I don't know what to make of the recent Lexus "predator face"
 

I'm starting to see more and more of these cars on the road, and can't decide if ugly or not. Opinions?

I also see Hitlers Mustache in that front end also.

I will say at first I didn't like it....now that I have seen more I like. Very much interested in the RC models coming out this fall....might be my next car.

Agreed. I hated them in pictures, but when models started hitting the roads with the new signature Lexus grill, it has grown on me a bit. Definitely looks better in person.

It's definitely a love it or hate it kind of thing.

For me, it is the single reason I would never buy a Lexus. I guess that shows which side I land on.

I'm pretty meh on it. I mean, I don't love it but I don't hate it as much as a lot of people do. I think for most it's very polarizing design language. It certainly makes the cars much less photogenic though, since IMO it's not as bad in real life as it is in pictures.

Its growing on me.

It does look a lot better in person. And OP choice the worst looking model IMO.

Love it or hate it, Lexus sales are up.

As a design element, it seems forced and pointless and tacky.

If it was some kind of ultra high-performance machine where engineering required a large opening to ensure enough cooling; if it was a visual manifestation of the physical reality of underlying mechanisms, I could learn to love it. As it is however, I would put it in the same category of fake hood scoops and nonfunctional brake vents that I had hoped we left back in the 90's.

Reminds me of bowtie pasta...

Well here's the full line up. I don't think it looks that bad.

http://images.thecarconnection.com/l...00474239_l.jpg
http://images.thecarconnection.com/l...00391726_l.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3Rr1u123yS...sIS+fr+3-4.jpg
http://www.autoguide.com/gallery/d/8...ee-Quarter.jpg
http://images.thecarconnection.com/l...00368072_l.jpg
http://images.thecarconnection.com/l...00398841_l.jpg

http://images.thecarconnection.com/l...00463296_l.jpg
http://images.thecarconnection.com/l...00387685_l.jpg
http://images.thecarconnection.com/l...00437620_l.jpg
http://images.thecarconnection.com/l...00474221_l.jpg

Agree 100%.

I actually dig the spindle grills. They do look much better in person. Looking forward to checking out an RC in person and in the wild. The little Nike swooshes I'm less taken with however.

At first I hated it. I thought it was ugly as sin, but I've started to like it more and more to the point where if I see one now, all I think is "that is a damn nice car" (referring to the IS 350 F with the mesh grille as per the pic OP provided, and not the whole Lexus line-up). I think it's aggressive, and I think the problem with it (for me) is that all of the chrome trim doesn't fit it. I think if you blacked out all of that awful chrome trim, it would look really good and mean.

I have the same issue with the Tesla - I don't think it's a great looking car, but I've seen a few with blacked-out trim and it's amazing how much better it looks. That could just be me though, as I think chrome trim/garnish looks awful and tacky on just about any car.

X2, as stated before, their sales are up. So consumers are liking it.

Other the other hand, sales tanked when Honda did the bird beak for the Acuras.

http://www.carspicturesdb.com/wp-con...-view-size.jpg

It's OK on the crossovers/trucks and is much better when its broken up by the bumper, but still it's just too much grill.

I don't think its the worse thing you could do to a car, but I have a personal bias towards how a car looks head-on (the way most people see them) and it doesn't take much for it to go from win to meh to lose for me.

For example, I think the small change to the front of the current Gen Camaros this year makes a world of difference. If I owned a 2013 I would have been tempted to trade it in for a 2014 just for that reason. Same for the FR-S vs BRZ. The BRZ front end is a non-starter for me. If they shared front-ends, I would not have bought either.

But it is pure personal preference.....

Yes, I agreed its all personal preference. IMO its not bad, much better than what Acura is doing.

For years people complain that Lexus has played it safe. Their design was boring. And now that they have done something out of the box and surprise surprise, people are still complaining. With it comes down too it Lexus isn't going to make 100% of the population happy. But sales are up so I think it is safe to say the new design is successful so far.

They should go all out and make the whole bumper with the mesh. Can't get any uglier.

lol, have you been to your local Acura dealer lately? talk about ugly...

Lexus grill is probably the greatest thing that happened in the auto industry. For the spindle grill I'd take a Lexus over any German car.

looks really is subjective. if you look at the GS' sales number it doesn't reflect your opinion.

Lexus GS
2012: 22,160
2013: 19,742
2014: 12,123 (YTD)

Infiniti Q70
2012: 9,130
2013: 5,283
2014: 2,997 (YTD)

Acura RL/RLX
2012: 379
2013: 5,053
2014: 2,292 (YTD)

I think over time the new face of Lexus will start growing on people.

