it does look a lot like GS, but didnt we want that? It looks like ultimate GS interior, with loads of wood and features like that climate control thing that adjusts every possible thing, automatically, or leather doors and dash and everything. I think they manage it to look contemporary, loaded with every feature available and still classic enough for the type of drivers this car has.

At first i thought it wasnt enough in the interior, but when i saw bamboo......... and then carefully looked at all the pics... GS will never be enough. Poor GS. Well, it should still have the handling, easily.

 

Sorry, but wheels are a fail. 20s for non F sport, 21s for F sport would of been a good look

 

Lexus Enthusiast has great live pics:




http://lexusenthusiast.com/2012/04/0...ork-auto-show/

 

it's a really nice refresh but i have a feeling mercedes and bmw are not worried.

interior is a big improvement but still feels like a rather busy stack of stuff.

and does the dash top and steering wheel center really only come in black? i saw the ls600hL pic with the saddle/bamboo interior and i think it looks awful (total clash). for comparison i was driving alongside an s-class yesterday and noticed how the entire interior was a brown color - looks incredibly elegant. unlike this:



lsd on f-sport is pretty awesome though, but i don't see the point of the shifter leather boot (just collects dust ).

as for this pic below, i just don't know what lexus was thinking.



bottom line - it seems to me lexus really capped the budget on the car 'makeover' and this launch. they basically adapted the gs work into the ls.

it's an improvement though, but a bit weak in execution and launch.

glad i didn't stay up for it and watched olympics instead.

 

when Lexus had one color interiors, didnt everyone complain how german two tone is much much better? It wasnt that much ago, last year before 2013 GS.

p.s. I just checked 2012 S600 interior, and it does feel pretty outdated compared to new LS.. and it has less leather.

 

Auto spies video at the event...

The wheel gap is still killing me!!!! :/

 

Never ever was I amazed by S interior. First thing you see is that large plastic storage compartment at the center. That's the focus of interior, a large plastic compartment. Interior is a weird mixture of straight sharp angles and organic shapes, it doesn't make any aesthetic sense and It looks unfinished which is the worst part. CL interior actually proved that, they fixed it and finished it in CL by large.

13 LS interior is not stunning either nor its that much better that 11 LS layout wise, technology and material crafts have probably been improved by at least x3.

I was a fan of vertical pillar design of pre-facelift LS ti suited the car really well since its a big car. Vertical design never worked in GS or ES since they are much smaller inside but LS could actually handle it. Even in 13 LS you can still see it's somehow verticaly oriented at the center even though they tried to slice it horizontally. It's a easy giveaway that this is only refreshed interior.

Anyway pre facelift LS and this new LS both have better interior layout than MB S class. Mercedes only held advantage in material quality and selection but after today that is not true anymore.

 

Well if it makes you feel better you can always look at the new Mercedes S-Class Interior, which is far worse and cheaper looking then the LS.

By cheaper I mean it has no design flow, has the vents of a Bentley or Rolls Royce mixed with the tach and speedometer of an the Audi A8 / VW Phateon parts bin, and the steering wheel of an 80's Buick. car.

 

for look yes, but not for performance. How thin of a tire do you need for 21" for this car and how rough would the ride be

 

Journalist for motor trend, was originally on Roadfly on youtube doing car reviews.

 

Never been a fan of the Germans' monotone interiors. I was in a friend's new 328i the other day and the doors, the carpet, leather, floormats, headliner, and lower dash are all the same color. Only thing that adds any contrast is the very upper part of the dash which is a few shades darker. I have seen this same setup in nearly all German cars and much prefer the contrast that Lexus often uses. It looks much more modern to me. If the interior of the S Class really ends up looking like the picture above, I have no idea what to say. That is disgusting.

Can't believe how mean the LS F Sport looks in white

 

QFT..........

 

I like it! Few too many buttons on the steering wheel though

 

Not sure what to say about this.... Not impressed.

I'd honestly say the ES line is the winner of the spindle grille family. Most aesthetic by far.
The new LS interior is too simple and less luxurious than the previous model. I think it has to do with the shifter, and wood grain color selections (or the aluminum washing it out.). Reminds me of the previous/current S Class...which is why I don't like it. I think the GS loses, altthough, test drove and looks great in person IMO.

Exterior is still rock solid on the new LS. I have yet to watch the presentatilon video (at work), however doesn't sound good from the comments thus far.

ES:




http://www.autostylized.com/2013-lex...interior-view/

GS:



Both have striking similarities...which I think is a problem. The LS should be out of the league...In a league of its own.

 

just watched video on motortrend site (a lexus marketing mgr talking about the car and some eye candy shots).

some points / thoughts...

1) car really looks like a big gs, and to me looks a bit more bland than the current one.
2) sounds like handling has really been improved (a la 4gs)
3) laser cruise can now bring car to complete stop (yay)
4) wheel gap and inset wheels doesn't look good at least in this video
5) wish they'd done something new with the nav/etc.
6) so far i like the non f-sport looks better

overall, i suspect the car will be wonderful to own.