Lexus LS500 F Sport

As you would expect, the Lexus LS500 F Sport is a really nice ride. Like… really nice. Everything is perfectly well composed when it comes to luxury, convenience, and overall serenity. Lexus knows how to build this car. But honest question: And the bigger question: Has this ‘silver-fox luxury sedan segment’ lost its luster?

Meaning – are there still buyers out there wanting to spend $100k on a really nice, but kind of invisible sedan in 2020? Or have most of those buyers made the move over to high-end SUVs, luxury trucks, Teslas, etc?

I think a lot of them have, yeah.

The luxury trucks & SUVs on the market – they’re super versatile & easily and adaptable to any situation… from commuting, to tailgating, to weekend retreats, to bringing a new playhouse to the grandkids. And if you’re going to get a refined buyer to choose a luxury sedan over the 2020 versatility & pampering of a luxury truck/SUV, you’ve gotta regroup & bring more… oomph.

In 2020, trucks/SUVs own every segment… at least in the US. You can dress them down & make them off-roady & adventurous. Or you can dress them up & make them sophisticated luxurious escapes. So where does that leave the Lexus LS 500 now & into the future?

I personally urge Lexus to roll the dice & bring more WOW to the LS segment (and growl). Take note of how Cadillac rebranded their image. Don’t get me wrong, this car is ‘wow’… but it’s lowercase ‘wow’. The bold red interior & accent lighting is definitely a move in the right direction. And while the design cues are strong, somehow overall, the car is too subtle to really be remembered. Twin-turbos are beefy on paper, but behind the wheel, they’re just not that engaging. It’s not that kind of setup.

I realize that perhaps I’m just too young, and overall too unrefined & tunnel-visioned to fully understand/grasp this segment. BUT – I do remember the 90s, when it seemed through my eyes, that Lexus had a leading edge to their brand… similar to Tesla now.