AS I APPROACHED the gleaming Lexus GS300, all I could think of was John Betjeman's poem Executive and, in particular, a couple of lines;
'I am a young executive. No cuffs than mine are cleaner;
I have a slimline briefcase and I use the firm's Cortina.'
Substitute 'Lexus' for 'Cortina' and, bingo, an instant poetry update - albeit with a dodgy rhyme. Nothing says 'executive' like a Lexus. From the soft leather seats (spongy as an expense account cream cake) to the whisper of the closing doors (as discrete as a hushed 'thank you' as you hand over your corporate platinum credit card to pay the bill), everything about this car exudes comfort and service quality normally encountered in hotel dining rooms and members' clubs.
Even the brochure reinforces the corporate theme. It's full of those terrifying motivational phrases so beloved of compulsory training sessions. 'The stronger the base, the higher you climb' is a particular favourite.
The Lexus is imposing from the outside and the last word in comfort from the inside. The new body is more curved and a lot sportier. The roof slopes to the rear of the boot and the windscreen is steep - which makes for more of a sports car than a family saloon. I like the way the doors are sculpted to reflect the light. Having said all that, there's nothing terribly distinctive about the exterior, it seems to be a hybrid of a couple of cars. But as the salesmen say, it's the exterior that catches the eye and the interior that makes the sale - and the Lexus designers have made sure they're fully covered.