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
bogglo
supra93
https://www.goauto.com.au/news/lexu...e-large-liftback-likely/2017-06-09/57412.html
The best looking GS IMO is still the 3GS i hope they can make the 5GS better than that.
mikeavelli
Very good to hear this..many of us for years have stated the GS moving to a 4 door coupe/liftback makes a ton of sense. Audi now has the S5 sportback and S7 here. BMW has the 4 series hatch. The Panamera etc etc...
krew
krew [​IMG]

Lexus Australia CEO gives insight into GS future.
View the original article post
D
  • D
    DDas
  • August 21, 2017
So, i actually thought about this yesterday - believe it or not - and I was thinking that the GS would be a perfect 4-door coupe. I always wanted the GS to stay as is, and Lexus could make the ES the 4-door coupe. But the ES is too "bread and butter" for it to become a more expensive vehicle. The reason why I thought the ES would fit it better is because it already has that almost lift back shape and almost a smaller version of the LS, but as I just said, it's too "bread and butter." Nothing wrong with that, of course.
The GS has such a big history that seeing it go will disappoint many Lexus and car enthusiasts, so I could see Lexus keeping the GS name and transforming it into something else. Lexus's top competitors, Audi, Mercedes, and BMW, all have a 4-door coupes (A7, CLS, 6 Series Gran Coupe, respectively), and so I think Lexus would succeed having one too.
Anyways, it's nice to know the GS now has a good chance of staying alive, but if it does become the 4-door coupe, Lexus needs to understand that it may not sell as well as it used to. And here's to the ES becoming a sports sedan! Cheers!
R
  • R
    RAL
  • August 21, 2017
I agree ... all things considered, a hiatus for the GS seems likely. And hopefully an ES F-Sport will stand in temporarily.
mikeavelli
I do miss this bodystyle a ton... View attachment 2529
GSCT
RAL
I agree ... all things considered, a hiatus for the GS seems likely. And hopefully an ES F-Sport will stand in temporarily. Looking forward to October 2018!
Please, no ES F Sport, no hiatus. An ES F Sport would tarnish the image and not appeal to anyone. The last thing in the world the white belt wearing ES buyer wants is a firm riding, sports oriented car. (On the other hand, what do I know? The RX F Sport seems to sell well.). And no hiatus as I would like to replace my GS before 2019.
bogglo
mikeavelli
I do miss this bodystyle a ton... View attachment 2529
I have mine in storage in Cali right now too bad am going to have to sell it. I hope they keep making the GS so the price of the GSF can drop because that's the only way am getting in a 4GS. But if the 5GS can be as good looking as the 3GS with a reasonable power increase that might be my next car. Two cars am looking forward to the new GS and the supposed Supra.
John Strange
mikeavelli
I do miss this bodystyle a ton... View attachment 2529
I really feel like the 3GS body style has legs. Can't see giving up ours in the near future.
Gecko
3GS was the best looking but worst driving, IMO. 4GS has been decent looking but the best driving. 2GS is a classic, and my favorite Lexus of all time.

Overall, excited with this news but Lexus should have been planning this strategy shift for the last 3-4 years, preparing to drop something into market around 2020.
CIF
  • CIF
    CIF
  • August 21, 2017
Reinvented? The 3GS was already essentially a 4-door coupe. Making the GS a 4 door coupe (again) would not be a new thing.

Also I really don't understand any of these hiatus rumors. Multiple Lexus models have been rumored to go on "hiatus". From a worldwide brand perspective, this makes zero sense and would only harm the brand. How often do models from the German Big 3 go on hiatus? For main models, almost never. Occasionally a niche model like an M, AMG, or RS might go on a temporary hiatus, but that's pretty much it.
R
mikeavelli
I do miss this bodystyle a ton... View attachment 2529
I agree this GS was far better looking than the current model in my opinion so hopefully the next one will re capture some magic.
On a different tack what is happening with the CT replacement/additional model - gone very quiet on this model since it was cancelled in the US?
krew
CIF
Reinvented? The 3GS was already essentially a 4-door coupe. Making the GS a 4 door coupe (again) would not be a new thing.
You'll have to allow me some dramatic flair when naming these stories -- I do have to drawn in readers, after all. No one can deny the 3GS was an early adopter of the four-door coupe style, but the 4GS went back to a more traditional 3-box design and lost that angle completely.

Gecko
Overall, excited with this news but Lexus should have been planning this strategy shift for the last 3-4 years, preparing to drop something into market around 2020.
I think this minor brand course correction with the LC & LS has the product planners all confused. :sleeping:
CIF
  • CIF
    CIF
  • August 21, 2017
krew
You'll have to allow me some dramatic flair when naming these stories -- I do have to draw in readers after all. No one can deny the 3GS was an early adopter of the four-door coupe style, but the 4GS went back to a more traditional 3-box design and lost that angle completely.
Sorry if it seemed I was specifically singling out your writing, not my intention :).

My post was meant more so to the comments by Lexus Australia CEO Peter McGregor. You're right, the GS did lose that angle with the 4GS, but I just find Peter McGregor's comments a bit ironic since a liftback/fastback/4 door coupe style is not new to the GS.
Michael
Lexus should do a A7 type of model or do hatchback version of the IS and ES.
M
The GS can be a sedan/liftback version of the LC.

I agree with the notion of Lexus not doing their brand by having constant hiatus of their different lines. The GS, LS, and the CT will all have been on hiatus by 2020
krew
CIF
Sorry if it seemed I was specifically singling out your writing, not my intention :).

