Title says it all..
Lexus Pressroom 2025 LS Announcement

 

Essentially the car remains unchanged, but glad they will keep it in the line up.

$3K for color "Silver Illusion" seems excessive.

"The 2025 LS will be offered in 10 exterior colors options, depending on grade: Ultra White1, Eminent White Pearl1, Atomic Silver, Manganese Luster2, Iridium1, Obsidian, Caviar, Matador Red Mica, Silver Illusion3, and Nightfall Mica."

1Available for an additional $500 charge
2Available for an additional $595 charge
3Available for an additional $3,100 charge

 

Does the 500h have a mechanical connection to the rear wheels, or is it purely electrical (ie no transfer case, drive shaft and differential), similar to the RX 500h and the TX Hybrid?

 

All LSs are built on a RWD chassis, not FWD like the Camry based ES.
All LS hybrids have TWO transmissions behind the engine with a driveshaft to the rear wheels.

 

Surprised it returns to the USA market for its 8th model year!
I get its won't win many comparisons against newer reiterations/models from the Teutonic brands but they obviously see some benefit to its continuation as it figures out, or waiting to announce its flagship.
Pure EV? I
Plug in EV? Its the great compromise and efficient but when you spend north of 100k on a car is that a concern?

Flagships are a statement model. After 35 years of building the company off the LS the world has changed. The 5th gen tilted away from making facsimiles of the S-class.
Nobody sells volume of Luxury cars, they buy luxury trucks in our market. Lexus/Toyota does not compete in volume in the largest market which is China, so it takes a different approach. Mercedes, Audi an BMW were able to sustain the flagship because it sold well there. Big status symbols. We buy their SUV's in the USA.
Infiniti and Acura (Nissan and Honda) long left the luxury flagship sedan model years ago.
Genesis? Is the base of the 90 the same as the 80 but just extended? Shared engines and drive trains? LS and LC are on the same platform.

My take is if they make a flagship again it needs to make a splash. A 5 door shooting brake style or sedan? EV? Hybrid? Hydrogen? Different choices based on market? Will they offer a choice on a platform like they did the LS/LC? Or, more likely do what they are doing with the Crown? They have a "Crown Signa" which is same drivetrain and interior on the same platform as the CROWN but Signa is a wagon. Its a full sized sedan and the wagon replaces the Venza in the vast Toyota lineup.

Lexus intrigue!!!

 

i checked on auto trader and lexus and there appears to be no 2025 ls vehicles in the u.s. yet. is that right? when will they arrive at dealers?

 

Press release was dated November 6th, 2024.
Might want to give it a few weeks?
Better yet, ask a dealer if they can order them and what the expected build time is?

 

Seems Lexus could just put the 5 liter V8 that the LC uses into the LS and leave everything else alone.
Sales would certainly increase. Lexus could get a few more years out of the current car before going EV.

 

Why didn't they?

Also, other than the bad batch of Texas built motors has the LS500 had any systemic issues over the years?
I know the 8cyl is a great motor. do we lack performance? Did it not compete with the best of the German builds in 2018?

So why did Lexus bother to install the motor in the LC500 but not the LS? I read they were "Lazy"? Thats not tangible.

 

V8 in LC produces 471 horsepower with 398lbs of torque with a 0-60 time of 4.4 seconds.
V6 in LS produces 416 horsepower with 442lbs of torque with a 0-60 time of 4.6 seconds

Sedan is about 300 lbs heavier in RWD configuration.
Combined MPG in LS is 22mpg vs 18 for LC

Im thinking the MPG was a big consideration given at the time Toyota was behind over all MPG. Lexus in 2018 was using a lot of the 3.5 motors still and lagged in MPG performance? Does the V8 weigh that much more than the V-6 with all is plumbing?

Does/did the majority of LS500 owners not really care about "naturally aspired goodness" and preferred the MPG gains? In places where gasoline is more expensive? In Europe engine displacement factored into taxes when bought new. Was that a consideration in the years of design for this model?
There was really no performance loss with the torque of the Turbos vs. V8 is there? I gather there are many "enthusiasts" who would prefer the V8, and they do frequent forums more than non enthusiasts, but we talking majority of buyers in all markets.

Im taking a stab at this. What am I missing?

 

I seem to recall one of the drivers behind downsizing engine cylinders was emissions related, not so much mileage benefits.

 

CAFE definitely was a major consideration

 

Out here in MT, WY, CO, ID etc., turbo-charged engines don't lose much horsepower at altitude. Since the speed limit is often up to 80 mph in the Rockies, the ability to pass uphill with authority is helped by a turbo, or even better, twin turbos.

 

While we are on the subject of turbos, is there anything we can do about the wimpy sound emanating into the passenger cabin when the engine is at full chat?
I would much prefer silence to that buzzy noise my car makes. Does anyone know how Lexus created it and is there any way possible to silence it?

 

That you speak of is the piped in replication of the engine growl when is Sport plus?