Lexus GS to be Reinvented as Four Door Coupe?

Posted by Kevin on August 21st, 2017

Australia CEO Peter McGregor has dismissed rumors that the GS sedan will be cancelled — from GoAuto:

“I think it (new GS) would still be a four-door sedan in terms of its application, but the exterior styling may appear to be more liftback,” he told GoAuto at the national media launch of the Lexus LC in Tyabb, Victoria, this week.

“I’m not saying anything about the future, I’m just saying if you … want to talk about how we’re going to reinvigorate the sedan market, I think you can probably take a clue from the design of the next-generation LS.

“The styling of the vehicle is very much moving from a traditional three-box sedan, if you will, to more of a liftback body style. And I think that that change will actually add great appeal to the sedan market.”

This is the first public statement by a Lexus executive on the cancellation rumors, and it paints a picture of the GS moving up market to compete with the Mercedes CLS & Audi A7. The four-door coupe is a low-volume, high-prestige segment, and a GS at this level would fit in well alongside the LC & LS flagships.

That said, this is not something that will go into immediate effect — GoAuto reports that Lexus global product planning has yet to communicate a GS timeline with its regional offices.

(This leads me to thinking the rumors are at least partially true — what if Lexus is planning to put the GS on an extended hiatus while it reinvents the model?)

Lexus GS: Fourth Generation
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Comments
Tragic Bronson
krew
I remember being excited about the 4GS despite its half-formed spindle grille -- wish it could have performed better in the market.
Was the grill holding the car back from more appeal in the marketplace? When the pictures of the car was released, you just couldn't get away from seeing this on any forum thread:
james_m300
i don't understand why people care so much about the ES becoming the sports sedan of the segment now, look at how much the new camry evolved, 'ES' is just a nameplate, yes it has been the boring granny car for years but look how the RX has transformed for its 4th generation. it seems clear that the ES will be taking the GS's usual 4 door sedan role by looking at the spy shots alongside the Audi A6 & Mercedes E Class, the GS's competitors now. what is going to suck is that if the ES does not have the F-Sport option or the TTV6 for the ES350 with power, lexus will not be able to keep the loyal GS buyers and possibly move the people with german cars over. i also believe they should make a 4 door coupe version of the RC with the power from the TTV6 and maybe an F version, but hey that's just my opinion
mikeavelli
joepac
http://carsalesbase.com/us-car-sales-data/lexus/lexus-gs/

2017 was abysmal. 2014 to 2016 were not that great (not that well?) lol

Compare to one of its competitors the BMW 5 series

http://carsalesbase.com/us-car-sales-data/bmw/bmw-5-series/

Outsold the GS by 2-3x as much units sold. And continues to sell strong.

I mean it doesn't mean much to us Lexus folk but Lexus is a business and it can't waste money in R&D on a new chassis, powertrain etc. just to sell 1300 units per month and remain profitable.

The ES is still going to be FWD. Look at that profile pic in the article about the ES in camo. The front overhang and the back of the front fender give it away. They will not make the ES a RWD car... Maybe pull an Acura/Audi and make it FWD based AWD but still with a horizontally opposed engine and FWD dimensions-No thanks.

I hope the GS does become more like a A7, 6 Series level car but the ES based GS (if that really happens) may sell well among the AARP crowd but it will be no enthusiast car. The IS and GS are what Lexus has left for sports sedans. Hopefully the new Dynamic Force engines and new designs by 2019/2020 will truly put them on top beyond reliability and practicality.
What confuses me is the GS did meet sales goals here and according to Lexus is the best selling worldwide. I guess that still wasn't enough.
mikeavelli
Wanted to start this post for a separate thought. Now the IS/ES strategy has been very successful. It allowed Lexus to fully make the IS sporty and the ES lean strongly toward a totally different market more concerned with comfort.

By getting rid of this, the IS might have to move more to the middle to appease everyone and then the ES moves more to the middle to appease everyone.
maiaramdan
Let's calm down and think for a while what really Lexus want from this new strategy
*IS / RC / NX : as the small lux to go with there rivals
*ES / RX : to be a mid lux as we saw A6 & E accompanied with the next ES but then the ES will take the A6 formula of AWD based on FWD architecture
*LS / LC / LX : fullsize flagships
-----------------------------------------------
*the global CT accompanied with the UX to take the sub small lux aiming the A / GLA, A3 / Q3 etc.,
-----------------------------------------------
Now where will be the GS / GX ???
mikeavelli
maiaramdan
Let's calm down and think for a while what really Lexus want from this new strategy
*IS / RC / NX : as the small lux to go with there rivals
*ES / RX : to be a mid lux as we saw A6 & E accompanied with the next ES but then the ES will take the A6 formula of AWD based on FWD architecture
*LS / LC / LX : fullsize flagships
-----------------------------------------------
*the global CT accompanied with the UX to take the sub small lux aiming the A / GLA, A3 / Q3 etc.,
-----------------------------------------------
Now where will be the GS / GX ???
The thing for me is, if this is the route the ES takes, they need much more than just a 300h and 350. Yes the base A6 is a FWD, CVT equipped, 4 cylinder car. Well they offer the amazing S6 and overseas the RS6. That provides a big halo for those base cars.

The new E class has tons of different engine choices with the madman E63 S launched.

BMW just launched the M5 which looks amazing on paper. Even without going that far, the M550 is a 0-60 in UNDER 4 SECONDS car!

