439 units sold. Worse than 2013, 2014, and 2015. Better than 2016 and 2017, but I suspect that was due to the long promised 2018 LS being teased as just around the corner.

For comparison, the S Class sold 1,061 and the 7 Series sold 851. Both cars are significantly older than the LS500, with the S Class being introduced in 2014 and the 7 series being introduced in 2015. My local dealer stills have several 2018s sitting on the lot. With a new S-Class and substantial update to the 7 series just around the corner, I don't see things getting much better.

What will Lexus do? Possible early redesign? Deeper discounts? Possible cancellation?

 

 

Hopefully just an inventory issue, but agreed that's no good at all.

I do wonder if people are getting tired of the spindle grill?

 

As to what Lexus should so, IMO, here's at least part of your answer...return the LS to its roots, what it did so well for so many years. I admit I haven't test-driven the new TT V6, but the jury is still out as to whether it can equal this.......

(Steve......you'll like this)

 

 

How do you know that? There is no evidence that is happening. The LS sedan is what started the Lexus brand, they are not going to get rid of it for another dumb clunky SUV.

 

i definitely don't see that many new LS on the road. honestly i have not been excited about this generation at all (and i liked each of the previous generations)

 

 

I am not surprised at all after seeing it in pictures and person. I was surprised it even had a few decent months of sales, I have only seen 1 or 2 in public, I have seen more LC's then new LS's. There is just nothing appealing about the new LS to me from the exterior styling, engine, interior. The big long stretched Nissan styling doesn't work, the minimalist interior overly techy design does not work, the base having less rear seat room then the last LS, losing a couple standard features is not going to make many current owners want to upgrade, going from a 8 cylinder to a 6 cylinder only in your flagship lux car is a really bad move too. The fact that the ES is styled so similarly inside and out does not help either especially when both have 6 cylinders now.

 

Sedans everywhere are not getting cancelled out. Ford sedans did, a few GM's, that is about it, in the luxury segment in most cases sedan lineups have actually grown in number compared to 10 or 15 years ago.

 

 

Because the LS is a legacy car for Lexus, it is very important to the brand and it still sells in decent enough numbers to warrant more generations. The LX and GX don't exactly fly off the lots either, LX often sells less then the LS yet it hangs in there. Lexus would lose a lot of cache if they gave up on the flagship sedan and just did another dumpy SUV in its place, they have enough SUV's.

 

I would say that the LS is the vehicle which defines Lexus as a brand. Can't really have Lexus without the LS. Sort of in the same way the S Class defines MB and the 3 series defines BMW.

 

Several posters in Car Cat think that the Avalon and Cadenza will soon be dropped. I hope not, but if they are, so much for that.

Common sense would seem to say keep the LS (and, even better, return it to its heyday), but.......unfortunately, much of what has happened to the auto industry in the last year or two defies common sense.