Well Lexus is not doing it, but the American auto press talks about how smooth and luxurious their cars are. This is amazing, because it is done from the smallest wheelbase in the market segment .

Now when can we expect an extended wheelbase version.

 

You're oversimplifying things. A car's wheelbase is not the only determining factor of the vehicle's ride. Lexus has built their foundation on how smooth and quiet their vehicles are. That may not be what they are emphasizing today, but thats what they've emphasized for 20 years.

Extended wheelbase version of the GS? Never. Lexus doesn't need one because they have the ES, thats the whole point.

 

But the ES has a wheelbase of 111 inches and will not handle as well as the GS.

I think the limiting factor is that the LS is at 116.9 in., and until it expands the GS cannot expand. This means that until the LS overhaul is on the streets the GS will be stuck at 112. Mind you the IS catching up in wheelbase. The LS is their flagship.

 

Bear in mind that this is a Lexus enthusiast site. We all know the LS is Lexus' flagship

Most midsized luxury buyers don't care about handling. They want a comfortable, high quality, classy sedan. BMW, Mercedes Audi etc have to compromise with their midsized cars because they have to appeal to that buyer who wants space and comfort at the expense of driving dynamics and handling while trying to retain as much driving fun as they can. Thats why you've seen other midsized luxury sedans like the 5 series, E Class, A6, etc grow.

Lexus has the ES and the GS. Because that buyer who doesn't care about handling buys the ES...they don't have to compromise the GS and IS for that buyer like their competition does. Hence why the GS has not grown the same way the competition has, and hence why the GS now wins all the handling comparisons where the BMW 5 series used to. In markets where long wheelbase cars are really popular, like China...they have the ES.

The wheelbase of the LS has no bearing on the wheelbase of the GS. You are over-emphasizing the importance of the wheelbase...its just a figure, a figure that 99% of the buying population will never even read. Theres no rule that every model up the car needs to have a "longer wheelbase".

 

OK SW10GS well spoken, I will accept your argument.

We can debate HP capacity, model diversity, engine diversity, and production capacity as the Audi president brought up in that article another time.

I have worked with the Japanese in my job and I can tell you they are amazing at producing a well packaged product. It seems size constraints are something they relish.