Fact Or Fiction? Lexus Ad Calls Out "Hypnotized" German Car Owners Stating The GS350 Offers More

the gs350 is awesome, ive driven it, and thought it was better than my bro in laws e350 and cousins 535i, for some reason, id still rather have both of them over the gs350. There are some things known as intangibles..

I just love the irony in all this. The Only 2 marques that have not featured competitors in ads also happen to be the only 2 who have actually carried the global sales crown

BMW and Mercedes-Benz

Everyone knows that advertising has little basis in truth...but this one gets pretty close.

My sister has the GS350 and I can say the handling is better than the E class. I've never drove the 535i so I can't say how that compares.
But it's generations better than the previous GS. And the interior, in my opinion is classy and modern. I think the E350 with sports package looks better but the GS looks better than the current 5 series.

Comparison ads are fine, but this is the best argument Lexus has?

"If you want your next car to have a four cylinder engine, standard cloth upholstery and front-wheel drive, go ahead and head into a Mercedes-Benz, BMW or Audi dealership and get yourself an E-Class, 5-Series or A6."

Soooo much wrong with that statement. None of them offer cloth, only the Audi is FWD and 4-cylinders are where Lexus is lagging behind. Does this same lame approach apply to the IS250's weak as hell 2.5L V6?

You obviously have purchased a German car. My Merc has vinyl seats. They look like new even after four years.

Lexus has the history of making commercials that bash the Germans. I believe the first gen Lexus GS commercial was the first one to do that?

Well, the world is fully dominated by the European luxury brands, especially by the Germans basically and I can see Lexus wants to challenge as one of the biggest Japanese brands.

But the problem remains. Exactly how safe are the new Lexus vehicles, in terms of sudden unintended acceleration issues? Toyota/Lexus has a long way to go until they fix their tarnished image.

And to be honest, Lexus has a long long way to go until they actually get recognized as a legit competitor against the Germans. Because in the end, who can compete against the Europeans?

Even though I myself would love to try the new Lexus vehicles, because of those issues, I am not really eager to purchase their vehicle.

So, I believe I will just end up purchasing another Infiniti, as I am a loyal fan. Infiniti is the real Japanese brand that can take on the Germans.

What you know about car and the car business can be put in a thimble....

From europe
actually TOYOTA is the largest automaker in the world and in europe many countries such italy france arte already started to boycott everything made in germany
lexus was named the best quality luxury car in america for three consecutive years. bmw and mercedes ranked 7 and 8
germans make cheap junk for people that can't afford italian luxury cars such ferrari maserati lamborghini pagani
and lexus infinity are way better than bmw and mercedes

You should come back when you know how to spell the name Infiniti.

And it doesn't matter if Lexus is reliable, if the image is tarnished by sudden unintended acceleration cases, and if they can not manage to get out of that boring brand image.

And the thing is, you say the German cars are cheap junk.

The Italians actually make some of the most overrated, overpriced junk in the industry.

@knowitall1985

And what you know about anything can be put in a trash can. Funny name btw, ironic, too.

These types of ads remind me of politicians who spend the majority of their campaign pointing out what's wrong with their competitors vs. telling me why I should vote for them. Needless to say, I rarely vote for that type of candidate.

Go to back to sleep Lexus.

The GS, CTS, Genesis are three very good reasons NOT to buy German. All three are a LOT more reliable as measured by trips to the dealer for unscheduled maintenance during warranty. The Germans are especially needy. If you go German, lease but do not buy!

Lexus apparently believes it's good idea to tell your prospective customers they're stupid for liking the cars they like. I believe that's bad marketing, and it's likely to backfire.

While it *MIGHT* be true that Lexus has (in certain cases) a longer feature sheet than some of its competitors, it's hard to put that up against the passionate adoration some BMW fans have for their favorite cars. Clearly, some people don't buy cars based on the length of their feature sheet, otherwise the American Big Three would be constantly trumping the German brands.

Note to Lexus: It's not the number of things you offer that makes the difference. It's what you do really well that does.

If a consumer wants few defects, that's what Lexus does well. If they want legendary handling, BMW is known for that. If they want luxury, Mercedes has carved that niche out nicely.

Personally, I believe the once-great Lexus brand has shot themselves in the foot the same way the once notable Acura brand did: with their own bland styling.

Agree, and I don't think this will do anything for Lexus' desire for increased conquest sales. In some ways it's basically insulting existing Audi/Mercedes/BMW owners.

