Is this the 2010 Lexus LS 600hL?
An image of what’s claiming to be the 2010 Lexus LS 600hL facelift has popped up (click for a larger image):
The most obvious change is the front grille, and the front bumper intakes have also been reworked and would resemble both the GS & IS designs. The turn signals are also integrated into the rear view mirrors.
I have strong doubts this is legitimate—the grille lacks the trademark chrome trim seen on every current Lexus refresh, and there’s no way an LS would come off the factory floor with gaps like the ones seen between the grille & hood. And where are the parking assist sensors?
It wouldn’t surprise me to find out that the 2010 LS hybrid was a facelift similar to this image, but I don’t think we’re looking at the final version here, but more likely a photochop from a Japanese magazine.
For comparison’s sake, here’s the 2009 model:
[Via: Club Lexus (Thanks Josh!)]
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Agreed, although it’s not a bad looking facelift, it’s definitely a photchop.
Is it just me or does the roof of the photchoped image look uneven. Kind of slanted like the right side looks higher than the left side.
It’s because of the paper this photo was on was on an angle in relation to the camera. I hope it makes sense. You can’t get a straight photograph of an image from a magazine.
Though it’s probably a photochop, if the final design of the actual facelifted LS600h even remotely resembles that: I’m going to hate Lexus.
It looks too much like an ordinary Camry or, worse yet, a 1998 Honda Accord.
Please be a photochop!
... Just a thought, but I personally think Lexuses (or Lexi) are get uglier. What happened to designs such as the orginal IS or the original SC? Or even the ‘03-‘09 RX?
no!!! no!!! no!!!
Older looks better than this previous. Seems like a big-HS
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!
i like it
nooooooooo
i love it
i wanna replace my GS450h with this one
really it grewed in me
and by the way am sure that is the 2010 LS
for those reasons
1-the front bumper intakes is so close to the front bumper of the 2010 ES spotter from 2 days ago specially the nickel-chrome around the 2 fog lights
2-the shape of the mirrors with the turn signal is even the same mirror as RX,IS,GS and the nearly spotted ES
I really do not like grille but I don’t mind side mirror blinkers and the front bumper.
I agree with 4td, the newer Lexus models do have an odd design. The best Lexus models in my opinion were between 2001-2005 model years.
Someone, please ... tell me - what is the difference between the LS460h and the LS460hl aswith the LS600h and LS600hl ??
I’m a little confused !!
it looks like a freaking nissan maxima… i really hope they don’t destroy my fav LS with this revision.
L = long wheelbase
H= Hybrid
there is no such thing as the LS460hL or LS600, hybrid only comes in long wheel base
so here are the models break down in US at least
LS460
LS460L
LS600hL
Kev - Thanks dude.
So what you are telling me is that there is a regular LS460 a longwheel base LS460 and ofcourse the LS600hl.
Is the LS460l the same length as the LS600hl or is only the wheelbase (distance between the front and rear wheels) are little longer.
Can you elaborate a little more for me please ... would be appreciated.
Cheers
Luke, Lexus has the LS460, LS460L, LS600hL, and the LS600h(Japan.)
All of the measurments are the same. As in the LS 460 and LS600h are the exact same size. And the LS 460L and LS600hL are the exact same size.
I CAN SEE WHITE LED(L shape disign) IN THE HEADLAMP( like AUDI )BY THE Headlamp washers IF YOU CAN SEE DOWN THE TURN SIGNAL OR NOT?
I’M WRONG?
I think you might be right, Roberto. It does look like a strip of LEDs under the headlights, similar to the Audi look. The Mercedes S-Class also has something similar now:
@Luke G.T.:
There is the LS 460 & LS 460L, which have the gasoline V8, and the LS 600h & LS 600hL, which have the gas engine/electric motor combination. This is the major difference, along with a different suspension and other cosmetic details.
Here’s a full list of changes on Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexus_LS_Hybrid#Hybrid-only_features
I think there needs to more contrast between the LS & LSh—and having a radically different grille would be a good start. I just hope it’s a little more refined than the one in this image.
um..this is terrible?
I dont think this is an LS facelift,it looks like the new HS250 small hybrid Lexus is putting out that someone put a LS license plate on.Frank Mullin,Hennessy Lexus Gwinnett,FMullin@hennessylexus.com.
I highly doubt this is the facelifted LS. There’s at least 3-4 different cars photoshop in that pixs. Plus the ES design has almost nothing in common with any of Lexus RWD vehicle from the chisel shoulder to how the rear windows taper off. Pretty much what I’m saying, They’re not going to pull an ES on the LS when the ES wasn’t the best seller on their homeland. Wouldn’t make sense to pass it on to their Flagship sedan. To me, that not L-finesse. That’s just a plain Toyota-look-on-a-Lexus again.
To add on to my comment, Lexus Hybrid system is more performance oriented. That grill would cause a huge hit in cooling performance by restricting air flow.