It kinda already has for me :D

http://www.autoguide.com/gallery/d/6...C_Blue_001.jpg

I liked it, Until.....

http://static.squarespace.com/static...5-1200x800.jpg

You guys should see the Toyota Crown grille, it's the first time I have seen it when I was stationed in Japan.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xijUpbOAlp...wn-Athlete.jpg

Essentially the same style, just a different shape.

Lexus is trying to fry bigger fish. The "midsize" luxury sedan market has a few other contenders. Lexus may be beating the other Japanese brands, whose midsize cars have always sold horribly (seriously, I see zero RLs and about 1 M35/50 a week), but they certainly aren't beating the Germans. (The British are not, and have never been a contender in this race.)


BMW 5er



MB E-Class


Audi A/S/RS6

Fixed for you.

Actually depending on what year you are looking at the RL/RLX and Q70/M didn't always have bad sales. its just been those past few years that sales have hit rock bottom.

Um you do know the sales of the GS are right there with the Audi A6/S6...

Audi A6
2012: 18,998
2013: 22,428
2014: 13,730 (YTD)

Lexus GS
2012: 22,160
2013: 19,742
2014: 12,123 (YTD)

The 5 series and E class are a different story. Lexus doesn't have the "prestige", history, or the fan base that MB and BMW has. also keep in mind that Lexus doesn't currently offer a coupe or drop top GS like how MB does with an E class. they also don't offer the GS in a wagon form or in F trim yet. but for a company that just started selling cars in the early 90s they are doing pretty good. And this is coming from a BMW M owner.

Again, you may think the GS is ugly and thats fine. You are entitle to your opinion. Lexus is happy with how its doing, and I also think its sales are pretty decent for a Japanese luxury automaker that only offers it in one body style and with only two drivetrains.

And if you think the GS is bad, go check out the new redesign CTS vs the carryover GS.

CTS
2014: 8,047 (YTD)

GS
2014: 12,123 (YTD)

I love this one in particular.

Yes it's kind of too much grille, but it has more style than Audi's similarly gigantic grille.

Obligatory:

http://ts2.mm.bing.net/th?id=HN.6080...686058&pid=1.7

Never said that they were beating the A6, just that the market was much broader than the limited snapshot that you provided. They're doing as well as the least popular Germans.

The CTS is not going to sell well until GM shakes it's perceived quality and the wonky capacitive controls. We have capacitive HVAC temperature sliders on the IS, and they're the most awkward part of the entire dash to use while driving.

X2, Audi is bland and boring.

God I love that concept. Would love to see some form of it hit dealerships one day. Maybe by then I'll even have won the lottery and could afford one!

I do too. Lexus has confirm the LF-LC will be built. 90% of the styling cues that you see will carryover onto the production car. Price tag is rumored to be around $90k-$100k starting.

I hated the way the new IS looked when I first saw it in photographs. It's grown on me however, and I think it's actually a pretty handsome car in the flesh. As for the rest, they're pretty forgettable and won't look particularly interesting in a few years time. That is except for that new NX, which I think looks way out of proportion.

I liked the design of the new IS the moment I saw it, Looks real sharp on the streets. Looks like a concept that went straight into production imo. I don't like how everything in their lineup is getting the same grill look though, seeing too much of the same can get old real quick. I do however agree with other posters about Acura being REALLY boring. I said this on another forum and will say it here, Hyundai has a much more exciting lineup than Acura does right now. Go back to 2004 and look at acura and look at what they have now.

Fair enough, I mistook you post because of this line "but they certainly aren't beating the Germans." i was really trying to compare similar brands that lunched around the same time as Lexus, and not brands like BMW and MB that have been around since forever.

the CTS is doing bad because GM finally brought it up both in price and quality to the E, 5, A6, GS and ect.

before 2014 the CTS sold really well because GM undercut everyone else. the 2013 model had a MSRP of 38,905. Much much lower than everyone else. the 5, GS, E and ect are all about $50k starting.

2008: 58,774 ($36,875)
2009: 38,817
2010: 45,656
2011: 55,042
2012: 46,979
2013: 32,343 (38,905)
2014: 8,047 ($45,100)

But to me it would look so much better if the hood extended down to the fold following the headlights across or slightly below. You know, where the actual grill is needed....

Sadly my lack of photoshop skills will not let me "fix" it.

To each their own, but I think it looks great.

Much better...

The LFA was so bland for a $375k supercar. Lay Leno's thought the same :p

LF-LC makes the LFA look dated. Most of CL members agree as well.