When you go shopping with €100,000 in your back pocket you are faced with two immediate choices: first a selection of tight two-seaters that will hurtle you towards the horizon at a rate to challenge the shutter speed of the gatso cameras; the other a selection of mobile couches with so much high-tech entertainment gadgetry that it makes your sitting room seem sparse and outdated.
The latter models seem to mimic great sailing ships, transporting captains of industry around their empires.
The Germans have long ruled the luxury high seas with such stalwarts as the S-Class, BMW 7-Series and Audi A8. However, Japan has been making serious in-roads into all market segments of late, including luxury. While they have arguably toppled the Europeans and Americans from the mass-market perch in many markets, the traditionally conservative premium flagship audience has been more difficult to woo.
The oriental standard bearer is the LS430, which has now had a minor restyling - the latest version is a more sporting model than its predecessor.
In terms of looks, the changes are not striking - a wider bonnet, new front grille and new AFS (Adaptive Front-lighting System) headlamps. It's under the skin that the major work has taken place, with air suspension and a snappier gearbox.
Yet, for all the sporty claims, it's luxury that motorists are after in this class. They want an aura of quality that's reflected in the rich, buttery-soft leather upholstery, cut-pile carpets, leather and wood trim. All feature in the LS430, along with a Mark Levinson 11-speaker audio system with concert hall acoustics. It all adds up to livingroom comfort.
It's not just the driver and front passenger who benefit from the armchair ride. Go for the optional presidential package and you get rear climate and audio controls, and adjustable heated rear seats - there's even a massaging function to soothe those tense muscles.
Cars such as this are expected to waft you along as if on a cloud, silent and silky smooth, and the LS430's new air suspension puts it on a par with its German counterparts for smooth ride quality.
Of course, it must also pack a punch on the road. During our test, the LS430 made its way without a murmur, tyre noise being the only disturbance to the perfect pitch of the stereo system as the V8 engine pumped out 282 bhp. The 4.3-litre engine pushes the Lexus from 0-62 mph in 6.3 seconds, almost half a second quicker than before.
The momentum is all the more impressive when one considers that this two-tonnes of metal - despite losing 10kgs this time out - doesn't benefit from the levels of aluminium used in competitors such as the Audi and Jaguar XJ, both nearly 200kgs lighter. There's also the new six-speed electronically-controlled semi-sequential automatic transmission, meant to improve driving dynamics and give a wider range of closer gear ratios.
The new transmission offers improved consumption. We managed to average 18.7 mpg, peaking at over 40 mpg at motorway speeds in cruise control.
Yet for all the luxury and "sporting character" we would find room to criticise the steering. If it wants to stand over such "sports" claims Lexus should aim to put more life into its steering and improve interaction with the driver. It's a complaint we had previously with the RX range and it features in the LS as well. The Japanese marque should look to its own very impressive IS range for hints at what it should be aiming for.
Of course, no luxury model would be complete without a host of electronic wizardry. BMW has its iDrive, Audi its MMI and the LS430 its new "Touch System".
However, while it scores high in terms of ease of use, it seems to be effectively the same system that features in the new Toyota Prius. As worthy as this is, it's not the sort of comparison likely to impress many fat cats.
Lexus makes much being of the LS403's Bluetooth system, which in layman's terms can turn this goliath into a giant phone booth. Bluetooth is now a common feature on most mobile phones, particularly among €100,000 car buyers. With Mr Brennan set to ban motorists from using hand-held phones this year, it seems crazy to expect busy executives to spend valuable time fiddling with their SIM cards, trying to install them in the car phone every time they go anywhere. Whether Bluetooth would be considered a deal breaker on the forecourt remains to be seen, but the benefits were obvious to us.
There's also a voice control system that recognises over 300 different commands - it managed to decipher our mumbling nonsense most of the time. Such systems are optional on the likes of the Audi and come as standard only in the BMW 760i flagship. Yet, given that the radio/CD button is already on the steering wheel, having to push another button to tell the car to change CD seems a touch pointless.
Perhaps the most lasting impression of the LS is the high-level of standard features, many only options with competitors. Add these to competitors and the LS soon becomes good value. Yet these high-tech accessories don't seem to overcome the LS430's biggest hurdle.
Three generations and one mid-model restyle later, Lexus refers to its flagship as its best-kept secret. Most Lexus drivers would agree. At least some of the reason for this is the invisible styling.
All three German entrants are beautifully sculpted, leaving the Lexus looking rather dated even with this latest facelift. One passer-by compared the LS to a previous model of S-Class. We have to agree. Relatively bland styling is a problem Lexus shares with parent Toyota, and one which its designers are busy rectifying for future models. For the time being, however, we must accept the largely American influence in the LS look.
That's perfectly understandable given its success over there, where it has been the top-selling luxury brand for the past three years - not bad for a marque that is little more than 10 years old.
However, this success will always pose a problem in Europe, for the car's design reflects US rather than European tastes. Sadly, as innovative and cutting-edge as it is in terms of technology, it remains Luddite in terms of design.