The Mercedes S-Class lives on and the Lexus LS500 goes hasta la vista baby.
"When Lexus launched as Toyota's luxury division back in 1989, it did so on the back of the original LS sedan. Now, 36 years later, the brand's flagship is about to set off on its final voyage. Enter the 2026 Lexus LS500 Heritage Edition, which will be the only model you can buy, and it'll be available in very limited numbers.
The LS500 Heritage Edition features a twin-turbo 3.4-liter V-6 that sends 416 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque to all four wheels. The last LS500 we tested hit the mile-per-minute mark in 5.0 seconds, and the full-size luxury sedan hustled through the quarter-mile in 13.3 ticks at 107 mph. The Heritage variant rolls on special 20-inch wheels with a 20-spoke design, and they should pair nicely with the newly introduced Ninety Noir paint option. "
See full write up here;
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a6807 ... -flagship/
Say good bye to the Lexus LS500
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Cars-n-Chicks
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- TheButcher
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Why am I not surprised, there are two types of cars, Mercedes and the rest. No one ever says I wanted a Toyota but the specs on the Mercedes made sense for the money. It's the other way around, people who can not afford a Mercedes make up every silly story and excuse why they bought the other car. Now that we got that part out the way let's talk 1990 and the Toyota/Lexus, Honda/Acura and Nissan/Infiniti barnds.
I remember when the Lexus LS400 showed up, it had every German car brand gasping for air, it was a cheaper alternative to the S-Class. I test drove one, it was comfortable, quiet, powerful and a good car, I still bi\ought a new 300E. But a lot of people bought the LS400 because it offered close to S-Class refinement for the price of a 300E.
Lexus lost the plot when they started increasing the price and making the cost benefit of buying the LS400 less attractive, when they dumped the V8 I said this is the end of the LS class, people want brand recognition and prestige. No one cares if your 4 or 6 cylinder puts out nearly or more power than their 8 or 12 cylinder. Cylinders matter to the high price car buyers end of discussion.
I remember when the Lexus LS400 showed up, it had every German car brand gasping for air, it was a cheaper alternative to the S-Class. I test drove one, it was comfortable, quiet, powerful and a good car, I still bi\ought a new 300E. But a lot of people bought the LS400 because it offered close to S-Class refinement for the price of a 300E.
Lexus lost the plot when they started increasing the price and making the cost benefit of buying the LS400 less attractive, when they dumped the V8 I said this is the end of the LS class, people want brand recognition and prestige. No one cares if your 4 or 6 cylinder puts out nearly or more power than their 8 or 12 cylinder. Cylinders matter to the high price car buyers end of discussion.
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jlinkz
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The IS 500 with the naturally aspirated 5.0 v8 is a nice car. Why they never put that engine in the latest LS 500 beats me.
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blingman
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LovinLife
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alsporn
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- Toons-man
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The end was on the horizon when they dropped the V8,I saw this day coming it was so obvious to me.