2018 LS Master Thread (Debuts 1/9/17 8:30am -2017 NAIAS)

[CIF]

I stand by my opinion regarding the LC interior. Okay I get it, sport coupe, so it lacks wood trim. However the problem for me with the door panels is the lack of ornamentation. Personally it's not enough to have it covered in leather and Alcantara, with some weave designs. Aside from the lack of wood trim, the LC door panels almost entirely lack any metal ornamentation. The LC door panels have nothing to break up the boring monotony. Not good enough for a flagship coupe IMHO.

As this relates to the LS, it would be IMO a travesty for the 5LS to lack wood trim. I don't think Lexus is that dumb, so hopefully that doesn't happen.
Regarding the "simplicity" of the LC door panels, I respectfully believe that such a design ethos should not apply to the LS interior. At all. The LS is the historic flagship for the entire Lexus brand. Also the luxury and technology flagship historically. The 5LS interior design ethos should be about lavish luxury, not simplicity.

While I don't like it personally, I can see why they went with the design ethos that they did for the LC interior (exterior excluded). However if they go with the exact same design ethos for the 5LS interior, that will be absolutely unacceptable to me, and in such a situation I will loudly, proudly, and consistently voice my displeasure.

 

[mikeavelli]

I stand by my opinion regarding the LC interior. Okay I get it, sport coupe, so it lacks wood trim. However the problem for me with the door panels is the lack of ornamentation. Personally it's not enough to have it covered in leather and Alcantara, with some weave designs. Aside from the lack of wood trim, the LC door panels almost entirely lack any metal ornamentation. The LC door panels have nothing to break up the boring monotony. Not good enough for a flagship coupe IMHO.

As this relates to the LS, it would be IMO a travesty for the 5LS to lack wood trim. I don't think Lexus is that dumb, so hopefully that doesn't happen.
Regarding the "simplicity" of the LC door panels, I respectfully believe that such a design ethos should not apply to the LS interior. At all. The LS is the historic flagship for the entire Lexus brand. Also the luxury and technology flagship historically. The 5LS interior design ethos should be about lavish luxury, not simplicity.

While I don't like it personally, I can see why they went with the design ethos that they did for the LC interior (exterior excluded). However if they go with the exact same design ethos for the 5LS interior, that will be absolutely unacceptable to me, and in such a situation I will loudly, proudly, and consistently voice my displeasure.

I am with you in that the LS should have a ton of wood trim and any trim that is offered. Lexus continues to do very good wood (lol), none better than this..
https://lexusenthusiast.com/2012/08/07/creating-the-new-lexus-ls-shimamoku-wood-trim/

 

[CIF]

I am with you in that the LS should have a ton of wood trim and any trim that is offered. Lexus continues to do very good wood (lol), none better than this..
https://lexusenthusiast.com/2012/08/07/creating-the-new-lexus-ls-shimamoku-wood-trim/

Yeah, I'm fully in agreement with you as well that more choice needs to be offered with the 5LS. Options and trims on all LS models, and the Japan-only goodies need to go worldwide. The LS is a world car, and has been for a while now. We're not talking about the Toyota Century here. If Lexus wants to elevate the LS, and the brand itself, they need to expand the Japan-only unique options to the rest of the world.

 

[Ian Schmidt]

Japan can keep the weird segregated dealerships where LS customers don't need to ever encounter anyone with ES germs though. Or was that just a pilot plan that was never fully rolled out? I can't remember. Anyway, bring us all of your trim options, Lexus!

And yeah, the Shimamoku is awesome, I have it in my LS.

 

[maiaramdan]

I stand by my opinion regarding the LC interior. Okay I get it, sport coupe, so it lacks wood trim. However the problem for me with the door panels is the lack of ornamentation. Personally it's not enough to have it covered in leather and Alcantara, with some weave designs. Aside from the lack of wood trim, the LC door panels almost entirely lack any metal ornamentation. The LC door panels have nothing to break up the boring monotony. Not good enough for a flagship coupe IMHO.

As this relates to the LS, it would be IMO a travesty for the 5LS to lack wood trim. I don't think Lexus is that dumb, so hopefully that doesn't happen.
Regarding the "simplicity" of the LC door panels, I respectfully believe that such a design ethos should not apply to the LS interior. At all. The LS is the historic flagship for the entire Lexus brand. Also the luxury and technology flagship historically. The 5LS interior design ethos should be about lavish luxury, not simplicity.

While I don't like it personally, I can see why they went with the design ethos that they did for the LC interior (exterior excluded). However if they go with the exact same design ethos for the 5LS interior, that will be absolutely unacceptable to me, and in such a situation I will loudly, proudly, and consistently voice my displeasure.