TheSteve, obviously you're speaking without actually driving the car.
I wouldn't say BMW is still the king of handling. They have been out matched in the past by Infinity and Audi. I've always thought Lexus' driving experience was subdued until I test drove the current Gen IS and GS.
While I would still buy a German car (particularly Mercedes and Audi) because I like the overall look but Lexus is no longer a one trick pony.

Lexus = Poseur

Uhhh the GS is not even the best Japanese car in this class. Now all of a sudden after not coming in last place in the latest car rags compar-o they're ready to take on the Germans??? Are they serious?? Infiniti has not been vanquished as the M has placed 1st or 2nd in this car class several times, and I expect the newly redesigned 2016 Q version to take back its rightful place next to or right behind the A6 next spring.

how many people here owned Lexus and Infniti
Then how many owned German cars.

in my 20s I drove my dad's E420 and hated it. Then later on I had that car for few months, oh man I loved it. Not bad at all. Those times I was big fan of Japanese cars. in 2007 I bought G35, nice car and I thought it is better than BMW 3. Then I got me a 2009 GL450, I bought it just bcause it is a good looking car and big show off (lol), it was nice I loved and my wife too. in 2011 we got we switched to BMW X6, that was horrible experience.

Bottom line, if you drive German cars for few hrs or for few days you may not like it. They are not soft like lexus, many things you can't see it, but you have experince it. GL was excellent over all, on the other hand our X6 is a mad hourse, it want to run fast faster and faster. X6 driving experince is great, but gps sucks, slow speed it sucks, gear sucks, you have to be in sports mode when you drive in streets, other wise transmisson will jerk, it feels like trying find the gear...

I have not driven any Lexus lately, so I can't say anything about it. But at the performance stand point germans are better cars than Lexus.
Question is are you car enthusiast or using car for transportation?
if you are a enthusiasts then you choose German cars, if you care about everything else like MPG,then Japanse...

Performance comes at a price, its not cheap

I never knew that you buy Infiniti for MPG. I bet you have never driven an Infiniti before. Don't even try bsing your way out here. You thought G35 was better than a 3 series and your conclusion is that? Amuse me.

As a loyal customer for Infiniti, I bought them not because of MPG, but because of sportiness, and the way they drive. And also, not to mention they are beautiful. And reliability was amazing on all cars I owned, they were like bulletproof. I have loved my G37 Sedan, G37 Coupe, M35, FX35 and looking forward to purchase a new Infiniti QX70 soon. I was thinking of Lexus RX, but I guess, it is safe for me to stay away from Toyota/Lexus for now, because of sudden unintended acceleration issues.

And this comes from someone who actually loves Toyota/Lexus, as my family loved Toyota vehicles.

WE already know that Lexus makes some of the best Buicks out there - they are reliable - and well made. However - If I wanted to - I could compare the ES to the Chevrolet Impala - and choosing my own criteria - come up favoring the Chevy.

The reason why people buy expensive cars is not to be recognized for buying the most reliable choice. And the Lexus neither has the look nor the heritage nor the street cred to compete that way against the Mercedes or Bmw

hence hypnotized

I went and took an extended drive of the new GS before purchasing my E class. It drove very nicely, but a few things drove me nuts that kept me from seriously considering a purchase. First dead spots on the accelerator and brake pedals. Meaning, you start to push on either before getting any action and then the action is too sudden. No such issue on Audi, BMW, Mercedes or Cadillac. Same problem on Infiniti brakes though. Second problem is the turn signal drove me nuts when trying to signal just to change lanes, since it goes back to a neutral position, I never could figure out how to get it just to turn off without signaling the other direction. Final issue, was rear seat room, not enough of it. BMW, Mercedes and Audi shine here. Not so much Cadillac and Infiniti.

are you 6feet 5inches, because they're no way you didn't have room in the back of the Infiniti M? No way, you're lying!!!

I live in the EU and have experience with these brands.
First I have to mention that taste is a subjective factor for everyone.

1. Infiniti.
I bought an Infiniti G35 coupe M6 (MY 2006) that I loved. I bought it for two reasons: Looks and Price/value. Here I had some problems as it was an American edition (there are still major differences in specifications in between EU and US cars and in 2006 there were no Infiniti dealerships in Europe). The hydraulics oil spec. was unacceptable - burnt shortly. Nissan Motor Co. used such type in America that was total junk here. Windscreen wipers did not work above 130 kph, suspension setting was too hard even a 20 year old E190 was faster from standstill on a not silky smooth road, switches were from Nissan cars, steering ratio was not direct enough, steering force was far too light (a'la American style)… On the other hand the handling was fine and the sound of the engine blew us away :) And, yes, it was reliable. I tought that with minor developments they can reach BMW. Unfortunately they are far behind now and developing towards dead-end (steer by wire for a "sporty" limo)…

2 years ago I wanted to buy a new FX for my wife as this has the best styling in its class, but the power, engines, features and quality were behind the competition.

