Hi everyone , I was just wondering how much was the Lexus LS 400 and the ES 250 was when they first came out because I was too young back then to be thinking about cars....lso if possible how was their price compared with the competition, was the LS always less than the S-Class back then and 7-Series? Thanks!

 

I do believe the LS was cheaper back then. I think Toyota, if I remember correctly, wanted to make a luxury car better than both Benz and Bimmer for a lower price. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 

The price advantage of the LS 400 was huge compared to the BMW 7 series (5-series even) and Mercedes S-class.

At its launch, the LS 400 was around $35,000 which undercut the $50-60,000+ German luxury cars by quite a lot. It also led to allegations that Toyota was 'dumping' the new Lexus on the market at a loss, but that seems unlikely given the (1) rigorous cost-control Toyota is renowned for, but also (2) possible given the $1 billion the F1 project, which resulted in the LS, cost. That said, over time, it's been said that Lexus accounts for a disproportionate amount of Toyota Motor Corp's profits, and is truly a huge money-maker for dealers and the company.

Today, the LS 430 still has a large price advantage, coming in at $55,000 base price vs. the $70,000 7-series and Mercedes S-class. The LS 430 price is comparable to the Mercedes E-class. Of course, car reviewers may point out that the LS 430, with the Ultra Luxury package (rear seat massagers, cool box, rear seat radio, etc.) is around $10,000, bringing the car to nearly $70,000, but the BMW and Benz models have packages too which add on. Plus you'll find some examples of people on this board who found more negotiation room from Lexus, and did not pay that much over MSRP.