News: 2007 Ls460!

[Lexls]

It's just a rumor right now but there's talk of a new LS soon...LS460, UCF40 probably....

Our usual sources say a redesigned LS is due for 2007 to cap a top-to-bottom makeover for all Lexus sedans. Significantly, the name will change to LS 460, signalling a 4.6-liter V8 beneath the hood. No word yet on horsepower and most other specifics. However, the 460 is expected to feature a new Vehicle Dynamic Management system (VDM) that integrates antiskid/traction control with Lexus's first "by-wire" antilock brakes. New comfort and convenience gizmos are a near certainty, and Lexus promises more dramatic styling. Word is that overall length is little changed, but that wheelbase, height and maybe width show slight gains. All-wheel drive may be available, perhaps standard.

http://auto.consumerguide.com/auto/new/rev...ex.cfm/id/38166

Personally I would like to see a hybrid LS that gets 50+ MPG.

[SW03ES]

Cool! I hope their brake by wire system works better than the throttle by wire or we're all dead...

[silvermate]

thats gonna be sick,

i think i read somewhere where they were gonna make somekind of LS model or option to compete more on the lines with the MB AMG luxury vehicle, with i think around 500 HP

i don't think thats the model you are referring to, but thats gonna be something to see, thats for sure

that 4.6 will probably produce somewhere along the lines of 350 - 400 HP.......

LOOK OUT

its amazing nowadays the HP these manufactures are making outta these engines

[SW03ES]

Yep, there have even been rumors about creating a new model above the LS.

[90LS400Lexus]

Why not go ahead and make a LS500, LS600 or LS700? ;) :)

I cannot wait to see the LS460!

[jvcn]

I really hope it's not as bad as the spy pics. "Sporty" bling.

Yecchh..

I truly hope they manage to get back to a more LS400 type look. If they want to make it racier, they should work on the GS or IS. Keep at least one car elegant and above all, restrained. The critics can scream about style all they want. The vigorous sales indicate that LS buyers don't want flash.

[Jacob]

I really hope it's not as bad as the spy pics.  "Sporty" bling.

Yecchh..

I truly hope they manage to get back to a more LS400 type look.  If they want to make it racier, they should work on the GS or IS.  Keep at least one car elegant and above all, restrained.  The critics can scream about style all they want.  The vigorous sales indicate that LS buyers don't want flash.

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What’s wrong with having more than one version of the same car? For example Mercedes Benz has so many configurations of the S-class. If you don’t like speed and performance you can buy a stupid S280 (not available in USA), if you care about speed and performance you can go for S600 or S55.

[SW03ES]

Lexus has traditionally been afraid of having multiple packages. Japanese carmakers don't go for niche marketing, if it wont appeal to everyone they won't do it. It looks like thats starting to change though. The new IS is supposed to have all kinds of packages, a coupe and even a convertible and there is talk that the LS will to, the LS430 being the base model moving up to a high performance hybrid version with V12 performance with a sporty S55ish car somewhere in between.

As for the styling, you should know by now not to trust spy drawings, Lexus is VERY tight lipped about styling and we wont see anything that looks like the new LS until they want us to, sometime early next year. I personally love the style of the new GS and think the Lexuses in the model line now are starting to look a little dated next to designs from BMW, Cadillac, even Infiniti and Acura. The new LS will be awesome, just wait and see.

And if its not I'll buy an 06 LS430 and keep it until the wheels fall off ;)

[Lexusfreak]

I wonder if they will add AWD as an option? B)

[90LS400Lexus]

I hope they do not go for that "extreme sport sedan" look that Acura decided to take with the RL. It is a nice looking car, but it should be the "TL", rather than the RL. In fact, it looks like a upsized TL. I think it should have more of a luxury look, rather than a sporty look. Just my opinion. ;)

[pgupta]

I hope they do not go for that "extreme sport sedan" look that Acura decided to take with the RL.  It is a nice looking car, but it should be the "TL", rather than the RL.  In fact, it looks like a upsized TL.  I think it should have more of a luxury look, rather than a sporty look.  Just my opinion.  ;)

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Extreme Sports Sedan - Call it the mid-life crisis car! I have the money - now I need to feel young again! Old BMW strategy.

