Has Lexus Finally Built A Worthy Competitor For The 5-Series?

Can't wait to see it and drive it.......

Absurd. How would anyone know?

Insideline gave a pretty positive review:

http://www.insideline.com/lexus/gs-350/2012/2012-lexus-gs-350-first-drive.html

We'll see. But one thing for sure.... I hate the interior.

You're right that dash is a nightmare.

You're back MY PRECIOUS sporty turbo!...... Oh, I'm soooo happy!!!!

How was your trip to Norway?

Lovin' it!

I hope that this will be as much fun as it was last time!

LOL SportyTurbo/CarreraGT! monkey see...Monkey do...thanks for coming back, I knew you were a sadist!

*masochist, not sadist.

LOL, SportyTurbo/CarreraGT, you make me laugh every time! By copying my comments you only make yourself look even worse that you already do, which is really quite an accomplishment considering you have been banned so many times and no one here likes you. LOL!!

Wow, you've gone off the deep end, I guess you really were the accomplice to the guy in Norway that shot all those people. You are making no sense whatsoever. This is getting even more interesting...Keep copying and pasting my pet...

LOL!

fool. please find me these 5,000 children who are buying a $50-80k car every month. the average 5-series buyer is an upper income 40-something man.

auto: you're such an ass. please find me these people who are buying themselves a $40,000 ES and then going out and buying their children a $70,000 5-series like mine.

Should't they already have had a 5-series competitor? What's the hold up? They've only been making cars under the Lexus name for 22 years.

The 5-series have already lost the steering feel factor with the new model.

Exactly. Previous gen 5 is still winner till this new one that changes the vital part.

not holding my breath giving the disappointing product they continue to pump out....

From initial reviews it sound promising. This is definitely the direction they needed to take with this car.

the 5 Series feels/drives like an Lexus.....i wonder what this gonna drive like?

Initial reviews have been very positive. It seems like Lexus GS will be a very good blend of Luxury and Sportiness unlike say Infiniti M which some magazines complain is too sporty. Also like the interior but can see little bit BMW influence.

The BMW is probably faster but not as reliable, I do like the looks of the 5 series, it will be hard to make it as good looking.

I really don't get this whole "benchmark the BMW 5er" thing.

Magazines and enthusiasts want SPORT/HANDLING in these cars.

The average buying public wants COMFORT in these cars.

Carmakers listen to the masses, which in this case are the buying public, not the enthusiasts. Lexus and sport don't go well together, partly because of the "senile grandpa image" that Lexus has in the US (and in Europe the lack of pedigree and heritage the brand lacks).

The Lexus GS has never sold on sportiness I believe. Same with the E-Class and the A6. BMW touts the sport sedan heritage of the 5er, but 8/10 BMW shoppers buy the car because of the badge and not because of its capabilities. The more I think about it, I am wondering why the GS exists at all. It's more cramped and less comfortable than an ES and it is not particularly sporty either. The GS seems like a car that shouldn't exist at all given how the ES, aside from its FWD setup, does everything well and stands for typical Lexus attributes.

If the GS should exist as a next generation model, I think that Lexus should focus on correcting the major shortcomings of the current GS for the next generation, namely a lack of comfortable interior space, small payload capacity and unusually wide transmission tunnels upfront (rob space for the legs). Take care of these problems and the car might create more appeal on its own. They should also offer more engine choices and a station wagon.

My parents recently bought a 2010 Mercedes E350 CGI (292-hp) with the AMG package. It replaced our ex-2002 Mercedes E320 Sport. My parents opted for the E-Class because they like the interior space, comfort and my dad also likes the sporty driving nature of the E-Class with the AMG package. The car is very comfortable and also very sporty in its own way. It handles well and the steering feel and feedback is even more direct and responsive than that of my 2007 BMW 118i. Obviously it's not an Infiniti M or BMW 5er in terms of handling, but for MOST PEOPLE OUT THERE IT IS MORE THAN SUFFICIENT.

They do need to do a lot to fix the GS. It didnt have that lexus driving style. The 5 or 6 GS's I have driven actually felt comfortable on a road, but as soon as you hit a bump, it felt like it had no shocks. The lexus leather is nice, but the cheap plastic all around just brings me straight back to camry standards. It was just an overall cheap feeling vehicle.

nope, not gonna happen. nothing in the past indicates that they can build a luxurious sport sedan that will appeal to upper-income americans.