AyM

Japanese cars have very excellent quality. I'm driving LX-470. I have also BMW sedan 5 and used to drive VW Passat and Mercedes E.

Americans as new Europians, and old Europe already noticed probably that the weak place of Japanese is absolute absent of taste, understanding of what design is. It is why Mercedes designers, or BMW kill Japanese, or if to recall how beautiful were Passats, Beatles or Audi TT at their first appearance. Or how beautiful are BMW sedan 5, Mercedes CLS now.

I remember Japanese company Kenwood asked Italian designer Jiujaro to create for their 21-st century series audio sytem some beautiful design appr. 5 years ago.

My sencere advice is to invite some Europian designers to give to Japanese cars some inspiration. It is pity having such a beautiful quality ( lexus) they continue to have such an ugly design. They could double their sales if they work over designs of their cars. It is pity that new LX has such an ugly back.

aedgington

Their big problem is that they don't recognize their successes. I think the current ES is a big step backwards. There are quite a few Japanese products that are outstanding, though; the TL, RX330/350, G35, off the top of my head. Heck, I really like the Maxima & M3/45 also. I think the LS is mighty nice, but agree that looks-wise the S-Class blows it away.

BMW has gone to hell, IMHO. The Bangle generation really sucks, both in looks and drivability.

NSX-R

Funny you say that since the Italians(Ferrari) had a Japanese man(Ken Okuyama) design the Ferrari Enzo..

AKoch

I would not agree. A lot of the Japanese cars, especially for the domestic market are very nicely looking vehicles: Toyotas MR2 mkIV, Omega, Soarers, Progress, Century, LandCruiser of previous generations, many lexus counterparts especially of previous generations (RX300 - beautiful design), Hondas NSX, S2000, some Subarus, Nissan R230 etc. Lost of really great cars.

On the other hand - some of the Mercedeses look good to great, some really not so much. BMWs used to look great, the modern ones are just awefull, Audi A4/6/8 is a neutral/OK looking vehicles, TT - I personally think it is fairly bad (but you are going to see devided response from many here). Lots of euro cars are not bad looking, but I prefer japanese design on most of them. So here you go... tastes differ.

JeffTsai

iTrader: (1)

Whats wrong with the new 5 series? I don't know why but I love the design of that car . I would almost trade in my GS if it weren't for all of BMW's reliability issues I'm not too fond of the new 3 series look, I think the previous generation was waaay better looking.

4TehNguyen

iTrader: (1)

BMWs and some of the new upcoming Benz designs lack more than Japanese companies

lexxtasy

You obviously havent owned or driven any of the bangle series...to say that kind of comments

MR_F1

You stop. That comment was offensive and you are generalizing.

I think the RX is great looking, as well as the 5 (the 5 & 6 are the best looking, everything else sucks).

Design is subjective, beauty is in the eye of the beholder

anthonycds

Agreed. That WAS quite rude. Their designs are was set them apart. I'm sure the new LX design seems a bit awkward to most including me but, I'm sure when these things hit the road, many of us will grow to loving it. Of course there must be those that absolutely hate the new look, and we all know not everyone will love it.

1loudLX

this needs to go to car chat, only till the 10th post do i see something about the new LX.

LexFather

Not only that but those German designs the O.P loves, are designed by an American, Chris Bangle.

LexFather

Lets stop with the rude comments and discuss design. Let us all start by agreeing that design is very subjective and what one may like, someone else may dislike.

Very few times have there been automotive cars that get universal praise for design.

vraa

iTrader: (2)

I think the Euro style designers should stick to designing Euro cars.

I love many Japanese vehicles because they look the sort.

You can immediately tell that the Enzo has a Japanese influence to it, and you can tell that it's not of the older style Ferrari's, yet still sexy.

Same goes for the new LS, you can tell it's very very mechanically perfect in it's fluid wedge shape.

Then again, you can see the same in the SC430, how they sent the designers everywhere and still ended up with a tub

marshmallo

Beetle, Passat, Jetta, Audi TT, 5 series... To me those
are not good.

CLS, CL, SL and Porsche 911 Turbo are much more to my
liking.

LexFather

One other thing we have to realize, cars are becoming more and more global. To me, in the past 15 years, we have witnessed most cars blending their design where it is accepted all over the world, since these cars are sold all over the world.

Today, there are very few designs still TRUE to their original spirit years ago. The Beetle and 911 come to mind. To me German cars look VERY Japanese today. To me Japanese cars look VERY German today. Japanese cars true to themselves, maybe the micro cars, Scions and Toyota Crown and SC 300/400.

The Acura TL, has been called an ALpha Romero in disguise, it does have Italian lines. The GS 300 was designed by Guiargario.

You also have the computer's influence. There is now minimal "touching" by hands in the past, instead the computer is used to design cars and bring them to the market faster than ever. To me, this is not good as IMO, Ferraris went from beautiful to awful. as an example.

We also have safety guidelines to worry about. Europe has these ridiculous pedestrian laws now that mean uglier cars, as hoods have to be higher. American laws sometimes mean a redesign of something that makes the car uglier.

Finally, we do have technology and its impact. Bigger wheels, bigger brakes do look better. LEDs will allow headlights to be designed almost anyway you want (look at the LF-A for example). All plastic cars maybe something of the future!