Ford Five Hundred versus Lexus LS430

[Roadrunner]

<- Public Domain image from Wikipedia

 

Take a look at that car above. Don't you think the front looks a lot like a Five Hundred?

 

This iteration of the Lexus LS, designated a large car in the U.S. and Europe, was sold from 2001 to 2006. What are your thoughts on its front fascia?

Edited August 19, 2006 by Roadrunner

[Mark B. Morrow]

Actually i think the 500 is better looking than the Lexus. The 500 is sleeker whereas the Lexus looks fat especially in the rear quarters and roof.

[Traveler]

I've thought that since the first time I saw the Five-Hundred. Think about the front and rear styling of the Five-Hundred, on a longer RWD platform (longer hood and rear deck) with more front and rear overhang and you would have had the perfect update for the Crown Victoria. The problem with the Five-Hundred is (at least to me) the 500 and Montego appears a bit too stubby from the side profile. That extra foot that separates the CV and 500 would have made the 500 a more attractive car. There's what Ford should do. Instead of scrapping the entire 500 styling look to make it more like the Fusion, lend the 500 look over to the Crown Victoria which can arguably do more justice to the current 500 look with its extended length...like the LS 430.

 

The 500 is sort of a cross between a full size sports sedan and an American styled sedan. Maybe, its more appropriate for the Five-Hundred and Fusion to share a more common look than the Crown Victoria.

[Edgey]

I think both vehicles do a poor job disguising their size...but that might be the point.

[silvrsvt]

I always thought that the LS series copied the MB S-class all the time...

 

Edited August 19, 2006 by silvrsvt

[retro-man]

Actually, that back-sloping grill, wider toward the top (like a Crown), has been a signature look for Toyota since the '65 Corona ("Crown") and, while not universal, certainly a recurring theme across their line for decades (including on the Crown itself).

[RichardJensen]

Isn't the Crown related to the Lexus LS somehow or another? Or is that the Toyota Century?

 

Nope. It's the Crown. Nope, wrong about that too. It's the Celsior.

 

This is a Century. It's Toyota's Town Car.

 

It's powered by a 280hp V12, the 12 that thinks it's an 8 (or a six).

[Roadrunner]

If I remember right, they have kept the Century in the same style even though it looks like a 1981 Buick LeSabre or Regal.

Edited August 20, 2006 by Roadrunner

[retro-man]

The Century, which has never been sold in the U.S. is virtually unchanged since 1967 - except for under the skin improvements. And doesn't look that bad! The V12 may not be all that high powered, but I recall that the 1967 (which was V8 powered) was capable of 140 mph. The Lexus LS is the Toyota Celsior, and the Toyota Crown is no longer offered in the U.S..

 

Funny you should call the Century Toyota's "Towncar", because I have sometimes thought that's the direction the Towncar ought to take: settle on a style (like those square ones from a few years back), and just work on refining it. A car like that just becomes a rolling billboard of what it is - like a Rolls Royce. I have read some posters on here lamenting the passing of the previous generation Towncar styling. There are a few important differences in the market though: Toyota Centuries are almost always driven by chaufers (not taxi drivers or glorified taxi drivers - chaufers, and always have some big cheese riding in the back (you can see the lacy curtains in the back window in that picture) - not some schlob coming home from the airport. There are none in taxi or Limo use. In fact - I don't know if this is still true - but they used to do a background check if you wanted to buy one. If you weren't from a good enough family, they wouldn't sell you one!

[Mark B. Morrow]

I always thought that the LS series copied the MB S-class all the time...

 

 

 

Actually the LS was a rip off of the earlier Benz S Class from the early '90s. They were not even shy about it when the car came out.

[ANTAUS]

The reason the V12 is rated at just 280HP is because that is the limit, the government allows an engine to have. They don't limit torque, just HP. So the thinking behind the V-12, is just capped at 280HP, but have much more torque.

[NickF1011]

The reason the V12 is rated at just 280HP is because that is the limit, the government allows an engine to have. They don't limit torque, just HP. So the thinking behind the V-12, is just capped at 280HP, but have much more torque.

 

It's a "gentleman's agreement". There are no specific LAWS banning a manufacturer from advertising more than 280 HP in Japan.

[Joe771476]

There's an Acura -- not sure of model -- that looks more like a BMW than a BMW! The Lexus flagship looks just like a Mercedes! The Hyundai Sonata looks like a Ford 500!

[retro-man]

1967 Toyota Century:

 

 

1967 Mercedes 600:

 

 

Occupying the same end of the market in their respective countries. Anyway, you see the general outlines of that grill going decades back for Toyota. See how little it differs from the newer model that RJ posted - but how different it is from the old Mercedes. I think Mercedes copied Toyota with their later models (Hard to argue with that old 600 .... but I'm more of a 280SL guy.)