clanosiris

http://www.elinkdirectory.com/content/view/3283/5/

Next to the LS460 is the 2006 BMW 7-Series and the 2007 Mercedes S-Class

lexus - 30 gb hd (navigation+audio), voice activated nav, three cameras, touch screen, park assist, lane departure warning, bluetooth, live traffic, telematics, 19 speaker audio system ,eight-speed automatic transmission

i do like the interior of lexus but i dunno. I guess I have to see it in person. The back reminds me of BMW.

PIcs and Info - http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/01/...s-460-ls-460l/

MB Fanatic

Too bad it got hit with the ugly stick inside and out.

clkcadet

i like the looks, and i think it will be a great car, better than the s-class? lets find out but i doubt that

Nevada Jack

After driving over 5000 miles in 2 weeks in the S550...there is no car that can beat this car, not even a pre-released Lexus that no one owns yet nor has driven. They base this on some phoney features designed specifically to have one more than the S Class. I agree totally with your "doubts."

JAdmiral

Sometimes it's the little cues that make a luxury car truly luxury...

Let's compare:

S550: elegant square analog clock in middle of dash
LS460: cheap blue LCD digital clock

In all fairness, I'm sure the Lexus will be a great car, and a great value for the money. However, when the two pull up at a valet, I know which one I'd be staring at.

Enclenta

I like the exterior of the LS, and the interior of the S.

georgl

The 221 has ABC, Nightvision, 7 radar-sensors, an automatic-transmission, the best body-structure, completely laser-welded aluminium-doors, dorstop...
The 221 contains nearly thousand patents, the german automotive-industry invests more into R&D and has more patents than any other auto-industry in the world!

This discussion is senseless as long as the technical aspects are just on paper. The 7G-Tronic could have up to nine-gears with software and it's undeniable the best automatic-transmission on the market - and now a tansmission from a supplier should better because the software generates one gear more?
It's the same with the other features, the 221 sets new standards in most aspects, the BMW 7, Audi A8 and the VW Phaeton do the rest ;-) So the LS460 first needs to prove to be better than just showing off with +10GB hard-disk-memory...
The LS460 is engineered to meet american-expectations, + one gear, + 10GB are the cheapest way to create the illusion of being better than MB - that's it's only function. Let's save the last... let's say... 30% of real german-engineering (creating a better product, pushing car technology a bit further at any price even if the customer isn't willing to pay for it) in a MB with buying one. The more Toyota you buy, the more Toyota-philosophy (everything for the shareholder-value) you will get with any car. It's already too much in todays MB, BMW, Porsche with choosing the cheapest suppliers around the globe, lowering production costs every year at any price - it's enough for me - I want the best possible product for my money and not the best for the shareholder-value ...

Nevada Jack

Well stated

iLoveMyMB

8-speed? whoaaa.........wats that? (jk)

but yea, it might have those new technological things on it but if u ask anyone, they will tell you that Mercedes will ALWAYS beat Lexus when it comes to Luxury....

and the back does remind me of a BMW

Dont get me wrong, I think some of this technology on the Lexus is nice (3-camera, live traffic, etc), but like JAdmiral said, when the two pull up at a valet, I know which one I'd be staring at.

ruykava

tech for tech's sake is useless. although spec for spec, almost any audio player can do more than an iPod, which one is the easiest to use? (note: i have a Creative because i don't like ITMS but just as a player, you can't deny the iPod's appeal).

i also recently switched from a super high end PocketPC to a good ol' Series 40 Nokia - why? it does what little it does damn well and it's lighter.

at some point being more powerful adds nothing meaningful. it's HOW it's done that's key. now i'm not saying the Lexus might not be a great car after all. but a comparison like "most high-tech vehicle" is just meaningless. especially when the criteria are set arbitrarily.

Mrkhan347

as much as i despise lexus i absolutely have to say this car is a beauty inside and out....makes me think twice about getting an s class

MB Fanatic

The Lexus interior has too much plastic on the dash, the dash doesnt look innovative nor does the rear. Hmm the exterior looks like a cheap *** version of the 7 series. No thanks.

I will take my S63(MB needs to build one quickly) (or soon to come S65) over any Toyota.

shadowgriffen

The LS is quite the car, and I tip my hat off to toyota for making some of the most reliable cars on the road, but, I just can't get over the fact that they can't -for the life of them- make a car that can actually stand out on its own.

Every single stinking toyota on the road today looks exactly the same, I can no longer tell the difference between a camry and an ES350...



the new LS looks like a HUGE camry...

