SW17LS

And FYI Pete, the LC does not have BMWs iDrive dial. That dial in the picture is for volume control for the audio. The LC has the touchpad version of Remote Touch as seen in the NX, RC.

peteharvey

I agree with you too.
I am surprized by how far they have fallen behind lately.
Back in the 1980's, the Japs led with turbo and multivalve engines, with full time AWD and double wishbone suspension, not to forget the innovative sound absorbing metal-resin-metal firewall sandwiches!

I think's it is to do with Toyota's recent collapse with the Camry floor mat and sticking accelerator problem, plus the earth quake thereafter, combined with Toyota's fallen gamble on gasoline-electric hybrids which have not taken off as well as they would have liked, and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles for which the infrasctructure is too difficult and costly to develop.
.

mikesrx350

its interesting when i drove the gs its geared different than the rx... my rx is smoother and more timid.. I'm not a fan of how the powertrain felt in the 2015 gs its too edgy and when you floor it its loud and moves but not for the tradeoff with economy.

the ls460 motor and power, low end torque and power when kicking it down are brilliant..

anyone spending 60k with tax on a new gs should have brains examined

peteharvey

Thanks for pointing that out Steve, I was wondering why there was both a big dial that looked like BMW's famous iDrive dial, plus a seeming touch pad behind with a square grid.
Benz pioneered the volume control placement on the central console, and it's good to have the LC adopt this design.

SW17LS

You know people do have different wants and desires in a car than you do.

The GS is just a different sort of car. I prefer the LS which is why I moved to the LS, but I can definitely see why somebody might prefer the GS. Comparing it to the RX and LS doesn't make a lot of sense.

I fully enjoyed my GS I spent $60,000 on. I wouldn't even consider buying an RX.

peteharvey

Yes, one of my staff has a current model Camry V6, and her V6 does feels a fraction smoother, and certainly quicker off the line than my 4GS.
Maybe the 3.5L V6 is a tad smoother with transverse front wheel drive mount?
The Camry's tuning has more bottom end torque at the expense of less top end torque; just compromize again.

Back in 2009, Mr Toyoda's grandson took over the reigns of TMC, and he stipulated that all their motor vehicles were to have more passion for styling and dynamics, hence their recent crop of cars have been more stylish, louder, and more firmly suspended, but lately eg the 2016 ES has gone back to a slightly softer ride compromize.

The Europeans have tiny land size in square miles yet they are still heavily populated, so they have long had a problem with congestion and emissions, hence they have had to improve their fuel economy hence emissions from long ago.
Have you holidayed in Europe before? They drive such tiny little subcompact cars over there.
The EEC taxes gasoline to deter consumers to reduce congestion and pollution...
.

peteharvey

It's all a compromize.
The more you have of A, the less you have of B.
Just godda pick the set of pros and cons you prefer the most...

SW17LS

The reason the engine in the GS feels a little rougher around the edges is it's supposed to feel that way. They were chasing a little more mechanical sporting feel vs the transverse application in the ES, Camry, etc.

peteharvey

Just out of interest, my 3.5 V6 doesn't idle as smoothly as the Camries or ES' either.
I did do an investigation early this year, and I tested several Camries and ES's, and it seems that the front drive 3.5 V6's definitely idle smoother than the rear drive 3.5 V6's.
Lexus service says it's the intrinsic nature of the 4GS.

Strangely, the my wife's new IS200t idles both more smoothly and quietly than my 4GS350.
My 350 has superior initial throttle response, but once going, the 200t packs more bottom end torque, but on the open highway, then the 350 really opens up and kicks the 200t in the guts.
It's all about compromize...

SW17LS

The GS is direct injection also, which accounts for some of the difference but it's all examples of the car intentionally being less isolated in the GS vs the ES.

peteharvey

Good point Steve.

OUGrad05

The engine is likely not running any smoother. Motor mounts and more importantly the way the motor is mounted, i.e., front to back instead of left to right makes a difference on V configuration engines especially.

SW17LS

Also a good point.

mikesrx350

look at the detail in this, i might wait and hold off on ls460 purchase and wait for new 5
amazing video especially the interior and last part

SW17LS

The new 7 is really nice, I'm sure the 5 will be too. Smaller car than the LS though, I like a bigger car than the 5.