While the exterior of the car looks great, I am quite disappointed with the interior. While I know it's just my opinion I don't feel it looks $100k plus worthy.

 

it's not going to cost more than $100k.

 

Haha, that was why I purposely skipped the '13 GS350 and waited for the "14 GS350 for fear of lexus doing the same thing.
Thankfully, or unthankfully, lexus never did upgrade it (except for the 6 spd tranny to 8 spd).

Hopefully lexus won't pull this trick for the '19 LS

 

Honestly disagree. Looks just as expensive as the competition which can be priced over $100k.

I strongly believe it will when optioned up.

 

I suppose that you're likely correct in that it will cost more than $100k when fully optioned, although I think the fully-optioned price will hover around $100k and not exceed it by a terrible amount a la s class.

 

You cannot properly judge an interior from pictures you must experience it in person.

 

In most cases, that's true. I've seen it happen a number of times....a nice-looking cabin, in photo-shots, turning out to be uncomfortable to sit in and/or made of second-rate materials underneath the surface glitter. Good examples were early models of the Buick Encore and Chrysler 300.

 

Its truly amazing how many people here or anywhere else are screaming about how great the first LS400 was and how dare Lexus release this current 5LS that can't even compete with the 1LS, when most of those complaining didn't even buy the 1LS or wasn't even around during the time of the 1LS.

1LS changed the game, made the competition produce better product, and was a great value. Ok, we get it. But times change and the competition is insane today. No matter what Lexus does, they cannot replicate the conditions that were present to allow the LS400 to prosper.

Don't understand why people are so stubborn about living in the past.

 

Using the way you just described it, though, it's probably not an issue of living in the past. I don't really see the so-called "times" as having changed that much. Back in 1990, when the 1Gen LS was introduced, its Mercedes S-Class competition was priced substantially higher than the LS......and, today, it still is. 27 years (more than a quarter of a century) have not changed that.

 

didn't you just exactly state the problem?

lexus came out with such a big punch with the 1ls400, it was great in everything.

now comes the 5ls, great in some area, but the drivetrain leaves some wondering...

 

I don't know who's exactly "screaming" or "stubborn". I just see Lexus fans on Car Chat expressing some reservations and doing critiques about this new LS' body style and its engine choice along with its interior. I don't see anyone really living in the past other than just saying that Lexus started with the idea of disrupting the high end market with a sedan that sent the Germans back to the design studios and the engineering test tracks.

No problem with the V6tt at all, but to not launch with a V8 option or say that it's in the pipeline, means you have ceded the ground to the Germans already. This car is not going to be bench-marked at a Lexus dealership. It's going to be tested by car mags, online review sites and comparison blogs.

Right now you have all three of the Germans and even Cadillac that are able to approach this car's 0-60 time within 1 second. That's with their base motors.

This car better handle close to the S class' firmest setting while still providing a traditional Lexus smooth ride. It can't exceed $95K fully loaded up with every gadget known to the automotive industry.

Where does the Lexus fit here? IMO that grill is not going to attract the 60 -70 year old customers to this car. On the other hand younger buyers could not care less about this car so all they see is a plain side profile and big grill and big air inlets. Nothing special.

Good point. MB was rather staid with their cars back then. That's not the case today. And you can see that S class and 7 series sold quite well last year compared to the LS. Now that's because it was a dated design but it still tells a customer that the LS has a lot of ground to make up. It needs to have some handling prowess like the 7 while having the luxury of the S and still being an all-rounder like the A8.

 

Most LS buyers are probably not terribly concerned with handling.......and, for those that are, you have the AWD and F-Sport models.

 

I don't know that you have to buy, or be around when 1LS was first released, but certainly times have changed, and the German competition is certainly insane today, and no matter what Lexus does, they cannot replicate the conditions of the 1LS on debut back in 1989...

 

Maybe that should be the question to ask:

What would Lexus have to do (today) to be a game changer like they did in 1990 or to blow the Germans out of the water?

Lighter?
Faster?
Packed with technology?
Exotic materials-inside and out?
More option personalizations?

If you guys can have your PERFECT LS, what would it be?

 

I fail to see how wanting the LS to continue with a V8 engine is some lofty expectation. Did Lexus suddenly become too poor or lose technical ability?