Lexus launches LS 500 Heritage Edition in the United States, which may be discontinued afterwards\
[PCauto] Lexus recently launched the limited 250-unit LS 500 AWD Heritage Edition in the U.S. market, which is not only the sole configuration for the 2026 model year but also the final chapter of the LS series in the North American market.
It is understood that after the Heritage Edition, there will be no successor models for the LS. In other words, this flagship sedan, which has been part of the brand since its inception in 1989, is about to conclude its 36-year journey.
Prior to the launch of the Heritage Edition, LS sales in the U.S. had already shown signs of fatigue, delivering only 691 units in the first half of 2025, a year-on-year decline of 42.3%.
LS rose to fame with the Champagne Tower Experiment
The legend of the LS series began with the launch of the LS 400 in 1989, a model that became famous thanks to the groundbreaking Champagne Tower Experiment.
In the classic commercial of that year, the LS 400, with 15 champagne glasses stacked on its hood, drove at a speed of 233 km/h. The scene of the tower remaining perfectly stable became one of the most iconic marketing cases in the automotive industry.
Over the course of 36 years of evolution, the LS series has continued to innovate and maintain its flagship status.
The current generation inherits the first-generation DNA, featuring a 3.4-liter twin-turbo V6 engine delivering 416 horsepower, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel-drive system with a Torsen limited-slip differential.
Its Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 safety suite integrates advanced features like the Pre-Collision System and Lane Tracking Assistance, while configurations such as the Mark Levinson audio system and Ottoman executive seats set the benchmark for Japanese luxury.
LS 500 Heritage Edition adopts an exclusive design language to pay tribute to history
As Lexus officially confirms that the LS series will exit the North American market after the 2026 model year, the limited edition of 250 units, LS 500 AWD Heritage Edition, marks the swan song of this legendary flagship.
Every detail of this special edition embodies the 36 years of technical accumulation and design philosophy of the LS series, with elements meticulously designed far beyond mere surface decorations.
The most striking feature of the Heritage Edition is its unique Ninety Noir paint finish. This paint finish is achieved through a seven-layer coating process, incorporating specially formulated mica particles that create a subtle gradient effect from deep black to warm gray under light refraction.
Compared to the standard LS paint finish, this special formulation requires an additional three days of application time, with each Heritage Edition’s body paint undergoing an intricate polishing process that lasts up to 22 hours.
The matched 20 inch forged aluminum alloy wheels are coated with “Dark Graphite” deep graphite color, and their ten spoke design is inspired by the wheel shape of the first generation LS 400. However, modern manufacturing technology has reduced the weight by 1.8 kilograms while maintaining classic aesthetic elements.
In the interior, the seats wrapped in Rioja Red semi-aniline leather are the most prominent feature of the Heritage Edition. This leather is sourced from premium hides from specific European ranches, processed using a vegetable tanning technique that preserves the natural grain while ensuring excellent durability.
In terms of stitching technology, Lexus craftsmen use unique patterned stitching that requires 12 precision stitches per inch, and the seat alone takes over 18 hours of manual production time.
The Heritage Edition exclusive badge on the center console is not a simple decorative sticker; instead, it is created using laser engraving technology with a precision of 0.3 millimeters, permanently etching the LS body silhouette onto the surface of the wooden panel.
In terms of technical configuration, the Heritage Edition comes standard with an upgraded Advanced Park system. This system adds a “Memory Parking” function, capable of recording a driving path up to 100 meters long, enabling fully autonomous parking operations in complex parking environments.
The Mark Levinson® Reference surround sound system equipped in the car has also been specially tuned. The newly added “Heritage Mode” can simulate the sound field characteristics of the first-generation LS 400 audio system, paying tribute to the classic.
As for the chassis, although it retains the same 3.4-liter V6 twin-turbocharged engine as the standard LS model, engineers have re-optimized the active noise cancellation system, with adjustments specifically compensating for the acoustic characteristics of the 20-inch wheels.
Faced with the fact that consumers are increasingly preferring SUVs in the market, the sales scale of LS has shrunk before BMW 7 Series and Benz S-Class, so it has to face the end of production stoppage. As an important market for Lexus, the plan of LS in the United States may soon be implemented in other parts of the world, but the time is uncertain.
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Mercedes-Benz Vitoria plant has launched VLE pre-production, and the new car will be released in 2026
JohnSep 26, 2025, 02:07 PM
[PCauto] Mercedes-Benz has announced the successful launch of pre-production for the all-new all-electric VLE at its Vitoria, Spain factory, a step that lays a solid foundation for mass production scheduled for 2026.
This marks a significant milestone in the electrification transformation of the Mercedes-Benz Vans division. As the first model based on the brand-new modular architecture Van Electric Architecture (VAN.EA), VLE will redefine the luxury multipurpose vehicle market.
The Vitoria factory adopts a wide range of advanced production technologies
Located in the Basque Country, Spain, this factory has been in operation for over 70 years since it started production in 1954, with a current production area of 665,000 square meters.
After the expansion begins in March 2024, the factory will support the production of both VAN.EA electric architecture and VAN.CA fuel architecture models, becoming an important facility for Mercedes-Benz’s dual-track strategy.
Factory manager Bernd Krottmayer stated that over 90% of the facility upgrade projects have been completed, including the construction of a modernized body shop and a fully flexible paint shop. The assembly hall has also been upgraded while maintaining ongoing production.
The factory adopts advanced production technologies such as artificial intelligence and digital twin, introducing the Mercedes-Benz operating system MB.OS for the first time in the van series.
These technological transformations allow the plant to flexibly manufacture models with different powertrains (including the VLE, V-Class, Vito, and eVito) and can reconfigure the production line in real time according to customer demand.
Since 2013, the factory has fully utilized renewable energy, achieving carbon-neutral production through photovoltaic power generation, geothermal heating, and waste heat recovery from painting processes.
Approximately 5,000 employees have adapted to the new production standards through more than 160 training courses, covering cross-disciplinary skills such as integration of new IT systems and the application of new materials.
Thomas Klein, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, emphasized that cross-functional teams adopted digital development methods, completing the entire development process of the VLE from concept to mass production readiness in record time.
The VLE model itself also incorporates a wealth of advanced technologies
As the debut product of the new VAN.EA platform, the VLE combines sedan-level handling performance with MPV-level spatial practicality, offering up to an eight-seat configuration and catering to diverse scenarios such as family driving and business shuttles.
During the development process, measured data demonstrated the VLE’s remarkable competitiveness:
· Achieved best-in-class aerodynamic performance in wind tunnel tests;
· Successfully completed a long-distance test from Stuttgart, through the Alps, to Rome with only two 15-minute fast charging stops;
· Showcased agility at high speeds at the Nardò testing facility in Italy;
· Validated reliability under extreme conditions during winter testing in the Arctic Circle.
These achievements rely on core technologies such as the 800-volt high-voltage platform and four-wheel steering system. Some versions will also feature the Drive Pilot L2+/L3 autonomous driving function, which has been adapted from the S-Class.
VLE is Mercedes-Benz’s response to the demands of the electrification market
Unlike the existing EQV and other models based on fuel vehicle platforms, VLE is designed from the ground up for electric driving, offering better spatial utilization and energy efficiency performance.
Although initially focusing on pure electric versions, the platform’s compatibility allows for the introduction of hybrid models in the future (VAN.CA architecture). This flexibility helps balance the fluctuating demand in the current electric vehicle market.
As the first base in the global production network to launch VLE, the Vitoria plant’s successful experience will be replicated in other factories, including the production system of the next-generation Sprinter in the future.
