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I'm sure the lack of a normally aspirated V-8 will be a turn-off to many of us "old-school" Lexus guys... The HP and 0-60 times look great, though. The addition of Active Noise Cancellation in the cabin is very interesting. Perhaps owners will be able to artificially pipe in the sound of a NA V-8 via the sound system if they want to go "old school..."
Not a big fan (yet) of the fully digital instrument cluster. I still love the look of the current LS electro-luminescent gauges (even those in my 2008 LS look great to me).
One of the reviews did note that the car would be offered in both SWB and LWB sizes -- this makes sense to me.
Can't wait to see one "in the flesh!" Hope we get one at our Mid-West Auto Show later this month!
- Yeah, I agree, the big speedo/tacho combo looks weird. Hopefully, it is customizable and can display other stuff too like maps etc.
- One picture shows an EV button. So a hybrid will be available.
- Apparently, it has a 24 inch HUD, that seems a bit oversized. Hope to see pics soon.
- Mmmm, I haven't heard anything about a SWB. The specs show only one wheelbase, which is a couple of inches longer than the current LWB. Impressive.
- The front passenger side "display" is odd. I wonder what it is.
- The C pillar treatment with the split rear window looks ugly, IMO.
- The mouse controller is gone and replaced with the touchpad and handwriting recognition. Hopefully it functions much better.
- No Apple Carplay or Android Auto. Not good.
- I love the leather stitching on the dash.
- The front door panels look ugly. The wood trim is squarish and doesn't seem to flow nicely. Need to see more pics to get a better impression.
- Need pictures of the interior with ambient lighting. I wonder if the door sills will be illuminated.
The redesign has polarized a lot of people. I am sure folks were similarly upset with the 2013 refresh, although this is a complete redesign. With no sign of a V8, I am hoping that the older cars, especially the 2013+s will hold their value better
And an inch longer than the old "L". Fully 6 inches longer than the standard LS460. I have a hard enough time parking my non-L sometimes.
This version has the surround-view camera (no mention of it but noticed the front and side mirror cameras), so parking should be a cinch. The rear-wheel steering may also be active for parking.
From the brief look at the launch pictures and specs, here are my initial thoughts:
Exterior:
I'm a little torn like another member mentioned earlier. There are some aspects that I think are amazing, but overall, I'm not really feeling the silhouette of the new redesign. I think it's the high rear roof line area of the c-pillar that throws it off for me. I hate the Panamera look from Porsche, as it just screams station wagon to me personally. The car looks great from the front, back and side view. The 3/4 view is almost a deal breaker for me, again, just personal opinion. The new LS looks massive to me with its long nose/front end. The "stretched" look is a good thing, giving the car quite the road presence. Wheels look a little busy, but I think it fits with the styling of the new LS. Overall, I'm indifferent to the new styling and will need to see it in person before making a final judgment. I think in time, I'll start to like the styling of the new LS.
Interior:
Big step forward in most aspects. Seeing as they got rid of the short wheelbase model, leg room and interior space should be great. The new LS comes with all the standard stuff that I would expect with this kind of vehicle (e.g. massaging front seats, color HUD, 360 camera (about damn time!)). From the stitched dash, to the new seats, I think the interior is a home run and worthy of being in the new LS. Time will tell if the new RTI has also taken a big step forward. I'm curious to see what that second screen is used for in front of the passenger seat? The instrument cluster is something that I feel the new LS falls short of the competition, especially Audi. Audi's virtual cockpit keeps all the information right in front of me where I want it. I understand that some view the virtual cockpit as "too busy and too much info" for one screen. Just personal preferences and everyone has their own opinion. Overall, I think the interior is well executed and definitely a welcomed refresh.
Engine and transmission:
TT V6? Like many, I'm disappointed that a V8 wasn't used as the launch engine. But with new emission's standard and a real push for improved gas mileage, turbocharging is here to stay. Specs look pretty good and I'm sure that it will be a great performing engine, just wished that a V8 was an option. The new 10 speed transmission is also intriguing, hopefully all those gears can be used to maintain smooth shift points without too much gear hunting. In combination with the new TT V6 and its increased torque, I think the pairing with the new transmission will provide a pretty good driving experience.
I'm torn. Looking forward to seeing more pics and reviews. Initial thoughts:
- I like all the leather stitching on the dash
- I don't like the "LS" that shows up on the console (I assume when you start the car)
- Not sure about ambient lighting. I don't like that on other brands.
- Not sure how I feel about the "guitar string" styling on the interior where the wood grain is (it may look nice in person)
- Overall I think the interior received a pretty major refresh- leather looks very nice. I'm optimistic.
- Don't like the initial intro of a V6. I was hoping that would be just for the hybrid.
- It's odd to see the speed show up as such a small number (digital) while having the RPM's take up almost all of the dash. I wonder if that is customizable.
- Speakers in the ceiling... I like that!
