What people? You : The imaginary people and market you think you know about?

Let me tell you, "people" recognize the LS as a legitimate entry in the field, no matter the price. "People" that buy these vehicles are not worried about what "people" on the internet with their outlandish theories think.

B/C it seems I'm the only idiot with a current LS even chiming in this thread to provide insight. Do you want to know why these "people" don't even bother?

You obviously have some odd weird fascination with charactaring the most successful Asian flagship luxury brand as "cheap" with a view that is quite small in you only are recognizing one car, at one moment at MSRP. You are not calling the other cars that start at a smiler price "cheap". You are not calling cars cheaper than the LS "cheap".

I guess myself and my "people" will just hang our heads in shame based on what you think is "cheap".

 

Sorry but you are wrong. The. 4.6 in the LS is fine and it got a minor rework to add more power. The LS competes well with the likes of the A8, 7 series and S class.

 

Let's not forget the market population here.

For those that buy the S-Class or LS-Line, this is typically not the only car in the garage. It probably isn't the main family hauler or daily driver; this will be the weekend car for most. Now, yes, there are people that use this as a daily driver, but still, it isn't typically used as such.

That being said, if this car is the weekend car, it needs to have all the bells and whistles to make it a truly special car: to impress the neighbors, excite the valet, and cause envy to every other lowly onlooker. The S-Class is surely more technologically advanced both in powertrain and amenities. Not that the LS is a bad choice, but it doesn't have anything spectacular over the S-Class for now.


And the most difficult thing about the "cream of the crop" models is that amenities such as a V8 engine or leather+wood on everything is now being offered by non-luxury marques such as Hyundai and Kia. Therefore, the LS needs to provide something that goes beyond a quiet cabin, a plush ride, and extra legroom.

I believe customization is going to play a major role in how these models will evolve. Cars such as the S-Class and LS-Line will need to cater to a person's unique preferences just like their cell phones: with apps and settings and music/media immediately available.


Who knows what the next generation LS will bring? I'm pretty sure that's already in the works, but unless if you're an engineer for Lexus, your guess is as good as mine...

 

Have you reviewed or driven an Equus? There a reason why it costs over 60K. And there's also a reason why it's aimed at the LS460. It's' not quite the LS's equal, but the difference is much narrower than a lot of people think.

 

I disagree Phil. Of course there will be more standard features and technology when the new LS comes out, but a quiet cabin, plush ride, and class leading reliability are the things that keep people coming back to the LS. My folks have owned only Lexus vehicles for the last 20 years, and this is what keeps them in the LS. Once the new one comes out, sales will jump and it will regain market share. Lexus has no need to worry.

 

A whopping 6hp

 

mercedes already does offer tons of customization. it's lexus that needs to step it up in this area.

having said that, the ls is still an AWESOME car, and very relevant today and still selling pretty well. the engine in particular is a JEWEL.

i don't care for the new spindle on it though, unless the car is a dark color.

 

Gotta agree with pvmike. With the LS, plushness, luxury, quietness/smoothness, and reliability is the name of the game. Anything else and it's simply not an LS. Sure, you can add the Sport and F-Sport packages, but that just makes it less of a traditional LS and more of a big luxo/sport sedan like the BMW 7-series.

 

He wants to pull down the LS to a level that is comparable to his pretender Korean cars, which is simply out of touch with reality and one of their biggest dreams it seems.

The LS is executed an order of magnitude better than its Korean copies and better even than many of its European competition like the A8 or the XJ.

It simply isn't, and I've compared both. It's not even 80% of an LS. The bodywork, detailing, and finish is an entire level below the LS, and the interiors are no comparison. Walking around and sitting in both cars back to back it becomes instantly evident. The Equus looks and feels like a class below the premium badged full sizers, it looks and feels like a budget alternative. The LS despite being slightly cheaper than the Germans doesn't in any way feel out of place for the segment, in fact it's quite up there in many respects. That's the difference between cheap and value.

Do not take the bait of Hyundai trolls trying to convert another Lexus thread into a Lexus vs. Hyundai one for their SEO and marketing purposes.

 

I understand where they are coming from, but I'm not in the business of either marketing cars or helping others to do so. I simply call it as I see it. Some agree with me.....some don't.

 

If I were not taking price and engine size into consideration, I would say the Eqqus is about as good as a Toyota Avalon in regards to quality. It really is not in the league as an LS and prestige is really lacking.

Its too bad there is no longer a V8 Phaeton, that would be tbe perfect car to compare the Eqqus to.

 

obviously there are people who shares this viewpoint

i was only agreeing with cmk's post about his family member thinking LS is too cheap. i've met enough people who thinks like this - most are german fanboys. lol

but this consumer behavior is common in all luxury goods. 'brand A must not as good as brand B because it's cheaper than brand B' happens all the time.

 

Equus is class below LS. that's why it is 20-30k cheaper than LS. when did i ever say equus is LS's level? if i ever did, then i must be drunk as hell. don't ever remember saying that.

but i think it is reasonable to say LS is somewhere between Equus and S class. that's how i see it. this is purely just me.

luxury scale 1-100

S class - 97
LS - 85
Equus - 72

i think LS is good, but not great. Equus is decent, still long way to go. it has a passing grade. S class is just out of this world. it's almost perfect. my mind was blown when i test drove one. not a big fan of a8 & 7 series now, but i would grade them somewhere between high 80's. maybe low 90's.

let me know if this is a hyundai troll post.

 

The rating from 1-100 is closer to:

S-class 97
LS - 89
7 series - 89
A8 - 87
XJ - 85
Equus - 70

 

that's not my sentiment. but i believe there are many people who think like that. i see it everywhere. friends, forums, at work, etc. at the end of the day it's a luxury product wearing hyundai and kia badge. it's natural for people to think like that. it's like selling a Mink coat at Sears. wait, Sears did try that long time ago. miserably failed at it though.