My post was meant more so to the comments by Lexus Australia CEO Peter McGregor. You're right, the GS did lose that angle with the 4GS, but I just find Peter McGregor's comments a bit ironic since a liftback/fastback/4 door coupe style is not new to the GS.
No worries! It's very telling to me that the original GoAuto article doesn't reference the 3GS either -- I bet McGregor was talking to journalists with no real sense of Lexus history. :D
maiaramdan
Finally a good news regarding my car
I really love the GS and I got 3 different generations from it
If it turns out to be a real 4 doors coupe it will be amazing, even I am afraid that he may want to say that it will turn out to compete with BMW 6 GT not BMW 6 GC, which making me worry as in the past they want a station wagon
joepac
DDas
So, i actually thought about this yesterday - believe it or not - and I was thinking that the GS would be a perfect 4-door coupe. I always wanted the GS to stay as is, and Lexus could make the ES the 4-door coupe. But the ES is too "bread and butter" for it to become a more expensive vehicle. The reason why I thought the ES would fit it better is because it already has that almost lift back shape and almost a smaller version of the LS, but as I just said, it's too "bread and butter." Nothing wrong with that, of course.
The GS has such a big history that seeing it go will disappoint many Lexus and car enthusiasts, so I could see Lexus keeping the GS name and transforming it into something else. Lexus's top competitors, Audi, Mercedes, and BMW, all have a 4-door coupes (A7, CLS, 6 Series Gran Coupe, respectively), and so I think Lexus would succeed having one too.
Anyways, it's nice to know the GS now has a good chance of staying alive, but if it does become the 4-door coupe, Lexus needs to understand that it may not sell as well as it used to. And here's to the ES becoming a sports sedan! Cheers!
The 4gs did not sell that well in the first place which was why all the rumors started of its demise. And the ES in FWD cannot be a "sports sedan"
joepac
Gecko
3GS was the best looking but worst driving, IMO. 4GS has been decent looking but the best driving. 2GS is a classic, and my favorite Lexus of all time.

Overall, excited with this news but Lexus should have been planning this strategy shift for the last 3-4 years, preparing to drop something into market around 2020.
I miss my 2gs (1998 GS400) too :(
D
  • D
    DDas
  • August 22, 2017
joepac
The 4gs did not sell that well in the first place which was why all the rumors started of its demise. And the ES in FWD cannot be a "sports sedan"
4GS sold decently - not great, yes - but not "not that well." Also, the ES is FWD, but if you actually read the article posted earlier about the next generation ES, it's changing to fit the GS's role.
joepac
DDas
4GS sold decently - not great, yes - but not "not that well." Also, the ES is FWD, but if you actually read the article posted earlier about the next generation ES, it's changing to fit the GS's role.

http://carsalesbase.com/us-car-sales-data/lexus/lexus-gs/

2017 was abysmal. 2014 to 2106 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.
krew
joepac
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 honestly think the toughest crowd to convince regarding the ES will be Lexus enthusiasts. I'm of the opinion that a full-time AWD system would transform the ES, but I have to wonder if it's enough to replace the GS.

Interesting times, to be sure.
joepac
krew
I honestly think the toughest crowd to convince regarding the ES will be Lexus enthusiasts. I'm of the opinion that a full-time AWD system would transform the ES, but I have to wonder if it's enough to replace the GS.

Interesting times, to be sure.
Agreed. I just wish Lexus will one day cast aside its conservatism and go for it like the IS-F and LFA. They need to at least be competitive in the performance category or will always carry the "Old Granny Car" or "Overpriced Toyota" stigma.
Tragic Bronson
I have been driving my dad's new ES Hybrid a lot more....for the enthusiast driver in me it does nothing, but is fine for its intended purpose in being a luxury hybrid. My dad is at the retirement age (He just hasn't stopped working), so he decided to splurge on an ESh instead of the Camry Hybrid (I even told him to consider the Sonata Hybrid).

Anyway, the GS has to better appeal to the 5 Series/E Class demographic. Honestly, if you look at numbers, it has been hard for the GS to break through the glass that Ze Germans have in place; I even think Audi has surpassed Lexus in some luxury buyers' minds. The Germans made a lot of luxury buyers in the US biased against anything that wasn't German/European.

My dad bought his ES with a huge discount, and there's no way the other Lexus cars would continue to sell without incentives too at this time.
I
A stylish GS 4 door coupe / a better CLS would be a nice (and brave) move for Lexus. Do it please.
I
joepac
I've driven the new ES as a loaner when I got the 60K service on my IS. It really drives like your on ambien. I would rather drive my Prius LOL. I also had the opportunity to drive the NX 200t which was much more lively and felt more sporty than the ES.
100% agree (except part about Prius) lol. And I'm a gray haired guy, not young.
zeusus
The GS going 4door coupe was necessary around the time the 4GS was released in 2012 so it is a very welcome change if this is true even though they would be 6-7 years late.
krew
zeusus
The GS going 4door coupe was necessary around the time the 4GS was released in 2012 so it is a very welcome change if this is true even though they would be 6-7 years late.
I have to figure the 4GS was Lexus' attempt to go head-to-head with the 5-series and E-Class, and it failed. Lexus realized their best hope in midsize was the ES, and moving the GS into CLS/A7 territory is about the only thing that can save the model.

I remember being excited about the 4GS despite its half-formed spindle grille -- wish it could have performed better.
CIF
  • CIF
    CIF
  • August 23, 2017
The 4GS is a great car for many reasons. Sadly, I feel that personally they messed up the mid-cycle refresh styling-wise. Even so, pre-refresh it sold ok but not in big numbers. I also feel Toyota never put enough effort at the dealer level to push the GS over the ES. The ES basically sells itself. Toyota has a unique situation with the ES and GS, so that's why I feel for it to sell well, regardless of how the model looks or is engineered, heavy pressure and effort by Toyota must be placed upon dealers to specifically push the GS.

C