High End Luxury Cars

24697 messages, Last post on Nov 28, 2009 at 3:09 PM

You are in the Sedans Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens

What is this discussion about? Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, Jaguar XJ-Series, Lexus LS 460, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Volkswagen Phaeton, Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes-Benz CL-Class, Sedan

Let's try to define this forum as being limited to luxury performance vehicles where the mainstream version in a typical configuration has an MSRP of at least $60k.

A luxury vehicle with a base price of $59k qualifies because it would typically be bought with some additional equipment, bringing the MSRP over $60k.

Vehicles like the E, 5, A6, M, or GS, even if available in certain versions over $60k, don't qualify because they are cars from companies that have higher end cars in their lineups.

Outline

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#18234 of 24697 Re: Lexus future plans\models [merc1] by lexusguy Aug 22, 2006 (3:00 am)
Replying to: merc1 (Aug 22, 2006 12:56 am) Out of all that, I'm most curious about the GS. Specifically whether or not they'll be a GS460. I don't see why it has to wait for the LS460 to be introduced. They should arrived at the same time since the 07' GS350 is arriving in time to make the GS430 pointless. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Perhaps there simply wont be an '07 GS430, and the GS460 will arrive as an early '08 model.
#18235 of 24697 Re: Lexus future plans\models [lexusguy] by syswei Aug 22, 2006 (3:34 am)
Replying to: lexusguy (Aug 21, 2006 4:13 pm) Thanks for the info, LG. JX might be of interest to me if it has 3 rows....might wait for it to appear before replacing our LX. Replies to this message: lexusguy (Aug 22, 2006 4:45 am)
#18236 of 24697 Re: Lexus future plans\models [syswei] by lexusguy Aug 22, 2006 (4:45 am)
Replying to: syswei (Aug 22, 2006 3:34 am) No problem. You could consider a 2-year lease on a JX, which would give you the option to trade in for an all new LX570 for 2010.
#18237 of 24697 LS 460 Frankel Review by hpowders Aug 22, 2006 (8:00 am)
Another review of the LS460, this one from Andrew Frankel of the "Times Online" was posted on August 20th. The review was quite positive. He even called the vehicle, "extraordinary." However, he had to spoil things a bit by saying it's "A car for the head, not the heart." He gave it 4 out of 5 stars which is just about as good as it gets with the sedate "Times of London." I caught the "MotorWeek" first look at the LS 460 on PBS the other day. They did everything but reveal driving impressions. Quite frustrating, but it wasn't supposed to be a test drive. They showed a comprehensive view of the exterior and interior and the vehicle in motion. They also showed the LS460L. I must say, I was impressed with the appearance of the LS460 as shown on that program-a huge improvement over the current version.
#18238 of 24697 Re: WHOA??? [blkhemi] by syswei Aug 22, 2006 (8:48 am)
Replying to: blkhemi (Aug 21, 2006 2:46 pm) Well, if you're still concerned about collision avoidance, the LS460 does have certain features that are clearly lacking in the S. See the Times of London LS460 review (here) that hpowders mentioned. In that box are six infrared eyes logging the position of your features so it can build up a picture of your mug. It doesn’t matter how tall or short you are or from which ethnic group. It can see you in the pitch black even when you can’t see it and you won’t faze it by donning dark glasses. And while it’s watching you, so another set of eyes, in the form of radar and cameras, is watching the road. This way the car can not only spot danger approaching from the back or front of the car, it can also tell whether you’re looking out of the side window or are fast asleep at the wheel as you hurtle towards this life-threatening hazard. If it figures that your attention is not where it should be, it will flash lights, bleep at you and nudge the brakes until it decides you’re back in control. And if you don’t snap out of your stupor it won’t just nudge the brakes, it’ll slam them on to save you from yourself. While some will see this as an unnecessary interference and worry about a car with the ability to exercise such a degree of control over its driver, it’s hard to argue against a system that is only ever active when it’s trying to save your life. And that’s not all this extraordinary car will do. While self-braking vehicles are not new, systems from Honda and Mercedes require the obstacle to be metallic, which is fine if it’s a car you’re about to wallop but entirely ineffective when a child runs out in front of you. The Lexus, by contrast, sees all, or so its maker claims. It will stiffen the suspension in anticipation of you trying to swerve around the danger and it even has eyes in the back of its head, or the rear bumper to be more precise, permanently scanning for something about to come smashing into the back of you. If it reckons that’s on the cards, it will move your headrest forward and up to minimise whiplash. Replies to this message: blkhemi (Aug 22, 2006 1:07 pm)
#18239 of 24697 Re: Lexus future plans\models [lexusguy] by houdini1 Aug 22, 2006 (1:07 pm)
Replying to: lexusguy (Aug 21, 2006 4:13 pm) Thanks for the info LG. I am a owner and big fan of the LX 470. My wife is the primary driver but I love to take it on long trips. It is just so darn comfortable. NVH is incrediblly low on this vehicle. I am glad it is not going away as I had heard. It would have been a shame and a waste. IMO no other SUV is even in the same category.
#18240 of 24697 Re: WHOA??? [syswei] by blkhemi Aug 22, 2006 (1:07 pm)
Replying to: syswei (Aug 22, 2006 8:48 am) The info that in this piece is incorrect. The 132,000 color camera/screen that resides in the grille of the S550 sees all things with daylight accuracy, and in the event of a near collision or if the object is deemed to close, it brakes the car accordingly and alerts the driver with audio/visual warnings. I'm sure the LS' system is nice, and is ground-breaking, only 8 months after the S550 indroduced it.
#18241 of 24697 Re: WHOA??? [brightness04] by blkhemi Aug 22, 2006 (1:11 pm)
Replying to: brightness04 (Aug 21, 2006 7:15 pm) Lexus doesn't have the gall to price the base LS460 over 60k with a '06 LS430 starting at only $56k. This is just business sense. About the self-park system, if you read correctly, I did say "Lexus" says the system operates this way. Nice joke about the S, altho the S550 is still the only one to fully brake without the dtivers intervention. If the LS' approach systems are fogged or rained on, it doesn't work.
#18242 of 24697 Re: WHOA??? [brightness04] by blkhemi Aug 22, 2006 (1:16 pm)
Replying to: brightness04 (Aug 21, 2006 7:21 pm) There have been several complaints about drivers not being able to hear emergency vehicles in the LS. Funny thing is, in one of the LS430's earlier commercials, the guy speaks on how you can COMPLETELY block out the outside environment. Not a coincedence they removed the ad?