I am not giving the Germans a pass either, it should be S400t, not S560. If you are going to call it a S560 then put a 5.6 liter engine in it. The number at the end has always indicated the disp of the engine and normally gives a clue to a 4, 6, 8, or 12 cylinder based on displacement. Now they are just trying to fool customers and people into thinking there is a bigger engine in the car when that is not the case which is pathetic.

 

Who says the number has to equal the displacement of the engine? It has historically, but it hasn't for multiple carmakers for a long time now.

 

Traditionally, the LS debuts with class leading sales.
This new 5LS has nice interior styling, a lovely long wheelbase standard, a bang up to date small capacity turbo [because in this day and age, V8's will only sell in niche numbers], and great pricing, however it also has very controversial rear 3/4 styling.
It will be interesting to see how well it sells relative to its competition.

 

I actually like the look, although I don't like the rear windows. If they wanted a four-door coupe look, or fastback look, or whatever you want to call it, they could have done it without the superfluous windows imo.

Another thing that will interest me about that engine is the lag. A lot of turbos with V configurations are using reverse-flow headers and turbos placed right there in the valley so to speak. This creates a tiny path between the turbo inlet, outlet and engine, thereby reducing lag without any tricks.

Lexus chose the traditional route, with longer plumbing. Those longer lengths (and simple inertia) tend to exacerbate lag. So that facet will be interesting to see. Turn up the boost or put larger turbos to make more power compounds this even more, especially in this traditional configuration versus a hot vee.

 

the front isn't controversial?

 

Did you watch the video?

 

It's refreshing hearing Lexus holding the line on pricing. The pattern has always been, every new redesign of a car in this class brings on another $3000-5000. Once a competitor does it, everyone else follows to stay in the same bracket (a good excuse to raise prices). If one took a stance, as Lexus has done here, it breaks the pattern. Well done.

 

I'm surprised few people mentioned torque when taking about the turbo 6s in the top German sedans and now the LS500. A big V8 may sound good but a smaller turbo engine will have more torque at lower rpm with better overall fuel consumption. A heavy luxury sedan needs good torque to move off the line whereas horsepower is more for bragging.

 

$75000 starting price because they know anything higher, and people wouldn't even look at it.

and the SUV craze needs to stop. Most people are driving SUV's with the inside empty, not even using the utility.

on second thought, nevermind. It makes sedans cheaper to buy, and easier negotiation

 

There is already reliable news that the next gen GS will go upmarket as a 4 door GranCoupe and someone even speculated in this thread that the new GS would start at 70k.

Compared to the 75k starting price of the new LS and considering that the LS will come as LWB standard, I have an interesting speculation, assuming the 70k and 75k prices of the GS and LS hold true.

The new GS may well be a SWB LS500 packaged in LC styling. That would explain why a GS would be so close to the LS in price and why the new LS can be so affordable, since the development costs can be shared with the new GS which would be essentially the same car except SWB.

In one fell swoop, Lexus solves the awkward positioning of the ES and GS wrt each other and also creates an upmarket competitor to the 6 series GC, MB CLS and Audi A7.

ES gets the midsize sedan luxury segment all to itself in Lexus' lineup, allowing it to further flourish and grab even more sales. GS no longer has model schizophrenia : it doesn't have to a semiaffordable 4 door family hauler anymore but is free to fully embrace its Sporty and Stylish Grancoupe remit.

 

Because nobody knows what HP vs torque actually means.

 

So true. some ppl don't even know HP is for top speed, and torque is for acceleration such as 0-60

 

I think most of us here on Car Chat clearly know the difference (and what the HP and torque-curves mean). Ditto for the auto press and most reviewers. But, yes, you probably have a point about the general public.

 

I completely disagree. Many posts on CarChat show that the posters have no idea what HP and torque actually are or what they do.

 

I think the same can be said for the engineers at Toyota...lol.