2. Lexus.
I drove my colleague's Lexus cars (GS450h, LS600h, SC430). They were really comfortable, power was sufficient, Mark Levinson was perfect, but driving factor was not a main issue at development, and the looks were not my favorite (dull). The quartz clock in them was ridiculous (it was the same as in my father's Suzuki Swift in 1990!). The GS was the best among them, the SC was for old posers without any driving fun and the worst odd styling, the LS was a good cruiser for long trips, anyway regarding reliability all my friend's LS600h cars had serious air suspension failures…
Lexus had the biggest issue with the lack of noticeable exterior and interior styling and offering features and innovations like the Germans. Now they moved forward with "aggressive" exterior styling, that I do not associate with the brand before, and unfortunately they are doing the same mistake as Audi with the totally uniform styling. (LS is very close to GS on the streets regarding looks) They are overdone like a pimped boyracers rice rocket. Maybe it is the ultimate in Asia, but here we have refinement priority. Tails are more or less ok, but fronts are not for my taste. Interiors are better, but menus are messed up, mouse operation is a dead-end and they lack some main innovations of the Germans.
Anyway, their new model lineup is noticeable on the streets ;)

3. Mercedes.
To be honest I did not like these cars as their designs were for old people and they were not as competitive compared to BMW and Audi. I did not like their exterior and interior styling, but the quality was top level, especially the "designo" editions. (I drove C200 coupe, E350, CLS 350cdi, SL55AMG). The

Cont..

The best looking was the CLS inside and outside. We loved it. Looks ruled over any practicality. This was the first car of the brand I felt something started here. Each had traction problems compared to the competition. (RWD Mercs were struggling going up even on light slopes at wintertime) The SL AMG was life threatening fast and comfortable at the same time. On the other hand it was a heavy pig not a sports car I like. (Good if you have one car for everyday use and you want to get more attention)

4. Audi.
I definitely wanted to buy one (A7) but I am driving a BMW nowadays. Audis biggest problem for me is the layout of the driving train resulting in different levels of understeer. Interior quality is the top of all brands. Unfortunately looks are too similar to each other, a bit dull. Interiors are better, or I can say the best - not to mention the newest S class. I drove TT, 2.0 TFSi, A6 3.0 tdi, A7 3.0 tdi, A4 2.0 tdi, A8 3.0 tdi. Diesels rule the EU ;)
I liked them really, but have heard reliability issues from friends, and my biggest disappointment was the dealership network of Audi. I do not know what is the situation in the US, but here they do not really care with the possible customers. They have good selling statistics worldwide and you can feel it at the dealerships. They are arrogant, absolutely not well trained, lack knowledge of their lineup, specs. and features… It feels if you - the customer - want to sell something to an arrogant buyer, who is their rep in reality. I decided to buy an A7 after test drive - waiting for 2 months(!!!) to get a test car and knowing I have to live with the understeer issue -but as a result of visiting dealerships and services in Germany and in Hungary I quit. In Germany they were kind but not too helpful forgetting that I am a customer, in Hungary there are not enough words here to tell the experience (the worst I have ever met, you can imagine).
I. Audi definitely needs a design refreshment.
II. They have to rethink the European dealership network.
III. They have to change their minds regarding the layout of the driving train. (Unfortunately listening to their top decision makers opinions they are far from this change…)
Anyway I love the R8 ;)

5. BMW.
I owned a 530d and today I drove a 535xd. Both cars are full spec. I have never had diesel cars before but decided to try one and it convinced me regarding torque and consumption. Good for everyday driving. I like their styling, quality and this generation is totally reliable.
These two cars from the latest generation showed me the biggest issue regarding German cars (huge list of options)!!! You can not compare even two from the same generation as the specifications can differ extremely.
The 530d was 2010 and RWD. I loved it as it was a sporty but comfortable car, ideal for a mixed lifestyle, an everyday cruiser or a hurry machine. Reliability was not a question. Dealerships and services were perfect, handling, user interfac

