Lexus LS460 SE-L - Pictures

Lexus doesn’t handle as well as its rival, with too much body roll and not enough steering feedback. But it compensates with cosseting ride and superb comfort, thanks to air-suspension

Controls for the stereo, heater and sat-nav will all be familiar to Toyota owners – unforgivable in a luxury car

Lexus’s rear compartment doesn’t have quite as much legroom as S500, but is far better equipped

Tight panel gaps are proof of the LS’s superb build quality, but its styling is simply too bland

The 4.6-litre V8 is remarkably smooth and quiet. Very little engine noise penetrates cabin

Out on the road, the heavier weight of the LS means it can’t quite match its rival for pace in a straight line