Actually rumor has it that MB is bringing the S350 over here soon...

 

lol it's ok, i just wanted a laugh

who said this ls sport will START at 100k anyway? and who's going to get a s class at starting price? pointless

i owned a ls460l, and i was this close from getting the s550. both are good cars. but i can easily give 5 points where the s class is "inferior" to the ls. doesn't matter, this is the internet

 

And Lexus has the LS350 up their sleeve...

 

95% of drivers who shell out the money for the LS will not want a sport version. It seems like an oxymoron to me. I like the aftermarket kits and wheels for the LS, but I dont think Lexus really needs to massage the car to produce a me too model to appease the ex-customers of Mercedes and BMW.

I like the direction Lexus is going but the need to focus on the GS before they go messing with the LS.

 

This might be the most sensible post of this thread...very good point.

 

This car sooooo needs some dna, some energy, some excitement. It's just a nice large sedan, but that's it. It's NOT an exciting sedan by any means. Like there's no soul to it and at times I see it lost amongst other cars in traffic and parking lots. Sigh.

 

The current S-class starts higher because they don't send the smaller V8 (S450 which is available to other parts of the world) to the U.S. anymore, whereas the previous S-Class is available with the S430, which is also available in SWB. Yes they even made the S350 available in the U.S. in it's final model year. So you could get a S-class for about $70K in the previous generation, but the S500 can easily be $100K+ loaded, just like the current S550.

We have the S450 available with SWB in Canada, & it's about $15K less than a S550(available in LWB only) in base price. If you compare engine size, the LS460 is much closer to the S450 than the S550, but the S450 only makes 340hp wheras the LS460 makes 380hp, the S550 makes 382hp but the engine is bigger by almost one litre.
Now you can always ask why Lexus doesn't offer a bigger engine for the LS, or just put the 5.0 V8 in the non-hybrid LS (a LS500), that's their choice, maybe they think they can sell enough cars with the 460 engine, and the vast majority of their target customer do not want or need a higher power LS.
Actually it's true for the S-class too, the V12 only make up a few percent of the S-class sales, & that's in the U.S. It should be an even smaller percentage in most other parts of the world where gas prices are higher or much higher.
With Lexus/Toyota, they always have making a good business case as top priority when deciding whether to offer certain models, if they think the market for them is too small, they most likely won't bother doing it, they won't build a super powerful sedan just for the sake of having it and bragging about it. Some of us may not like this philosophy, but it seems that's the way they are, they care about efficiency in their operations more than anything.

 

I want to make something clear here, and I know that the S vs. LS points have already been rehashed like mashed potatoes.

The LS starts at $64,000 for the standard wheelbase version. Mercedes does not offer a standard wheelbase version of the S Class in the USA.

The LS 460L, which is the most direct competitor to the S Class (because Mercedes only sells the LWB version in the USA) starts at $74,000.

And since when does power, especially 2hp and 24lb-ft of torque in the S Class' favor, contribute to the "feel" of a car?

 

That is one hot looking ES 350!!!!!!

Wait, is that an LS? Dang! I can't tell them apart nowadays.

 

Additionally, for all of the people who think the LS is just some wallowy yacht of a vehicle...have you forgotten about the Touring model?



From TTAC, of all publications:

 

^^What they need to do is allow you to combine the Touring Package with the rear-seat upgrade and the Executive Package options. Right now, they don't allow you to do that, You can only have one or the other, so you can never build the "perfect" loaded LS.

 

I recall hearing that because of the rear suspension setup on the Touring, they cannot add the executive package. I think it had something to do with the rear stabilizer bars interfering, but I am not sure.

 

My grandpa was so excited, he had a heart attack after I told him about the news.

 

Even if this is true, what about Touring Package with the rear-seat upgrade, that's probably what I would have chosen if they allow me to build one, instead of the Executive Package. And I am sure they can work around it if they had planned to combine those all in one package right from the beginning when they design the car. The flexibility in options packaging is one of the things that make choosing the S550 better, you can have the AMG Sports package and Active Body Control, & still can have all the rear-seat upgrade luxury options. Lexus have the APSSS but isn't even offered as an option for the LS460's.

I don't agree that a car is better if it's sportier, especially for this class of cars, it's a matter of preference, not which is better, but I think as a flagship, you should have the flexibility to offer the customers the choice of getting EXACTLY what they want in options.

 

I totally agree with that statement, the LS have such a nice power train, it can be so much more of a car. Sounds like this sport version will be another half ares attempt to make a full size sport saden. Lexus need to either get serious about getting into the mid size and full size sport sedan market or just stick to their luxury ride theme.