- I really like the exterior styling
Wow, but not really in a great way. Nice way to put it, JR, about the "guitar string" dash. I agree with what another poster said about it looking like an old Lincoln or something dated, despite the upgraded tech. The performance numbers are impressive. I wonder how they achieved the 0-60 time because the horspower is only a modest bump, even with the new shorter-ratio 10-speed tranny. Maybe the new LS went on a diet. Hopefully it will still feel solid and secure.
I shouldn't be surprised with the final exterior look, based on teasers and the concept design, but I'm not really feeling the 6-series-like trunk lid. Maybe the color isn't accentuating the LS proportions that well. I'm now afraid it will actually drive demand (and prices) for the older styles. Need to see one in person before making final judgement. As it is, I don't really see myself aspiring to own this new LS as I do the 2013+ and even 2007-2012.
EDIT: Yup, vuong05, I definitely don't like the C-pillar hunchback of Notre Dame look either.
I am not feeling this redesign at all. Maybe it needs to grow on me but this redesign looks like a Nissan altima in my honest opinion and that interior pic of the dash is not exciting either. I expected more.
The new Camry was also revealed. Other than looking like a twin of the Kia Optima, it does have a panoramic roof. I really wanted that in the new LS. My current truck has it over all 3 rows.
I loved it until I saw the side profile. Does not look premium at ALL. First thing I thought was Avalon. The proportions are off/weird, particularly towards the rear. The rear doors themselves.They seem short, small, awkward. They don't look like luxury car doors. Also the Prius-y tail lights how they do the shark-tooth thing has no place in a premium car. The interior is nice and the front is nice... very nice... but come on Lexus.. that side. Looks low-rent.
That rear side quarter glass is WAY too busy. The pillar awkwardness/business are out of necessity due to design (so the windows can roll all the way down), but it's a bad design. They could've done better.
I've posted extensively about it in the Car Chat thread. I like it a lot, when I come back and look at it more I like it more. I'm really bummed about the V8, and I think ultimately that will hurt the car in perception vs the big players like the 7 and S.
I think pricing will be really important. If I can get a car optioned medium-well like my car for $85k, then I'm a buyer probably. If its over $90k? I would struggle.
I loved it until I saw the side profile. Does not look premium at ALL. First thing I thought was Avalon. The proportions are off/weird, particularly towards the rear. The rear doors themselves.They seem short, small, awkward. They don't look like luxury car doors. Also the Prius-y tail lights how they do the shark-tooth thing has no place in a premium car. The interior is nice and the front is nice... very nice... but come on Lexus.. that side. Looks low-rent.
That rear side quarter glass is WAY too busy. The pillar awkwardness/business are out of necessity due to design (so the windows can roll all the way down), but it's a bad design. They could've done better.
They should've done better. It looks awful. I was just comparing to the 2007-2016 rear window, and because of the shape of the door, the frame for the rolling down part looks better integrated. The taillights look Prius-y. But that's a theme carried on to other Toyotas too like the Camry, and it's getting a bit too much. The front lights look like the 2014 Maxima's.
What a let down. After all this time this is the best they could come up with? I've been eyeing the S550 for some time now. I def prefer the S Class to this. I think I actually prefer the 2013-2017 LS460 to this! That rear side window situation...what a mess. I'd rather not have them chopped up like that and not roll down all the way like in other models. The whole thing lacks solid composition/vision. The styling is a mash up of different cars - Infiniti rear, Jag XJ low slung, Panamera rear quarter, the contrived catfish grille. Disappointed.
I agree the profile is fine. But when I see the the rear window, it looks pretty bad. They could have designed that part better. It doesn't flow for me. They should not have that black vertical guide for rolling down the window fully. They should have come with a more elegant solution to the problem. Not an issue previously because the older cars don't have that small rear window just beyond the door before the C-pillar (don't know technical names).
What a let down. After all this time this is the best they could come up with? I've been eyeing the S550 for some time now. I def prefer the S Class to this. I think I actually prefer the 2013-2017 LS460 to this! That rear side window situation...what a mess. I'd rather not have them chopped up like that and not roll down all the way like in other models. The whole thing lacks solid composition/vision. The styling is a mash up of different cars - Infiniti rear, Jag XJ low slung, Panamera rear quarter, the contrived catfish grille. Disappointed.
I think the S-class design is a bit boring...especially now that it's basically copied by the C-class and E-class. There's no mistaking this LS to any other car in the lineup. I agree that the rear windows should've been managed better, but with a dark tint (common for these long luxury sedans) it will be less noticeable.
Like any redesign, there is always an adjustment period. There is a bit of shock, but as we get more exposed to images and more people see it in person, I think the design will make more sense. I think the new LS provides a bit more exposure of the Japanese culture rather than trying to copy the Germans.
I do think that it wasn't a great idea for Toyota to incorporate so much Lexus styling into Toyota models (I.e., the new Camry and Avalon.
01-09-17, 08:57 AM
