Lexus flagship driven hard on the Stelvio Pass, triggers mind-bending shift on what a large Lexus can do
Paul McCartney's ride, it seems, isn't just made for a leisurely drive down the shops. It's also made for some of the world's finest roads. To prove this point, Polish motoring journalist Michal Sztorc took Lexus' flagship, the LS 600h F-Sport barrelling down one of the most demanding roads in all of Europe, the Stelvio Pass.
Located in Northern Italy, at an elevation of 2,527 metres (9,045 feet) above sea level, the Stelvio Pass earns two distinctions: firstly being the highest paved road in Eastern Europe, and secondly being the second-highest road in the Alps - with France's Col de L'iseran nipping it by a mere 13 metres (43 feet) to claim the No. 1 title. Petrolheads would recall how this road was crowned the 'World's Greatest Road' by Top Gear trio Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond. No doubt, its 75 hairpin turns, laid out (coincidentally) to incorporate some of the best twists of the greatest racetracks around the world, are partly why it has earned fans from around the world. It's not unusual to see exotic GTs, cabriolets and lightweight supercars plying this famed highway, rewarding drivers with orgasmic highs.
And that's why, a Lexus LS 600h F-Sport is an unusual choice. Or perhaps that's because drivers, even Lexus owners, need a paradigm shift about what Lexus' flagship can and cannot do. Could it be we got the Lexus LS 600h F-Sport all wrong? Based on his trip report, it seems so.