Following the path of previous L-finesse facelift, I think we will see a thicker chrome border around the grill, redesign front bumper, L style tails, and a few other enhancements. Also judging by their other hybrid vehicle, like the new RX450h and the GS450h, they don’t have that ugly looking grill like those on the HS. I think the HS is the only Lexus with fuel economy in mind, while the others are more performance, hencing the grill on the HS.
I’d be depressed if this is the real deal. Reasons:
1. The grill- very HSish, plastic?! Come on! Cheap.
2. Fog lights- Just awquard like the new es. Looks deformed.
3. LED light on headlight- right idea, bad placement.
Overall it just doesn’t look like a $120,000 luxury car.
Needs a more agressive front end and better speed and handling( I know that they can achieve it for all models. It’s just they don’t care for that) to rival the performance Marques.
I have also noticed that the past few car designs aren’t that stunning. The rx (it’s ok but after I’ve seen the lfx h concept, ehh), hs looks too priusy, wish the hood was longer,and the new es…Aww so sad tht Lexus ruined the front end completely. I just hope Lexus will get the lfa design right. CRUCIAL!!!!! Please fire the current designers!!!! Love the new Lexus prez’s vision.
you can order the LS460 with AWD - normal wheelbase or long wheelbase. in Japan and Europa Lexus offers the LS600h with normal wheelbase.
Att : Eddie - while the grille on the HS may appear cheap (ish), i can 110% assure you that there is nothing cheap about any aspect of any Lexus. Infact, i will not hesitate for a second to suggest that the materials that form the grille of the HS is of very high quality.
Further more ... i actually don’t mind the HS and confidently believe it will satisfy it’s designed purpose (demography) whole-heartedly.
While i admit the HS will not inject passion into the brand, it will however satisfy a niche market.
I’m talking about how a $30,000 car grill would be on a $120,000 car. I don’t think plastic is acceptable on this car. What would you think car reveiwers would say about that grill. It’s the LS 600hL!!! The ultimate flagship. Again, $ 120,000 that rivals amg. A crome grill would be more suitable for it’s class.
I love Lexus. I even have 3 of them. If Lexus was cheap looking and low quality I wouldn’t have purchaced them. But I HAVE noticed Lexus sometimes uses many Toyota parts and plastics in their cars. Their high quality but still plastic. Ex. The interior door panels on the rx was stiched leather on the previous generation is now soft plastic. Lexus also used surprisingly less wood trim.
grilles are gonna be plasticky nevertheless. It’s about how they deal with the plastics. The grille on my LS and LX have always been a little loose, and that enhances the cheap feeling of it. That’s something I kinda have to deal with.
Btw, the license plates in the back of both of my cars are secured by only two screws. As a result, whenever I shut the trunk lid or door, there is always that clinging of metals sound. Is it supposed to be like that?
@WorldoLuxury I also have the same thing with my license plate at the back of my lexus. I guess it’s a natural thing.
If you are using a plastic frame and it’s not tighten down pretty good, it will do that. I also own a Corolla and a tC and I have those metal frames and it never makes a noise. You could also put those foam spacer behind the plates to get rid of those noise.
Eddie - how do you now it is a grille from a $30 000 car positioned on a $120 000 luxury barge. Because they look the same doesn’t mean they are the same.
Besides, it is a grille - nothing more, nothing less and personally i believe it looks OK.
Furthermore ... identical parts sharing could no-doubt be readily identified between VW and Audi, BMW and Mini and so forth.
Eitherway, Lexus build quality which is often referred to as impeccable is ‘arguably’ second to none especially judging by the brands strong and consistant high ranking (often No.1) in the many Quality / Customer Satisfaction Surveys that are often published in many markets of the world including North America and Europe.
That’s is fugly. Hope its a fake…
I know all that already.
Its unlikely that the grille would look like that as it’s highly polarising & not favourable for a car in the premium luxury class. Many customers would find it too odd looking. Also it’s inconsistent with the redesigned grilles of the 2010 ES & facelifted IS. The chromed fog-lights look tacky too, like in the new ES.
Mirror indicators are almost certain & there’s the possibility of LED front & rear indicators like in the S-class & 7-series. Overall it’s looks a bit chunkier than the current car. But almost all such renderings of future Lexus cars are unreliable as the photochopped images of the facelifted ES posted in an earlier article by Krew have no similarity whatsoever to the actual car shown in Taiwan.
But there’s also the possibility that Lexus will add more differentiating features to the hybrid models, like the almost completely new front the Camry hybrid got over the regular gasoline model after the facelift. Also the RXh has a slighty different grille & foglight design over the RX350. So a different grille & air dam/fog light design for the 600h would be better than just a few blue badges.
Hope they up the power to 450 bhp too.
