Lexus doesn't know what to do with its flagship LS sedan...

#LexusLS #LexusElectrified

Luxury sedans are a dying breed, and the Lexus LS is not exempt from the slumping interest and sales. However with EVs at the doorstep and competition from #Genesis , Lexus has to step up their game massively to be relevant in the EV Luxury sedan space. Here's how they can do it.

Sources:

00:00 - Lexus LS is fading
00:52 - G90 says move over
01:28 - LS updated for 2023
02:01 - Sales vs S Class, G90
03:37 - Next-Gen Lexus LS
06:17 - What Lexus NEEDS to do

[Brandon-jyyl]

As a young man that loves Lexus, I tend to be more passionate about the older vehicles….Other than the LC500. I agree with everything you mentioned in this video Kirk. As a GS owner, I hate they gave up on that car.

[apt]

I was at the LA auto show couple of weeks ago, the G90 automatic door was already broken after a kid played with it for a few mins. Lexus quality is still light years ahead of the Koreans.

[crxracer]

The reason why sales went down so sharply in 2008 is because of the recession! I'm surprised nobody talks about this.

[JDMSwervo]

Other than reliability the current Gen LS is honestly a disappointment against the competition

[Eternalmotors]

Saw a LS in caviar going by couple days ago and it still looks great from the outside... just very lacking on the inside for the price.

[andrewjacobson]

I don't think getting rid of the V8 was the best of moves, I would have given the LS the 5litre...

[MSZsama]

The Honda Accord has more rear seat legroom than the current LS. Dropping the long wheelbase model was a major mistake.

[emmanuelulo]

Honestly your video was spot on! Toyota has lost 😞 the luxury car industry it had in its grip before.
I’m still in love 🥰 with LS400 97 model two tone color, and stainless rims.
They have to think outside the box and comeback with something better, I never liked the LS500.

[jimmyamico]

Hi Kirk,
Outstanding video from beginning to end it just gradually got better and better and was powerful the last minute of the video. I hope that Lexus listens to you I remember one of my best friends purchasing a 1990 LS400 it was black with beige inside, and it was absolutely beautiful. I couldn’t even hear the car running. It was just absolutely beautiful and it drove like it was on air, thank you Kirk for all your hard work and dedication both you and David have a passion and it shows…
Respectfully,
JimmyUSAF 🇺🇸✈️🎄⭐️🙏💜✝️🌎😇🇯🇵🇨🇦🇮🇹

[dorist]

Toyota is observing other luxury flagship sedans sales from 3 Germans and 1 Korean. I love flagship sedans over SUVs. I loved the original LS400, its ultra-quiet cabin, cushion comfy ride, and I didn't feel a connection to the road. LS doesn't need to be better or worst than other rivals. Whether BEV or Hybrid engine, Toyota must build a prestigious high-end, one-of-a-kind luxurious sedan, Lexus LS. The current LS is the most elegant and sleekest luxury sedan I love. Toyota has shown they could build a sexy beautiful Prius. Toyota must give the consumer the same "Wow" positive impact they did for Prius to the upcoming LS. People would reconsider to desire sedans over SUVs. Mr. Akio Toyoda, Don't ever kill LS. Don't follow Acura and Infiniti.

[trdturbois]

This is coming from a Lexus enthusiast. I own a GTE VVTI swapped 03 is300 sportdesign, 04 Is300 sportdesign 2, 03 GS300 sport design, and a 17 IS300 Fspprt 2.
Lexus has totally lost the plot in my opinion in the pursuit of reliability.

These guys have no idea what to do with their sedans, but they do have the time to show off Manual electric drive trains. Like come on guys, have you guys lost it?

Who's going to buy a manual electric? Maybe 2% of the global population that CAN afford your vehicles, then why bother putting time into it? So pointless, I honestly see it as a slap in the face as a Lexus enthusiast.

The LS has lost sales because the development has stagnated. Lexus themselves do not want to put the money in to develop the current platform further, they always use the excuse "oh due to poor sales we will be focusing on the next gen". Like bro, you guys are giving us tech that is almost 10yrs old now in your TOP OF THE LINE models, and you expect it to sell? What world do these Lexus people live in?

Quite frankly, as much as I like Lexus and root for them, I'm tired of the waiting and excuses & same tech just wrapped in an updated package. For example, The 2ur v8. Same shit just wrapped in a newer body style, same damn chassis since 2006 tho. And they want us to pay full price for these outdated cars? And then have the nerve to complain about sales numbers trying to justify the development stagnation.

They released a 22 model, with the exact same power figures in real life as a 2008 Lexus. The is500 & the ISF, same engine, same trans, same chassis, updated styling & interior. And even then the 3/4is interior is already very very outdated.

I've been waiting to see what these guys will do, they won't do jack. They'll keep releasing leaks here n there about the TTV8, to keep us Lexus Performance sheep's entrigued, all for it to never come out, or better yet, come out once it is also outdated.

Quite frankly, Lexus reliability is #1, the rest is still the same as before no changes in that.

Meanwhile, the Germans have been at the forefront of Technology & performance, but they also figured out how to make more reliable cars. The BMW 340i Quite frankly is 10x more reliable than the n54 335i, at a decent price, and great performance along with the massive potential of making even more power with small mods. In my opinion it shits out basically everything Lexus is providing apart from the LC only for style & class. Entry class AMGs like a A/CLA have started coming with turbo 4cyls that are producing more power than top Lexus F models, at half the price, and with more technology features. How embarrassing is that?

Quite frankly even Jaguar & Landrover, once some of the most unreliable vehicles in the market, have improved immensely on reliability. I own a 17 Fpace report myself, and it's only been for repairs once in 60kkms, for an oil cooler leak which was fixed the same day.

Everyone has learned how to make more reliable vehicles in the same time that Lexus has failed to advance in either criteria;- Performance, Technology.

This is 101 of how to ruin your brand. And Hyundai pulled a Lexus on Lexus themselves, they took what the LS400 did, and did the exact same thing to Lexus with their Genesis brand.

Much cheaper vehicles, better warranties, better technology, as luxurious, if not more luxurious & have the performance to back up a non performance oriented vehicle. Hyundai hit a home run with their Genesis lineup! And quite frankly I have been looking for a luxury sedan for my father, and I can not justify the price tag on the LS500 when there is a cheaper and better option aka G90. Or more expensive & better options aka Sclass, Audi a8L etc.

BMW took a massive W with the Supra collab. They learned a lot about Toyotas reliability, whilst providing an outdated parts bin for Toyota to use to design a Supra.


And I don't buy this argument that the sedan market is small. The amount of damn CLA, A, C, E, S, and AMG cars, along with 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 series cars you see here in Toronto region is absurd. Half the damn population here is driving around in luxury vehicles. I get to see Genesis vehicles much more often than LS, and the owners are probably all previous Lexus owners that have switched.

The issue isn't that the sedan market has shrunk, it has yes. The main issue is that Lexus is losing its own market share in the luxury sedan market.

The luxury market is very competitive, to stay on top one has to consistently keep innovating & developing, or cater to niches such as Performance luxury vehicles. Even for that one must keep ensuring that they provide the best Product in the market. Lexus has a cycle going on that are not willing to break which is
-take longer then everyone to bring new product to market
-by the time product arrives it is outdated in many aspects
-see the low sales
-complain about the sales & justify why you will not continue development on current platform
- bring out the same product just slightly tweaked for the next idk 5-7 years. Or like 10 years like the IS.
- rinse & repeat

In the time that Mercedes went from just having the C, E, & S class as there main market. They have expanded their range to include A, CLA, B, C, E, S, CLS, AMG GT, AMG, and a shit ton I'm probably forgetting. They expanded their market, and expanded their own ranges allowing for people with different budgets all to be able to purchase a MB within their budget.

