We've all seen pics of the new GS. New IS pics are in with LS ones on the way. I look at the old 1st gen LS, GS, SC, and the newer GS's and SC and I really love the styling and everything. But the new cars comming out from them do nothing for me. I love the reliabilty and i'll always love toyota but the direction lexus is heading in I may not follow. I'm seriously considering a diffrent new car instead of a Lexus. What does everyone else think of the change?

edit: why is "em" censored?

 

They're OK, and I think they're following the evolution of how cars are coming. I'm sure younger kids growing up will love the new designs, and there will be people like us who grew up around the current and last gen models who will always love the classic look. Hell, we could be old men driving around in 92 SCs, because that was beautiful "back in the day". Just look at all the old men now in their 60s muscle cars. I still do prefer the last model SC and the current GS, but if Lexus doesn't allow their cars to evolve like everyone else, they'll be playing catch up in the future.

James

 

I like the LF-C coupe with retractible roof which has been reported to be the next IS. Think I'll have to see the new GS before passing judgement. The pictures of it are okay but doesn't stir the soul. As much as I don't prefer the new SC, at least I think it's attractive and it does create some emotion in me...though not all positive.
Bottom line is lexus does have to take some chances to keep up with the innovative ideas of the other companies. Reliability is great but most people buy cars on emotion.

 

There have been a few cars I've instantly liked, most have to grow on me and the Lexus is the same. When I first saw the LS430, it didn't do anything for me...same for the second gen GS. Now, I find them quite appealing. As styling and technology changes, the "advances" and my understanding of them shifts my view.

Then again, I may be quite slow.

 

The styling is becoming more outrageous and the performance remains too conservative... We don't even need a one-time new wave popstar to 'Bangle up' the timeless styling we've enjoyed throughout the 90's. But at least the reliability remains constant (so far). Without that, Lexus wouldn't have much to bring to the table. I fear the renaissance has ended, the honeymoon is over, the fat lady's gone a cappella, the pigs have flown south, bye bye sexy Lexus.... 2006 will be a dark year for us...

 

As to the whole question of is Lexus "going in the right direction" , I'm basically neutral on that one. I'm not one of these guys who believe in change just for change's sake. I also don't agree with the "You have to keep up or die" theory. Look at the Porsche 911....esentially the same body style for 40 years. This " change or die" nonsense has led to many unnecessary and sometimes negative changes in the car industry.....quite needlessly. There's also an old saying..."If it ain't broke, DON'T fix it". A perfect example of this was the redoing of the SC series several years ago. While it's true that the folding metal top is a nice feature, the gorgeous lines of the old car were deliberately....and needlessly.....thrown away in favor of a squat (and ugly, in my opinion) Audi TT-look. This was a major error on Lexus's part, and another serious error was dropping the SC300 line altogether. So, in a nutshell, they tried to "fix' a car that wasn't broke....and, with the exception of the nice folding top, screwed it up. What they should have done is basically kept the old car...in both 300 and 430 models... and made a convertible folding top version as an option. Other marketing errors are in offering two truck-based SUV's...the LX and GX (only one is really needed), the large sweep-up triangular headlights on the ES 330 that go halfway up the hood, the predominance of dull and funeral-home paint colors for just about all of the lines except the IS, and the upcoming conversion of both the IS and GS to V-6'es...they should retain the straight-six, in my opinion. It is a better engine.

Having said that, there are also a number of things Lexus SHOULD have done by now that they have not, ( maybe because of a limited development budget ), and are dragging their feet on.....such as an All-Wheel-Drive system for the IS300, an IS430, converting the ES330 to rear-drive, offering free maintenance for the first 3-4 years like the upscale European manufacturers, and..... ( Yes, I KNOW some Forum members will disagree with me on this)....... a less-expensive 4-cylinder IS200, maybe with a Turbo option, to compete with the entry-level Acura RSX / TSX.

 

just curious... how old are all of you that just posted? As someone pointed out, age will make a difference, I'm going on 21... and am absolutely ecsatic at the direction Lexus is going. While i think the ES could've been designed less conservatively, I think they are all going in the right direction. While I am a loyal Lexus fan, I am probably the only person my age out of everyone I know that likes the lines other than IS and GS. As some people have mentioned, people buy cars that speak out emotion to them.... while I love the LS430... I must agree... there's is not as much emotion evoked by its conservative lines as in the german luxury sedans.