[SW03ES]

Naa they wont. The best indication is the GS, the new GS is sporty but its still smooth, understated and elegant. Whatever they do to the LS it wont be more "radical" than the new GS because if it is it'll upstage it. The cars they're trying to compete with are the 7 series and S class. Those cars even in their sportiest trim are extremely elegant.

As for the RL, its a great car with lots of technology and a beautiful interior, BUT the exterior styling is terrible. The old one was much classier. As much as I know about cars I always still think its an Accord when I see it, it has no class at all. Huge mistake for Acura. The new Infinitis by comparison look great, the new M series is sporty yet very classy and is recognizable as an Infiniti. The TL is okay but I'm starting to doubt that Honda is capable of designing and marketing a car that buyers will take seriously.

[pgupta]

.....The TL is okay but I'm starting to doubt that Honda is capable of designing and marketing a car that buyers will take seriously.

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Acura has done quite well with the MDX crossover SUV.

[SW03ES]

Yeah but SUVs don't make a luxury car line, they add to what is already there. The Acura MDX is niether prestigious nor elegant, it simply functions well as a family vehicle and has lots of amenities and its cheap. Lexus sells more RX330s than MDX's and its not because the RX330 is a better family vehicle, its because its a Lexus.

[jvcn]

What’s wrong with having more than one version of the same car? For example Mercedes Benz has so many configurations of the S-class. If you don’t like speed and performance you can buy a stupid S280 (not available in USA), if you care about speed and performance you can go for S600 or S55.

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I said nothing about performance, just looks.

And yes, I strongly believe that Lexus should always keep at least one top of the line model sedate, elegant and conservative. They can have boy racer versions for midlife crisis types who should really be buying manual tranny Beemers, but I'm willing to bet that I and a large fraction of LS buyers like the LS because it is so "Staid" looking. So long as at least one model is restrained, all is well.

There's always Chris Bangle for everyone else.

I just fear that Lexus is letting all the car critics who carp about "boring" Lexus get to them. Most old and young fogies (like me) don't bother getting on these forums. It's worth leaving a dissenting opinion against those who keep screaming HOTTT HOTTT, more Racer, NOW NOW. The critics that matter are those who buy the cars and the market profile for the LS is a very conservative (styling) buyer.

The RL is a bloated TL and Mercedes went backwards went they abandoned their slab sided early 1990s look. I desperately hope that Lexus does not join them in their folly by going all teardrop and boy-racer.

[SW03ES]

Well you can't say Mercedes went backwards, their sales are tops and tops above what they were back in the 90s. I hear very little negative about their cars styling and I think its deserved, Mercedes makes a beautiful car.

What you have to understand is you're probably not the market Lexus is going after, can you afford a new LS430? Most people on this forum can't. They're not interested in keeping the people that buy them at 10 years old, they're interested in staying with the shakers like BMW and Mercedes and not turning into Cadillac. You've got to embrace change to stay competative in this market.

Anyways again, I wouldn't be overly concerned. The GS is the forefront of the Lexus style to come and theres nothing radical or racerish about it.

[lkirchner]

Well you can't say Mercedes went backwards, their sales are tops and tops above what they were back in the 90s. I hear very little negative about their cars styling and I think its deserved, Mercedes makes a beautiful car.

What you have to understand is you're probably not the market Lexus is going after, can you afford a new LS430? Most people on this forum can't. They're not interested in keeping the people that buy them at 10 years old, they're interested in staying with the shakers like BMW and Mercedes and not turning into Cadillac. You've got to embrace change to stay competative in this market.

Anyways again, I wouldn't be overly concerned. The GS is the forefront of the Lexus style to come and theres nothing radical or racerish about it.

