Video: Lexus ls600h L at the New York auto show

It's very slab-sided and buff-fronted.

And the interior looks no different to the GS.

With it's obvious bulk, heavy batteries and hybrid system, plus the fact that it is the stretched version, I'd estimate that it weighs at least 12 tonnes.

Looks FAT and BORING. What's up with the door panels? It looks like something from a riced Integra.

Look at the panel again. It looks like something you would see at an Integra car show. I know the video is not that good, but what the hell is that? Is there any wood on that panel?

I don't think so.

You just love twisting things around. Show me where I said the car looked like a riced Integra.

I said the car is bland, fat, and boring. The Integra comment was in regards to the door panels.
The website pictures are much better, but in that video the black portion is just too big and you can't even see any wood on it.

Well you just proved that I never said the car looked like an Integra.

You know I can understand people not liking the trunk styling, but I think you really need an eye exam if you see any similarity between the S and that Chrysler.

BTW, I wouldn't be bashing the trunk or the wheel arches too much because I'm pretty sure they will eventually find their way into the Lexus design studio.

Just curious what is the new Camry trunk called in your Toyota world?

BTW, the S class doesn't have a "bangle butt"
the S-class trunk design came from the Maybach, which was designed a few years before the 7.

You should search the net there are tons of early Maybach pictures somewhere around 1996 1997.

Why don't you post a picture of a brand new Camry (rear 3/4 shot)?

If you think the Camry has a conventional trunk design you are kidding yourself.

Is why People here make such a fuss over such trivial matters.

So a brand of car has a few quality issues at the manufacturing stage? Does that un-do years of development work and cutting-edge engineering? No, it just takes the gloss away from vehicles worthy of your respect.

And so a couple of cars have a bootlid design different from the norm? And? Since when did a slightly raised boot line suddenly make a car ugly or unworthy of people's respect?

It seems to me cars today are becoming so perfect in every respect that it breeds this trivial nit-picking.

Most European cars have quirky design traits that often spark debate, but these designers are always trying to push the envelope and showcase ideas not yet seen. Will we punish them for their foresight and the bravery of executive management?

The fundamental problem I have with this new LS is not the fact it is a bad car. It is not. The problem I have is that it doesn't (apart from Hybrid technology and electronic gizmo's) do anything new.

And why should people on this site stand back and just accept that the flagship car for the supposedly 'best luxury brand in the world' is so plain? That the designers have been either too lazy or two unoriginal to try anything new? It's not a leader.

And I for one cannot fall in love, or even really like a car that doesn't change tack from the status quo.

Innovation drives passion. Passion is not merely wood grain and LED headlights.

Ben I have been reading these blogs for like three years now,and I have to admit you are an idiot! you are boring and your arguments are not constructive. I am not a lexus fan but you have to give it up to the company for rocking up an establishment(German and British) as it was becoming to barouque and boring, were it not for lexus you would not be on these blogs today bashing the poor car company.

All i want to say is that Germany holds no copyright or intellectual property to motoring superiority they also have their disadvantages. Despite your boring speeches about the Germans having invented and pioneering this and that I could also argue otherwise about who invented the wheel or the first combustion engine, it was not the germans I could go on and on you are purely subjetive and selective about your arguments.

you do not hold any water since you are so subjective Yes the germans like all nations on earth have their fair share of innovations and they have acheived a lot over the last 100 years or so but give credit where credit is due so have other nations including the Japanese.

You have just become terribly boring. GET A LIFE!!

This is so tired.

It is almost as if somebody with a different preference is all of a sudden broken some unspoken law!

Get a life is right!

Whoever says that whatever car is crap because somebody else does this or that, or has more passion directed to this or that aspect of a car deserves a knockout punch to their face.

Neither the S or the 7 is an ugly car. The LS is most definitely not an ugly car either. In fact, you could equate it to how a fine Hugo Boss suit looks; confident, luxurious, stylish, and sexy. Why do we always need to "push the envelope" on every car ever made. If we always pushed the envelope, then where would be the car that we wish was confident, luxurious, stylish, and sexy?

I don't want my car to look like a spaceship.

Look at what happened when Honda pushed the envelope when designing the Civic's interior. Now, I wouldn't want to be seen in a Civic. Before, it was just OK, so they decided to change it to .... OK????

Anyways, there should always be one standout company to offer an alternative to whack styling. Lexus offers that alternative. It is not boring in my eyes, but confident, luxurious, stylish, and sexy. Alternatives are good, otherwise we would all be driving cars only people like Ben thinks are good. Sorry Ben, I don't need a hyperactive blogger to tell me what to drive. No offence, I still think you are an alright guy..................................

We all have a right to an opinion, but it is hard to argue that the LS isn't bland.

It most certainly is. There is nothing sexy about a barge.

You might want to look up who invented the 4 stroke internal combustion engine that every car uses today before you call somebody an idiot.

Does the name Nicolaus Otto sound familiar?

http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/5350/maybach.htm

Scroll about 3/4 and you will see "NEW MAYBACH?" title. Notice it was translated from Auto Bild October 1997.

Maybe you can finally stop calling it the "Bangle Butt"...LOL

...about design.

You don't even seem to know what the 'Bangle Butt' even is.

The 'Bangle Butt' is recognised by the progressive sloping of rear wing as it reaches the back of the car. However, the bootlid does not conform to this slope, and instead continues at its normal level. Thus, the bootlid appears to be unattached you could say, as it does continue the theme of the rest of the body work.

You can see how effort was made to distinguish the bootlid from the surrounding panels, while an undeniable theme is still present between the two surfaces. In contrast, the Chrysler Cirrus does not contain any of these elements.

In my defense I never said the LS copied Integra's door panel. It was a figure of speech pointing out the not so good looking door panel in that video. With that color combo and the lack (from video) of any wood or other luxury it just seemed like something that you would find on some modified Integra.

I think we can find a lot more people agreeing with my statement when looking at that poor video than people that would agree with you that the 7 trunk deign was pulled of the Cirrus.

Yes, and I wrote that on the website it looked much better with the wood and all.

I still can't figure out that video. Is the wood black on a black background? In the video it looks hideous, but I'm sure it's different in person.

However, I still think the car has a fat, bland and boring design.

Toyota needs some fresh talent in their design studio.

Ben Sorry for calling you an idiot you might want to look this up the following link http://inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aacarsgasa.htm

I could still argue otherwise.

Please also check out the following and I swear mercedes innovated a lot of things but my point was that there were people before the germans invented cars so could you also give credit to these individuals. before your benz invented this and that syndrome, they also took from other countries and people

http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/sci/A0858862.html