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I'm going to keep my fingrs crossed this doesn't happen. The GS F was such a blast to drive, I really want to drive an updated version...
The Crown looks a lot like a more sophisticated Cadillac CT6... which may be discontinued in the recent cost cutting moves. If GM is willing to do this 'sedan' downsizing, what future is there for sedan type of cars by Lexus?
I think Lexus is far better off doing a GS flavor SUV, for sales volume generation of 5-10k units per month than limp along for 8 years (8*12=96 months at an average monthly unit sales rate of 1,300 GS units sedan style).
The hints to the LF-1 Limitless crossover was particularly revealing.
Tesla's Model 3 ramp up is only a practice production exercise for the Model 3 variant in crossover form which may need to be pushing production rates of 8-10k per month. It'll be a matter of time when TESLA's crossovers sales >> sedan sales. Lexus cannot expect sedan sales to ever exceed SUV's. There's no business sense to invest 5-8 billion on something for a meager sub 2,000 per months in GS and GSF variants. For cross overs? It's a no brainer.
Lexus would certainly be experimenting in hot water to jump into the high performance SUV segment. Not sure how well the LF-1 Limitless SUV would do as a production vehicle. Infiniti tried this with limited success with the FX 35 & 45. I assume the direct competitors it would run up against would be LR RR Velar & Sport, Porsche Cayenne, BMW X5, Mercedes GLE, Audi Q8 and possibly the Maserati Levante. The Limitless would also endure some cannibalization from the higher spec’d RX’s as well.
Lexus is better off going with the exotic 4 door coupé route then trying to fight the Land Rover, the Germans and its own juggernaut RX for premium SUV sales.
Lexus would certainly be experimenting in hot water to jump into the high performance SUV segment. Not sure how well the LF-1 Limitless SUV would do as a production vehicle. Infiniti tried this with limited success with the FX 35 & 45. I assume the direct competitors it would run up against would be LR RR Velar & Sport, Porsche Cayenne, BMW X5, Mercedes GLE, Audi Q8 and possibly the Maserati Levante. The Limitless would also endure some cannibalization from the higher spec’d RX’s as well.
Lexus is better off going with the exotic 4 door coupé route then trying to fight the Land Rover, the Germans and its own juggernaut RX for premium SUV sales.
I love my Infiniti! I just wish I'd gotten the 5.0L V8. Oh well. Add the Jag F-Pace to that list as well.
Yeah that Infinit F35 looked awful. God almighty what was that? Lexus should not attempt to make a coupe out of the GS. No one will buy it. Looking at what GM is doing with their sedans...writing is on the wall for the GS. GDit.
Yeah that Infinit F35 looked awful. God almighty what was that? Lexus should not attempt to make a coupe out of the GS. No one will buy it. Looking at what GM is doing with their sedans...writing is on the wall for the GS. GDit.
I wouldn’t be so quick to compare GM to Toyota Motor Corporation. They are two very different companies that are at two separate ends of the automotive spectrum. GM carries too much excess baggage. If they truly wanted to be profitable they would shave the company structure down to just two brands Chevrolet and Cadillac. There is no need for Buick, GMC any more. In the affluent communities of my city I see plenty of A7, CLS, and 6er Gran Coupés, Panamera’s riding around, so someone is buying them. Even the mediocre Kia Stinger sold 14k copies last year. You may not be able to visualize the potential, but there is a demand for elegantly styled athletic lift-backs with 4 door practicalilty.
In the affluent communities of my city I see plenty of A7, CLS, and 6er Gran Coupés, Panamera’s riding around, so someone is buying them. Even the mediocre Kia Stinger sold 14k copies last year. You may not be able to visualize the potential, but there is a demand for elegantly styled athletic lift-backs with 4 door practicalilty.
You keep saying it and I keep agreeing!! Lexus NEEDS to be in this segment and if it comes as a replacement for the GS I am beyond fine with that. The ES, IS, and LS (despite poor sales the flagship will not disappear ever) already fill the major 4 door sedan segments for Lexus, and with the new ES being more sporty and powerful, it kind if fills the gap the GS will leave at that size/performance segment (note: not to be read as ES replacing GS, again, because it is not). The way I see it Lexus has positioned themselves almost perfectly to replace the GS with a "4 door coupe" - be it traditionally powered, hybrid powered, or fully electric.
Salesman tried to interest me in an fwd ES FSport before I got a GS last Wednesday and although it looked nice, I didn't like the appearance of the rear & it just didn't compare to the overall experience of the GS. He did say it would be replacing the GS eventually...
The GS name plate has so much potential in this hot segment. 2020 Audi E-Tron GT debuted today at LAIAS. Audi isn’t playing around. Lexus would be a fool to not enter the midsize 4 door coupé segment in some way shape or form.
You keep saying it and I keep agreeing!! Lexus NEEDS to be in this segment and if it comes as a replacement for the GS I am beyond fine with that. The ES, IS, and LS (despite poor sales the flagship will not disappear ever) already fill the major 4 door sedan segments for Lexus, and with the new ES being more sporty and powerful, it kind if fills the gap the GS will leave at that size/performance segment (note: not to be read as ES replacing GS, again, because it is not). The way I see it Lexus has positioned themselves almost perfectly to replace the GS with a "4 door coupe" - be it traditionally powered, hybrid powered, or fully electric.
I would be totally ok with Lexus transforming the GS into their version of a 4 door coupe/sportback, or whatever they're calling them these days. The Audi A7 in particular is a great looking car in my opinion. If they could take the driving dynamics, build quality, and AWD of the GS and transform it into their own version of something like that, I think it would be awesome, and possibly sell better than the current design GS. There are quite a few A7s on the roads around here.
That said, I'd of course also be cool with a revamped GS following more closely in the footsteps of the 4th gen sedan. Really hope they keep it around in some shape or form. The cabin quality is significantly better than the ES, it's more fun to drive, and it offers AWD.
Looked at a new GS350 when I took my '07 in for the latest recall. I couldn't stomach the cow catcher front end, and the color combination I would have wanted isn't being produced. Now if Lexus would put a Tesla S styled body on the current platform...
The GS name plate has so much potential in this hot segment. 2020 Audi E-Tron GT debuted today at LAIAS. Audi isn’t playing around. Lexus would be a fool to not enter the midsize 4 door coupé segment in some way shape or form.
Give it a few years, and I bet the GS will reincarnate as an EV.
11-26-18, 05:31 PM
