SW17LS

Lexus sales are up since the debut of the spindle grill, not down. I understand that they have lost you as a customer, as I am sure they have lost other customers, but clearly they have also gained customers...more customers than they have lost.

I've been a Lexus owner for 18 years, I've owned 6 including now 3 LS models. They haven't lost me. There are members all over this forum that have been long time Lexus owners...they haven't lost them. So don't be so quick to make the statement that they have "thrown virtually all of those loyal customers under the bus" because thats clearly not the case. They've left you...don't assume you represent everybody.

I think some of these cars get a little nutty with the grille, a low point for me was the non F Sport NX. But I saw an F Sport NX at the dealer the other day and I think it looks pretty good. The new RX I think looks a lot better in person. The concept for the next LS looks great, so I have faith that they will find their footing with this look so that its just enough but not over the top.

BTW, the LS430 and LS400 forums are full of people who think the LS460 is horrible and the styling is a total departure from their cars and they hate it...and that was the 2007 LS460...long before the spindle grill ever existed. So its all relative.

Enjoy your S Class, its a beautiful car. A better car than the LS, for a lot more money.

SilverBell

Of course, you are right. Lexus sales are up since 2012, but that can be said for the vast majority of auto makers as well. Imagine where Lexus sales might be, if their designs had been more universally accepted?
As for the 460, I'm one of those folks who preferred the style of the 400. Out of my nine new Lexus cars (I had a 2002 Neiman-Marcus "Silver Bell" SC430, hence my screen name) my all time favorite was my 1997 LS400. To me, that car was perfection and to this day, I still miss it.
Anyway, I realize that I have used an overly broad brush in my comments and that Lexus is alive and well, with many dedicated followers, but they should have figured out a way to keep their long time, loyal customers, while exploring other design avenues. Perhaps they could have offered the LS and other vehicles in a standard, traditionally conservative form and with an OPTIONAL, elaborate "sports" or F Package for those who wanted such a thing. Frankly, I'd love a new RX in addition to my Mercedes, but if they think I'm going to drive something that looks like it came out of a Batman movie, well, enough said.

SW17LS

I look at sales across the entire industry every month, Lexus is doing especially well compared to its peers. Is true that sales are up across the board, but Lexus has grown in market share and is within striking distance of taking over the #2 spot in sales when it comes to luxury cars in the US again, meaning their growth has outpaced BMW and MB.

Thats not a valid argument. You have no basis from which to assume a result there other than your own bias.

Lexus has sold a TON of LS sedans in several different iterations since that car was sold. I had a 98 LS, which at the time was a huge styling upgrade from the 97 IMHO with the new front end, and I also look back on it fondly...but lets be real. Today that car is outdated, its devoid of technology...time marches forward. You can't live in the past. This is a great time to be a car person, the cars we drive today at all price points have so much more style and features and content than they used to have.

They can't be everything to everybody. They can't become more dynamic and reach younger more style conscious buyers while still offering slab sided boring cars also. Its an all in or all out thing.

Thats exactly what they do...the RX you posted above is an F Sport.

Plenty of people are lining up to buy the RX, so why do they care if you don't?

Drive your MB's and be happy.

dal20402

Using a concept to complain about the LS spindle grill is misleading, IMO. Look at the one in SW15LS's signature and you'll see it's actually rather conservative and not a big change from the '07-'12 look. Jumping to Mercedes over that slight change in grill treatment strikes me as a sign that you were dissatisfied for some other reason.

dicer

There is no body styling any more, its all a monkey see monkey DO thing now. A new lexus looks no different from anyother car on the road now. Same goofy curved roof line, same rear end style.
The only way to get away from the econo blimps, (hmmm they used to be econo boxes in the 70's and 80's) is to spend over $150,000 or so, then you get a little bit of a choice in body styling. Unless your into mini buses there are plenty of those too.

SW17LS

I don't agree at all. I think cars today have a lot more style and flair than they ever used to, and I think even down low in price points people have access to much better and more compelling cars than they ever used to.

Gbp

I'm happy with the 2010 I bought a little over 7 months ago. To me, the external refresh isn't that much different than the 2007-2009 MY's, except for the turn signal flashers on the side mirrors, which are great, and I like some of the new interior features, such as integrated BlueTooth music streaming, the newer generation navigation, and the auto slide-away driver's seat are very useful.

The Eco-mode setting makes a slight difference in the mpg's I get. The Comfort Plus package in 2010-2012 gets you the semi-aniline leather (I'm not sure if includes the alcantra headliner), butterfly headrests, vibrating rear seats, and a wood surround on the rear center grill. I admit I like the touchscreen with surrounding buttons for the navigation/infotainment display.

So, to me, the exterior look between 2007-2009 and 2010-2012 is pretty similar, I like the 2010-2012 interior better on my Comfort Plus version, and I like the interior features better in the 2010-2012. 2013+ lost me somewhat with the spindle grill, more so with replacing the "close-by" touchscreen with a display more inset that works with the Remote Touch interface. I like the screen resolution and graphics better, though, on the 2013+.

Much of this is subjective, of course.

dlbuckls10

I think all LS's from the first to the latest model have been nice looking. I don't like the spindle grill on the current model. I hope the next generation is the one I can call the best looking and rush out and buy one.

dicer

I don't think there will ever be a nice looking LS again, they lost the ability for that.

roadfrog

The complaint of "all the cars look the same now" has been said in every generation since I started driving 35 years ago. Back in the early eighties, a Dodge Omni looked like a Chevrolet Chevette....and so on. Same in the nineties and 2000's. It never changes. Heck, the LS looked like an MB 10 years ago.

SW17LS

LOL, you're a hoot.

Take good care of that old one you've got I guess.