I personally think the grill looks great on the LS500. The red interior with the tufted door panels and cut glass is a little much for me, but I love the interior in the more traditional trim selections.

My main concern about the car will be the power train, and how smooth and effortless it will feel, and the ride characteristic, if it will provide the sort of detached glassy refinement I like out of a car.

Price point is great, if I can get into a nicely equipped one in the early $80s I think the car is a great value at that price. Remember my LS is a SWB and has only one option and it was just under $80,000.

 

I agree with what you say logically

 

According to another thread I seen in general car chat, its been designed by some white boy (I'm also white) hippie out in California.

Its about as Japanese as Honey Boo Boo.

I'm starting to like it more then did at first, still hate the V6 but once the tuner guys start upping the boost you are going to see some really crazy stuff.

 

I did a quick search, and several articles indicate the original spindle grill design was put forth by the Japanese designers. Even the LS500 grille went thru years of refinement in Japan. Here are some links to articles on this.
http://www.carbodydesign.com/2014/04...pindle-grille/
http://www.carbuzz.com/news/2017/1/1...alize-7737322/
https://lexusenthusiast.com/2012/05/...pindle-grille/
http://www.autonews.com/article/2015...spindle-grille

Personally, I hated it at first, now I like it a lot on the cars, but the LX570 grille still is a bit much, but overall, it's totally fine with me. Lexus thinks of the grille as a design statement and are really happy that it evokes very strong emotions and responses. They wanted to get away from a vanilla image, and they succeeded!

Now, here's an image (borrowed from the web) to warm Roadfrog's heart

 

Not sure where you saw that, all the designers interviewed I've seen have been Japanese. Sure, white Lexus executives have been interviewed and have presented the car, but I have never seen anything that would lead me to believe the car was designed by a white guy in California.

 

LOL AC....that's awesome. Looks like I wasn't the only one that associated the grill with Predator.