I see Mercedes is doing that too, wonder why. These manufacturers have to know the driving experience is going to be quite different. I thought the eventual LS500h would be the ideal for this car but the LC500h reviews have me thinking otherwise.

 

Interesting...I had a feeling there was a V8 down the line.

I remember the LC500 was officially debuted before the LC500h. Based on that sequential release of the different drivetrain options, it was very very premature for some people to complain that the LS500 was without a V8. Perhaps just looking for a reason to hate.

A lot of forum members underestimate Lexus and think that the details they are dissatisfied with are actually rookie mistakes by the management team. When in fact....multinational corporations do most things with purpose and consider many strategies before executing their plan.

http://pressroom.lexus.com/releases/...obal+debut.htm


Do you honestly believe that? Corporations like Toyota do product planning years ahead of release. They don't just stomp on the brakes and turn because some members on Club Lexus complained for just a few days. If a major corporation changed their product plans because of a few days of scattered complaints, it would fail miserably.

The bashing...it is endless...

 

Sometimes they actually read forums like ours, too. If they see enough negative reaction to something, they just might change their minds....even if they have already planned something for years. It can be difficult, though, to change one's mind when government policies are actually forcing something. And, of course, forums like our don't always represent the majority of the buying public.


On the other hand, Club Lexus is not just ANY forum. Look at its size, number of members, the size and amount of talk on just this Car Chart forum alone.......never mind the other specific Lexus-product forums added to it. There are a LOT of people on this forum, and you can bet that companies take at least some notice.

 

Yep the LS500h will share the same drivetrain as the LC500h. There will also be a LS 250t then eventually fuel cell LS in 2020.

 

I certainly am not bashing Lexus or hating on Lexus lol

I still don't think they're going to have a V8 that's not part of some super sport version.

 

They've had over 10 years to plan and build the new engine, where is it? That's exactly the point, a corporation like Toyota cannot finish an engine in 10 years? Yeah right! More like they did not even start working on one.

 

Some members complained for a few days and now that theres a hint about V8 coming, its just automatic that Lexus got a panic attack and green lighted a v8?

Lol....alright...

 

They will have a V8. People need to chill.

 

I'm sure more than that was behind it, but my point is that we are not an insignificant forum.

 

The 5LS should have debuted with a V8 and V6 as an option, not the other way around. Of course the V8 will come, but who knows when, could take them years to finish.

 

You're changing the subject. None of us (well at least not me) are talking about new engines, not to mention what engines Lexus should or shouldn't have built 10 years ago. I'm simply stating that there was a lot of premature complaints over something as futile as not having a V8 when Lexus has had a past of releasing drivetrains in different phases.

And my other point was counter to your presumption that Lexus panicked and went for a v8 simply based off of a few members complaining about a lack of a v8. There were members doing arguments for the V6TT so its not like the debate was completely one sided against the V6TT.

Is this what we're reduced to?

LS500 V6TT released. Theres no v8!

Lexus insiders say V8 is coming. But the V8 isn't new!

Like I said in my last post, the bashing...it is endless....


The LC500 debuted with V8 and the $4000+ premium LC500h months after.

 

Nah. I disagree. The 3.5TT is going to be the mainstream engine

I think the LS500 and eventually LS500h will be the only nomenclature regardless of V6 or V8 or hybrid. I think Lexus is going to go away from using the engines to name the trim line.

I could eventually see CT200, IS300, GS400, and LS500. All engine sizes won't make a difference.

 

Over the past 10-15 years, while the Europeans focused on small capacity turbos and diesels, TMC has really pinned their hopes on the gasoline-electric hybrid, and the hydrogen fuel cell powered electric vehicle HFCEV.

Now that Tesla has shown what a success battery powered electric vehicles can be, Benz, VW/Audi/Porsche, followed by BMW, and now Toyota Motor Corp are now into developing electric vehicles.
Hyundai and even Ford have announced plans for BEVs too.
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/...c-car-division.

Electric vehicles will take some time to develop, and become mainstream.
Meantime, Toyota Motor Corp must have a stop gap.
So in comes all these small capacity turbos like the in-line turbo four for compact luxury, and the twin turbo V6 for full size luxury.
"Halo" engines for marketing purposes like twin turbo V8's will come in time.

Because TMC jumped on the small capacity turbo bandwagon late, it will take them some time to create a full range of small capacity turbos.
Not only did TMC start late, but they also spend more time developing their engines for maximum reliability.
Better late than never...
.

 

Just wanted to mention that Lexus is (or has been) at the very least sensitive about the 6-cyl vs 8-cyl issue on the LS, as any time I've gotten a LAB survey regarding future vehicles, it has had questions relevant to the perception of 6cyl vs 8-cyl engines especially in regards to flagship models. Any of the other LAB members here on CL (at least those who got the same surveys I did) can confirm this.

So either Lexus' research suggested that buyers don't care about "needing" 8-cyl in flagships (which I doubt, but whatever) or, as I more likely suspect, Lexus ignored them.

I am skeptical of the claims of a followup V8 option in 5LS, but at this point I have no internal information or even rumors with which to suggest either way.

 

Sure the suspension parts are different - they're just "modifications" of the same basic platform.
Don't be fooled by the different platform nomenclature.
You said it yourself when you said that the next generation of BMW's are sharing the CLAR platform.
They're the same, or modifications and derivatives of each other.

That's why the 2003-10 E60 5 Series and the 2005-12 E90 3 Series have very similar overall weight of 3,307 and 3,230 lbs respectively; a difference of less than 100 lbs!
On the other hand, because the 2010-17 F10 5 Series uses a remarkably different platform [based on the old 7 Series] from the 2012-19 F30 3 Series, their weights are significantly different at 3,725 and 3,351 lbs respectively; a difference of nearly 400 lbs.

The current model Lexus IS and GS have very similar overall weight too, because they are basically the same platform, or derivatives of each other.
Very similar to the forthcoming LS500 sharing the GA-L platform with the compact LC500 Coupe.
Or the TNGA platform shared by the compact Prius and the next gen midsize Camry.

Weight is the bane of motoring.
This weight is one of the main culprits for the performance, economy and dynamic differences between IS, 3 Series and C Class.

In the end, that's why the 2003-10 E60 5 Series was one of the greatest handling midsize chassis ever.
Better handling than my old 2005-12 3GS of the time, because my old 3GS was very softly suspended for a supple ride.
And even better than the handling of my 2012-19 Lexus 4GS today.

If you ask me what was the downside to the 2003-10 E60 5 Series at a lightweight 3,307 lbs?
The lightweight E60 only got 3 out of 5 Stars on the 2008 NTHSA Frontal Test!
Also, the 3GS and 4GS are much quieter than the old lightweight 2003-10 E60 5 Series.
It's all a compromise.

If you read handling comparisons between midsize 4GS and 5 Series today, you'll notice that 4GS generally comes on top of 5 Series for handling, because 4GS is lighter.
On the other hand, if you read comparisons between 3IS and 3 Series of today, you'll find that 3IS has an unconvincing victory, and often people claim that the 3 Series is actually better handling, and that's due to the fact that the current gen 3IS is significantly heavier than the current gen 3 Series...
.