zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Buying
/
This Stretched Lexus LS400 Is Yet Another Kind Of Japanese Luxury
This Stretched Lexus LS400 Is Yet Another Kind Of Japanese Luxury-October 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:09:37

Image for article titled This Stretched Lexus LS400 Is Yet Another Kind Of Japanese Luxury

We’re all big fans of the around here. Most automakers don’t build a flagship that so defiantly bucks the norms of its segment. But what if the Toyota Century was just a little too common for you? What if you needed a Toyota luxury car that was a bonafide one-off and a factory-produced one at that?

This 1998 Long for sale in Poland is reportedly the only one in existence. According to on eBay, the car once belonged to a Sheik who used it on visits to Europe. While the exact length of the stretch this second-gen car got isn’t also mentioned, it looks to me to be about eight or so inches at most of comfort and legroom added to the b-pillar.

Image for article titled This Stretched Lexus LS400 Is Yet Another Kind Of Japanese Luxury

Inside, the upgrades aren’t all that over the top. The rear bench appears unchanged from stock behind all that legroom. A television set sits between the front seats and the all-important car-phone is mounted on an arm reaching back towards the rear passengers, ready to be pressed into service to close a deal, berate a lackey or reassure some major shareholders.

When you’re important enough to be carted around in a car this special, it’s not really the creature comforts you need, though. What you’re really looking for is privacy. In this Lexus, that wide B-pillar provides some cover from prying eyes outside, and anything it doesn’t shield is blocked out by some serious curtains that wouldn’t be out of place on one of those nice but rather common (compared to this car, at least) Centuries. The glass might not be tinted, but you wouldn’t be wanting for privacy in the back of this LS.

Image for article titled This Stretched Lexus LS400 Is Yet Another Kind Of Japanese Luxury

But back to that B-Pillar. It’s the special trim this extra bit of bodywork gets that has me so enamored with this car. That giant Lexus badge in the middle is the exact opposite of the Toyota Century approach. It’s in-your-face branding that is all about flexing on your friends in their more common, more conventional limousines. Century owners don’t need to do that. But if you ordered something like this, you’d probably be all about the flex.

Image for article titled This Stretched Lexus LS400 Is Yet Another Kind Of Japanese Luxury

What’s so excited about this car is the fact that it supposedly was built in coordination with the actual LS plant at Tahara, Japan. This is a plant known for its , with incredible scrutiny paid to details like panel fit and finish. Those engineers and technicians wouldn’t have stood for some slap-dash stretch job. No, they would have made sure it was done right.

Image for article titled This Stretched Lexus LS400 Is Yet Another Kind Of Japanese Luxury

And it better have been done right if the car is worth the monster 39,000 euros the seller is asking for. The car does only have a scant 15,000 kilometers under its belt, and these are cars that are capable of doing . But put mileage and durability aside for a second. If you want this car it’s because you want its exclusivity. And while I see the appeal, I certainly don’t want it for more than ten times what an equivalent standard LS goes for. It seems not many others feel any stronger as this car has apparently been on offer by the same seller . Maybe eventually someone will bite.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Buying
The 2017 Lexus RX 350 F Sport Mails It In 
The 2017 Lexus RX 350 F Sport Mails It In 
crossovers are many. Lexus RX crossovers are legion. You can run, but you can’t hide. Because you will see 12 of them crammed in a 10-spot parking lot, we had to see if the latest one was any good. However, it was weirdly disappointing, and not just because it’s a...
Oct 26, 2026
For $4,800, Would You Be A Goofus Buying This 1991 Mitsubishi Galant VR4?
For $4,800, Would You Be A Goofus Buying This 1991 Mitsubishi Galant VR4?
Today’s Galant VR4 is #312 out of a production run of 2,000, a number needed toward satisfying the model’s FIA Group A production certification. That’s not the only number associated with the car. As we’ll see, there’s also its price. It’s fun to be scared, right? I mean like roller...
Oct 26, 2026
At $4,500, Would You Consider Picking Up This Custom 1991 Plymouth Voyager?
At $4,500, Would You Consider Picking Up This Custom 1991 Plymouth Voyager?
Rightly or wrongly, the minivan has long been imputed as the auto enthusiast’s white flag of surrender. Today’s Plymouth is a custom minivan you might get enthusiastic about, that is, if its price proves half the battle. A few years back I went to a local hang that was offering...
Oct 26, 2026
At $12,995, Could This “Scary Fast” 1986 Buick Regal Scare Up A Deal?
At $12,995, Could This “Scary Fast” 1986 Buick Regal Scare Up A Deal?
It’s Halloween and what better car to have for today’s than one that’s described as being so fast it’s scary. We’ll still have to see whether this trick car’s price proves to be a treat. As Red Green so sagely advised, if they don’t find you handsome they should at...
Oct 26, 2026
Here's What 'Call For Price' On A Dealer's Website Really Means
Here's What 'Call For Price' On A Dealer's Website Really Means
One of the most can often be boiled down to three words: “call for price.” It seems simple enough; call the dealership and they’ll tell you how much it costs. But the subtext to this command will give you a pretty big clue as to whether or not you even...
Oct 26, 2026
How I Conquered The Greatest Road In The World In Mazda's Diesel Manual Wagon
How I Conquered The Greatest Road In The World In Mazda's Diesel Manual Wagon
This summer I joined my German friends Andreas and Josi on a road trip to a wedding in Romania. I knew little about the country, and even less about the bride and groom, but that didn’t matter. I was about to drive some of the greatest roads on earth in...
Oct 26, 2026
Copyright 2023-2026 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved