Official 5th Generation GS Thread: Returning with Hydrogen Power?

[Ian Schmidt]

Bugatti had the Galiber, but it never made it. It was like a luxurious Panamera. Instead they made the useless Chiron. But I do not see any luxury in two box sedans. Having cold freezing air get inside the car when the trunk is open is very unpleasant. What makes fastbacks practical is access, not volume, unless you want to block the rear view. And anyone that wants "luxury" and "practicality" is better of with a SUV, like Bentayga or Culinan. They can even soft-road, whatever that is.

I agree. For me one of the sacred pillars of LS-ness is the surprisingly massive trunk, and it's just as massive in the 5LS as ever. If they'd have made 5LS a hatchback, I'd have headed straight for the Benz dealer.

 

[Rhambler]

This is what Lexus needs to build for the next GS:


Fast, comfortable, four doors, a hatchback and can hit 60 in a legitimate 4 seconds (any driver). That feeling of speed is exhilarating.

Just copy the dang thing.

 

[Levi]

No. It is a hatchback. And anyway it would be a Lexus. Even Ferrari does not have German badge power. A VW gives you more cred than a Maserati.

 

[krew]

The previous generation 2012-18 Toyota Crown in RHD thumped 82,701 units in its first full year of sales back in 2013 in Japan.
Two generations ago, the 2006-12 Crown in LHD achieved peak annual sales of 53,111 units in its first full year back in 2007 in China.
The current generation 2012-18 Crown in LHD only achieved peak annual sales of 37,455 in China, and just last year only.

These numbers are impressive, considering. Do these numbers include the Crown Comfort that's used for taxis in Japan?

 

[Ian Schmidt]

This is what Lexus needs to build for the next GS:

Just copy the dang thing.

The plastic looking dashboard is a no-sale at that price. If I really need to ruin people's day with speed and don't mind an awful interior along the way I know where the nearest Tesla store is.

 

[peterharvey]

These numbers are impressive, considering. Do these numbers include the Crown Comfort that's used for taxis in Japan?

I'm not 100% certain, but I'm pretty sure these Crown sales figures include the entire lineup including the: base Royal Saloon, luxury Majesty, and sports Athlete.

 

[ssun30]

Of course it will not include the Crown Comfort.

 

[ssun30]

The plastic looking dashboard is a no-sale at that price. If I really need to ruin people's day with speed and don't mind an awful interior along the way I know where the nearest Tesla store is.

Since you brought this up, a GS EV platform (with BEV and FCV variants) that is crazy fast on a straight could be a good idea. To give Mr. Rhambler some credit, if any Lexus product needs to be a drag car, it will be the GS. Going fast in a straight line was what the GS/Aristo was known for back in the day.

Here in China every EV start-up build their mainstream product with at least 300kW of power and does 0-60 in 4 seconds, even though that kind of figure is absolutely unnecessary. The really interesting thing about EV is that enormous power is the natural result of wanting to go far, instead of a specific target (for ICE car) that takes a lot of engineering to achieve. One doesn't need a lot effort to make EVs powerful, they naturally are.

 

[Ian Schmidt]

I totally agree, but I suspect the first EV Lexus will be either the next LS refresh or the LF-1. Surprise me, Toyota

 

[maiaramdan]

@Gecko

I am not with you at all in killing the Crown and the Century, those 2 plus the Mark-X must stay forever, it's shame Hyundai, Kia and VAG had a RWD and Toyota not

 

[peterharvey]

Since you brought this up, a GS EV platform (with BEV and FCV variants) that is crazy fast on a straight could be a good idea. To give Mr. Rhambler some credit, if any Lexus product needs to be a drag car, it will be the GS. Going fast in a straight line was what the GS/Aristo was known for back in the day.

Here in China every EV start-up build their mainstream product with at least 300kW of power and does 0-60 in 4 seconds, even though that kind of figure is absolutely unnecessary. The really interesting thing about EV is that enormous power is the natural result of wanting to go far, instead of a specific target (for ICE car) that takes a lot of engineering to achieve. One doesn't need a lot effort to make EVs powerful, they naturally are.

Bang on target IMO.
As BEV range increases, so too does 0-60 performance fetish for Mr Rhambler.

 

[Trexus]

I totally agree, but I suspect the first EV Lexus will be either the next LS refresh or the LF-1. Surprise me, Toyota

Wouldn't it be the UX or CT(which would compete with the Audi A3 E-Tron electric hatchback)? We'll have to wait and see what Lexus does. We'll probably have to wait till 2020. The UX will debut as a 2019 model at the end of this year so most likely the electric version would be 2020 or 2021.

 

[carguy420]

Going fast in a straight line was what the GS/Aristo was known for back in the day.

And that's how it always should be, assuming there is a new generation GS on the horizon. A high tech 'bad boy' sedan.

 

[maiaramdan]

It's already near confirmed that the next CT will be the first BEV and the 2020 face lifted LS will be the first FCEV

 

[peterharvey]

It's already near confirmed that the next CT will be the first BEV and the 2020 face lifted LS will be the first FCEV

Will that CT BEV use Lions or Solid State batteries?

 

[maiaramdan]

Honestly it depends

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...nger-ev-battery-for-mass-market-idUSKBN1CW27Y

If it appears before 2020 it will be definitely Li on battery if it appears after 2020 or within 2020 it has a good chance to be Solid State

 

[ssun30]

Will that CT BEV use Lions or Solid State batteries?

Honestly it depends

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...nger-ev-battery-for-mass-market-idUSKBN1CW27Y

If it appears before 2020 it will be definitely Li on battery if it appears after 2020 or within 2020 it has a good chance to be Solid State

This is outdated information. Toyota recently revised their plans for solid-state to after 2025. VW made the similar adjustment. Breakthrough to solid-state proved to be harder than expected.

So their first BEV will use regular Li-ion (note SSBs are also Li-ion).

 

[peterharvey]

Toyota recently revised their plans for solid-state to after 2025.

That'll help Tesla stay in business a bit longer.

 

[maiaramdan]

@ssun30
You are right I found this link
https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/toyota-nissan-honda-libtec-solid-state-battery-development/

@peterharvey
Unfortunately Tesla is case closed whether before or after the SSB as VAG alone will have from 2020 more than 10 fully production BEV
3 Porsche's
2 Audi's
3 VAG's
1 Skoda's
1 Seat's

Benz with have a 6
2 Smart's
4 EQ's

Also BMW
And that's only one country "Germany"
Keep in mind that China have around 14 car electric company plus the French PSA & Renault "Zoe is number 1 electric car in Europe"

And all that and the Japanese not yet entered the game

 

[Levi]

I'll believe in Telsa Killers when I'll see them.

Ever been in a BMW i3? Not that I care about that, I personally am fine with that, also because it is ecological and that is truly my mind set, but for all the "soft plastic" worshipers, the i3's interior is equivalent to cardboard. €40K for an e-Golf making 136 PS? Forget it, for the money you get a much better "unlimited" range IS 300h.