It makes me sad to hear people say they are going to ’ hate Lexus ‘. Even I’m extremely offended by recent designs from Lexus like the LX, HS & especially the RX. But as much as possible I will try to stick with the brand. I’m only fearful of what those tasteless designers at Lexus will do to the LS & GS. If they ruin the perfect looks of the current LS, I may be forced to quit the brand.
2 mtema99 :
The GS mirror indicators are a different design from the IS & RX.
The LED’s on the lower edge of the S-class headlights are indicators. The running lights/DRL’s are mounted in the front bumper, also LED’s ( not seen in the picture ).
Not just fire them, chop their hands off too so they don’t this at some other carmaker !
2 Eddie :
That’s exactly what I too thought bout the new RX door panels. They also deleted the leather side panels in the LX570 & removed the wood panel around its window switches. Also the quantity of wood on the RX dash is so stingy, it’s an insult. Might as well have just used the same silver finish as the center stack.
I call this being ” cheap “. Proper wood & leather trim is a must for a luxurious & relaxing ambience.
I have the same problem when I shut the trunk lid of my GS.
Yes! One who understands me!! Lol
I also get the point. Thank you….
tht was 2 LEXUS BOY
A LOT GUYS IS TALKING ABOUT THE NEW GRILLE FOR THE LEXUS LS600hl,I KNOW LOOKS “different” BUT REMEMBER THIS GRILLE IS FOR THE LEXUS LS 600hl AND NOT THE ORIGINAL LS 460.
ANYWAY WE NEED TO WAY TO SEE THE NEW GRILLE FOR THE 2010 LEXUS LS 460 RIGHT?
AND THIS grille IS BETTER THAN THE ACURA CARS GUYS.
Not any better than the Acura grille. This grill won’t make it on a $120K vehicle. I know that for sure. Lexus isn’t that stupid to put it on the LS600 series.
no, better yet send them to Germany to screw up their cars
im starting to feel Lexus is losing their touch…i don’t know why, but it seems to me they just don’t care about looks as they used to…if Lexus designs go down the drain…i just might not like it anymore…it hurts me to say it but it’s true…
Lexusaddict - i actually disagree with many of your negative comments about the direction Lexus is heading with thier styling.
Personally ... Lexus general styling today is much, much better then what it was in the past and quite frankly - i like many of thier current lines.
The SC is a major exemption - old, dated and downright dowdy !! Get rid of the car all-together.
what? how could you not like the LX and HS? i like all of them, even thought im not a hybrid liker. the new RX is beautiful. in person, its a powerful looking car. i dont get why nobody likes it
and here’s living proof that the s class copied the IS headlights yet nobody wants to admit because they treat mercedes like its their ruler…
the main point is…this isnt real. just a claim. a photochop. not. real. hopefully. as long as Lexus doesn’t do the FORBIDDEN 4 DEEDS, im still a Lexus fan.
I think why not many people like the new RX is just the same shell as the Venza. I’m not really bashing it either. I like how it looks but there are some design element that resembles a domestic vehicle and some elements that was retained from the last generation. I mean from the shoulder lines and all. There’s not much to differentiate it from Toyota.
I don’t think many people understand that this is just a photoshop. I mean I can post up a pix of my photoshop LS600 and a majority will believe in it.
EXACTLY! thats what i said!!
WE GET THE POINT THAT YOU DISAGREE WITH US. AND WE KNOW THAT USUALLY LEXUS DESIGNS ARE GREAT. EVERYONE’S SAYING THE TRUTH- THE PAST FEW LEXUS DESIGNS HAVE BEEN BAD AND WE DON’T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN ON THE LS.
If someone hated Lexus, who would care about how great or how bad their designs are….
The original grille on the LF-Sh concept isn’t bad, actually.
Yeah, I agree with you emptystreets130.
The RX has bares a striking resemblance with the cheap, Camry-based Venza. Though it might be more attractive than the previous gen, the interior of the ‘10 model RX has too many design flaws and unLexus-like poor build quality.
Don’t get me wrong though. I would pick the RX over the SRX, X5/X3 or the Q5 any day.
As for the HS, I appreciate the efficiency. But, I wish Lexus could have at least considered making the exterior a little more handsome. It looks disproportionate and quirky.
I sincerely hope that Lexus hires a new design crew for the next IS and GS, or at least does something about this so-called L-Finesse design language.
P.S. Sorry about the bad grammar.
If I were to be honest, their headlights are of basic designs… forms… shapes.
The Venza is a well made car. It has better build quality and materials than anything in it’s class.
Having said that from photos the RX does have some kind of resemblance to the Venza. However where in photos the interior looks to be a step down from the previous generation RX it’s a completely different story once you sit in the new RX and drive it.
I have only sat in the new RX but I’ve driven the previous RX many times. The new RX’s interior much better in quality than the previous gen. To me the old RX almost felt like a minivan due to the center console not being connected to the dash. The new RX has a much more fluid design that makes it feel like a car. Materials quality have also been improved.
