It’s hard to discount the power of Youtube when you can watch a 1989 episode of Top Gear detailing the introduction of the then-newly released Lexus LS 400 (jump ahead to 1:26 to get there directly):
Not a full-on review, which is a slight disappointment, but the praise is astounding, let me quote presenter Tiff Needell:
“The power from the big 32-valve V8 engine comes on as smoothly as the Jaguar, which is saying something. The ride is certainly as good as the Mercedes 420, and the handling on these winding mountain roads is at least the equivalent of a BMW.”
I imagine, when comparing the handling to a BMW, he’s referring to the 7-series.