1992 Lexus LS400 Has 11,000 Miles on the Clock, Grandma Had a Special Route With It

You know the Japanese. You can't beat them when it comes to meticulosity. When they set their mind to something, they turn it into an obsession until they achieve it. That is what the Lexus LS400 is all about. It was Toyota's ambition to roll out a car that would be more luxurious than anything else on the road at that time.

The Japanese brand debuted the LS400 in January 1989, after having worked for several years on the Circle F project, which was the project that previewed the production model. The "F" stood for "flagship."

Toyota had spared no expense to establish its then-new luxury brand. The team included 60 designers, 1.400 engineers working in 24 teams, 2,300 technicians, and over 2,000 support workers. They worked around the clock to make sure they would take luxury, comfort, and technology to a whole new level. And they checked all the boxes. This car had it all.

The first LS400 was powered by a 242-cubic-inch (4.0-liter) V8 engine with 250 horsepower (253 metric horsepower), mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. Toyota was not trying to compete with the sports cars of the era but with the Rolls-Royce models, offering great efficiency and similar features for a fraction of the price.

This is the kind of car that Alistair owns. "It's not my car. It belongs to my wife," he insists. Jane inherited it from her parents. They bought it new in 1992. His wife's father, a Hurricane pilot, passed away in 2004. Her mother, Audrey, moved in with Alistair and Jane and took the Lexus with her. She had a stroke in 2012 and stopped driving.

Before the health problem that glued her around the house, she used to drive the Lexus along the same route almost every day. She went to the local pub, had lunch, drank a glass of wine, stopped at the local convenience store, bought a bottle of wine and a newspaper, and came back home. That was as far as the Lexus went.

With a reputation for being comfortable, reliable, and capable of very high mileage, this luxury sedan has hardly ever traveled. It just covered 11,000 miles (17,703 kilometers) in 32 years, averaging at around 374 miles (602 kilometers) per year. It's obvious that the local pub was very close: just under 2 miles.

Alistair is a gearhead. He drives a 1989 Jaguar XJR, the model designed to compete with BMW's M5. He took a few longer journeys in the Lexus, too, always with Audrey in the car. It was her car after all, she had to make sure he treated it right. But she had her own way of treating it.

After all those years on the road, the car displays scratches and dents on the rear end. All due to Audrey, Alistair says, trying not to be disrespectful to his mother-in-law. He recalls the moment she reversed into a skip and said that the skip moved. Of course, it wasn't her fault. It was the skip attacking her car.

But there is no spot of rust on the 1992 Lexus LS, as it spent most of its life in the barn, protected from the elements. Now, the time has come for the Lexus LS400 to leave the barn. But it is not going too far. It stays with the family as it will be purchased by Audrey's grandson.

But first, it needs to be cleaned up. Johnny Smith of The Late Brake Show will be responsible for making it look like it did the day it rolled off the production line. But first, they need to push it out of the garage because, after sitting for so many years, it doesn't run and it doesn't drive. But the tires hold the air after they were inflated, so that's a good thing.

They have to push a luxury sedan that is 196.7 inches (4,996 millimeters) long, 72.0 inches (1,829 millimeters) wide, 55.7 inches (1,415 millimeters) tall, sports a wheelbase of 110.8 inches (2,814 millimeters) and tips the scales at 3,858 pounds (1,750 kilograms). Johnny expected it to be heavier.

However, what worries him the most is the scenario in which the V8 doesn't start. Since he has never worked on a 1UZ-FE V8, he will have to ask for help from a specialist. He starts by checking fluids and the engine oil still looks as if it has just been poured in the oil tank.

The fuel cap has intense spider activity, which is a confirmation that nobody has even tried to put fuel in this car for ages. Eight liters of fuel later, Johnny tries to fire up the engine. It does crank but doesn't run. He suspects the battery is dead.

The first car with a CD changer is standard, and it still works. Washing the car reveals a gorgeous gold beige that looks impeccable. Except for those scratches and dents that Audrey made. However, paint correction and polishing would do.

Hours later, with more fuel and a new battery in the key fob, the V8 is still dead. But it is obvious that this old-school luxury sedan still has life in it. A day later, with a new fuel pump, the engine roared back to life.