The only negatives I have to say is that Lexus has seemed to skimp on the wood, lately Lexus has put less wood in their entry level cars. Also I wish the whole door was padded with leather, not just the armrest.
The engine is also too modest. Only 7 hp gain from the previous RX. It’s still ample power, but it should have closer to 300 hp.
Oh and last thing is that I wish it was optional with 3rd row. Even the RAV4 is optional with a 3rd row.
Otherwise the new RX is substantially better than the previous RX.
300 hp is a lot of horsepower for a FWD. The reason why it won’t make it to 300 hp is because this is not the same engine as the GS or the IS, different exhaust and intake plumping and because of the torque steering it would produce. The 2GR motor for FWD is without the D4-s system like the GS and IS, hencing less power and torque for this family of engine.
About the wood trim. I do think Lexus is skimming on the wood for a few reason. It look modern without the whole wood trim center console and because of environmental concerns.
Environmental concerns?! That’s bull****!
I wouldn’t pay the premium required for a luxury car if it’s saying, “We’re helping to save the environment; now give us money as a thank you.” That’s like McDonald’s saying, “We’ve made the medium fries smaller; now give us more money as a thank you.”
Different wood can be taken into consideration. Piano black is better than plastic metal and fake leather (aka soft touch materials).
Anyways, the RX is a beaaaaauuutiful car in person. The non-LED headlights in the hybrid model look great with their tinting. Lexus made the mistake of not stretching the headlights. I don’t mean that they have to be similar to those on the LF-Xh, but I do mean that the headlights are too cute - don’t match the rather elongated look of the rest of the vehicle.
Appreciating the RX requires looking at it from a female’s point-of-view. It looks cute, not aggressive. Those LEDs looked good on the concept, but not on the production car. A guy should drive an RX for business reasons only.
I’m not bashing on the RX. I drive them at work and I do love them. And I also love the fact that they aren’t using the wood trim through out the cabin. It’s feels old with it covering the center console stack. It’s fine where the gear shifter sits and on the door. It’s a bit more contemporary that way and a new style of modernization. I’m looking at the pixs right now and it’s a very luxurious interior. Even without overdoing the wood trim. It’s the same way on the IS, GS and LS.
It was a failed attempted on the ES tho where the wood trim ended at the cupholder cover. I mean half wrapped in wood and the rest is plastic.
lol. BRILLIANT!
On second thought, you’re right. Better send them to Audi so that they can work their ” magic ” there. But then again Audi is already so screwed up, those guys will be scratching their heads !
The truly great Lexus designs of all time are the original LS400 & SC400 IMO. The recent greats are the current LS, GS & IS ( genuine L-Finesse ).
Despite its age, the SC430 is a significant model in the lineup as the SC name is highly recognised. So discontinuing the line doesn’t make sense. The SC is not bout sales numbers, but offering something unique & special like the Bimmer 6-series & Merc CL. I still find the design attractive & it has aged gracefully. The interior design is also easily better than the newer models like RX & LX.
2 LEXUSaddict :
What are the forbidden 4 deeds ?
Lexus cannot afford to ruin the LS design a second time, the horrible LS430 still gives me nightmares.
It’s remarkable how personal tastes vary from person to person, right LEXUSaddict ? I’m also starting to think the LX470 looks BETTER than the 570.
Based on what we are discussing here, the majority of us are in agreement that Lexus designs are taking a turn for the worse.
I agree with 4tD.
One of the biggest shocks of the RX is its interior design which is too amorphous looking. The asymmetric dash is also really distasteful. This is an unorthodox Lexus design & it looks like something Honda or Acura would do.
The HS looks too previous gen Corolla-ish & even then that old Corolla looks better.
Another point is the A/C controls in the RX look a mess & the “off” button has been fused with the fan speed rocker switch so now you have to press & hold the button to switch off the A/C while every other Lexus has a one-touch “off” button for the A/C including HS. I find this annoying as I use the air-conditioner a lot when driving.
Every Lexus has better material quality & driving manners than the preceding model as that’s what’s called progress & almost every car maker does it that way. So the differentiating factor becomes design or aesthetics & that’s where Lexus is not making “progress”. The facelifted ES is another example of how those retards at the Lexus design department have run out of ideas.
And like Jay mentioned, cost cutting is also evident in the reduced wood & leather used in the RX interior.
I like the asymmetrical dash in the RX. I like how the ES is like that too.
But in the RX, if you’re referring to… I don’t know how to say it… The roundness of the dash in certain parts look a bit weird like that A/C vent on the far left.
BUT, I see a silver lining! I see Lexus veering away from the usual usual. I see Lexus willing to bring out a floating console (HS). I see Lexus willing to design a driver focused cockpit (ES). I see Lexus willing to do what they would have never done 5 years ago (RX). I see Lexus trying to make the future less predictable.
