Lexus LS500/LS500h
09-28-17, 06:43 AM
#286
Lexus Fanatic
Your mainstream magazines are never going to print a stellar review of any Lexus, unless one just really surprises them, and even then a year later the car they loved is now somehow mediocre (4GS is a great example).
Homestly, I put a lot more weight into what people like Alex Dykes or Motoman or the guys at TFL Car have to say about a car like this.
Homestly, I put a lot more weight into what people like Alex Dykes or Motoman or the guys at TFL Car have to say about a car like this.
09-28-17, 07:04 AM
#287
Lexus Champion
Here is a recap of Car & Driver's First Drive Review:
Highs
Lovely details, some daring design elements, built like a beryllium atom.
Lows
Isolated driving dynamics, overwrought spindle grille, little mechanical character.
09-28-17, 07:13 AM
#288
Previous generations of LS's on debut outsold the S Class.
The current S Class debut in 2014 with 25k units, then 21, then 18k units last year.
With such controversial styling, it will be interesting to see how well the public responds to 5LS, and how well 5LS sells relative to the S Class in 2018.
By 2018, because the current S Class is 4 years old and past its half life, the new 5LS would be theoretically expected to absolutely clobber S Class sales...
.
The current S Class debut in 2014 with 25k units, then 21, then 18k units last year.
With such controversial styling, it will be interesting to see how well the public responds to 5LS, and how well 5LS sells relative to the S Class in 2018.
By 2018, because the current S Class is 4 years old and past its half life, the new 5LS would be theoretically expected to absolutely clobber S Class sales...
.
Last edited by peteharvey; 09-28-17 at 08:02 AM.
09-28-17, 07:20 AM
#289
Pole Position
The lows seems to be a copy and paste from old reviews of most Lexuseseses.
09-28-17, 08:39 AM
#293
drives cars
I disagree. Modern suspension technology doesn't relegate large vehicles to being floaty-boaty anymore. If a car can be large yet nimble, why not? Now that said, some steering feel is going to be lost in making a car more isolated from the road, but not necessarily maximum grip. It's kinda similar to the current 3-series's problem - more grip but less feel does not mean it's more fun to drive.
I've seen reviews, such as AoA and Redline, where they say the car is relatively fun to drive in the segment, but C&D has a hard time accepting this. Even with cars like the IS, which is widely considered to be one of the sportier entries in its segment, they still seem to be hung up on typical Lexus-boring as their preconceived notion of how it drives. Just the other day I was driving the car and was like "hmm, the steering is pretty numb...", but then I decided to put the steering in Sport and take some turns quickly, and I was proved wrong. It's only numb when it needs to be, and when you push it through corners, the steering lets you know you're pushing it - there's legitimate resistance. That's another thing about modern cars, not just Lexus, is that they are adaptable to what they need to be doing at a given point in time - not one-dimensional like you might expect. Thus, the new LS really needs to have some quality time spent with it to really assess its character. That won't happen until closer to its launch.
I've seen reviews, such as AoA and Redline, where they say the car is relatively fun to drive in the segment, but C&D has a hard time accepting this. Even with cars like the IS, which is widely considered to be one of the sportier entries in its segment, they still seem to be hung up on typical Lexus-boring as their preconceived notion of how it drives. Just the other day I was driving the car and was like "hmm, the steering is pretty numb...", but then I decided to put the steering in Sport and take some turns quickly, and I was proved wrong. It's only numb when it needs to be, and when you push it through corners, the steering lets you know you're pushing it - there's legitimate resistance. That's another thing about modern cars, not just Lexus, is that they are adaptable to what they need to be doing at a given point in time - not one-dimensional like you might expect. Thus, the new LS really needs to have some quality time spent with it to really assess its character. That won't happen until closer to its launch.
09-28-17, 08:49 AM
#294
BMW gets **** for their signature snob nose grille design, but Lexus' spindle grille is off limits?
Get out of here. That design was cool when it came out, but now it's literally on every Toyota/Lexus vehicle in some iteration.
Get out of here. That design was cool when it came out, but now it's literally on every Toyota/Lexus vehicle in some iteration.
09-28-17, 08:54 AM
#295
Lexus Champion
Your mainstream magazines are never going to print a stellar review of any Lexus, unless one just really surprises them, and even then a year later the car they loved is now somehow mediocre (4GS is a great example).
Homestly, I put a lot more weight into what people like Alex Dykes or Motoman or the guys at TFL Car have to say about a car like this.
Homestly, I put a lot more weight into what people like Alex Dykes or Motoman or the guys at TFL Car have to say about a car like this.
09-28-17, 09:58 AM
#296
Lexus Champion
They still have that BMW bias going on over there? These magazines are trying to stay relevant but people are getting smarter. Even though you have typical fanboy reactions about things like the big grille (that nearly everyone has) and it's soft handling, the LS mainly sells to a more mature crowd. Don't think a magazine write up will change minds on most decisions. The real buyers will go to the dealership and have a look and feel for themselves.
09-28-17, 11:00 AM
#297
Lexus Fanatic
They still have that BMW bias going on over there? These magazines are trying to stay relevant but people are getting smarter. Even though you have typical fanboy reactions about things like the big grille (that nearly everyone has) and it's soft handling, the LS mainly sells to a more mature crowd. Don't think a magazine write up will change minds on most decisions. The real buyers will go to the dealership and have a look and feel for themselves.
In reality, there likely aren't too many perfect cars. If there is one, there has to be a minimum 2-6 mo. wait. I mean I got a mailer saying there's money from GM off of Corvette, and that's a very decent car...
09-28-17, 11:04 AM
#298
Lexus Fanatic
I'm a BMW owner, and liked their cars since I was about 8 y.o. Too bad I never saved all the brochures I amassed over the years. But I do have a 1978 320i brouchure (as well as a 1969 Buick full line catalog), 1990 Lexus LS and ES brochure, 1998 Lexus full line, etc. blah blah blah. And they have definitely fallen, look at these products like the X1, FWD? But their demise applies to most cos. imho BMW is like Apple, all they have to do is apply the logo to a product and it already wins.
09-28-17, 11:13 AM
#299
They still have that BMW bias going on over there? These magazines are trying to stay relevant but people are getting smarter. Even though you have typical fanboy reactions about things like the big grille (that nearly everyone has) and it's soft handling, the LS mainly sells to a more mature crowd. Don't think a magazine write up will change minds on most decisions. The real buyers will go to the dealership and have a look and feel for themselves.
09-28-17, 11:46 AM
#300
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
Previous generations of LS's on debut outsold the S Class.
The current S Class debut in 2014 with 25k units, then 21, then 18k units last year.
With such controversial styling, it will be interesting to see how well the public responds to 5LS, and how well 5LS sells relative to the S Class in 2018.
By 2018, because the current S Class is 4 years old and past its half life, the new 5LS would be theoretically expected to absolutely clobber S Class sales...
.
The current S Class debut in 2014 with 25k units, then 21, then 18k units last year.
With such controversial styling, it will be interesting to see how well the public responds to 5LS, and how well 5LS sells relative to the S Class in 2018.
By 2018, because the current S Class is 4 years old and past its half life, the new 5LS would be theoretically expected to absolutely clobber S Class sales...
.
i'm sure the new LS will do fine.