Dave600hL

I don't know if this is really the case ,but it seemed every year a new minor change LS would come out. I don't want to seem stuck up or what ever, but I do like having the latest car model and all these minor changes make it difficult.

The main reason is the tech on the new S-class and the fact that I wanted more powerful car with the AMG. The looks are also better than the LS IMO.

chikoo

the S500 styling, esp interior is not laid back. It is refreshing, exuberant, and engaging in every way with lots of detail, and attention to detail. The LS is more of a vault. Solid.

Mr Bond

This. When I see an A8 im just thinking " i saw this 10 years ago". Its the same with the new A4. That does not mean "ugly" or "bad" in any way. We do all know that these cars are among the best in the world.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

the w222 is definitely something else. i personally think the new 7 is nice but not as nice too. but looking back between s550 and LS back in 2007, i think they were much closer match. i am very much looking forward to the new LS and see how it stacks up. especially given how strong a statement lexus is making

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

yeah it's so simple.

'everybody' is often wrong. lexus has shown with the GS350 F-Sport that it can definitely make a very competent handling sedan. the LS has been relatively soft with 'ship steering' but there's no reason lexus can't or won't dial it up a few notches, maybe between the regular and the f-sport (more so than today) or even introduce an LS-F.

while i agree the s class is an awesome looker, the a8 and new 7 series are beautiful to me too, although more reserved, but still extremely classy.

i don't think the segment needs 'lexus new design language' like tons of creases, bulges, indentations, gigantic grills and gimmicky roof lines. the LS (like you said about the s class) needs to be conservative and elegant but in a unique way.

pman6

the bar is set pretty low.

As long as lexus does better than bmw, they'll be ok.

bmw 7 and audi a8 are both very ugly and boring.

blacksc400

iTrader: (4)

It's opposite than low, all luxury brand flagships have awesome techs that's just completely insane, Lexus needs to bring out everything to stay competitive. The S class and G11 7 are way ahead in tech and interior design/quality.

Mr. Burns

I don't think it would be too difficult for Lexus to outdo the current/new MB S-class.

I was thoroughly unimpressed with it given the hype train on the internet. Yes it's good, but it's not an unbeatable leap forward. Every new S-class brings with it a chorus of overly zealous media types praising it as the best car in the world, and almost every version is proven by time to be nothing of the sort. I mean you can pick up W221 S550s with lower mileage for less than LS460s on the used market, they cost $30k+ more when new. They were subpar cars in finish and quality, with some of the ****tiest paint you'll ever see on a $100k car - as an example.

The current LS interior is still very close to the S-class quality/comfort wise IRL (vs. standard factory on-the-lot models, excluding highly optioned or designo models).



BMW seems to have phoned it in with the excessively evolutionary 7er and Audi may be forced to delay the A8 given VW's diesel gate scandal and reprioritizing of development investment. Not that the A8 will ever be a real contender in this segment in the US without a RWD platform.

So the ball is really in Lexus' court now regarding how good they make the next LS. If they simply massage the existing platform and pretend it's a new car it will date rapidly. Personally I feel this could be one of the finest luxury cars you can buy at any price, and will - as usual - stand the test of time far better than the current and much lauded S-class Mercedes.

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

This is the tech that the LS must surpass:

rxonmymind

That may be the case but also a lot more things to go wrong. How many times has your computer froze up on you? These cars now have 5,7,9 chips inside a vehicle. Sure they eventually reboot but knowing BMW they WILL require you to go to the dealership to get it fixed at an nose bleeding price.. Just talked to my mechanic who is master certified and one BMW he had to turn away as replacing the oil pan was a 15 hour job. Engine & tranny involved. So being on the cutting edge there is a price to pay. No thanks. Newer isn't always better.

