Lexus announced the discontinuation of its flagship LS sedan, the car that launched Toyota’s luxury brand in 1989. The original LS400 was enchanting, a car that could compete with the Mercedes S-Class at half the price and probably twice the quality. It set the entire luxury segment back on its wheels as storied brands scurried to compete. The LS found favor with doctors, grandmas, and corporate icons like Microsoft founder Bill Gates.
Reflecting back from 1991, Car & Driver stated, “Few new cars have burst upon the world automotive stage as triumphantly – and brazenly – as did the luxury Lexus LS400 in the midsummer of 1989.”
Truth! It looked like a next-generation Mercedes, challenged BMW for all-around handling and had no time to bother discussing Jaguar. Some customers racked up hundreds of thousands of miles over decades of ownership. Ads showed it with champagne glasses on the hood introducing the brand’s trademark “The Relentless Pursuit of Perfection.”
In many ways it was a near-perfect luxury benchmark, but not anymore.
“The time of the big luxury sedan has passed, and the Lexus LS has fallen behind the industry leaders in terms of technology, sophistication, room and amenities,” said Aaron Bragman, Cars.com Detroit Bureau Chief. “Lexus sold just 43,000 LS sedans in the US in the last ten years – by contrast, Lexus sold 57,000 TX SUVs in 2025 alone. The consumer preference for SUVs over traditional sedans reaches all levels of the market, including the luxury brands like Lexus.”
While the big sedan glides into history, there may be new-generation LS models returning in dramatically different forms.
ES Goes Electric
Lexus isn’t giving up on sedans just yet. For 2026, there’s a completely redesigned ES in both hybrid and pure electric versions.
The mid-size ES sedan, the second model Lexus introduced, has long been offered as a hybrid, but a complete redesign for 2026 brings a new all-electric version and luxury approaching the discontinued LS. Electric versions will be offered as front-drive ES 350e and all-wheel-drive ES 500e in Premium and Luxury trims.
The 350e claims a 307-mile driving range, competitive with similar-size models from BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Styling is more futuristic with a monochrome front facia hinting at the brand’s trademark spindle grille, but it’s also more aerodynamic to maximize driving range.
Inside, a larger cabin gets LS vibes in Luxury Trim that offers an Executive Package with power-adjustable, heated, ventilated and massaging rear seats with ottoman – perfect for spoiled owners and black car service. A new 14-inch touchscreen connects everybody.
The ES 350e arrives in April with a $47,500 starting price.
“The new ES sedan will be a big test of Lexus’ path forward, with its unique powertrains, minimalist button-free interior, and polarizing styling,” Bragman said.
Nice, but Lexus has grander visions for its top models.
A New “Luxury Space”
By far the most dramatic – and most luxurious – is a six-wheel mini-van with amenities to humble a private jet. It’s a big sleek box with four rear wheels to minimize cabin intrusion. Slide open the electric barn door to reveal a spacious lounge with large reclining seats, slatted bamboo privacy screens and mood lighting. Step off your Gulfstream and into the arms of decadence.
Because it’s electric, there’s only a hint of the brand’s spindle grille, rendered in plastic and accented with LEDs. You know it’s a Lexus, but could it work?
Maybe!” Bragman said. “The idea of a luxury van is really more for the Chinese or Japanese markets than the U.S., where minivans are still considered family vehicles, not luxury rides. In the Chinese market however, luxury vans used for executive transport are very common. Buick even sells one there, and it should be noted, so does Lexus already.”
Lexus would have competition from its old rival, Mercedes-Benz.
“Whether or not this would work in the U.S. is a good question: Mercedes-Benz seems to think so, having just shown the upcoming 2027 Mercedes-Benz VLE luxury van, coming in 2027. But in the U.S., Americans tend to drive their luxury vehicles themselves, sitting up front – in Asian markets, hired drivers are much more common. Being seen driving a luxury minivan is still being seen driving a minivan, and that might not jive with the image one wants to project when buying an expensive luxury vehicle.”
Another LS concept is closer to reality.
Think about an edgy crossover coupe with a set of coach doors for a sense of drama. A sleek roofline, spindle grille, glass roof and a zag of running lamps present calling cards – as do a raised ride height, hatchback and muscular rear shoulders. Slabs of black wheels with bronze lips fill their wells.
It’s as wild inside were asymmetrical seats support the driver and relax the passengers. Screens fold out of the passenger dash and inhabit backs of the front seats for those in the not-so-cheaper seats. Crack open the trunk to access cargo via sliding platform – a feature the old LS sedan never had.
It’s not like Lexus lacks a proper all-capable flagship that can take spoiled owners anywhere. It’s called the LX, based on the classic Toyota Land Cruiser and full of panache whether taking the wheel or relaxing in rear massaging captain’s chairs with heat, ventilation and saturating Mark Levinson audio. Touch an arcade of screens.
Two versions are available: LX600 and LX700h – both with twin-turbo V6 engines, but the latter as a hybrid delivering 457 horsepower and 493 lb.-ft. of torque. Tow 8,000 lbs. of mini-yacht or uber-camper. The top model starts at a lofty $117,185.
“Lexus will do just fine without its large sedan,” Bragman said. “Shifting to the new three-row Lexus TX, built off of the Toyota Grand Highlander platform seems a more profitable idea, while people searching for a top flagship model will likely be perfectly happy with the big Lexus LX SUV. Enthusiasts and traditional sedan fans may lament the demise of the big sedan, but the numbers don’t lie – it’s not something people want anymore.”
Storm Forward!
Reach out to Casey Williams at AutoCasey@aol.com and on YouTube @AutoCasey.