UDel

I like those wheels, makes it look unique and even a little higher end looking. I don't like big thick spoke chrome wheels like you see in some lux cars.

SW17LS

Saw a pre-refresh G90 today, so much better looking IMHO.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

what do you think of the k900? I really like it, even like the interior more than g90. And it may be the bargain of the century and even crazier used.

mmarshall

Oh, I'm not saying it's you. But it's definitely a luxury-oriented product, and, IMO, fits the definition of ostentation, which, by definition, is a display of luxury, though I agree it's not a vulgar display as such.

Though it is indeed a luxurious car, I don't consider it making a statement at all...it's called being and driving what you like, just as I did with my Lacrosse. I get tired of seeing everything on the road associated with some kind of "statement" or stereotype.



Nothing flashy about burgundy....which I don't consider purple in the first place. A flashy purple would be something like on the Dodge/Plymouth muscle-cars when I was in high school.

SW17LS

I havent driven one or seen one in person, but I like the pictures/video of it.

UDel

I agree. Looks way better then what Lexus has done with the LS500 which makes it look kind of barren, bland, and kind of low end. I am talking about the design, I am sure the quality is good, it just does not look like it is good quality or luxurious from the design, it does not help that the new ES interior and exterior design looks just like it. I can see why it sells so poorly and why most buyers just end up going with a ES instead. I would much rather have a G90.

LexBob2

The new K900 looks very nice, especially in this video.

I wonder though what the long term outlook is for the model here in the US. KIA is only selling a little over 30 per month from a small number of selected dealerships . Might not be too promising.

SW17LS

Have you seen one in person? In person the LS500 looks very nice and high end inside, and is clearly a significant step above the new ES. The only reason somebody would get an ES if shopping for an LS would be if they couldn't afford the LS. If the LS wasn't to their taste they would go buy something from another manufacturer at a similar price point.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

hyundai/kia/genesis sells a load in their domestic market so the puny u.s. sales of k900 isn't really an issue - i think the idea is just to add some 'wow, this is a kia?' factor to their dealerships. in theory, people seeing it might think "heck, if they can build THAT, the cadenza i'm looking at must be ok'?

i know you didn't ask me, but yes, and agreed. the ls500 in person looks very sleek and long - i think one thing that hurts it in the market is it looks pretty low... seems more like a panamera in some ways and certainly nothing like an s-class. the ls500 is a fine car to be sure, but, as you are a clear case of, i think it isn't what prior ls owners want or expect, and it kind of came so much out of left field that no one else knows what to make of it. granted i avoid advertising a lot, but i just haven't seen any advertising for it, extolling its virtues. if it's no longer meant to compete with anything, then it must have unique qualities that can be marketed, but besides its look and a crazy expensive and just crazy set of glass door inserts and other bling, i'm just not seeing it.

as for UDel thinking it's similar to the ES, as you say, not even close... i've looked in and around a few new ES lately, and to me it looks like a *slight* upgrade over an Avalon and that's about it. and the f-sport 'costume' is really pointless except for posers.

UDel

I've seen a few in person, they just don't do much for me, the grey has some presence but I just don't like the design, just seems more like a big lowish Nissan to me. I sat in one in the show room but I had a salesman hovering over me and eyeballing me the whole time, talking it up so I did not really have the opportunity to really take in and thoroughly feel around, feel the materials. I did not like the interior design, did not think it was welcoming or warm at all, didn't really seem that luxurious to me, rear seat had kind of plain cheap look to it, but I did not find anything that was blaring low quality, it was just the look and design didn't appeal to me as being luxurious. I thought the buttons would have a higher quality feel when you pressed them but they did not feel as nice when I felt and pressed them as I thought they would. It just left me cold with no desire to ever own one.

Obviously buyers are not choosing the new LS and are choosing the ES based on sales, LS sells poorly, ES has high consistent sales, they are both sedans so I think if someone wants a sedan they are not going to just get a Lexus SUV, they certainly aren't choosing the GS either by sales. I can see many previous LS buyers checking out the LS to possibly buy, being turned off, and going with a higher spec ES instead, especially since the LS no longer has a V8, not all LS buyers are dead set on a flagship, they may find what they want in a ES, both have 6 cylinders now, both similar rear room, and figure they can use the money saved for something else. It is not like 7 series, A8, XJ, or G90 sales are huge either so they aren't going with those brands/cars, the S class sells well, I am sure several LS buyers who really want a flagship went to the S class but the S class is also a pretty big jump in price/ownership going to be more expensive and its sales have not jumped significantly from other gens so I don't know if the S class is getting that many LS buyers, I think LS buyers are either keeping their LS longer or just getting a ES instead if they really want a Lexus, maybe also going with a E class or 5 series.

SW17LS

Totally agree. My issue is not with the way the car is built, I like the looks of it and I like the design and quality of the interior, its just an entirely different sort of car now...more aimed at a Panamera, etc. As a traditional LS buyer, it doesnt appeal to me because it doesnt have the same qualities.

This interior doesnt look luxurious? I just don't understand that:



Back seat area looks cheap?!



The LS is in the same sales position its been in for years, #3 in the segment behind the S Class and 7 series. Sales are down overall, but the reasons for that are clear.

You are inferring that just because LS sales are down and ES sales are up that those LS buyers just buy an ES instead. All you have to do is sit in the two, let alone drive the two to know that isnt really going to work. People dont cross shop $90,000 flagship sedans with $45,000 entry level sedans. Going from the LS to the ES is a huge step down and you feel it in the interior and the drive.

The only buyer who would make such a change is somebody that really was looking for the financial savings of the ES over the LS. That buyer is going to tell you "the ES is so good now and the new LS isnt all that great" but they are full of crap lol. They did it because they wanted to or needed to save the money.

I would much rather drive an LS with 150,000 miles than buy a new ES. Even though the new LS doesn't do it for me, I'm not going to all of a sudden take a huge downgrade just to stay with Lexus. In fact, if all I had to choose between was an LS500 or a new ES, Id easily choose the LS500. Spending 4 days in that 2020 RX cemented for me a downgrade to a transverse FWD Lexus aint gonna do it lol

LS buyers are buying all sorts of things. S Classes, A8s, 7 Series, Crossovers, Teslas...

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

No that is not obviously true, lol. Just because ES sales are decent and LS sales aren't, it doesn't follow that people who considered an LS bought an ES instead. You said the LS didn't feel that luxurious to you. Well if an LS shopper agrees, they sure as heck aren't going to find an ES even remotely as luxurious.

Correlation does not equal causation.

SW17LS

Not even remotely!

JDR76

I remain unconvinced that the LS would sell any better had it been designed as a more "traditional" LS (V8, 3 box design, soft and plush) than the LS500 that we currently have. I still think Lexus suffered some damage in that segment by keeping the LS460 for so long. I tend to think, if we had a new and more traditional LS, we would be here blaming the low sales on the fact that they weren't daring enough and didn't do anything new or different to make it stand out.

Back to the G90. I am coming around to appreciate this new one a bit more. I actually found the outgoing model to be fairly unattractive. Can't quite put my finger on what it was that I didn't like. Someone in my neighborhood has a black one and I'm not a fan. I'll wait until I see a new one in the flesh, but I think I like it so far.

SW17LS

They’d have sold at least one more lol