Junglequac

Dig the BSG reference. You well may be right. If I was to guess, it is going to be the Car & Driver, Road & Track, Motor Trend, et al, reviews that will have a huge impact on sales. Given the interior seems to be almost universally praised, provided it comes close to hitting 60 in 4.5 seconds, it might not go as badly as that. Especially considering the price seems to be expected to rise around $10,000 in terms of base price (from what little I have read), it darn sure better deliver.

More than even the aforementioned is the massive shift away from sedans towards all things crossover. Regardless, it should be interesting to see how it all turns out. That said, if the LS becomes a niche seller just like the LX570 and Land Cruiser have become as they cost close to $100,000, there will be slim pickings and absurdly high resale values for those like me who prefer to pay cash and buy preowned.

jrmckinley

I just saw a Maserati SUV showcased in an airport... looks very similar to the Infiniti QX70 with the exception of the grille being different on the Maserati. Many of us think the LS500 looks a lot like an Infiniti Q70 from certain angles (like I have said before, I don't think that's all that bad of a styling comparison), now I see another high end brand looking a lot like Infiniti with their design. Maybe Infiniti beat others to the punch on new design flavor.

SW17LS

The new LS will do just fine lol

dlbuckls10

Maybe the new LS will energize its sales numbers. Can't wait to see it and test it to get a true impression.

Junglequac

I am cautiously optimistic. That said, with the pricing of the LC500 being announced at starting at $92,975, it would seem to me the LS500 is going to be priced at or around that price. When hitting 6 figures, it will position the LS500 head-on with all of the German flagships. That is a mighty competitive market and many who spend that type of money are quite brand/status conscious.

While I realize that as it is, the upper tiers of the current 460's hit that mark, the base price remains in the low 70's. If pricing starts at $90,000 plus, all I can say is it better deliver and like I wrote before professional reviews best be glowing for success to be assured.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

The current 740i stickers for $81,500 base. Audi A8 3.0 TFSI also similar in pricing. LS will not start in the $90K's.

Junglequac

I hope you are right and having the base going up $10,000 or so would certainly be far more palatable to prior buyers. It is just after seeing the pricing of the LC500 and the few places I have read regarding pricing seemed to point more towards a close to $90k base.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

2007 Base LS460 - $61,000
2007 Base LS460L - $71,000

2017 Base LS460 - $72,520
2017 Base LS460L - $78,820
2017 Base LS460L AWD - $82,305

2018 Base LS500 will be 1" longer than the current LS L. I'd expect the LS to be low $80K and the AWD to be about $3,500 more.

The LC pricing is just that, pricing for the LC despite sharing a chassis with the 5LS.

Junglequac

Indeed it was the shared chassis and the LS's traditional positioning as the flagship of the mainstream Lexus line (LF-A was a true halo) that informed my thinking that it would start at around $90,000. That said, with the LC500 actually having a 5 liter V8, I could easily understand your price projection being bang on.

Regardless, it is going to be interesting to see how sales go with it being priced at base on par with the 7 Series and A8. That and again how badly all sedans have been faring of late certainly gives me pause regardless.

CRowe14

In the spirit of automotive trends, being a lover of automobiles and considering myself to be quite observant, I don't think the LS will be taking any of the market share away from the 7 series or the S-Class, and I actually think that more people will be driven to purchase the G90. At the same time though, that's not to say that the LS wont sell well. But I guess one has to define "selling well".

I predict it will sell less that what Lexus is hoping, and in my opinion, it'll be due to other (in my opinion) better aesthetically looking vehicles and the emergence of the G90. The covenant of prestige cant be left out either! The LS is nice inside and out, but im inclined the think that a good few were hoping for something similar to the concept that has been floating around. I know I was. Either way, I look forward to seeing it at the Auto Show next month.

In my area, im beginning to see more and more G80's around, and as Hyundai continues to make good reliable vehicles that actually look great as well, it'll be difficult for the consumer to spend more when they can have a new car that somewhat resembles an Audi which, and lets be honest, has arguably the best looking line-up of vehicles across the board. Not to mention the concept of the 2018 G90 (that looks awesome as well)-kind of Jaguar/Maserati-esque.

Oh-regarding the '18 LS -- am I the only one who thinks that when looking at the side profile, there's what I consider to be a pretty strong resemblance of the 07-12 LS (minus the tiny 3rd window). Pretty much from the c-pillar, back.
Im sure there is an engineering reason for it, but I think that the way they designed the door and the windows, its a bit to broken-up and it looses its fluidity, at least in photos.
I have my qualms about the interior as well, but over-all it seems to be a nice car.

Bob04

It better be significantly cheaper than the S or 7, or it will be gone fast.

SW17LS

LOL, the prognostications of doom are funny. How many wild designs have we seen them come out with? Way wilder than this...and they've sold great.

Just because something might not be to your taste doesn't mean nobody is going to like it

CRowe14

Steve, im assuming that last comment was a bit geared towards me, but im not completely sure.

I honestly don't think the design is all that wild. I love the front end actually-which seems to be many peoples point of ridicule regarding the new LS and even the 13-17 models. I like the spindle grille and think the edgier approach is great! I personally feel that overall, they were a bit tame aesthetically. But that's just me.

Like you, the more I look at the car from the front and some points of view from certain angles, its growing on me, but from the c-pillar back is where it goes a bit bland to me.

As I read more and more articles about this new LS and read the comments, it actually appears that it is being widely accepted, even by people who previously didn't, A, like much of anything Lexus has put out over the last 3-5 years, and B, people who do like Lexus, but were never fans of the grille and saw it as a severe aesthetic deterrent.

All in all I do like the car, and think may people do and will grow to (for those who don't). I just think that at a certain price point, will people buy this car, or spend about the same or a bit more to purchase a 7 series or an S-Class...OR, in some cases, spend less and try their hand at the G90.

Just speaking on my own behalf, perhaps it'd be more captivating with other wheel choices, exterior colors and tinted windows...

Still looking very forward to seeing it in person.

SW17LS

Nobody in particular, just speaking in general.

This always happens, in fact somebody bumped a thread about the 2010 refresh of the LS which was VERY minor and I was reading it today and laughing about the comments (HORRIBLE changes, I would never buy that over a 07-09!) lol. Most people wouldn't even notice a difference in those generations.

Lexus has gotten to the point where even if it's priced closer to the other cars in the segment it will sell.

As for the G90, I like the G90 a lot but it's never going to sell more than a few thousand units a year, they don't have the dealer network for one. A great option in the segment but the 5LS will handily outsell it.

superdenso

I can get over the greenhouse glass if they taught the car how to "dance". Maybe just copy the S-class suspension or just get as close as possible; if not the w222 at least a w140.