I think the intitial Lexus designs were all very elegant and beautiful, but as much as we love them, I disagree on the notion that we DO NOT have to change. If you look at the worlds offerings in 1992.... what did we have? Extremely boxy and fugly looking BMW 5's and 7's. Even uglier Volvos. Jaguars... well they've looked the same since the 1970's. Mercedes had just came out with a new S-Class .... they were the only one who had a formidable opponent. I remember when we got our first Lexus (ES) in 1992... when we'd drive by, heads would just turn and stare. The designs of the LS, ES and SC just left everyone else in the mud. Unfotunately, in the late 90's and early 2000's, the germans have come ALONG way with their designing and Lexus does not exactly stand out from the crowd anymore. I think its time for Lexus to come out with a new earth-shattering LS model to create 1990 all over again.

 

 

Toyota/Lexus has been focusing on SUV's lately.

Im excited to see the newer models

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by mmarshall
[B] I also don't agree with the "You have to keep up or die" theory. Look at the Porsche 911....esentially the same body style for 40 years.

I basically agree with everything you said except this. I'm sure you read a lot of car mags as I do. Porsche was on it's way to dying until they saved themselves with their new SUV...according to more than one article I read.
I don't advocate keeping up just to be keeping up but if everyone else is selling widgets with the new feature it just makes good business sense to at least consider what is making money. Right now cars with sensuous lines, long wheelbases, short overhangs, electronic gadgetry and lots of power are selling. Lexus is living on rock solid reliability. Sooner or later that will wear out because other companies will catch up with quality. They'll surpass Lexus if they offer all the other stuff plus reliability.

 

Well said, I totally agree.

The 2006 GS is a great new start in Lexus design and
I think it will be one of the best looking cars on the road.

 

The point I was making about the 911 is that it has not really changed that much in the last 40 years or so except for the switch to the liquid-cooled engine a few years ago.....and even THAT upset a lot of Porsche purists. Yes, it has gotten a lot more power since the sixties, and it has been upgraded with safety, convienence, and emission features....and they finally cured that nasty habit of swapping ends with the lift-throttle oversteer........ but it is basically the same body style and instrument panel as when it first came out in the sixties......and it still is lusted after more than meant newer, more contemporary sports cars. The 911 to this day has a tremendously loyal owner base.
And while most of you guys laugh at Buick, there is another example of a line that really hasn't changed that much in 40 years...except for the conversion to FWD. It still to this day makes mostly conservative, smooth, quiet cars for older people....and also has a hugely loyal customer base.
So what's my point? Simply this.....you do not always have to "change or die". In fact, sometimes you die because you DO change. Saturn is a good example of this. They are straying more and more from their original mission each year, and getting worse and worse off.

Some of you guys have good examples of where you DO have to change, though. it is a two-way street.

 

mmarshall,
I'm not trying to argue...just a friendly discussion. I think the Porsche situation is not validating your point. Yes Porsche hasn't changed much but they were dying until they made the suv. Sticking to the same car was killing them because as beloved as it is, there are just too many choices out there to sustain a big part of the market. I understand your point, Porsche is not helping you make it though.

 

Yeah, Porsche finally got some new products.....the Boxster, Cayenne , GT2, GT3, etc.... but ol' faithful 911 just plugs along.
It wasn't just the Cayenne that pumped sales up for Porsche. The Boxster had tremendous demand for the first two years. A friend of mine ordered one in March 1997 and took delivery in April 1998. Honest. And THAT was with a second Finnish plant going at full-speed, in addition to the Zuffenhausen one.
Anyhow, so much for Porsche...let's get back on topic...the direction Lexus is going.

 

Didnt the previous 911 993 have a GT3 variant, and there was the GT1.
The 996 GT2 was limited to like 175 US models or something.

2007 will be game over for the competion
Lexus hybrids, a high performance V10 halo car, a new flagship, much improved IS, and a competive F1 team.