The RX has always appealed more to women drivers, so maybe Lexus designed the new model to cater to their tastes. In any case I wouldn’t buy an RX for my personal use.
So the question remains WorldofLuxury, Are you a guy or a gal, seriously ?
+1
am with you totally on that
And I see Lexus losing loyal fans like ME in the process. HA, HA.
i donna think so
i think lexus by time have it’s own holo
i mean the 2006 IS&GS; is still fresh
i like the ES specially from outside
& it seems to me that the design ‘ll be more sporty and fresh & nice
see the LFA concepts & the recent CT sketches
2 emptystreets130:
I too thought the asymmetric wood trim on the ES center console was a bit daft, but after seeing the RX dash the ES is far more acceptable.
Agree with you on the SC. The 2nd gen is a beautiful vehicle and has age gracefully. Despite it not having room in the back, that was bound to happen. Have you ever been in the 6-series? Same deal, rear seats are unusable, even for it’s size.
I wouldn’t say Lexus ruin the LS430. They were after all going after the last gen S-class at that time. The LS430 just looks out of proportion. It has a nice front end after the facelift, but it went downhill starting from the beginning of the rear door to the trunk. That’s a huge boot seeing it from the side. They could of pushed the rear wheels out to make it look right as well.
how knows
may be the long waiting forth coming 3rd generation SC based on the LFA ‘ll get more room for the people in the back
I only see a passing resemblance between the RX and the Venza—the Venza looks like a minivan to me. I guess they look similar in photos (particularly the back window), but I don’t see one and automatically think of the other.
@LEXUS BOY: The lack of an OFF button in the 2010 RX drives me crazy too, but that would probably be my only complaint with the interior. I feel all the asymmetry and swooping lines make it feel very modern, and give the vehicle a unique character.
I’m not surprised at the reaction to the interior though, and think it might take some time for it to gain acceptance.
I think this is similar to what happened with Auto Express and their CT rendering—a verbal description was given to the magazine, who then tried to recreate the design in Photoshop.
That’s also what I thought—if the HS grille was to be the default style for Lexus hybrids, the RX450h would have it.
With the exception of its now-dated rear design, I still think the LS 430 is all class. I can’t believe you called it horrible!
I should have an LS 430 feature week just to drive you crazy!
I think I might just do that myself.
IMO there is ample wood on the dash and center console of the ES. It’s done rather tastefully. The wood ends at the cupholder cover because there is no where else to put wood. Beyond the cupholder cover is the center storage box. The cover of that box is covered with soft padded leather.
What I would have liked is more wood on the door panels. Our ES only has wood where the power window buttons are located. I prefer the use of wood in the previous ES where it had a long strip near the top of the door.
I’m not talking about where it ends. I’m talking about how it was done on the cupholder. Half is wrapped in wood and the other half is just black plastic. I looks very cheap in person. I would personal just have the wood end at the gear shift console instead of doing a half job at the cup holder.
Still there were more hideous cars. At that time the 7 Series had not yet received it’s facelift. Till this day I still think the 02-05 7 Series was one of the worst looking luxury cars ever made.
I’m trying to picture it with just the black plastic and not the wood. I don’t think it would look better. If you look at the dash the wood has plastics on the sides similar to the look of the black plastic that is on the sides of the wood on the cupholder. It has a very fluid look.
Glad you too noticed that flaw in the RX, Krew.
The A/C OFF switch is a significant convenience feature. I’ve made a point of checking other cars for it, most Merc’s have a separate OFF button for the auto A/C, but BMW’s don’t have it. I asked my local BMW sales guy once how do you switch off the A/C in bimmers & he didn’t have an answer. During demos they switch off the ignition without switching off the A/C & when they start the car the A/C comes on which puts too much strain on the battery.
NO, NO, NO, NO & NO.
You’ve got me wrong , Krew. I’m actually talking bout the 2001 LS430, not the facelifted ‘04 model which drastically improved the car’s looks. But the first car had a front end that looked like it took a sound beating with the ugly stick. Lexus blatantly mixed several S-class cues & made a mess of it. Also the short hood length & high fender profile made it look like an SUV from certain angles. Many British mags were highly critical of the design ( maybe more than the American ones ). The Top Gear tv show called it the ugliest production car, I think. Also the car was too tall looking & the 225 section tires looked too skinny cause of the height. Than goodness Lexus abandonded those tall-ish proportions with the LS460.
I still like the LS430’s interior design & with the facelift they addressed most of my gripes with the original car.
“horrible” may have been a bit too strong I guess…HA, HA.
If you want to drive me crazy, Krew an RX & HS week would do the trick.
I think that would drive ALL of us crazy !
Ok, whew—I thought you were putting down the 2004+ LS 430s!
RX & HS week coming up!
I think the 02-05 7-series is a handsome vehicle, even before the facelift. I just don’t like the newer ones they just came out. Looks too odd.
