R.I.P Lexus LS sedan.

It’s official, 2026 will be the last year for the Lexus LS.

Lexus will produce just 250 units of the new “Heritage Edition”, and these will be the only version of the LS available for the 2026 model year. So it’s basically already gone…

It will be priced at a bit over $100,000. Powered by the current LS 3.4 Liter Turbo V6 with 416HP.

It seems the new 2026 Lexus ES could try to replace both the current ES and LS since it is about 7 inches longer than before. And just about 4 inches shorter than the current LS. And probably as roomy. However, I saw the new ES in person and even sat in it, and it’s not as grand as a big LS sedan. Yes, it’s much cleaner and more modern inside, but the older LS generations offered a level of luxury the new ES doesn’t seem to have. And that weirdo exterior design is not for everyone…

The first-generation Lexus LS was introduced in January 1989 and was a revolution in the luxury sedan world. Toyota had spent many years and a fortune developing the whole new car. As icing on the cake, it was actually much cheaper than its competition, starting at $35,000. By 1990, Lexus had sold more units of the LS than any of its competition.

However, its best year ever was 1991 with almost 43,000 sold in the US. Sales went mostly down from there. All the way down to 2,163 last year. Sure, luxury sedan sales numbers are down, but it’s not as bad for the competition. Mercedes sold over 8,800 units of the S-Class last year in the US alone. Part of the problem is that Lexus had completely given up on the LS. While Mercedes redesigned the S-Class in 2020, the current Lexus LS came out in 2017.

Thankfully, for those who will miss the big Lexus sedan, there are plenty of used ones around. These are some of the most reliable cars ever made, and finding a good one isn’t that hard. Even an older model. For less money than any new car currently on sale.

As far as a new generation, who knows.

These previously posted illustrations show what a new one could look like. It might end up being a special large EV sedan for the Chinese market. Who knows…