Rhambler

Yeah I'm definitely not a Lexus fanboy. This is my first Lexus and frankly for them to increase sales they need to expand their base. I'm just expressing my thoughts as a newbie Lexus owner, not a loyalist by any stretch of the term.

Maybe be that's what Lexus needs to hear instead of all the sunshine pumping, can do no wrong.

And frankly maybe I will go buy that G90 come next time around. If I'm spending $90k, it definitely won't be for V6 Lexus. But that's just me. If I'm spending that much I'll go buy something else. If I want that big cruiser with some value, that G90 is appealing.

However, if this car is priced like the V6 equivalents, I would consider it but I won't even look at it if it's priced like a 750 or S550.

SW17LS

I think I'd qualify as a long term Lexus fanboy, and I agree with you on pricing 100%.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

740i starts at $81,500. A8 L @ $82,500. Panamera V6 turbo @ $85,000. LS500 base will likely be somewhere around there.

SW17LS

$79,800. That's where I would price it.

JDR76

That would make it quite a steal over a much less powerful 740i, and a huge bargain with it not representing a real increase over the current LS, despite the current LS having less tech, less safety, less power, being smaller, slower etc. It would be an awesome price but I don't see it happening.

sears1234

Haha, if Lexus LS 500 prices as same as Panamera, I won't hesitate one second to choose Panamera.

SW17LS

Then the LS is going to wind up being more expensive to start than it's competitors which it has never been before...

If it starts at $85k for instance, the only car more expensive to start will be the S550. People don't look at engines or power output or what have you.

JDR76

Like I said, it would be an awesome price, but I don't believe it will start that low. That's pretty much the current price of a RWD LWB, and I feel the new one is worth more than that. I feel it's a substantial upgrade.

e325rkh

I would not define that as a steal. When it comes to pricing, I don't think the update bringing the LS current vs the old LS is enough to justify huge price increases.

On the other hand, these are low volume cars, Lexus moved about 5,500 LS460's all of last year and that was good enough for 3rd place. If they price the LC around $100K, for better or worse, why wouldn't they price the LS high and then offer rebates if necessary? They did that with the GSF, The American luxury makers do the same. We talked about this previously, perhaps this is a new Lexus strategy?

JDR76

Do we know yet when pricing will be announced? This thread will be hopping after that, no doubt.

SW17LS

It is, but you have to take into account where the competition is also. The LS has always presented a value compared to its German competition. A price higher than that would represent a departure from that.

MattyG

I agree with the actual current or past owners of the LS460 and its previous incarnations. These are the people who really put up the dollars and drive the sales. What stops these owners from looking elsewhere? Would there be no cross-shopping going on at this end of the market?

Once you get past the core group of buyers for the LS line, you are left in a competitive market. If you have a home run then the competition will talk about you and get worried. So far, no sign of that on their forums.

At $79K this new LS is a bargain and sales to non-Lexus people would be a strong driver. Go up to about $89K but not breaking the "sound barrier" by going over $95K means you have sent a signal to the competition and its shoppers that you think your car has equal or more brand cachet than they have. That's a possibility but a remote one. There are styling issues, drive train questions and the pricing history of the LS line.

JDR76

At sub $80k, I'll pick one up.

e325rkh

One more thing related. The LS460 has been around since 2006 as a 2007 model. There has been incremental price increases every year, without the real incremental improvements except for the 2013 refresh. During that time, the competitors in its tier (and above and below it) have kept innovating and new ones (like the G90) have entered. I think the price increases were already baked in and they should hold the line.

e325rkh

Yes, that would be enticing. However, playing devils advocate, at $79k, name aside, is this at least $10k better than a G90?