Nevada Jack

Try thinking a third time and come to your senses....:-)))

Lender1

The Lexus is like a pretty girl with no personality, all show with no substance. Lexus does not have the pedigree a Mercedes S Class has. No history, not near the prestigue and was not and is not the car used by the famous and the infamous. When world oil ministers arrive at an OPEC conference they are all in an S Class. More world leaders use a Mercedes S class than any other high line car in the world.

Lastly, the Lexus is not a world brand. Those cars are called Toyota LS 430s, 460s in other parts of the world.

A Lexus is a car that I cannot get excited about.

1985mb

I agree with you, sort of. It does have the substance. It's well made, well engineered and is up-to-date technologically. Just doesn't have much of a personality.

I'm a W126 guy myself, so you can probably tell I appreciate the pedigree, history and prestige of the MB S-class. However, let's not over-rate pedigree too much. Too often pedigree is used to cover engineering shortcomings. Think back to, say, 1985. Think of how many engineering dinosaurs were on the streets under "pedigreed" brands such as Jaguar, Bentley, Rolls Royce, what not. Pedigree also doesn't excuse the "fact" that the W140 and W220 couldn't live up to the standards set by the W126.

Is that a good thing?

That's true. However, it is also now changing. The Lexus brand will be introduced to many of the markets where those cars are now sold as Toyotas. Frankly, I wonder what took them so long.

That's another opinion I share. Things are improving a bit. The latest IS, GS and new LS look a lot more interesting than the current ES (what a POS Camry-lookalike boat that thing is )

ruykava

actually, on that point, it's because in much of the world (especially Asia) the cars have been sold as Toyotas all this while. customers are used to seeing them as Toyotas. sticking a Lexus badge on it, then upping the price, isn't going to convince many.

http://www.businessweek.com/autos/co...215_597701.htm

coloradosclass

If the car drove itself with all those "technological advances" then cool thanks telematic for the review But someone has to sit in the car and drive it and 90% of the people who are looking to buy that Toyota would not settle for that car becauase someone said it had cool gadgets. MB S and the LS should not even be compared, the two cars are in totally different leagues one plays in the CFL and the other plays in the NFL.

JLP

I don't buy cars for gadgets, I buy them for driving and no Lexus to date has entertained me enough to consider them as an alternative to any of the German automakers.
IMHO Lexus cars are for people who don't like to drive,(and the blue hair crowd) but want luxury and Toyota dependability and thats where Lexus is a huge success. I have enough why-tech in my life I don't need anymore, even the new S-class is a bit much for my taste.

NZ_Benz

The new lexus is not a bad car in fact lexus make very good cars. I tried to convince my friend to by an LS400 not a BMW to save his pocket on repairs. The interior of the lexus looks cheeper than the S class, but I would have no problem driving it. I'm still at university and could not afford either anyway. I think the new S has a few styling features that raised a few eyebrows too.

AsianML

S550 > LS460. Like a previous poster said, Lexus just doesn't have the history, it's just too new.

Braheem

You're buying it on history? you guys are funny. peepee syndrome


Iraq was the world leader in all sciences, arts and theology any of you investing in the Iraqi stock market today?

NZ_Benz

I also have to agree here, the flipside to that argument is that alot of people who own the W126 and W140 say that MB has lost its way after those two cars in particular the W126. The question then is: how much of that 'history' is still left within the current generation of cars and in that respect are they that much better than Lexus?

Nevada Jack

A short answer...YES! The 140 and the 126 were great cars but the S550 far exceeds those cars in today's world. As far as the LS460 already claiming itself as a great car when nobody has driven it or seen it on the road can not even come close to any of the aforementioned MB's. It is the Lexus PR machine making the comparison and superior claims of their line...a Toyota is a Toyota no matter what the ads say....

rkao

Interesting the number of negative 'review' of the LS460 since it's such a new car...

Can we see a show of hands of the number of people who've driven it and can compare it directly to the W221 S550 please?

And can we see a show of hands of the number of people who've seen the LS460 in the flesh and can therefore comment on its quality and aesthetics?

I saw the car at the NY Auto Show recently and while I realize that Lexus does not build cars that excite the masses, it does build a quality automobile. The car is brilliantly engineered based on its specs on paper and to see the car in person made me appreciate that while Lexus may not lead in stylistic adventures, it is an understated elegant design inside and out, and the equipment level is pretty impressive.

Would I buy one? Probably not...but would I jump up and say that whatever car I choose is miles better than the LS460 in EVERY aspect? No way...not that ambitious nor vain to think I know better than everyone else who chooses the new LS.