Jeremiah87

So what do you guys think of the LS400 from a design stand point? Is it contemporary in your opinion? For example, I like the boxiness of the car, its chiseled with some sublte curves here and there....one word to describe the LS400 is masculine. I associate chiseled/hard lines/boxiness with being more masculine while curves and contours being more feminine. Think S2000 vs. Miata for example. The S2K is chiseled and flat while the Miata is very curvaceous so S2K ends up looking masculine.

As for age, our cars definitely up there in age. With the last of the LS400s ending in 2000. I do think the 2nd generation has noticable updates in exterior styling but for the most part the sedan body style remains distinct and recognizable regardless of year.

Do you guys think our cars are aging gracefully and still look somewhat current or plain and simple they look old? Compare the LS400 to GS400....because the GS400 is more on the curvy side (still boxy though) it tends to look more youthful like the son while the LS400 is the dad...heck maybe even the grandpa. So even though they are from the same generation/years...the GS400 looks "newer" than the LS400.

Now bear in mind this in reference to stocky bodies...no crazy body mods that alter the car's appearance drastically ie. VIP/show car/etc.

It just crossed my mind today as I was cruising on the highway and spotted quite a few GS400s and some LS460s. The LS460 looks much newer (of course it is literally newer) but the curviness makes it look fresher/up to date.

How do you guys feel about your LS400/on the matter? Just something that was on my mind.


^Looks like the OG uncle


^Looks more youthful...its the son.

Maybe had they designed the LS400 to be a bit more curvy it would age better? Like the RL for example:



And just to add, take a look at the LS430. It kinda looks a bit newer than the LS400 but in the same respect it looks dated as well...and to be honest I was never to hot on the high roofline. That LS400 is boxy but the LS430 is way to much box for lack of a better description. Its like the roof is just to high and the car ends up looking awkward. Also bear in mind I do believe color plays a significant role in how old a car looks...since this 430 is blue it has a more youthful exterior vibe than if it was black/silver/white. Maybe thats just crazy talk but take any bright color and it makes a car look newer, while conservative colors can make a car look older.

RA40

iTrader: (6)

Not like the car has wrinkles, age spots and such. For what a car is the styling implemented for that period shows. The LS400 to a 460 doesn't have the flow of a recent car design.

The headlights, tail lights, flow lines...everywhere. The current grill styling is huge and just about every manufacturer has some queues of that. In my eyes, I don't view it as aging gracefully but simply that the design style is outdated.

I am amused at comments that people might not view a car as being that old but it simply tells me they are unfamiliar with that model styling. Our friends will comment how good a shape the car is for being X old but not that they thought it was recent car based on the condition.

Volvo would be my visual exception since they maintain more uniformity through the generations but even a 80's Volvo will appear different to a current model. There is strong family resemblance.

nostalgi

I have to disagree on the Volvo - they've made som drastic changes throughout the years - compare the old curvy ones like the Amazon and the P1800 to the "boxiness" of the 140 through 940-series and then back to the curves but in a new way with the S80 and newer - now transformed into the standardized wedges like the new V40 and V60. In fact, if you photoshop a Volvo grille on almost any car, it will look like a Volvo.

As for thew LS400, it kind of looks like what it was supposed to be - a car that should feel european to americans. For me as european, it has a distinct american exterior but somewhat off. The interior is japanese though, with all its buttons.

The LS460 feels much more japaneese to me, something about the shape of the headlights.

RA40

iTrader: (6)

Volvo did make changes, they retain a visual style that is an unmistakeable Volvo look. The later years the body lines changed and to my eyes, they were still discernible as a Volvo product.

Generally speaking, previous models take evolutionary steps so there has been a tendency that there is some hint at the previous model. Toyota tried to differentiate the flagship model LS with each generation. (Grouping the 89-00 LS as one.) The 1-GS and 2-GS share certain styling and the 3-GS was a departure though the 4-GS has a bit of 3-GS in it. The 2-IS to current 4-IS shares a similar look though it is different in an accumulation of evolutionary steps. ES as well.

Coming back to aging gracefully, certain cars may carry over a universal look that is timeless. The Porsche 911 platform would fit that. There have been departures and yet, Porsche had kept that resemblance. This is seen in the current model offerings (Cayman, Boxster, Panamera, Cayanne.) Other than that, it comes to the grill and or tail lights.

Jlacck

Funny, I actually always felt like the LS400 series was a very timeless look. Especially the 98+ To me these cars look very good with custom wheels on them and I think that's one way to help sort of "refresh" the look. I don't think too many people look at the ls400 and say "thats an old car" or "that car looks old". I think so long as the car is kept in great shape, it'll still get compliments.

On the other hand however, I made the unfortunate mistake recently of parking next to a 460 in a parking lot. I wanted to see how the two cars compared and see how well our car was aging. Big Mistake! That was the first time I looked at my car and said... Wow, that thing looks old!!! lol I wanted to move it away from that 460!

YoshiMan

I like the way how my 95' looks understated from a distance, but the first time I put gas in it and was standing right next to it, it gives off a muscular appearance from the way the body lines flow from the back to front, and also how it looks wider at the lower edges below the doors, as if it's hiding what it truly is capable of underneith.

OKSTANCE

i personally think you can style an older ls to look as though it was made after 2000 with some subtle styling updates


but obviously the 98-00 have a big advantage with keeping the boxiness and robust attitude and rounded edges


but IMO all the new styles are way overdone for most cars minus the frs

McPierson

iTrader: (3)

I feel like most modern designs are overstyled. Look at every Mopar, and every american sports car. Many designers incorporate that overstyling better than others, but it's still bling for the sake of bling. That's the opposite of what the LS400 design says to me.

So if you want your LS to look newer throw some big wheels on it a body kit and some black paint. Don't expect it to look better than a well done car w/o a body kit, but newer.