The plastic cupholder cover in the ES feels very cheap. They could’ve completely made the cover of wood to hide the cheapness.
I’m always for lavish splashings of wood trim. You could say I have a Wood & Leather interior trim fetish & that’s what makes the 600h interior great. In addition to the trimmings in the 460, the 600h gets leather covered dash & door cappings with wood grab handles & roof console trim. There are 6 separate areas of wood trim just on the roof alone. Even BMW copied the wood grab handles for the 760Li.
Yes, I’ve sat in the 650i front seats. The rears are impossible to sit on unless the fronts are pushed all the way forward. When the front seats are in place the seat backs are touching the rear seat cushion, so there’s nowhere to place your legs other than on the rear seat itself. Even the CL isn’t really spacious in the back despite being longer than the std WB LS. But these cars are designed for the front passengers only. The rears are designed only to get the 4-seater classification.
You’re killin me here, Krew. HA, HA.
EXACTLY. Either do full cover or do nothing at all. Not do half a job.
I see what they are trying to do, but I guess they didn’t planned it out right. The asymmetrical dash in the ES was pretty much Lexus first venture in a new design language. I’ll give it an A+ for effort.
They Supra had a nice asymmetrical design, and I’m surprise that Toyota does not remember how to make an asymmetrical dash that looks right for the ES.
2 Jay :
Are you referring to the Chris Bangle 7-series ?
The next gen SC is likely to be revealed sometime in 2011.
2 Krew :
How bout doing a poll about the best & worst Lexus designs ? The company could use it as feedback to gauge customer likes & dislikes.
I have no idea how difficult it is to organise a poll, but just a suggestion.
@ Lexus Boy:
Yea the previous generation 7 Series before the facelift. Bangle butt and all!
great idea lexus boy
lol
I’m a guy.
lol
guys… you really have to sit in the ES, get in your best comfortable position, and admire the ES’s dash. It’s a beautiful work of art. It’s asymetrical. It faces the driver. It’s still intuitive. It still follows the original philosophy of literally making the driver’s seat feel like a cockpit.
But I would agree that if they covered the area with leather, there wouldn’t be any complaints, but I do like how they don’t make the entire cup holder cover full of wood.
Like I’ve said before, Lexus is like a business experiment to Toyota - a pioneering in the luxury market even until now. The ES has less wood because it saves up money. They probably worked their butts off in trying to make the interior acceptable with less wood instead of doing so out of good sense and taste.
Lexus have done that before, and the result was a second generation LS that looked just like the first generation.
There are many parts of every Lexus that are beautiful - e.g. the concave shape of the ES along the belt line ...starting above the front fender, leading itself, and reappearing in the C-pillar behind the chrome of the window frame. They got that from the LF-S concept, which had its fair share with both the GS and the ES.
There are many good designs in every Lexus, but Lexus shouldn’t rely on our feedbacks. They have their own designers. They should have been trained and be experts in their fields. They should know what’s good and what’s not; they shouldn’t have to rely on shapes from previous models and give the excuse that they’re “standardizing” the L-finesse design language. They should be able to come out with a unique and beautiful design every single day, and Lexus should put them into production.
@ WorldofLuxury
Thank you, you pretty much said what I was thinking. The ES interior as a whole is beautifully done. The cupholders to me are fine as it fits with the rest of the dash. Before our ES we had an 05 XLE Camry which had wood covering the entire cupholders. Though it was fake wood I doubt it would have looked any better had the wood been real. Too much wood can give the car an overly mature persona. As of late Lexus is aiming for a modern look with their interiors.
I also agree that photos do not do the RX’s and ES’s interior any justice. You have to sit in both cars to truly get the feel of how well both interiors were designed.
For Lexus the opinions of a few dozen people on a forum won’t matter.
Now if all of the sudden sales from a particular model took a nosedive or if a newly introduced or redesigned model wasn’t doing so well it would be a different story.
Or maybe if you really wanted to make a difference, get a group of a couple hundred Lexus owners and send a letter to the corporate office.
Jay, I couldn’t have put it any better than you have! The interior of the ES really is gorgeous.
As for the RX, I had just recently test driven it. I admit, the exterior is really quite gorgeous in person. The ride is also fine, but the panels in the interior(as I mentioned) were poorly aligned and the “auto” climate control was exceedingly hard to use.
As for the LS (this article), Lexus shouldn’t take any chances on the design and quality. I can understand taking a risk on the RX, but not on the LS. Lexus should keep the exterior design conservative but add a few more detail touches here and there. Even though the current design is good, they should add more leather on the dash and perhaps more on the door trim too. Many people I know have already abandoned the LS for the upcoming Hyundai Equus because it looks more upscale (more wood, leather,chrome, ambient interior lighting, whatever…)
cant believe someone actually asked lol wow.
1.) they make the GS’s headlights single, like the LS.
2.) they make the IS into a bad designed Linesse design.
