AJT123

W140 was rushed out and then cheapened around 1995
because of the LS400, though yes it was way more expensive above the S320.. The ‘99-‘00 LS was a great, sterling car but lacked certain features like audio controls on the steering wheel and many of the fancy gizmos the new W220 brought to the table. E38 also had more gizmos. Even Cadillac (which wasn’t part of said comparison) had cool stuff like active seats and night vision which didn’t really grab hold but it was there.

Like I said, then the LS430 came out that was clearly built from the inside out that was full of new fancy stuff and gave up nothing to the Germans feature wise. It just took them until 2004 to make the car look great.

I also liked those cars. Drive 120 down the Autobahn and let’s not worry about soft drinks.

LC, LX, we collectively don’t like the LS but it certainly is a nice car and it looks better than anything in its class IMO now with the refresh. It also has a few cool things like the cut glass that nobody else offers.

Acura and Lincoln are not on Lexus’ level. Lexus hasn’t fallen that far.

Like I said FWIW Navi is the only Lincoln I’d want and Escalade the only Caddy. But yes they are high end for sure.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

and none of those are cuv/suv's making my point.

plus the best selling lexus vehicles are fwd.

now COULD lexus make a performance cuv (a la macan, etc)? sure, but it's not their thing to date.

SW17LS

It doesn't make your point. SUVs/CUVs werent a thing when Lexus was really competing. Designing a proper luxury CUV today is akin to designing these vehicles back in the 90s and 2000s.

Lexus' bestselling cars are FWD because thats what they make, and they sell them at quite low ATP for the luxury space. They absolutely could go back to really competing with the Germans but they choose not to...which is why they are no longer a tier 1 brand.

SW17LS

The W220 came out in 2000, the 2LS came out in 1995, 98 was just a refresh. The LS430 is what was designed to compete with the W220 not the LS400, and like you said it had all those features.

Those are just a couple models that sell in very low volume, and Lincoln and Acura have a few high end models too.

And the LC is the only Lexus I would want. So...its a similar situation like I said.

With Lincoln you would also like the Aviator, and Cadillac has a great sport sedan in the CT5. I would buy an Aviator over an RX every day of the week.

AJT123

I also neglected to think about the great sport sedan they make and the new CT5 that has 668hp and a stick shift…. Uh yeah I want that too, lol. I agree with you that Cadillac has upped their image, which I like. I’ve always liked Caddys.

SLegacy99

I’ve never liked Cadillacs and I really want to own one of those 6MT beasts before they’re all gone.

AJT123

I just always thought Cadillacs were the best American car and still do. They've had their ups and downs but yeah. An Escalade coming at you has more presence than literally any other vehicle I've seen other than the Lamborghini I saw the other week. A $250k Bentley Bentayga is invisible and teeny small, no presence next to an Escalade, the joke is on those Bentley owners. I noticed that in person at the doctor last week.

pbm317

Beluga Bump

703

I can say the same when I drive a concrete truck next to the Escalade.

Striker223

Uh like what ones? Have you ever owned a top end German? It's unreal how above other cars of the same year they are, they feel 10 years ahead and Lexus used to also offer that in the LS

Lexus hit a wall hard in 2013. Nothing they make past that interests me outside the LC500 and it is on thin ice since it's so much slower than a M8 or 911 etc.......the value is just not there anymore even used since you can pay the same amount and get so much more with other brands now. Sure they are still fantastically made and I still will give the 4LS the nod over the W221/early W222 and D4 and same era 7 series for paint and overall quality but they just stopped moving forward after the 1UR engine.

Striker223

Two of those brands are on German platforms and engines......

Striker223

You are still faster in the German aka you feel superior. They feel better to drive vs be driven in vs those.

Aston? Nah, give me a 911 T or a Panamera. A DB9 doesn't compare to those, a Bentley is just the ultimate version of the A8 platform with a handmade interior but it's slower so there is a tradeoff for the quality/character you gain. The supercars are just punishing ways to be slower than 911 around a track with zero practicality. They only make sense if you want an ultimate tier land missile and the fastest Lambos are just a reskinned R8, tuning companies work on the two interchangeably for a reason.

vinster29

Congratulations to Toyota/Lexus for taking the best selling vehicle that they make for Lexus and making it as ugly as possible!! The front grill is horrendous, although I am glad that they finally have upgraded the interior so that their is a touchscreen available instead of a mouse!! Lexus seems to have really found it difficult to build an RX that is stunning on the outside and luxurious on the inside the past couple of years. I think that the RX300 was the only RX to blend both a stunning interior and an eye-catching exterior into the same vehicle.

xjokerz

I agree, this RX is a complete disaster inside and out. I'm sicker than a dog right now, so I don't have the energy to list everything wrong with this awful vehicle. Otherwise I might be up a while.

703

Again, your absolute statement about "Germans" is objectively incorrect. E.g. McLaren F1, Honda NSX, Jaguar XJ220, Lamborghini Diablo, Ferrari Enzo, Nissan GT-R mostly outclassed or were on pair with their German counterparts at the time of their release.