I am with you in that the LS should have a ton of wood trim and any trim that is offered. Lexus continues to do very good wood (lol), none better than this..
https://lexusenthusiast.com/2012/08/07/creating-the-new-lexus-ls-shimamoku-wood-trim/

i got your point
i was just mentioning how close the LC interior to the LF-FC interior
maybe the door will be different as you thinking
but the dash board with it's 2 rolling nobs
and the steering wheel with even it's buttons arrangement
and the center console will be approximately the same
maybe getting rid of this piece beside the passenger ,
all i think it will be here to stay from the comparison of the 2 interiors
another thin that may support this idea that the latest spy video it shows that the LS is low and wide
maybe wood trim in the dash between the aluminum
i don't know we will have to see the production model before saying the final result if it good or not

 

[krew]

krew

Listen carefully, can you hear a turbocharger?

View the original article post

 

[James]

Okay so for us novices what is the difference in sound between a turbo and non turbo. What is this whine that they are talking about? I've never listened that closely between different engines. I guess I will need to test this out on my NX once I know what I'm looking for!

 

[Ian Schmidt]

In a current LS, taking off like that would give you a nice rumbly V8 soundtrack. In that video it's much higher pitched, somewhat like a jet engine starting up (which is pretty much what a turbo does).

 

[spwolf]

Okay so for us novices what is the difference in sound between a turbo and non turbo. What is this whine that they are talking about? I've never listened that closely between different engines. I guess I will need to test this out on my NX once I know what I'm looking for!

in turbo engines, you hear blow off valve that has (usually) high pitched sound when air passes through it during release. It is separate from engine sound and it is much louder in aftermarket turbos than stock ones.


You can hear it well there. In production vehicles it is a lot quieter.

 

[LexusTechSA]

That sounds almost like a supercharger to me. I have driven quite a few supercharged Range Rovers recently, and they sound similar. It would also make sense that Lexus/Toyota would use a supercharger. One of the reasons for keeping the naturally aspirated V8 for so long is because of the throttle response, and you could keep that with a supercharger.

 

[krew]

That sounds almost like a supercharger to me. I have driven quite a few supercharged Range Rovers recently, and they sound similar. It would also make sense that Lexus/Toyota would use a supercharger. One of the reasons for keeping the naturally aspirated V8 for so long is because of the throttle response, and you could keep that with a supercharger.

I've heard this a few times, and your reasoning is sound -- I assumed it would be a supercharger because that's where Lexus seems to be going.

 

[krew]

Japan can keep the weird segregated dealerships where LS customers don't need to ever encounter anyone with ES germs though. Or was that just a pilot plan that was never fully rolled out? I can't remember. Anyway, bring us all of your trim options, Lexus!

And yeah, the Shimamoku is awesome, I have it in my LS.

You might be thinking of the LS owners club in Nagoya, as I don't recall any dealership initiative in Japan that would separate dealerships based on models. Also, the ES isn't sold in Japan.

 

[maiaramdan]

That sounds almost like a supercharger to me. I have driven quite a few supercharged Range Rovers recently, and they sound similar. It would also make sense that Lexus/Toyota would use a supercharger. One of the reasons for keeping the naturally aspirated V8 for so long is because of the throttle response, and you could keep that with a supercharger.

if we add the 80th and 90th history
and also the new 300 engine which Lexus trademark it was without (t)
and the critics from the 200t engine in all the cars IS , RC , GS & NX
so i guess you are right
Toyota may return to the roots and make it supercharged instead of turbocharged

 

[LexusSteve]

Okay so for us novices what is the difference in sound between a turbo and non turbo. What is this whine that they are talking about? I've never listened that closely between different engines. I guess I will need to test this out on my NX once I know what I'm looking for!

To piggy back on spwolf's comments, you can hear turbos on turbocharged motors when they spool up, you will hear the hiss and sneeze of it, from building up boost. Turbochargers actually SILENCE/QUIET the engine's note, so often times the sound from these engines are modified to produce some sort of faux naturally aspirated sound. Turbochargers just recycle exhaust.
A supercharged engine will give a sound that is separate from the engine, and occurs while the engine is producing sound as well, so you will distinctly hear both pitches at the same time, for the full duration as the throttle is opened wider and the engine revs higher. The engine note you hear in this situation, is the real engines burble, there is no silencing effect. Superchargers are mechanical working parts, not just a recycling of exhaust. The sound produced can vary from a high pitched whistle, to that really sexy American scream that is produced by the latest Corvette and the Hellcat twins from Dodge.
Traditionally TRD had often offered aftermarket superchargers for many engines (even superchargers for the inline-4s like the 2AZ-FE) so I would not be surprised if they supercharge this next generation of higher displacement motors. I made a post some time ago, that Lexus should supercharge, just to be different from the other luxury competitors, and it was something R&D wise they had already spent time and money developing.

Edit: Typo.

 

[meth.ix]

I've heard this a few times, and your reasoning is sound -- I assumed it would be a supercharger because that's where Lexus seems to be going.

So Lexus is not going to have any suffix saying supercharger or turbocharger in their future models? If it is a supercharger, the would have to find a way to represent it like the t for turbocharger, unless they aren`t going to add anything other than a Supercharged badge, but then it wouldn`t make sense to add a t for turbos and nothing for superchargers. So it`s either FI suffixes are going to die, or it`s a turbocharger.

 

[meth.ix]

I made a post some time ago, that Lexus should supercharge, just to be different from the other luxury competitors, and it was something R&D wise they had already spent time and money developing.

