Lexus GS - Game over.....

[ghost_killer]

OK not sure if should be posted in the GS section.....I guess most knew or suspected it'll happen and obviously already discontinued in Europe like over a year now ? And replaced by the ES.

https://lexusenthusiast.com/2020/04/23/the-lexus-gs-sedan-has-been-cancelled/

How do you feel about this ? Are you sad to see this happen ? I think is a shame but do understand the reason for this, several reasons in fact.

[ColinBarber]

Shame but the writing has been on the wall for some time and we knew the replacement model had been cancelled. Saloon sales are massively down in the US, and Lexus has too many of them, with the GS being the worst seller (even the much more expensive LS outsold it 2 to 1 last year) - although to be fair that is partly down to the current model being 8 year's old.

[Vlady]

I am sad to see this happen, really I am! 

They do they ES is a great car (good looking IMO) so who knows, may be one day (hopefully in a 5-8 years time, as I like my GS) I will buy one! Or will have to go back to BMW!

[ghost_killer]

Yeah being about 8 years old doesn't help either not that it looks too dated IMO, but when other brands like the German 3 already got new the new cars out and whilst in America I didn't see too many GS's at all !! I saw lots of ES / RX's and even few IS's here and there, I actually want a GS450h as next car but having looked online some time ago there are not many for sale at all - I like the idea of a V6 again and the ES only has the 300h !! I did read some rumours some years ago that the 4th Gen GS almost didn't happen

[Mossypossy]

My 11 year old GS450h looks really modern to me. Swapped my 25 year old Saab for it.

Plan was to keep both cars for a couple of months to make sure I really preferred the Lexus. Currently both cars SORNd so plan not going well.

[rich1068]

For me it's just a shame another RWD car has gone to be replaced by FWD. 

[Shahpor]

1 hour ago, rich1068 said:

For me it's just a shame another RWD car has gone to be replaced by FWD. 

I agree.

I know it is probably silly, and I am sure that most days I wouldn't notice if my car was FWD or RWD, but I still do like the fact that my longitudinally mounted engine drives the rear wheels.

From a pure technical stand point, I am under the impression that RWD is preferable, and the reasons for FWD are packaging and cost based, so I prefer my optimal layout

[rich1068]

Agreed. And no offence to those who have chosen the new ES, I'm sure they're lovely cars but a little bit of sparkle is gone.

Again, no offence intended but my wife is reading The Rabbit Factory by Marshall Karp. In it one of the characters has an ES but gets his legged pulled for driving a posh Camry.

[ghost_killer]

22 hours ago, rich1068 said:

Agreed. And no offence to those who have chosen the new ES, I'm sure they're lovely cars but a little bit of sparkle is gone.

Again, no offence intended but my wife is reading The Rabbit Factory by Marshall Karp. In it one of the characters has an ES but gets his legged pulled for driving a posh Camry.

The last 2 gen ES (including current gen) is more closely related to the Toyota Avalon more (yep I know I know the Avalon itself is based on the Camry), as well as more people buying SUV's, I think the ES is reason that the GS met it's fate sadly and lack of replacement of a new GS didn't help much either !!! Besides all these wannabe drifters that buy old IS200 for cheap and try turning it into a drift car or trashing it, would people factor even FWD / RWD when looking for a executive car ? Audi A6 is FWD non quattro ones.

[noby76]

My previous car was the FWD Honda Accord 2.4 with 190bhp and that was more fun to drive on the limit than the RWD IS300 I had before it.. I think there is this notion which gets thrown around about RWD cars being more fun to drive and although there is a fact on this, some FWD cars can be just as fun if not more predictable on the limit in certain driving conditions than RWD cars. 

Although its sad to see the GS model go, the writing was on the wall due to it being outsold by other models in the Lexus lineup and they had to make a decision. 4th gen GS although modern lacks something in my eyes. i feel gen 1 to gen 3 were the better built GS's to be honest.

[ColinBarber]

9 hours ago, noby76 said:

i feel gen 1 to gen 3 were the better built GS's to be honest.

Gen 1 was built well for the time and mechanically the gen 2/3 was ok but poor build quality elsewhere and a weak chassis, and the gen 3 in hybrid form has poor reliability too. Gen 4 is such a step up in all department, but it comes at a time where plastic wins over metal, and what metal there is, is thinner so perceived build quality is less but such a better car.

I'm not sure about the ES being partly responsible as the two models co-existing for 29 years - it didn't just come along and took sales away from the GS. But with the drop in overall saloon sales, the ES being cheaper, and FWD being desirable in states that get a lot of snow, the GS suffered the most. 

[noby76]

12 hours ago, ColinBarber said:

 Gen 4 is such a step up in all department, but it comes at a time where plastic wins over metal, and what metal there is, is thinner so perceived build quality is less but such a better car.

 

This explains why it seems there is something missing with gen 4 but I couldn't pinpoint as to what it really was. i've not been in or driven a gen 4 before i'm just going by the looks when compared to its predecessors.. best looking models to me would be gen 2 in sport trim and gen 3 with subtle looks modification..

[ColinBarber]

10 hours ago, noby76 said:

best looking models to me would be gen 2 in sport trim and gen 3 with subtle looks modification

has to be the Italian styled series 1 for me, in UK sport guise with the 10" rear wheel option.

[rich1068]

23 hours ago, ColinBarber said:

has to be the Italian styled series 1 for me, in UK sport guise with the 10" rear wheel option.

Like this one? https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1201529 

Have to say I have a soft spot for the 1st generation too.