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Dealerships and services were perfect, handling, user interfaces, features were very good. I liked it overall. The only big mistake was using the heavy ROF tyres BMW pushes nowadays. Comfortable ROF tyre means soft sidewalls causing lot of defects in case of potholes. And yes, their alloys are heavy too, for as much money as you can buy forged alloys… Selling crap for big money.
As I moved up a hill I feared heavy winters with the only RWD BMW, so I bought an X-drive with the bi-turbo diesel.
It is a 2012 manufactured car, but the differences are really noticeable. Same generation, only 2 years manufacturing difference, but the controls are developed to move softer/easier, suspension re-calibrated, the whole car is much more refined then the other, unfortunately too refined.
And the disappointments: Steering and power delivery.
I get used to that BMW is the new Merc, really. In comfort mode it is as comfortable as an E class. The 530d had active steering that made the real difference as it was sportier that I loved (2.2 turns lock to lock). It was agile, the power delivery was instantaneous and the acceleration was really good. Handling was perfect for such a big car (it felt like a 3 series). I liked it driving day to day.
The new 535xd is like a Merc from the driving factor point of view. It is comfortable, absolutely not sporty, feels heavy and not too good to drive it. I bought BMW as I like driving but needed a business class car. The 530d delivered what I wanted. The more powerful, more refined version is a disappointment from that point of view. (They do not offer active steering with x-drive, it has more than 3 turns lock to lock…) Throttle response is far from sharp, power delivery is too smooth. It is solely for long trips, and not for quick trips in towns where you have to hurry or the worse for winding mountain roads. It is just a big, powerful car to go to work every day without any driving soul.
I like the comfortness as it is good to relax after long day work, but the other had it too. I like the refinement end development of controls, softwares, HUD…, but do not like the development and refinement of the driving.

I think BMW adjustable suspension settings are top class, but sometimes lack the leveling possibility of air suspensions available at Audi and Merc.

The lesson:
Even you are in love with any of these brands, try the exact type you wish to buy (same engine) and the closest spec. possible (in case of Germans long options list it is almost impossible or you have to try 3-5 cars to get the taste and try options you want)! I forgot this test drive after owning a same generation car, and now I think if BMW will not change these specs to enhance "driving fun" as they used to advertise their cars not long ago here, I will move to another brand.

In 2012 I was at the Geneva Motor Show and I noticed that Germans are the most innovative, they are widening their lineup, pushing their cars and made good effo

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In 2012 I was at the Geneva Motor Show and I noticed that Germans are the most innovative, they are widening their lineup, pushing their cars and made good efforts regarding designs. Korean cars are really coming up, but Japanese manufacturers are felt behind. Sorry to say but I also noticed that the few American cars need big effort in development, refinement and quality issues to reach the class leaders. But as I told at the beginning these are tastes...

Interesting and a bit hypocritical when you think about it. The reason Lexus, Infiniti and Acura were created was because Japanese automakers realized Americans would not buy expensive cars under an economy brand. In order to compete, they re-badged their upscale vehicles and marketed them as luxury cars. Essentially, we as Americans were brainwashed.

In fact, up until recently the Lexus and Infiniti cars sold here were still badged Toyota and Nissan in Japan.

I can't fault them for making a case for their brand, but everyone in this business is playing mind games with the public as far as I'm concerned.

Yeah we know this because the Infiniti M was the Nissan Fuga for instance. However it doesn't mean we were brainwashed, if the flagship or highline vehicle for a particular brand is luxurious and designed well what's the big deal for paying a premium for it over it's lesser more mainstream vehicles. Americans are image and "fake" prestige conscience, while the same German cars that they worship double as taxis in Europe because of their durability. If you guys are really car enthusiasts you'd choose the well-designed, engineered, and appointed vehicle over the prestige model every time regardless of where it's made. Not only that the Japanese represent "Generation X" anyway, so outside of the superior level models (S,7- series, XJS, etc) I'm confused why anyone would choose the Germans over the Japanese as they, aside from Audi hold no edge, its been proven over and over again. dimwits and badgewhores. And please don't say "I must be one of the guys who can't afford it unless you've checked the Japanese luxury cars' prices lately. The best car for the money era is over.

MB overpriced maintenance. BMW free maintenance but one of the strangest issues I've recently found out is that if you store your BMW too long, the water pump clogs up and causes the engine to over heat. Cost to fix, $400.

Unintended acceleration is old news but somehow I don't think it really affected Toyota's image judging by how well they sell.

If you want to stand out, I guess get a Lexus since there are fewer of them on the road and I say their styling does stand out more since they went to the new jagged angles. MB is too round and flat in the back, BMW is just too soft looking and Audi too generic.

Have to respect the GS and price point; however, still looks like the Corollas better looking cousin. Lexus needs to do more stylistically to highlight their quality on the exterior-looks to much like a gilded Toyota.

Isn't the whole point of advertising to say that you are better than the competition? Otherwise, why waste your time?