angrypengu

Usually, carmakers outline who their target market is for a vehicle they are selling, and it's usually defined by:

1) Age
2) Income
3) # of members in family household
4) What they are looking for - "e.g. a sporty luxury vehicle"

Does anyone know what the defined target market was for the LS500?

I'm curious because I would assume they are now trying to go after a younger set of buyers who are seeking a more sporty car, but I have no idea, and while they now have captured my attention (I am younger than many, if not most of you by probably a factor of 20 years - (not trying to insult at all, but this is simply based on the typical market for ultra high end luxury cars)), Lexus has completely lost me on the sporty side of things. I can't imagine anyone buys a luxurious car to drive it in a sporty manner, and while I am a very aggressive driver, I certainly don't want a car that handles road imperfections worse than in the 4LS. If they kept the noise levels similar to a 4LS, with the suspension setup like the 4LS, I would pay a premium for the LS vs an S class. In fact, the car would be purchased by this point.

webra

Stereorob

i know what the target consumer is for the LS500,

at launch, Lexus was targeting coming-of-age 1st wave boomers then reaching their 30s, as well as the ww2 generation before them (then middle aged).

the older set picked up the LS more then the younger, but yes, the target consumer back in the 80s was yuppie boomers.

today, the target audiance is still boomers, (now well into their 50s-60s) but gen Exers as well, who are in their 40s.

these are VERY different times now though, and a full synopsis on this would take me a year to write.

seanspeng

signdetres

From a consumer POV, assuming the GS is truly gone, when my lease is up in 2 years, I'd like to move into an LS F-Sport. I think the exterior of the LS F-Sport (especially in Atomic Silver) is a work of art. I attended a Lexus driving event and drove the LS500h and LS500 F-Sport with performance package and fell in love with the latter. I'm a millennial on the younger end of the spectrum.

I live in LA so a comfortable and relaxing drive is what I'm after, but I like knowing the vehicle I'm driving has some sporting credentials should I need them. I rarely carry more than one passenger, so I'm a fan of the sporty direction Lexus went with the mid-engine layout.

I'm also tall. Headroom for me in my GS is a daily challenge and I really don't want to drive an SUV (even though I love everything about sitting up high and getting a great commanding view). Large sedans are sort of my only option as far as leg/headroom goes. For these reasons, the LS F-Sport has my name on it.

Here's a photo from the event. I drove the Manganese Luster model shown in the foreground.

JDR76

I feel as though I, for the first time, fall into the target audience for the LS. I am 41 and currently drive a GS.

This is the first LS I've ever had a real interest in. I think it's unique and beautiful, if a bit big for my personal preferences. It has a high quality interior that is a step up in every way from my GS. It's a natural next step, if you will. However, I love my GS so much that I am not sure if or when I would take the LS plunge.

I think the LF-1 concept answers most questions about the choices they made for the LS. The new flagship crossover can attract those who want a huge interior with perhaps a softer ride, while the LS becomes free to be more expressive and differentiate itself. I think it's a two part flagship strategy.

seanspeng

ansonng666

I feel like the older owner (original ls400 owner) properly don't like the new generation is so flashy. But I like the new one a lot since it just so different than the competition. I am just 23 years old so it will be a long way to get a new LS500.

500fsport

I'm 36, just bought the LS 500 F Sport last week. My last car was a C7 Stingray Z51. I'm a regular at track events. Attend racing school. Now, I have a kid, the LS 500 F Sport seems to be a good fit.

seanspeng

Kira X

iTrader: (24)

kghoshal

I was arguably one of the very first owners of the 5LS in all of Dallas (not bragging... but happened that way :-)... having waited 4 mos after turning in my 2014LS460. I have banged my head against the wall trying to fig out this question - WHO WAS THE TARGET AUDIENCE? Mind you, this is my 7th (yes, you heard that right!) LS in a series (started with 1999 LS400... just keep adding 3 years after that), and arguably this is the first time I have questioned my decision to get a Rev-1 version of the LS.

While the oohs and the aahs come in at the front grill and the "spaceship-like" dash from drivers who've not owned an LS in the past, the engine on the 5LS "growls" - against a soft "purr" or even a "hiss" in the prior versions. Being the **** owner that I am, had the dealer run a db meter against a new 460... and the results were obvious. I was told Lexus is trying to emulate the S-class to attract audience from the MB crowd. Don't know if I am in the serious minority, by I 've had six LS' in the past BECAUSE of the quietness. Go fig...

Next, while the acceleration and the ride in general is very much LS-like - smooth, quick (albeit noisier)... what's with the "jerky" start and stop from reverse to drive, and then again from the lowest gear to stop! Having driven the car now for about 7 months and 3000 miles, I have decided it's not an isolated event any more. And for those of you who haven't experienced a "cold start" (especially during Feb-Mar-Apr seasons)... you'll notice a marked "jump" if you let go of the break suddenly.

Am I being paranoid (I already said I'm ****... thus I have that going for me ;-) about these two issues... or have others experienced the same?

seanspeng

dsc07

I can tell you that I've been fighting this transmission issue since April. In my experience, the problem exists when shifting through the first 4 gears. I've had my dealer work on it multiple times. I even spent about 2 hours driving around with a technician while the car was hooked up to several pieces of diagnostic equipment, I'm told at the request of corporate, so they could measure engine and transmission conditions during the lurching and jerking. I'm told they are aware of the issue and are working on a firmware update, but this takes time because it could affect MPG ratings. The issue that they seemed more concerned with is the delay when shifting from reverse into drive vs. the jerky shifting. The local service manager speculated that if they do issue a fix, it will probably not come out until the 2019 models are delivered.

One thing we did determined is that it seems to be tied into the "learning" features of the car. The transmission seemed fine to me when I first took delivery of the car. Then, gradually, I began to notice more and more of the lurching when downshifting and jerking when upshifting in the lower gear range. So when I had the 10,000 mile service, I had them disconnect the battery and reset the learning data. The card drove fine for about 3 weeks, then it started happening again. I've put on about 2,500 miles since them, and the shifting is as bad as it's ever been.

At this point, I'm ready to escalate this issue to corporate, but I'm going to wait until the 2019's hit the lot and see if there is a TSB to address this issue. If not, I'm going to push back pretty hard. In the meantime, I work just a stones throw away from the Western Area office, so I may just drop by there one day next week and see if I can get any additional info. on the issue.

kghoshal