From the image that Jill posted, it sure doesn't look like wood, but I'll admit I'm not looking at it close up.

I was speaking specifically of the V6TT, not the car as a whole.

I've seen it in person, its wood, its a beautiful trim. Its the designo piano black lacquer flowing lines wood. Also comes in a magnolia finish

You, sir, are desperately grasping at straws to legitimize your opinion.

Just because something is more popular within a certain population does not make it better. Ask a different population and you may get a different result. Scientific proof is based upon repeatability: If you cannot repeat your results, your results are not legitimate.

It is useless trying to argue this with someone who does not understand this.

Always lol

Its wood, its just a really, really dark stain.

Here it is on an S Class:




One thing I like luxury carmakers are doing more now is making unique trims to stand out vs just "burlwood". Lexus does a good job of this too on the LS500, this one is my favorite:

You need to read the posts more carefully.
Where did I say that popularity makes it better?
I said that due to popularity/polling/survey, I "suspect" it is better.
The word suspect was even italicized, and I last edited that post nearly four hours before you carelessly posted.
When something is subjective/controversial, we use polling to quantitate and make objective what is otherwise a subjective situation.


PS.
Let me clarify:
We all know that styling is subjective, so many inexperienced people approach subjective styling with a subjective "dead end" - though it doesn't actually work that way.
Humans face subjectivity and controversies throughout their everyday lives, and they "resolve" these controversies/subjectivities through democracy [voting].

Democracy, voting, polling, or surveys - call it what you like - they essentially mean the same thing.
Voting quantitizes and makes objective a subjective and controversial situation.

Making a subjective situation objective - doesn't mean that it is genuinely objective; scientifically, we call it "pseudo" objective; ie fake objective.
Likewise, NO ONE ever said that voting/polling means that there is 100% evidence that A is better than B, however the results of voting/polling certainly points that way, or at least gives one the edge over the other - if you know what I mean.

Thus, styling is certainly subjective/controversial, but we can quantitize and make objective this subjective situation.
Final styling decisions are either made by the CEO, or by the department head etc - if the traditional family hierarchy system is used to resolve the controversy/subjectivity.
Alternatively, the final styling decision can be made by democracy through voting by board members etc - to resolve the controversy/subjectivity.

TMC is the wealthiest automotive corporation in the world through sales with net equity of some US$200 billion dollars.
Thus TMC will often go by what is most popular.
What is most popular is much easier to quantitate, and also far more critical to sales & profitability - than what is arguably the best.
Toyota Motor Corporation doesn't want too many of their models to be designed in such a way that results in discontinuation like their slow selling 4GS - but at least the 4GS fulfilled its sales targets in the first few years, which is more than can be said for some of their other underachieving below sales target models.

Even if we really wanted to determine which motor vehicle is actually arguably the best or arguably styled best etc, again, we'd have to "poll" it.
This is how "America's Got Talent" works - in this case, by polling through four adjudicators etc.
Presently, there is NO perfect NOR 100% accurate way of determining who or which is best, but we live in an imperfect world, and although polling is not 100% perfect/accurate, polling certainly does give us a reasonably good idea of who/what is considered best.

Sulu, you must read posts more closely before you jump to conclusions...
.

Did we ever figure out whether the S-class buttons were metal or plastic?

Haven't been in one.

Interesting how Mercedes always "infiltrates" Lexus threads, when Mercedes has its own threads. I think Mercedes is a superior vehicle overall, with a basic caveat and it's total cost of ownership. Then you have the notion that nobody buys them, everyone leases them, so if you are talking repairs, not an issue.

imho? Lexus is at the top of the Japanese food chain, and is a worthy competitor to MB, BMW, Audi, but it does come up short overall, and consistently. At the same time, total cost of ownership is very real, and Lexus routinely tops the Consumer Reports types of unscientific rankings, and is generally perceived to be totally reliable if not one of "the" most reliable.

My point is a person who drives a Lexus doesn't need to justify that his car is as good as a Mercedes.

Which would I rather have? Mercedes, of course.

Now my boss' boss' boss has a 560, and he actually knows it's not a 5.6 liter, not a 4.7 liter, it's a 4.x liter. He also has a Lear 75, penthouse in the city, built a new 400 mil. building, etc., has a board with push pins showing all the exclusive places he's golfed, on and on. So should I feel bad I don't have a new S class, not really, not at all. Nor should I overextend myself for a LS500. It's all good! (I'm also a couple decades younger so maybe I'll get there, but I doubt it haha)

edit I just thought of something--2 Saturdays ago we were at the amusement park, and lo and behold something comes up from work. I don't have one of those tab phones etc., I have a tiny S8, so it's just difficult to manage work things at an amusement park and also it's loud all around. When all was said and done, the above person's brother, said, "Great job, John. Thanks!" That made everything worthwhile. Other people say, let them show you a raise and bonus, who cares. They should make the deferred comp plan (non qualified) better, who cares about a thank you. I do, because life is not all material things and money, we have to keep on keepin' on. S class or LS500, they're both fine cars. Just one is ugly haha

It makes total sense why Mercedes enters Lexus threads, Mercedes is one of Lexus' main competitors, and its the aspirational brand in the luxury car world.

Mercedes is a brand I've wanted to be into but when it comes down to it in general the brand appeals to me more than the vehicles. I will say that which car I would rather have depends on the segment. In the entry segment I would honestly rather have an ES than a C Class or 3 Series, just because those cars are much smaller and are much smaller cars than I would like. I don't like the E Class, that wouldn't be my selection in that segment. I'd want either a 5 Series or the new A6. In the flagship segment the S Class is the car that I would say I'd choose to have if all other considerations were moot.

So, the only car that Mercedes makes that I would choose over competitors is the S Class.

I don't disagree, but it can be like, hey, Lexus has 3 new colors this year! And then the thread will become all about the S560 lol

I'm not saying that Mercedes Benz is not a better car. Just funny how the threads always lead to Mercedes. Audi second. Not usually BMW.

I was behind a E63s AMG sedan yesterday going home. Not 100%, but pretty sure that even though that is not in the same size class as a LS500, it's gotta be maybe 25k more. And better, and older.