Will Lexus upgrade the F-Sport program to finally add more power and not just cosmetic, handling changes? Or more of the same?
bogglo
maiaramdan
Let's calm down and think for a while what really Lexus want from this new strategy
*IS / RC / NX : as the small lux to go with there rivals
*ES / RX : to be a mid lux as we saw A6 & E accompanied with the next ES but then the ES will take the A6 formula of AWD based on FWD architecture
*LS / LC / LX : fullsize flagships
-----------------------------------------------
*the global CT accompanied with the UX to take the sub small lux aiming the A / GLA, A3 / Q3 etc.,
-----------------------------------------------
Now where will be the GS / GX ???
The ES was not testing with the BMW 5. so I still have faith The GS would still compete in the same category it is now.

The Camry was really updated with the new 2018 model. So, we can only expect the Avalon to take it up a notch. If you were to distance Lexus(ES) from Toyota(Avalon, Camry) what car would you benchmark?

Note:
the Audi and Merc that was spotted in that picture are the entry level model.
maiaramdan
I don't know
Also will they kill the GX or leave it body on frame or reinvent it as RWD sport SUV aka Cayenne so as the LX to be the body on frame flagship, the GX the unibody RWD flagship and the RX as the mid???

also as I told before thois guy from lexus ausie didn't say to us what body type the GS will be, it may turn as the crazy back 6 GT not the 4 doors coupe 6 GC we always want
bogglo
mikeavelli
The thing for me is, if this is the route the ES takes, they need much more than just a 300h and 350. Yes the base A6 is a FWD, CVT equipped, 4 cylinder car. Well they offer the amazing S6 and overseas the RS6. That provides a big halo for those base cars.

The new E class has tons of different engine choices with the madman E63 S launched.

BMW just launched the M5 which looks amazing on paper. Even without going that far, the M550 is a 0-60 in UNDER 4 SECONDS car!

Will Lexus upgrade the F-Sport program to finally add more power and not just cosmetic, handling changes? Or more of the same?
Very good point.
There is no way the ES can fill in for the GS. The IS is the only Lexus car that can do that and that means LWB IS in North America.
maiaramdan
bogglo
Very good point.
There is no way the ES can fill in for the GS. The IS is the only Lexus car that can do that and that means LWB IS in North America.
No way
LWB IS
Lexus never did it even for china and deleted the double wheel base lengths in this new LS
bogglo
maiaramdan
I don't know
Also will they kill the GX or leave it body on frame or reinvent it as RWD sport SUV aka Cayenne so as the LX to be the body on frame flagship, the GX the unibody RWD flagship and the RX as the mid???

also as I told before thois guy from lexus ausie didn't say to us what body type the GS will be, it may turn as the crazy back 6 GT not the 4 doors coupe 6 GC we always want
Its crazy this point you made might just be the reason for the RXL.

and I hate the BMW GT shape
mikeavelli
bogglo
Very good point.
There is no way the ES can fill in for the GS. The IS is the only Lexus car that can do that and that means LWB IS in North America.
As a Lexus optimist does this possibly mean?
IS F comes back
ES F (M5 etc fighter)
GS F (RS7/CLS etc fighter)
LC F (GT figther)
LS F (S63/S8 fighter)

I cannot lie its hard for me to even think about a ES F tacking the best from Germany. That said if Audi can do it surely Lexus can.
maiaramdan
regarding the point of the 6 GT based on an executive who said this early this year that Lexus brand need a station

regarding the point of the 2 flagships was been talking about from one executive also regarding how much the lineup need production LF-X
bogglo
maiaramdan
No way
LWB IS
Lexus never did it even for china and deleted the double wheel base lengths in this new LS
I know. My point is, IS is the only Lexus Model that can conveniently fill the vacuum that would be created if the GS wont compete in the midsize department anymore. And for that to happen the IS would need to grow in size.
mikeavelli
maiaramdan
regarding the point of the 6 GT based on an executive who said this early this year that Lexus brand need a station

regarding the point of the 2 flagships was been talking about from one executive also regarding how much the lineup need production LF-X
Hmmmm. so the GS maybe offers a 4 door coupe and a wagon? :D Now that would be awesome!
maiaramdan
This is the wagon and 4 door coupe from the executive

http://www.carscoops.com/2017/05/lexus-says-sedans-wont-survive-unless.html

http://www.autonews.com/article/20170429/RETAIL01/305019995/for-lexus-sedans-it-could-be-do-or-die
James
I am really interested in what Lexus is going to do. I just started some preliminary research on a new car in the next year or so but I just feel like the IS/GS is behind. I want that extra power on the IS/GS without having to get a full F (can't afford the F otherwise no issues here). I mean you can get a S4 for like 60k and it is sub 4.5 seconds I think. And the ES like most have said here is not sporty enough and needs a big change to try and fight the 5 series and A6. I can't see how the GS could actually leave but they need to improve like yesterday.
mmcartalk
maiaramdan
This is the wagon and 4 door coupe from the executive

http://www.carscoops.com/2017/05/lexus-says-sedans-wont-survive-unless.html
article
“At a certain point of time, the traditional, square, three-box sedan will go away,” Fukuichi said.
A moot point, IMO. Traditional three-box sedans actually went out the window years ago........almost all of the sedans nowadays (at least those sold in the American market) are essentially 4-door coupes.
S
maiaramdan
No way
LWB IS
Lexus never did it even for china and deleted the double wheel base lengths in this new LS
There doesn't need to be a LWB IS. Lexus could just make the next IS bigger and share platform with the next Mark X to reduce cost, problem solved. China doesn't even need the SWB versions any more so all new Lexus models could just be oversized by default.

S