Ls430 Upgrade

[lexi]

My LS430 was the first one to come into the St. Louis area in December of 2000. It now has 120K on it and I'm trying to decide whether to trade it in now on a 2005 or wait for the next model upgrade. What's the skinny on the upgraded LS flagship?

[SW03ES]

It'll be out probably October of 2006, personally I would wait. I'm waiting.

How;s your LS430 been for 120k miles? Thats the highest mileage one I've heard of actually.

[bill harris]

I thought the new 2006 LS would be the LS 500. I hear the price will be in the range of 80-100K.

I have a 2005 LS 430 and it is great.

[SW03ES]

There may be a version between 80-100k (I doubt it will be at 100, maybe top out at 90k) but they'll still sell a version of the LS priced between the $60-75k range. I dont know if they'll have a different engine but theres supposed to be a version the same wheelbase as now and one on a longer wheelbase that will be the upmarket car. Moving the LS entirely to 80-100k will open up a big hole in their product line.

[GOLDPLATER]

1. So the most likely case on how LS would set up in America:

-LS460 a choice of short and long wheel base

-LS500 only long wheel base

and

-the hybrid models would have the long wheel base version ONLY

2. In terms of the engine displacement, the only new changes that may happen is that the LS500

hybrid would turn into LS550h instead. Why is this so? Well because apparently there is

increasing evidence that Toyota is trying to put a hybrid drive on the 4.6 liter engine and Toyota

would have no problems (in terms of the technology available) to increase (with the hybrid drive)

it's power output that is similar to the 5.5 liter engine. Adding to the weight reduction measures

taken by Toyota, it should have the similar performance as the S600 sedan.

So would the LS550h be the most expensive one in the line? Yes and you would expect this

car would carry the most advanced technology that is currently available. However, this car would

expect to carry it's price tag at around 93-95K and since I am not sure America is ready to pay

that much for a Toyota, I am quite doubtful this car would be sold into the American market.

3. And finally the LS450h is not out of the plans in Toyota proposal since it will share this

powerplant with the upcoming GS hybrid sedan. But the big question is the following? Would this

hybrid model ever arrive in the American market? From my thinking since we don't have

to pay very expensive and hefty license fees (which is by the way dependent on the amount of

(gas) displacement you have in the engine), quite possibly.

Basically, assume the new LS sedan would have a 4.6 liter engine, a hybrid version for the 4.5

liter engine and a 5.0 liter GT version.

There would be also a traditional 5.0 liter engine available for the LS and a stretch wheelbase

model for each displacement model on the LS sedan as an option.

Now what would be the main target market for the LS sedan; like always their major

competition would point directly to the Mercedes S-class but this time the LS model would take

on the entire S-Class Line-up and would try to suppress the current and the future S-class

sedan in all aspects such as interior dimensions, power, driving dynamics, etc. Here's the

breakdown of possible competitions:

LS460 would compete S430

LS500 GT would compete S55

LS450 hybrid?? or LS500 hybrid would compete S600??

John

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...CODE=12&CID=100

[CanadaCraig]

Hi Everyone!! :)

Click on THIS to read what AutoWeek says about the 2006 LS.

Craig!! :)

[SW03ES]

Goldplater- Where are you getting that info? Its way too early to be making those kind of speculations.

[Unlisted]

the new ls will be introduced march of 2006.