LexFather

Sigh...
The first gen GS sold 20k copies its first year. Then the yen started to suck and people started buying SUVs and BMW and Benz shook up their E and 5 series. Add to the fact it only offered a I-6, the trunk was tiny and it was larger than the cars in its class, Lexus did indeed have a failure.

As for the current GS, it may not be a COMPARO homerun, only winning in Edmunds but the price is higher than ever and Lexus did reach its first year sales target of 34k cars. Not sure what the 2nd year is but sales have dropped. Some of it is production as they switch to a GS 350 from 300 and GS 430 production has all but ended.

The SC was a huge success. Sales dropped as enigma stated, all coupe sales dropped. It was a multple time Automobile winner, 6 time 10 best winner in C and D and was loved by the celebrities and hip hop generation. Bill Gates said it was the best car he ever owned. It was chosen by Automobile to have the finest cockpit of any car.

Stevekil

Frankly, the shape of current GS isn't sexy, thats the reason. But engine choices and driving dynamics has greatly improved, though still needs some work.

The italdesign GS (previous generation) was much better but the driving dynamics and engine choices were not on par.

To pinpoint just a few problems with GS:

1. Bulbous trunk.
2. Headlights and the way the hood swoops in the front looks too heavy and ugly
3. The side profile looks just plain lardy.

I will post a detailed account of design flaws for the benefit of lexus designers on proper forum for GS. The lexus designers have clearly bombed it and almost destroyed it.

exBMWowner

The current SC got a pretty modest review in this month's issue of Consumer Reports. They rated it as the only "recommended" car in the group due to it's great reliability, but they were not that impressed with its handling or even it's driving smoothness. They compared it to the high end BMW/MB/Audi/Corvette/Viper/Porsche coupes, none of which were recommended due to poor reliablility, but most of them were rated more fun to drive.

I was surprised to see the ratings as luke warm as they were. I thought it was generally pretty highly regarded.

encore888

I just skimmed the review, which they titled 'fidgety' based on ride quality. Perhaps they were using the much-hated runflats?

XeroK00L

That is one ugly center stack with a hideous rear center armrest storage cover to match (actually they don't even match at all). Thanks for sharing the pic though.

Not sure who is going to spend that kind of money for something that looks so dated and decontented inside. At least the car still looks nice to the onlookers from the outside.

LexFather

As for looks of the GS, that is your opinon. In another thread I linked where the design was impactful enough to get reviewd by 2 design directors. The GS was the first of the L-finesse cars.
As for my thoughts on it, I like it but I do find some angles that make me

The design has gotten thumbs up overall in all reviews of magazines and online.

U just don't like the GS

bunka

You guys KNOW that there are brothers out there who are FAR more interested in the way this thing looks on the OUTSIDE than the appointments on the inside, right? What's the point of having a NAVI system in the dash when the FIRST thing a buyer does is rip it out to put in some 3rd-party NAVI with DVD with power amps and the like? I mean, what's the point of having a bling car if you can't also have your porno's playing on the FRONT LCD as your "Driving Dirty" as in the current hit (term used VERY loosely) song? Am I taking a shot? Yep! Is it deserved? ABSO-FREAK'N-LUTELY! Sorry about the rant. Just came from a Benz website and am still crying over the pics some baller thinks makes his car look hot (when in fact it almost made me puke).

LexFather

Lexus has sold every SC they made. 12,000 its first year and 10,000 there after. Its a grand tourer, not a sports car so it will fail to please those that want 911 nimbleness (which seems to be what every mag wants). Its provided a great halo to Lexus as the young aspire to it and celebrites bought it.

I am not a huge fan of the 2SC but those are the facts.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

Majority of the LS buyers wil be at least 50 years old and they'll probably be working at a higher end job. These aren't kids who will be buying the car, so there is no sense in designing a car for those who are under 25. Not to mention, I doubt many 60 year old will still be active enough to want to watch **** in their luxury cars, at least not without viagra . My guess is most of the buyer will leave the system stock . It's loud enough as it is for their hearing.

Threxx

Errr... well, most car manufacturers sell every car they make eventually.

I mean eventually enough discounting and sitting on a car lot is going to cause every last one they made to sell, one way or another.

T0ked

iTrader: (2)

Never seen a discount on an SC at the dealer. No real year-end surplus of SCs.

Threxx

Which means they do a good job of not over producing them.

flipside909

The first V6 ever in the GS was featured in the 2006 GS300, 3GR-FSE. The GS historically has had the legendary 3.0L I6 2JZ-GE as an option until up to now (2006).

Gojirra99

Actually, the SC430 exceeded sales expectations the first 2 years & met expectations the next 2, the actual U.S. sales #'s published by Toyota is in THIS THREAD. It has tapered off since last year since they never make the effort of upgrading the car, even with the facelift last year, & is getting long in the tooth compared to the competition, but did very well under the circumstance for a niche car.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

ok i am moving this post to the car chat. i don't really see that much of a discussion on the LS anymore. i see a lot of GS and SC