autoevolution
 

2018 Lexus LS (XF50): What to Expect From the Fifth Generation of the Sedan

When Eiji Toyoda told his best men to design a luxury sedan to take on big daddy S-Class, the Lexus LS 400 was born in 1989 after 6 years of development and 4.5 million kilometers of testing. Almost three decades since that crucial moment (and the birth of the Lexus brand), the fifth-generation LS looms on the horizon.
2018 Lexus LS (XF50) rendering in Best Car magazine (Best Car 11, No. 26) 25 photos
Photo: Best Car magazine (Best Car 11, No. 26) via kodansha-bc.com
2018 Lexus LS (XF50) rendering in Best Car magazine (Best Car 11, No. 26)2018 Lexus LS (XF50) rendering in Best Car magazine (Best Car 11, No. 26)2015 Lexus LF-FC Concept2015 Lexus LF-FC Concept2015 Lexus LF-FC Concept2015 Lexus LF-FC Concept2015 Lexus LF-FC Concept2015 Lexus LF-FC Concept2015 Lexus LF-FC Concept2015 Lexus LF-FC Concept2015 Lexus LF-FC Concept2015 Lexus LF-FC Concept2015 Lexus LF-FC Concept2015 Lexus LF-FC Concept2015 Lexus LF-FC Concept2015 Lexus LF-FC Concept2015 Lexus LF-FC Concept2015 Lexus LF-FC Concept2015 Lexus LF-FC Concept2015 Lexus LF-FC Concept2015 Lexus LF-FC Concept2015 Lexus LF-FC Concept2015 Lexus LF-FC Concept2015 Lexus LF-FC Concept
Introduced in 2006 and updated in 2012, the current LS is the oldest luxury sedan in the full-size segment. Over the years, the XF40 series LS came in a variety of flavors: 4.6- and 5.0-liter V8s, rear- and all-wheel-drive, regular and LWB, that’s how we roll. But then again, the XF40 LS isn't relevant anymore.

Its old age is all the more obvious by taking a look at the configurators for the U.S. and German markets. For the 2017 model year, Lexus discontinued the hybrid version in North America. In Germany, on the other hand, only the LS 600h is listed. For what it’s worth, Lexus is laying the path for a new model.

The 2018 Lexus LS, then. Rumored to be launched in The Land of the Rising Sun in the fall of 2017, the fifth generation has all the makings of a properly luxurious machine. The automaker’s executive vice-president once said that the interior has something cool in store for us. At the present moment, it's a sure bet we're in for a marriage between technology and craftsmanship, likely inspired by the LF-FC Concept premiered in Tokyo just about two years ago.

Other reports suggest that the XF50 LS will embrace forced induction, allegedly a twin-turbo V6 with something like 400 hp and 325 lb-ft. To be underpinned by the GA-L platform on which the LC is based, the 2018 LS is due to get the 3.5-liter V6 hybrid powertrain from the LC 500h and, of course, the 5.0-liter V8 from the LC 500. An Aisin 10-speed automatic is also expected to make the cut. More recently, Best Car Magazine suggested that a fuel cell model will be added to the range. The Lexus LF-FC Concept makes use of such a powertrain, and so does the $57,500 2017 Toyota Mirai.

Expected to measure 5,225 mm in length and 1,900 mm in width, the fifth-gen Lexus LS is also expected to have a 3,000+ mm wheelbase. Those numbers are huge compared to the current model, even in long wheelbase form: 5,210 mm length, 1,875 mm width, and 2,970 mm wheelbase.

Last, but not least, the LS “super spy scoop” in Best Car's November issue alleges that the LS won’t have side mirrors in Japan, but cameras. While that may sound like science-fiction hogwash, bear in mind that Japan’s Road Transport Bureau changed legislation in this regard. Ichikoh Industries has already begun manufacturing the first OEM application of a high-res video camera and screen combo specifically designed to replace side mirrors.

If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories