The Curtain Call

In the fall of 1989, one car changed the automotive world order.

At that time, the upwardly mobile had gone into a consumer frenzy for anything “premium” and “luxury.” In this country, that became the signal to reject anything traditionally American. Even though the domestic luxury brands still sold in volume, their market share was being gobbled up by their rivals from Germany.

Why? German-made flagship sedans were better engineered and built with a higher level of quality, and their dealerships catered to the needs of the newly rich by rolling out the highest level of service available.

While German automakers were reaping the spoils of wealthy Americans, Japanese manufacturers were plotting their entry into this exclusive club.

It took Toyota six years, thousands of personnel and billions of yen to finally meet the challenge of building a world-class flagship sedan. To do so, they created an entirely new brand to sell these cars to their intended demographic. They also priced them somewhere between the Americans and the Germans.

We not only witnessed the birth of the Lexus brand, but we also saw a star shining over the horizon — the 1990 Lexus LS 400.

In that first model year, the LS 400 outsold its German, British, Italian and American contemporaries. It went on to establish Lexus as one of the finest automobile brands sold in this country.

Five generations and 36 years later, the Lexus LS is about to take its final bow to the world. A flagship sedan that has made its mark upon the world will no longer be offered to its well-heeled clientele.

Instead of giving it a memorial service, we’re going to give this 2025 LS 500 F Sport a fitting send-off by celebrating its accomplishments and impact on the luxury car market.

You are probably asking, “Why should we care?” Only a few of us have either owned or could own one. Or, rather, experienced one — or a few — during its time in production.

This final lap in the Lexus LS could be seen as an odd one. The F Sport trim appeared in the previous generation model as a way to extend its sportier trim across the Lexus lineup. It seems somewhat appropriate, given its competitors at the time, to offer a sportier version of their flagship models to attract younger consumers. It seemed to work, as they continued the trim level for this penultimate iteration.

Based on this final experience, it feels dynamic and athletic. Not exactly the image one has in mind of a Lexus LS, but it somehow works.

The 2025 F Sport is only available with the 416-horsepower 3.4-liter twin-turbocharged V6 with a 10-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. It’s a very modern driveline that encourages you to either cruise or rocket down the highway. A hybrid driveline was available up until the 2025 model year.

The dynamic and athletic feeling comes from its precise cornering. Stopping power is what you expect from a six-piston caliper disc braking system at all four wheels. You can ratchet up the excitement by flipping the drive mode knob to Sport S+. That way, the suspension gets firmer, the steering effort is heavier and the shift points will come on sooner than usual. In all, you feel confident every time you take the wheel of this sporty flagship sedan.

Interior-wise, we were treated to a two-tone leather upholstery in a black-and-white motif. F Sport seats are usually supportive with plenty of bolstering, encouraging drivers to take command of their flagship. You have space for up to five; however, the low roofline may be challenging for tall rear seat passengers. Once inside, you are comfortable enough for long journeys.

A digital instrument cluster and a head-up display keep the driver informed without being distracted. In the middle is a 12.3-inch Lexus Interface touchscreen display. You can feel confident in it being tech-forward, despite more advanced efforts from its competitors.

The Silver Illusion exterior on our 2025 tester follows the F Sport formula with the signature mesh grille and dark-finished 20-inch alloy wheels. While form follows function, you cannot deny that this specific 2025 LS meets its promise of being dynamic and athletic.

You would need to get lucky to find a new 2025 Lexus LS 500 F Sport. Our test vehicle came with a sticker price of $94,990.

There is one more model year left for the Lexus LS. Only 250 of the 2026 version, called the Heritage Edition, are available in the U.S. for a price starting at $99,280. These final sedans only come in a Nighty Noir exterior color with darker finishes, a beautiful set of multi-spoke 20-inch alloy wheels and a Rioja Red interior. They will also feature a special engraving identifying it as the Heritage Edition.

If we look back, the base price of a 1990 LS 400 was around $35,000 when they first arrived at Lexus showrooms in the U.S. It was less expensive than the contemporary Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7-Series. That is still true today.

Lexus changed the luxury car business for good when they introduced the first LS 400 36 years ago. Every year since, they have won over previous owners of German, British, Italian and American flagship sedans while creating a loyal following. In total, that encompasses hundreds of thousands of LS sedans that broke the automotive world order.

Today’s flagship sedan market has changed. Even with the arrival of a South Korean entry, the old world order has been re-established. The Germans have regained control of the segment, although not at the volumes it used to yield — not with the proliferation of the SUV as the choice of flagship for the well-to-do.

On a personal note, I have worked with four different LS sedans since 2013. They cover two generations, three different drivelines and a lot of miles clocked between all of them. This fifth one hits differently, because it will be the last one I’ll ever work with — or drive.

I’m going to miss the Lexus LS.

As production of the Lexus LS ends later this year, a chapter has now closed. What a glorious chapter it was. One that began with a seismic shock to the automotive world order.

Now, the curtain falls.