With those numbers, it seems like Lexus is doing pretty good considering. The BMW has numerous different configurations for the 7. Lexus has two of them in terms of engine choice. You get the TT V6 or a hybrid. I do think they should add a V8 option, even if it is an LS-F, I think people would pay an extra 40-50K for a 600hp Lexus LS with a V8.

 

well, i in fact do not think. the LS isn't meant to be a buick lesabre park avenue or whatever, toyota really wanted this to be a high performing vehicle that would steer buyers away from the main german contenders in the market. just look at this page from the 1999 LS brochure:



nothing about this to me suggests they wanted to make just another cushy barge to get aunt sylvia to bingo night. and i feel giving the car a V8 like they did makes you feel like there's just something a little more special about it. the instant you tap the gas it's obvious this isn't just some other car, and the way it builds power in a smooth continual manner just reinforces that. and when i say V8 noise, i don't mean some crazy loud open header corvette or anything, but there's this deeper more heavy duty sound that i think completes the "not just some other car" equation. it's all down to opinions of course... like i said the V6TT is the better engine on paper but it just doesn't feel as fulfilling to me.

 

 

MSH doesn't fix 'sound'. It makes the hybrid more engaging to drive especially when using manual modes.

 

The numbers speak for themselves.
What more is needed to be said?

At the moment, it is only "looking like"; we won't really know till early next year.

 

The numbers speak for themselves? Okay... The numbers tell me that sales climbed steadily in the first 3 months of the year, stabilized and may be starting to drop, but further figures are required to determine if the June sales are just a one-time dip or are the start of a downward trend. The numbers also tell me that total sales in the first 6 months of 2018 total 4368, which is more than BMW 7s sold.

I cannot say anything more without some context, including comparison with Lexus' projected sales figures for the new LS or comparison with other luxury brands' flagship vehicle sales figures, which TF109B and JDR76 gave. In comparison with the big 3 German brands (Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi, the 3 brands that everybody here seems to compare Lexus against), the Lexus LS seems to be doing quite well.

I know that you are being passive-aggressive and want to back up your opinion that the LS is a flop out of the gate, but are afraid to say so for fear of being flamed.

Without context, I cannot agree with you; the numbers, by themselves, tell me nothing.

 

The LS500 numbers seem to start out well, then slightly dipping.

Could this coincide with the market news and pictures of the '19 ES350 which borrows styling cues of the LS500?
Or is the ultra luxury sedan segment too fickle for serious tea leave reading? One look at a parking lot of cars shows more than half are either trucks or SUV's (cue the theme of more utility/usefulness or space for a given wheel base).

Anything over $60k is all about what the buyer wants in a car and whether the market has this car or not. It will never turn into a sales driven popularity contest.

 

I was behind an ES today, and I wondered to myself, why does someone buy it? I have this sneaking suspicion that the drivers "may" be able to afford more, but they feel this satisfies their needs. It's almost always an older person driving an ES, just like Corvette, and fancier cars. Meaning I think they want a Lexus, and likely can afford much more, but feel this offers all that they need.

And I won't lie--without looking closely, I had thought the next ES at Citi Field was another LS500. I didn't look closely at the car.

 

 

yup, the ES is what i call 'sensible luxury', nothing TOO fancy or showy, but 'nice enough', completely reliable, very comfortable and quiet. that's why it's so successful. but now they've gone and made it more styling and even 'sporty' looking... probably to get the average buyer age down

 

Makes me wonder what discounts would be available....the RX-L is a flop, so 5k off for walking in. The LS is considerably more expensive, if they offer 12k off today, it would kill the depreciation and cheapen the marque.....the alternative is to sit on the cars....

 

You maybe right - a certain amount of pre-emptive knowledge is required.

If you are knowledgeable about the Lexus LS line of luxury cars, then you'd know that historically over the past 29 years, the past four generations of Lexus LS's have outsold the pants off the Mercedes S Class on debut.
That's what made the past 4 generations of Lexus LS's so great.
As a result of the greatness of the previous four generations of Lexus LS's - the BMW 7 Series, Audi A8, and the Infiniti Q45 [which was later axed] - became casualties.

Mr Sulu, it is cool to have different opinions, but I would avoid the bigotry in your posts.

 

It would be interesting to know, but I don't think Lexus is going to worry. They are making a ton of money on new LS, they have raised the prices on the higher end and found ways to cut costs yet it still looks premium and luxury.

 

Very unlikely they would offer any significant discount on the LS.

The RX-L being a flop is no surprise, it was a very half assed effort. They added a third row without increasing wheelbase, which made the third row useless and the car even more ungainly looking.