3.) the LFA is cancelled permenantally.
4.) they focus their designs in the direction of the HS.
wow i went through hell and back to find this comment. haha…so anyway. i love the new LX. i love the RX. Lexus just needs to make their design more powerful and not go soft and lilly livered like…volvo…*shudder*
Our opinion SHOULD matter to the company cause we are not only Lexus owners but enthusiasts of the brand as well & will keep buying their cars. So unlike regular car buyers we know the brand & are loyal to it. The company doesn’t exist to cater to their designers’ preferences, but to OUR tastes cause we are the ones who buy the vehicles. Just because a few imbeciles at Lexus think a particular design looks great to them doesn’t mean you or I should like it & I’m certainly not going to spend my money on something that offends my eye even if its a Lexus. For sure they need to do more customer clinics going by their recent designs.
I’ve sat in both the ES & RX, & while the current ES is still very nice, the previous gen ES seemed to have a more luxurious ambience. But the RX, I still cannot stomach.
( As a result of which we are considering buying the ES instead of the new RX )
I would like to note that the Equus is a blatant rip off of the LS design, just take a peek at the interior which has same rear console as the 4-seater LS. The only reason I can see someone opt for the Equus over the LS is cost. Hyundai makes some great cars nowadays but this is a bit far fetched.
What next ? A Korean LF-A rival ?
2 Jay :
I don’t think either I or anyone here has the time or energy to go around finding a couple hundred Lexus owners just to sign a petition to the head office. Most Lexus owners will be quite happy if the cars are comfortable & reliable & won’t care if they look good or not. The company knows this, hence designs like the HS & RX. The car industry is highly competitive & it is Lexus that should come after you or me cause its a buyer’s market. If Lexus continues to offend my automotive tastes for eg by ruining the LS or GS, I could easily see myself switching to Mercedes or BMW.
2 LEXUSaddict :
Interesting.
While we’re at it, I would like to list the 5 things I hate most in any car :-
1) Manual transmission
2) Handbrake
3) 5-spoke alloy wheels with a solid spoke design
4) leather shrouded automatic gear selector
5) A-pillar quarter window.
I’ve decided never to buy any vehicle that has one or more of the above flaws including Lexus.
Call me fastidious & a bit crazy. HA, HA.
LOL… I seriously doubt that anyone willing to spend Ferrari Money would really pick Korean.
complete opposite of a true car enthusiasts. So you like that have a car that drives for you instead of driving yourself?
Lexus isn’t the first company to have the 4 seat arrangement in the LS. So Hyundai copying Lexus is not a true statement.
If this thread has taught me anything, it’s that my comments system needs a massive, massive overhaul. This threaded system just isn’t working anymore.
How would everyone feel about dropping the threaded comments and moving to a forum-style Quote/Reply system?
@LB: Too funny, I’m actually planning on launching a weekly poll once I rework the comments system. The tech I have in place isn’t going to be able to handle the massive amount of comments that polls generate.
would be nice
I love the simplicity and speed of your website, but I agree that it needs a big overhaul.
I would be interested to hear any suggestions, email me at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
2 emptystreets130 :
No offense, but are you a Hyundai or Lexus fan ? Its well known that Hyundai has emulated other brands since their very inception, obvious examples being the old Sonata which mixed Jaguar with C-class headlights & more recently the Genesis sedan whose exterior design is a mix of LS & 5-series while the interior has been lifted straight off the now defunct Q45.
So is the case with the Equus. I didn’t say Lexus invented the individual rear seat layout, but if you’ve seen pictures of its interior you can clearly seen the similarity of the rear center console ( & other details ) to the LS.
Hyundai has shamelessly ripped off Lexus twice.
I don’t understand what the terms ’ threaded comments ’ & ’ Quote/Reply system ’ means. Can anyone please explain ?
2 Krew : I haven’t encountered any problems with the website since I upgraded my browser.
Yes. When I test drived the es and opened the door panel was extremely plain. From a distance I couldn’t see wood trim at all because it was flat.
The 2 main complaints on the rx is also the lack of wood and leather on the doors. (unlike the old rx)
Wow I got lost in here. Lol
It’s legit.
I’m a fan of both. Since my perspective is unique in a way and accept the ups and downs of all automotive makes and models.
I see Hyundai as a threat to both Toyota, Lexus and the Scion brand. Toyota former President was also worry about Hyundai continuous growth in emerging and current markets.
But Lexus is also a shamelessly rip off of MB.
I appreciate the insights, emptystreets130—and while I don’t see Hyundai as a real competitor to Lexus in the short-term, a couple more releases like the Equus and Genesis and I think every luxury car brand is in trouble.
The biggest problem Hyundai will face is that they didn’t invest in a new brand for their luxury cars, as such, they reduce the chance of being taken seriously. That said, if they branch Genesis off as their Lexus competitor, with separate dealerships, I bet it would rock the luxury car market.
