristic of a car you'll live with is the way it feels when it is cruising at city driving speeds - between the bookends of 40-60 kph. It's at these speeds you can tell how well the vehicle maintains its composure on essentially crappy city roads, if it brushes off the dimples on the tarmac the way a man would flick dandruff off his suit shoulders, and how it cocoons passengers in a hushed cabin, without letting the noise from passing vehicles intrude and invade.
It's here where the Lexus RX 350 F Sport (and really all Lexus RX for that matter) truly excels. You can be driving at 60 kph and merely need to whisper for your passenger to hear. I adore the way the car maintains its composure on the road, the way it feels surefooted without ever feeling aggressive or 'too involved.' Purists may argue I may have gone off my rockers but I disagree. The Lexus takes aims at an entirely different breed of drivers, ones quite distinct from the speed-loving fanboys of German marques. To compare a Lexus with other marques is like complaining why a Rolls Royce Phantom feels lethargic getting up to 100kph compared to a Honda Civic Type R when in fact both do the Century sprint in equal times, 5.5 seconds. They're made for different people and it is not an apple-for-apple comparison.
I wished the test drive could have been completed on a more representative set of roads, where the long straights combine with twisty bends into a ribbon of automotive perfection. Alas, after a mere 20 minutes, the test drive was over so I guess a more comprehensive test drive would have to wait for another day.
Should you get one? Definitely if you have the RM486,300 lying around. It comes with a 3-year warranty or 100,000 km travelled, whichever lapses first. Are there discounts? I didn't ask about this one, but you can ask Gin yourself.
The Lexus Sungai Besi Dealership is located at:
No. 314, Jalan Sungai Besi
57100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-9222 2268
Cheers,
All Lexus
Bro is the showroom open Sunday?
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