Only in Shanghai | FerrariChat

Only in Shanghai

Discussion in 'General Automotive Discussion' started by judge4re, May 11, 2004.

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  1. judge4re

    judge4re F1 World Champ

    Apr 26, 2003
    13,477
    Never home
    Full Name:
    Dr. Dumb Ass
    Sorry, no pictures, but you've got to believe me.

    I was on my way back from lunch today and looked up from my paper to see a police car pull into a corner gas station. Something didn't look right. It was a standard white and blue police car with a light bar and all the logos. Then it dawned on me...

    IT WAS A LEXUS LS400!!!
     
  2. Aureus

    Aureus Formula 3

    ouch, Chinese cops in Japanese luxury cars eh?
    How about England though?, in London due to a shortage of prison vans the prisoners were moved around in chauffer-driven E-class mercedes-benz.
     
  3. judge4re

    judge4re F1 World Champ

    Apr 26, 2003
    13,477
    Never home
    Full Name:
    Dr. Dumb Ass
    One of the taxi companies in town is using E200 compressor Benzes. Really ticked off a friend of mine in the States when he bought a new E500 and I told him it was a Chinese taxi.
     
  4. LA Swede

    LA Swede Formula Junior

    Dec 5, 2003
    373
    SoCal
    Do they sell Lexus in China? Or could it have been a Toyota Celsior, or a Toyota Aristo? In Japan, up until this year, I believe, there were no Lexus cars, only Toyotas. Toyota Celsior is the LS400 and the Aristo I think is the GS model, same cars as Lexus tens of thousands cheaper with Toyota badges.

    I once saw a Toyota Aristo in Beverly Hills, thought it was funny. Also saw a Benz S200 in Beijing, that thing had to be soooooo underpowered.

     
  5. judge4re

    judge4re F1 World Champ

    Apr 26, 2003
    13,477
    Never home
    Full Name:
    Dr. Dumb Ass
    It was a Lexus. We were close enough to see the badges. A Celsior (which I've seen plenty of in Tokyo) are for the most part RHD. I haven't seen one that is LHD yet.

    I had a GS300 which, you are correct, is the Aristo in Japan. In Japan, they used to also sell it as a twin turbo. NA never got that version for warranty concerns (this was when Lexus was still being built up as a brand).

    There are a lot of underpowered cars here. Government employees below a certain level are limited to 1.8 liter engines as company cars. They can afford more, but they can't buy them. There have been requests for BMW to put a turbo/supercharged 1.8l engine in the new 7-series. Only in China...
     

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