I have often said that a great car reviewer is one that can place themselves in the shoes of a potential buyer of any vehicle they may be handed. This week, I truly feel like a duck out of water. The 2008 Lexus LS460 is a magnificent ride, one suitable for shuttling executives and their wives to the opera or the theater. While I do enjoy the finer things in life, I’d rather enjoy them in jeans and a tee shirt, not a jacket and tie. The LS is definitely a jacket and tie kind of car.

The ride is supple and beyond smooth. Power delivery through the 8 speed automatic is silky and shifts are almost imperceptible under normal driving. Press the gas a little harder from a light and the 385 horsepower V8 growls and shifts become a bit more crisp. The character of the LS460 is a little more sedate than that though, which is just fine as few owners are likely to be looking for a stoplight battle.

Much has been said about the techno wizardry that Lexus has brought to the silver hair crowd, including the trick ability to park itself. While we haven’t tried the self parking mode yet, we have figured out just about all the other stuff. To be honest, it took 2 industry guys, with a combined 50 years experience, about a half hour and many tries for some buttons to figure it all out. Perhaps this may be a bit too much tech for the target audience.

So far, we can’t help but be a bit overwhelmed by the level of comfort offered in the 2008 Lexus LS460. The car certainly draws attention, as we’ve had waves from old and young alike and even got chased by a Lexus owner from New Jersey who just wanted to give us a wave.