@4td: You know people jumping from the LS to the Equus? That’s wild.
Well, luckily, I’ve warmed up to it over the last week or so.
Great idea, Krew.
A weekly poll would be exciting for us kiddies. I always enjoy participating in auto related polls just for fun even if the results aren’t authentic.( wink )
@LB: Threaded comments is what’s in place right now—where there’s an initial comment and any responses to that comment are placed underneath it.
The Quote/Reply system would display all comments in a linear fashion, and it would be possible to respond to other comments by quoting the text. This makes it easier to follow along, and to read all the comments since your last visit.
Hope that explains it!
130 comments so far… Yikes !
Do you mean the forum system used in clublexus.com, Krew ?
It would be very similar to a forum—I might even open up user registrations!
Let’s take it up a notch, right. HA, HA.
Of course you have every right as a Lexus owner to submit a complaint of your vehicle, whether it be design or otherwise. From the looks of this forum you may have a few dozen people to agree with you.
But thats just it. Your opinion or a few dozen people’s opinion does not represent the majority of the hundreds of thousands or even millions of Lexus owners. From their point their cars are selling relatively well compared to other luxury marks. At the end of the day Lexus is a business, as long as they are doing well there is that age old saying “don’t mess with success.”
You could write a letter, but I would be surprised if you get anything more than a letter that pretty much says ‘we appreciate your feedback.’
If you really want Lexus to take notice you need to get AT LEAST a couple hundred Lexus owners.
2 Krew : Would the new system continue with the e-mail notifications ?
Hmmm… it may be a good idea, however I like the fact that you don’t have to register or create a username to post comments.
Hey Krew, does this topic hold the record for most commnents?
Agreed. Luxury owners expect a dealership of a higher caliber. You wouldn’t feel like your driving a luxury car if you had your car serviced at the same place they would service a Toyota Yaris.
Hyundai is gaining presence. If they had a third luxury model, like an entry level rwd model, they would have a fighting chance to compete with other luxury marks.
If I put in a user registration system, it would certainly be optional.
(And this topic is definitely the top commented story EVER!)
Lexus USED TO copy Mercedes in the past, the LS430 & 2G GS comes to mind, but that’s in the distant past. Today’s Lexus designs are all their own. Nowadays even BMW & Jaguar take inspiration from Lexus as evidenced by the 7-series & XF ( Merc to follow ? ).
But Hyundai is just stealing someone else’s good ideas.
Absolutely.
i like the idea krew
and i think the main people that comment now
are the first to make a registration
The number of comments is highly appropriate for the flagship Lexus model.
hehe
i see that
waiting for next generation L-finesse (LS/SC/GS/IS/CT)
You’re right there, Jay. I have no major complaints design or otherwise with my GS300. I was considering a new RX350 for the missus, but cancelled the idea after seeing its design. I mentioned this to my Lexus dealer & they explained that this is an advanced type of design, its more user friendly & the usual sales gibberish. Instead they offered me a 2009 RX ( the previous model ) but it wasn’t available in black. So we’ve decided to continue with our RAV4 for the time being.
I’m considering the LS/next gen GS as my next car, so I hope they don’t ruin those models like they did with the RX.
Hyundai has really gained credibility in the past few years, but they simply CANNOT compete with Lexus, Mercedes or BMW. And I would NEVER consider it the equal of those brands. Toyota knew this when they conceived Lexus in the early 80’s cause no one considering a luxury car would buy a Toyota even if it was the Century or Crown. Hyundai should’ve followed that same strategy with the Genesis & Equus sold in upscale dealerships.
LEXUSaddict, “Lexus Enthusiast” forum explorer extrordinaire, day 37. through this vast,thick jungle of comments i scavengered my way here, to this comment. i don’t really mind manual transmission but i think id rather prefer auto. i guess ill just have to drive both. seeing as my license is still 3 months away…
LEXUSaddict, “Lexus Enthusiast” forum explorer extrordinaire, day 37. through this vast,thick jungle of comments i scavengered my way here, to this comment.
i wouldn’t mind but its not up to me anyway, so lol go for it krew.
I’m the kind of car enthusiast who prefers relaxed cruising in luxury (most of the time). HA, HA.
‘Explorer extrordinaire’ occasionally seen missing in action in the vast thickness of this jungle. Fortunately no wild animals about. HA, HA.
LEXUSaddict, “Lexus Enthusiast” forum explorer extrordinaire, day 38. through this vast,thick jungle of comments i scavengered my way here, to this comment. yeah who knows what would happen if those Lexus haters were let loose in this jungle…i’d just have to kill em off for food >:D
I too hated the look of the new RX450h and thought it was FUGLY! BUT! I drove one 2 days ago and was pleasantly surprised, the interior felt much nicer than the old RX and it certainly looked much nicer than it does in the photos.
Definitely a step up!