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Skipping a year makes more sense, since the current gen GS is using an all old tech anyway. New engines and a total redesign! And please be done with all these predator look nonsense!
I wouldn't mind skipping a year, just don't cancel, offers the best balance of luxury and sport.
Not sure why they would discontinue it. It's based on the Crown, which I'm certain they're not cancelling, so the R&D and overhead is not there. Yeah, they don't sell many per year, but Christ, if they only sell 8,000 this year, with an AVERAGE selling price of 55K...that's $440,000,000, just from the GS. They're not losing money on the GS. True story.
Not sure why they would discontinue it. It's based on the Crown, which I'm certain they're not cancelling, so the R&D and overhead is not there. Yeah, they don't sell many per year, but Christ, if they only sell 8,000 this year, with an AVERAGE selling price of 55K...that's $440,000,000, just from the GS. They're not losing money on the GS. True story.
You have to subtract the cost to build from $440,000,000.
1995 - 6,263 sales
2nd last year of sales of 1GS.
1995-02 W210 E Class first released.
1995-03 E39 5 Series also first released.
1996 - 2,044 sales
Last year of sales of 1GS.
E Class & 5 Series on its first full year of sales, yet 1GS is on its final year of sales, hence 1GS down to an all time low of just over 2,000 units.
1997 - 7,718 sales
1997-05 2GS first released, hence a partial lift in sales.
1998 sees 30,622 Lexus 2GS sales in its first full year of sales.
While 1999 sees 30,326 Lexus GS sales.
2004 - 8,262 sales
1997-05 2GS in its last year of sales.
2005 sees all new 2005-12 3GS with 33,457 units!
2006 sees 3GS with a healthy 27,390.
While 2007 before the Global Financial Crisis of September 2008 sees a healthy 23,381.
2009 - 7,430 sales
It's only the 3GS' 3rd last year of sales, but the September 2008's Global Financial Crisis has kicked in.
Not to forget the release of the all new 2009-16 W212 E Class.
2010 - 7,059 sales
2nd last year of sales for 3GS.
2009-16 W212 E Class on its first full year of sales.
Meanwhile 2010-17 F10 5 Series just released.
Hence 3GS sales down.
2011 - 3,742 sales
The very last full year of sales for 3GS.
E Class is on its 2nd full year of sales.
While all new 5 Series on its first full year of sales.
Hence 3GS sales well down.
Back in 2012, 6ES debuted with 56,158 while 4GS debuted with 22,160 for a total of 78,318 units.
In 2013, ES sold 72,581 to GS's 19,742 for a total of 92,323.
Meanwhile top selling E Class only managed 65,171 and 69,803 respectively.
Just as Lexus ES is a cosmetic & suspension variation of the US Toyota Avalon [itself a stretched Camry], the Lexus GS is just a cosmetic and suspension variation of the Sino-Japanese Toyota Crown platform and engines, thus as jtrue28 says above, the development costs for the Lexus GS can't be that much.
With low development costs and relatively healthy sales, the ES & GS combo is doing fine; leave it alone in my opinion.
If an US-Canadian Toyota Avalon is no big deal, then a Japanese-Chinese Toyota Crown should be no big deal either.
Just a case of different models for different markets.
For example, Europe gets neither Avalon, nor ES, nor Crown.
2016 Lexus RX SUV sales of 109,000+ units is not much better than 2005 & 2006's 108,000+ units/year, hence RX SUV sales aren't really growing that much into sedan sales - sedan/SUV sales may be stabilizing - hence best keep 7ES & 5GS sedan combo running IMO.
RX SUV seems to be outselling ES/GS sedan combo at say roughly 55:45 on average luxury SUV:luxury sedans?
Bitkahuna may be a bit unhappy - he may prefer SUV's to continue to chip away at sedan sales.
I don't have a crystal ball, but I suspect there will come a time when SUV/sedan sales will stabilize...
Sorry. Never said profit. $440,000,000 is a lot of revenue though. But with the cost of development crossed between to models, that helps the bottom line on both models.
LEXUS Australia chief executive Peter McGregor has rejected reports that the next-generation GS large car has been cancelled, pointing instead to a possible evolution of the traditional sedan into a more fashionable coupe-style model.
A report from Japanese magazine MagX earlier this year quoted an internal Lexus source saying that the next-generation GS had been cancelled, however that appears to be incorrect, according to Mr McGregor.
“I think it (new GS) would still be a four-door sedan in terms of its application, but the exterior styling may appear to be more liftback,” he told GoAuto at the national media launch of the Lexus LC in Tyabb, Victoria, this week.
“I’m not saying anything about the future, I’m just saying if you … want to talk about how we’re going to reinvigorate the sedan market, I think you can probably take a clue from the design of the next-generation LS.
“The styling of the vehicle is very much moving from a traditional three-box sedan, if you will, to more of a liftback body style. And I think that that change will actually add great appeal to the sedan market.”
LEXUS Australia chief executive Peter McGregor has rejected reports that the next-generation GS large car has been cancelled, pointing instead to a possible evolution of the traditional sedan into a more fashionable coupe-style model.
A report from Japanese magazine MagX earlier this year quoted an internal Lexus source saying that the next-generation GS had been cancelled, however that appears to be incorrect, according to Mr McGregor.
“I think it (new GS) would still be a four-door sedan in terms of its application, but the exterior styling may appear to be more liftback,” he told GoAuto at the national media launch of the Lexus LC in Tyabb, Victoria, this week.
“I’m not saying anything about the future, I’m just saying if you … want to talk about how we’re going to reinvigorate the sedan market, I think you can probably take a clue from the design of the next-generation LS.
“The styling of the vehicle is very much moving from a traditional three-box sedan, if you will, to more of a liftback body style. And I think that that change will actually add great appeal to the sedan market.”
great news! I would love a coupe like sexy GS similar to the CLS or 6 Series, I'm in....had an 08 GS, 13 GS, currently 15 GS, sign me up for the 19!
Sadly it is true, I was chatting up with some local Lexus sales rep at the dealership and the GS is in fact being killed off and the 2018 model would be its last. They are going to be introducing an AWD variant of the ES in replace of the GS as their midsize sedan offering.
Sadly it is true, I was chatting up with some local Lexus sales rep at the dealership and the GS is in fact being killed off and the 2018 model would be its last. They are going to be introducing an AWD variant of the ES in replace of the GS as their midsize sedan offering.
So you think that dealer sales rep know more about future products than a chief executive? Ha! Some sales reps barely know about the products currently in their showroom.
I wouldn't be surprised if they skip a model year, like they did between the 3GS and 4GS, before they introduce the 5GS as a 2020MY.
Plus, the ES is more of a full-size car and would not appeal to many GS owners, even if it had AWD. The ES would still be FWD biased and wouldn't handle anything like the sportier GS. Lexus knows better than to not offer anything in the Luxury midsize segment to compete with the E-class, 5-series, A6, XF.
Car salesman generally know less then most enthusiasts here. Lexus is not going to tell car salesman important information they don't want the public to know about.
I don't know if a 4 door coupe/liftback replacing the GS is going to be the greatest idea. For one thing it could end up looking bad, drive no better then a regular sedan, and be cramped with limited headroom. These 4 door coupes have limited appeal and sales too, much less so then a regular sedan so sales will likely go down even more especially if the price goes up. Most companies offer a regular sedan along with a coupe like sedan, not just a coupe like sedan.
07-20-17, 08:29 PM
9 Jun 2017