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:chairshot: I have owned MB's continuosly since 1968 and I think the comment about them going backwards is in the eye of the beholder I feel that the last true Mercedes was the 126 body style, 300 SE, 420 SEL, 560 SEL, etc. When you saw one of these you knew you were looking at a Mercedes. Today you can't honestly say that. Presently I have 3 Mercedes that I drive in addition to my Lexus cars. The most recent addition that I purchased last Spring is a CLK 55. My next door neighbor's teenage daughter came over to see the new toy and said "That looks just like a Honda". It was a case of "Do you want to see a grown man cry?; an $80,000 Honda.

The new Mercedes styling, with a few exceptions, is not as distinctive as it once was and is truly joining the pack. My SC 430 is truly distinctive whereas the LS 430 somewhat blends in until you drive the car a true joy. In my estimation Lexus and Mercedes, while in the Luxury end of the market, target different customers.

Lou K

Lou K

[SW03ES]

Well Lexus and Mercedes feel otherwise lol. The Lexus came out in 1990 specifically to target consumers that purchase the SEL line of Mercedes sedans, and they did. The current Mercedes design is specifically geared to compete with Lexus.

[vcv10guy]

My next door neighbor's teenage daughter came over to see the new toy and said "That looks just like a Honda".  It was a case of "Do you want to see a grown man cry?; an $80,000 Honda.

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Ouch, I wouldn't want to hear that after spending $80k for a Mercedes Benz. I think she was refering to the Accord coupe when she made that comment. I remember Motor Trend just for giggles compared the recent CLK and the recent Accord coupe in an article. :chairshot:

[lkirchner]

My next door neighbor's teenage daughter came over to see the new toy and said "That looks just like a Honda".  It was a case of "Do you want to see a grown man cry?; an $80,000 Honda.

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Ouch, I wouldn't want to hear that after spending $80k for a Mercedes Benz. I think she was refering to the Accord coupe when she made that comment. I remember Motor Trend just for giggles compared the recent CLK and the recent Accord coupe in an article.:chairshot:

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I hope she was referring to the Accord coupe and not a Civic.

As far as the other comment about Lexus targetting the SEL that is correct but when I visit the two dealerships (Mercedes more often than Lexus for service, I might add) there is an unexplainable different feel to the clientelle between the two brands. I really can't truly define it but to me it is there. When you eliminate the wannabe Mercedes owners who drive the C class, the Mercedes customer base appears to be older and I don't want to come accross as a snob but appear to be more affluent. My observation.

When I bought my LS last summer I also looked at an MB S class as an alternative; a $30,000 differential. The car that more clearly competes with the LS, price wise, is the E500 but there is no comparison between the two. Mercedes is still living in the lofty atmosphere that they can afford to price their cars at higher levels because of their reputation and I do not see that changing.

I know that I am rambling so let me get back on track. I purchased the LS because I liked the features and functions and not because the MB was more expensive (I already owned an S 55). I was also drawn to Lexus because of its reputation for reliability and customer service: The Ultimate Pursuit of Perfection. To my dismay the experience that I am having with my SC 430 makes me think that the statement should be The Ultimate Barrage of Surveys and Letters and Rotten Service. That is another subject of which I am totally pi**ed off.

Lou K

[SW03ES]

Actually if you look at the brand demographics Lexus owners are older and have higher incomes, that doesn't neccisarily mean they're more affluent though as I don't know if they count wealth as income. I don't see the same difference here that you see there and I've been to several Benz dealers, one of them is a combo Benz/Rolls/Maybach dealer and they're very stuck up and unpleasant, when my dad was looking to replace his LS they soured him on a Mercedes completely (a 62 year old man who makes almost $500,000 a year) by how nasty they were, one salesman about knocked him down to beat him through the door then let the door shut in his face. Maybe you have to be really rich to expect that kind of abuse, who knows. Another dealer I've visited in a less affluent area is very nice, but I couldn't get him back to another Benz dealer after that.

Other than that one dealer which is obviously an oultlier the dealership experience seems very similar to me.