Only way Lexus can save it's face with the demise of GS is how they're finishing this brand series off. A special signature series to the hard core fans.

No way Lexus would try to begin promoting a different and better car while this last ride into the sunset occurs. It would put the kibosh on final GS 'sayonara' sales in anticipation for what comes next.

The design cues from Mirai and Crown do give plenty of hints what Lexus can do under a new brand series ( something else than GS to establish it's own identity ). It has to be different in some significant ways to avoid the comparison curse, what's new/better/different. Much easier to 'sell' a new direction unencumbered from the past. The next 1-2 years will show if this has any merit or purely vapor like the 'end of GS' anti-climatic draw down.

 

Audi A6 should make the list as well. In fact, I would go as far as to label it it the current best in class.

I originally had hopes that with the cancellation of the GS, Lexus would make the ES more upmarket like the A6, which also sits on a FWD platform. But apparently the ES wasn't even designed with AWD in mind (non-hybrid anyway), and so those hopes are dashed.

 

You think an $87k flagship sedan has a cheaper fake interior compared to an everyday GS350? Lol. My GSF has real leather, real carbon fiber, and real alcantara. You sound salty man. Any plastic parts in the GSF are going to be identical (if not better) than the GS.

 

I have said before and I am going to say again. A 3-year-old preowned GS in the mid $20's to high $20's(CPO even better) is the sweet spot for this car. A brand new GS makes absolutely no sense and it would be a waste of money and I have been saying this for 3 years in a row. Would you rather drive a brand new Camry or Accord vs even a somewhat tech limited GS? The car should have been done in the 2018 model year.

 

The article posted by fellow member @All4Lexus was talking about RWD/RWD-biased cars that could take the place of the outgoing GS....I was just referencing the cars on that particular list.

If we're taking away the drivetrain conversation, I"m sure many other mid-sized cars could be considered as well like the A6 and even Lexus' own ES350.

 

I may have posted this in the past...and I know, I know it would be a long shot and its more in line with a flagship sedan, BUT would be nice if they went in a direction design-wise for a future "GS" replacement using the LF-FC concept whether its a fuel cell vehicle or potentially a solid state battery when that tech comes along (personally think this would knock everyone's socks-off if they pulled it off in a real production sedan):




https://www.lexus.com/concept/LFFC/

 

^^^^^ Now we are talking...... Looks like the new Mazda

 

I like your thinking here. The frustrating part is this concept came out in 2015. Lexus got caught flat footed like everyone else did with the Tesla surge. Only the Stinger and G70 could make some serious inroads. BMW's redesigned 3 Series did not move the needle much. The prototype dreams simply fell apart when it's competition started hitching it's wagon to cutting edge tech. To this day, the GS held on strongly to the basics in a like it or move on business approach. Fuel Cell is not the 'new' sexy in the auto biz. it's EV's. Luxury EV's with smart tech.

 

The midsize Maserati Ghibli V6 certainly belongs to this group, as opposed to the full size Maserati Quattroporte V6/V8.
However, I wonder if the Porsche Panamera V6/V8 should be in this group, considering that Panamera shares MSB longitudinal platform with the huge Bentley Flying Spur 6.0 W12 Full Size Luxury Sedan?

A Ghibli does come close to 4GS prices, but the Panamera is priced at a different stratosphere, with both flagship Panamera & Bentley Flying Spur W12 at similar prices.

 

I’m taking the one that feels special. I’ve never driven a Camry that feels special. I don’t care what Frankenstein car TRD makes - I’m going GS over Camry. Lower any year GS with wheels/tires and it’s better than any Camry.

 

An LF-LC concept styled GS would be niiiiiice...

 

When I first saw the LF-FC concept, I thought that was the direction they would take with a potential 2018/2019 redesigned 5GS, the eventual LC500 and then obviously the other sedans.

Tesla comments:

• They definitely pushed the industry in the right way...I like industry disruptors and innovation as it pushes the competition to also innovate to stay relevant.
• I still don't understand how a company like Tesla stays in business with never turning an annual profit and they are unlikely to do that in 2020 with the current state of things.
• I also think that buyers of Teslas are more willing to put up with issues because of the "futuristic" nature and the tech...something that a majority of Toyota/Lexus owners would never tolerate.

Back to the GS: Its certainly sad to see them cut the GS but it makes a lot of business sense, especially with the current economic climate globally...new car sales will be down across the board and a redesigned 5GS wouldn't sell regardless of how amazing they made it. Folks will hold on to their cars for longer as health, safety, cash flow, investments, money, jobs, etc. become the focus...and fun, recreation and things like a new car get put on the backburner.

Toyota believes in the long game thus pushing forward slowly but surely...so we'll see what they have up their sleeves...I personally wouldn't fully discount Toyota/Lexus as many folks have been doing.

 

I can't believe they're discontinuing such a great platform. That moment when I just got my 2013 GS350 too.

 

Im going to just stick with my 98 gs400 until i leave this earth

 

lol...that Bentley looks like a Kia/Hyundai. Good work Brits!