Well as some of you know...My best friend had a 07 S550 and now has an 08 S600. Honestly great cars and can't say enough about them. He loves my 460 and the three are great cars. He lives in Boca Raton and seems to have to keep up. My doors close better, haha. He hates that. :D The price difference is about the only difference except the "new" Mark Levinson puts a hurt on his Harmon Kardon. The LS is as quiet and both have the same road presence. He has 520BHP on the S600 and mine has 388Bhp so he beats me to Burger King by almost a full second. Heavier car. He gets 14mpg and paid a gas guzzler tax of $3800. Granted the night flight lighting is a plus on the S series. Really nice at night. Drive them both and no discernable difference other than the S series MB has a finer cabin. Not user friendly at all as the LS, but has a presence. He can putz with his NAV while in motion and I have learned to talk to mine in motion. I have to say the new Mark Levinson is worlds apart from the old one in my 430. Honestly, I chose the Lexus and I've owned them both and for a simple reason. Reliability. Price had a consideration as I am in a situation where I could have either. Google... Mallard Bay Oilfields..That's my family. Both fine cars but as for me.. the LS is for me. Been there done that! As a partner in my sold business once told me in 1991 with his new Lexus.."Ralph, this is a finer car" and he only had MB's and one Rolls Royce "POS' before that. Long time ago, I know..but it is still true for me and him to this day. This is my opinion and I have owned and driven most every car in my lifetime. Look forward to some more. Your LS's are the finest cars ever built to date, no matter the year, be proud and shine em up..