I think Lexus should go with superchargers for FI instead of turbos especially for F models because 1) They are different from most other Luxury makes Forced Induction offerings (Except for JLR) and 2) they are known to sound better than turbochargers on performance cars.

 

[meth.ix]

I stand by my opinion regarding the LC interior. Okay I get it, sport coupe, so it lacks wood trim. However the problem for me with the door panels is the lack of ornamentation. Personally it's not enough to have it covered in leather and Alcantara, with some weave designs. Aside from the lack of wood trim, the LC door panels almost entirely lack any metal ornamentation. The LC door panels have nothing to break up the boring monotony. Not good enough for a flagship coupe IMHO.

This is an image of the S-Class Sedan and Coupe door,

And this is the door of the LC.
The S-Class has these buttons on like every one of their models now in the shape of seats. I`m guessing those are for adjusting the seats. There`s wood trim without being too much. There`s actually a space for the door handle so it looks like it`s not glued on. And there`s spaces for AMBIENT LIGHTING. I really am a huge fan of ambient lighting in cars and it is a must for the 5LS IMO. They give a very relaxed, luxurious feel. The 7-Series has a whole bunch of different colors to choose from and you can even release scents into the car to match the mood set by the color. I feel like this is important because even the 2017 E-Class has it now! Wait, EVEN THE FREAKING B-CLASS!!!!

S-Class Ambient Lighting:

7-Series Ambient Lighting:

BTW, all this can be controlled from the rear-seat entertainment system.

 

[Mr. Burns]

Oh yes, it all varies from time to time this approach with concepts in regards to marketing. One can see that with the C-X16 Concept, which we showed roughly 6 months after X152 F-Type design freeze. Advanced designers either work from scratch or work with the production development teams, to transform a chosen design into a concept car for the show circuit.

Just so you know, I was not really referring to anyone here, but to that of many media outlets and other forums. I think our discussion here is very mutual (we trade information and listen), which is a great thing. I hoping CIF and the rest of everyone here, do not read my commentary as accusatory. I poorly wrote that statement, which almost sounds as if I was hostilely directing that at CIF. It was very much the opposite.

Between here and German Car Forum, where I mostly post under the pseudonym "Carmaker1"(I have others), it is generally a very productive environment in regards to industry discussion. It was moreover another site and that of many comment sections (plus the occasional truck/4x4 forum), where many individuals continually come across as being obtuse (to make a point), despite anyone trying to clear up any misconceptions numerous times.

I am curious as to why you hated the LF-Gh? Was it a lazy, last minute attempt to you? The LF-SA is more like the LF-LC as you said, as well as that of the past 2003 HPX.

Although, the LF-NX was not a bad concept, I was very disappointed with the designer Nobuyuki Tomatsu for lying through his teeth in such a manner that insulted the intelligence of everyone. When a comment is not necessary, there is no reason to make one. The same was claimed about the RC in December 2012, when the RC was already in CAD form by the end of 2011 and frozen in mid-2012. Both the NX and RC were caught testing in the summer of 2012 as test mules in RAV4 and IS-F bodies, having just been frozen.

According to the chief designer and chief engineer for the AZ10, they confirmed this for me by stating it was in early 2012 they decided on the final design with what was proposal C in 1:1 clay, chosen to be the NX. Made plenty of sense to me, since the car entered development in June 2009 and design work starts some months after, taking 18-24 months more to design selection and then the design freeze starts.

Lexus has been fond of this kind of nonsense, where they claim that a production version of a concept is not planned, in development, or barely in progress. They really don't have to answer such questions, by saying "We do not like to comment on future product" or "I cannot answer such a question." I can understand that about maybe the LF-SA or LF-LC in the past, but not so much the LF-NX. No need for them to lie, especially when one already sees prototypes.

The LF-FC just might be a preview of the 2021 LS facelift and fuel cell car, which I can excuse Mark Templin's bold-faced lie, when he claimed the LF-FC had NOTHING to do with the next LS and then contradicted himself not too long after that.

Perhaps they lie to throw off competitors. Denying to answer a question is all but confirmation, which is worse than lying and saying the product will not exist especially if the question is asked years in advance.

 

[oem_is300]

The big drive towards turbocharging has been partially due to increasing fuel economy as well though. Supercharging is a great way to increase power and keep a very linear powerband, but they just aren't as efficient. I would love to see supercharged V8s in future F models, where fuel economy is less of a concern.

 

[Levi]

Regarding the discussion of door panels, IMO the LC has very nice and special door panels, never seen on the market, design, but not Tesla bland. IMO German interiors (recent ones) have to many lines, cuts, layer etc. just for the sake of it, and it bring nothing to design.

As for the LS engine sound, for me it sounds more like some powerful electric engine whine. Would be nice however to have supercharged V6 and V8 engines. Turbo makes little sense, especially if we move on to EV/FCV, that are purely electric and have even more "thrust" from 0 RPM, compared to turbo.

Look how bad Ferrari 488 sounds, better than others, but doesn't hold a candle compared to 458.