2001 Lexus LS430

words by ShiftGate

Ultra-Luxury Selection

WHOA. This 2001 Lexus LS430 is a car with PRESENCE. From the glistening Black Onyx finish to the staggering level of features that came with the Ultra Luxury Selection this LS was built with, it’s easy to see why these third-gen Lexus flagship sedans were a serious rival to the Mercedes S-Class.

History

Lexus unveiled their third-generation LS flagship in 2001 with a stretched wheelbase, a more potent V8, and a level of luxury that left the auto industry agape. As Motor Trend noted, “What? No hot and cold running champagne? Lexus seems to have forgotten little else.”

After the first LS put Lexus on the North American map 12 years earlier, this new LS430 put the competition from Germany on notice. Known for having an incredibly quiet and comfortable cabin, the new LS also earned praise for its reliability.

Combining that with effortless performance and a staggering array of tech made these executive cruisers a force to be reckoned with. Today’s example spent its life in the car-friendly climate of Texas in the care of one family who has kept it in top shape. With relatively low miles and every option box checked, this is one special Lexus LS.

Dazzling Finish

Lustrous, glistening, radiant, and shimmering are just a few descriptors that come to mind looking at the Black Onyx finish on this 2001 Lexus LS430. The painstaking 42-step paint process touted by the automaker is clearly not an exaggeration considering the condition of this beauty more than 20 years after it was built.

The car benefits from a lifetime of garage storage and Texas weather. Blemishes are few, with a bit of touch-up paint and a small ding documented on the front passenger-side door. There is no history of paint or bodywork and no rust present per the owner.

Brightwork looks to be in excellent shape and sets off the black nicely, wrapping around both bumpers and beltline molding, window surrounds, and the front grille.

This is complemented by the chrome 17” wheels, a factory option, with Lexus center caps. They are mounted in Yokohama AVD Envigor rubber-sized 225/15 with 2018 date codes upfront.

Features include auto-leveling HID headlamps with washers, integrated foglamps, rain-sensing windshield wipers, auto-dimming and heated side mirrors, tinted glass, and parking sonar at both ends. As seen in the gallery, all lighting lenses are clear and free of cracks.

Loaded to the Gills

The cabin of this 2001 Lexus LS430 features Ecru Premium leather upholstery with the color extending to the two-tone dash with stitched panels, door panels with leather inserts, carpeting, and Lexus floor mats. Ecru Maple wood trim runs across the dash to the doors and along the center stack.

Front seats are climatized on both sides, with memory settings and 14-way power adjustability for the driver and 10-way power adjustability for the passenger. Looseness in the driver’s cushion and bolster creasing can be seen in the gallery, along with lighter wear on the passenger side.

The four-spoke leather-wrapped and multi-function steering wheel features wood trim on top and bottom, with the top section showing minor cracking per the owner.

It frames analog instrumentation, including an 8,000-rpm tachometer, 160-mph speedometer, and gauges for coolant temperature and fuel level. The digital odometer reads 74,068 miles, as seen in the startup and interior overview video.

The center stack features a digital clock and ambient temperature readout up top, which flows into the factory infotainment screen with built-in navigation.

This car was optioned with the nine-speaker Mark Levinson audio system that includes AM/FM radio, a cassette deck, and a six-disc CD changer that resides behind an articulating center stack panel.

The lower buttons control Normal and Sport driving modes, the air suspension, and the Electronically Controlled Transmission (ECT) settings.

The list of amenities is long and includes power accessories, a power-adjustable steering column, adaptive cruise control, dual-zone automatic climate control, power-operated sunroof, Lexus Link telematics, integrated HomeLink, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.

Out back, things get really interesting with the tremendous array of features included with the top-spec Ultra Luxury package. The outboard rear seats have power-operated fore-and-aft sliding adjustment and reclining, massaging function, and memory settings.

Integrated into the center armrest, which flips down to reveal a beverage cooler, are controls for the audio, climate, and air purification system. Two-piece manual sunshades are fitted to the laminated side windows with a power-operated shade for the rear window. Much of this is shown operating in the cabin overview video.

Overall, the interior condition looks to be excellent, with cosmetic flaws limited to wear on the center console storage cover, staining on the driver-side transmission tunnel, and scuffing on the driver-side sill and seat frame, as seen in the gallery. Additionally, the owner notes a small blur on the infotainment screen.

The carpeted trunk is very clean and features a fitted Lexus mat, a cargo net, the original first aid kit, and a tool kit.

V8 Thrust, Whipped-Cream Ride

Mounted up front, under the factory shrouds, is the original quad-cam 4.3L 3UZ-FE V8 that made 290 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque when new. It pairs with a five-speed automatic to spin the rear wheels.

Factory highlights of this powertrain include variable-valve timing, an Acoustic Control Induction System, speed-sensitive steering, ABS, and traction control. This car is fitted with an optional air suspension.

Car and Driver described the LS430 as having a “whipped-cream ride” and “silky shifts.” A 6.3-second sprint to 60 is pretty nice, too, and these cars were known for delivering that performance effortlessly, as seen in the gallery driving video.

The original owner, who maintained the car for the past 20 years, had it serviced regularly, and there are no known mechanical issues. The most recent service includes an oil change, and the engine can be seen idling in the gallery video.

Low Mileage Cream Puff

Located in Laredo, Texas, this 2001 Lexus LS430 has been with the current owner for the past three months, during which 100 of the original 74,068 miles have been added.

The owner’s aunt, who bought this LS new at North Park Lexus of San Antonio, left the car to the current owner in her will. It is an all-original cream puff of an LS430 that was regularly serviced and stored indoors.

The fact that it was built with the dazzling array of amenities and technology from the Ultra Luxury package makes this 2001 LS430 even more special.

exterior
interior