Body Structure
Body StructureLightweight and Highly Rigid Body
1. High Strength Sheet Steel
^ On the new '07 LS460L/460, the application of high strength sheet steel has been increased from the previous '06 LS430 to realize a lightweight yet highly rigid body.
^ Ultra high strength sheet steel is used in the front pillar reinforcements, center pillar reinforcements, front door inner reinforcements, and rocker members.
^ Ultra high strength sheet steel has approximately 1.3 times the strength of conventional high strength sheet steel.
2. Aluminum
The front suspension member, No. 2 member reinforcement, engine hood, bumper reinforcement and the crush box are made of aluminum for weight reduction. Compared to steel, the use of aluminum has realized a weight reduction of 30% at the front suspension member and 45% at the engine hood.
3. Body Shell Construction
^ A cowl reinforcement has been added to the cowl. A dash-to-cowl reinforcement and a dash lower cross member have been added to the dash panel. Further, the dash cross members have been reinforced. These measures have helped to improve the torsional rigidity of the body and ensure driving stability.
^ The room partition panel is made of differential thickness bonded steel and is laser welded to effectively improve its torsional rigidity while minimizing the weight increase.
^ The engine under cover No. 2 is made of aluminum to improve body rigidity. The braces that join the front mounting area of the rear sub frame and the rear floor side members are provided on the sport package. These braces improve the rigidity of the areas where the suspension is mounted and ensure driving stability.