That's not to say Lexus can't marry the technologies they have that are proven. Stop/start tech from a Prius. Mating a hybrid engine into current V6 cars with a range of 30 electric miles. Have them charge either by the engine itself or plug in. But not so high tech would be nice to have curb sensors so one is not shredding their expensive rims. Continue to refine self parking feature so a car can park itself without hitting the garage wall.
A heads up display that can give you navigation. These screens are OK but if a heads up display could do this it would make life a lot better. Looking for a restaurant at night? Type it in and have the HUD put a green box on the windshield and as you are getting closer it MOVES say toward the passenger side of the car and gets bigger as you get closer untill it flashes red or something.
Better air circulation systems are needed also. I can't tell you how many times I've driven through stinky country that I wish the filters would have blocked out.
So as much as I lime tech and I know many are jonesing for it it'll break and cost an pretty penny to fix.

Tantrix

As Lexus readies for the next Ls500, Hyundai is already offering the Genesis 5.0 Ultimate at literally half the cost of the current LS460. If you do your research you will see that it can be had for half the cost.

And if any of you have driven the 5.0 you will understand why it makes the LS460 completely irrelevant. Lexus will have a hard time because the market does not have an appetite for 80K big cars with v8 engines. Unless of course they cost about 40k. The current Genesis base model totally demolishes the similar priced Lexus ES, The Tech trim out does the Lexus GS and The Ultimate V6 trim completely destroys the Lexus GS.

Before you buy your next Lexus I'd suggest you go test drive the 2nd Gen first. This time the brand name factor will not be a reason for you to not choose the Genesis.

Carmaker1

May not be important to everyone, but the timeline and longevity of the current generation is very important to get right, while discussing its successor. It is one of Toyota's most prominent and longest running model generations. There are no signs of a fifth generation launching in 2016 anymore, so your claim of a 3-4 year run is not factual. It is 5 years (August 2012 to summer 2017).

Japanese media have pointed to a May 2017 JDM date and Tokyo 2015 concept presentation, while Western media continue to regurgitate the same, unverified date/year of late 2016 and "production unveiling" at Tokyo 2015. All despite how, it has been stated the LC will debut and go on sale first on the new RWD modular platform, in early 2017. Unless there's an LS hiatus until the new model arrives, it will would've been in production from July/August 2006 to March/April 2017.

The current facelift (introduced in July 2012) was an update of a previous facelift presented in August 2009, for a model unveiled in October 2005 (LF-Sh) and January 2006 respectively. It is 10 years old essentially and by the time the current 40-Series LS is retired, it will be a full 12 years since the LF-Sh concept debuted and 14 years (2003) since the 4LS design was presented as a proposal at HQ.

Part of me has questioned, if Lexus dedicated all LS-related efforts to the facelift and barely got to work on the new LS after the facelift was launched in late 2012. I would hope that isn't true, considering how much work is needed for it and likely not true, as the design was locked in by early 2014, if prototypes were being shown in private last autumn.

I am doubting that they can truly stand out and obliterate the competition, if things were worked on too last minute and if they are too reserved with development (focused too much on fuel cell, not much else). Hopefully the concept is unveiled in 10 days time (probably not likely).

TangoRed

You just love exaggerating. They were certainly not subpar in finish and quality.

Please. Bentley Continental/Flying Spur sales have been great over the last decade with its non-RWD platform. The Audi A8's platform isn't what's holding it back.

Mr Bond

Much of that is not that hard to accomplish or improve. The techology in all those examples has been around for a couple of years now and its just a matter of cost, or more specific: how much does the Lexus/Audi/Jaguar etc customer wants to pay for it. There should be no trouble for any onther car manufacturer to implement this in a new car if customers asks and wants to pay for it.

The only "cool" thing here is the self parking system, even if I doubt that people will use this. Who has time for this procedure ? People simply park the car and walk away. But yes, its a cool feature to show friends at a grill party .

Mr. Burns

It was sub-par compared to what it was billed as by MB and by the media. In some areas it was sub-par period, such as the paint quality.


The Bentley is too old and too niche to be relevant in this discussion.

Do you know what the similar priced Lexus ES demolishes the Genesis V6 at? Sales.

No one wants a Genesis.