Meanwhile Lexus IS (iffy future), ES, GS (RIP), LS (Iffy future), SC(RIP), RC (iffy future), LC (will die along with the LS at this rate). They have managed to add the RC, which is basically alongside the IS, with a grave being dug right beside the GS. And they managed to add the UX. Meanwhile even the GX has a questionable future.

Might as well just make Lexus a SUV only brand at this point, yall ain't gonna do shit we can see that. Totally done with waiting on these dudes only to disappoint.

Lexus is the new Infiniti.

[kcha]

We owned a 1998 LS and a 2002 LS. We loved our LS’s. However, the current LS in comparison is hideous on the outside and cramped on the inside. It does not look sporty nor stately, it just looks hideous. The LS used to be a benchmark sedan, now it’s just a joke. I believe Lexus really screwed up the design of the current LS.

[jasonalpha]

I love the LS as it is.. I’d have one at the drop of a hat.

[InvestBetter.]

I am sure the Lexus LS is more stylish and better looking than the G90, and the performance is similar. Quality on both is high, but the LS lost a lot of interior size, and the technology is now a couple of generations behind. Add in the weak sedan market overall, and Lexus has a situation on its hands. The LS needs more room, much better tech and a fresh idea on how to connect with this market

[rightlanehog]

Kirk, Especially in a flagship, luxury includes a luxurious amount of space for driver and passengers. Like every other Lexus and Toyota sedan currently in production, the LS is woefully short of space for anyone 6 feet or over. The rear seat headroom in the LS is a joke. It can be very reasonably argued that sedans sales are declining in direct proportion to their increased loss of practicality. In regard to 'World beating' Genesis, I was speaking to a Genesis owner earlier today and he was lamenting the eye-watering depreciation of his Genesis sedan. In other words, Genesis ain't quite there yet when it comes to the full luxury experience. 😁

[jasperdilincoln]

I've always learned, nothing stays at the top forever. No matter how great the Product is. Whiles growing up as a kid in the 80s&90s the Nostalgia of the Luxury Vehicles back then aren't the same. Don't get me wrong, you will always have the GM, Honda/Acura, Toyota/Lexus Faithful Fans. But for everyone else they have moved on. In the 90s you had the LS, Q45, RL, XJ, , 7-series, 9000, S-Class, 900-series, Town Car, Fleetwood, Park Avenue etc. Even Mazda Millennia & Mitsubishi Diamante for Premium Vehicles. 90% of all those named are gone. Although Hyundai has stepped their game up in recent decades. There was a time, they were just "Throw away Cars" you'd see them parked next to KIA, Daewoo etc..lol Honestly I can't remember when I've seen a newer LS on the road.

[fegakatrey]

I’ve had 12 Mercedes-Benzes in the last 20 years, 3 S-Classes amongst them. I think the LS has always been a phenomenal car, if perhaps a bit appliance-like in its operation, and I’ve recommended it to many friends wanting a bullet-proof (reliable) car. For me, though, it lacks the special “something” that I’ve felt MBs have always had. I love my V-8s though, and I’m no fan of the EV surge (btw, electricity is still largely generated in fossil-fuel plants, so…).

[JamesJonesTech]

That LS review and those “future of” videos are what introduced me to your content. Really looking forward to this video and hopefully some longer form content too!

[AbsolutMassager]

I wanted to have a LS500 but wasn’t happy with many things I researched. So I ended up getting a Lexus GSF for $45k out the door, and couldn’t be happier.

[InvestBetter.]

IMO, I think Lexus can sell just a high-powered hybrid and find a nice market
The car would have to have 450 HP or so (Hybrid engine in new Tundra), 0-60 in the low-4s, and get 30 EPA MPG combined
If they can do that, keep the price in the $90-100k range, and add in the space and tech that is missing today, they can find a nice market.