Thank you I always learn something from you and greatly appreciated your knowledge you share. Thanks again for explaining the recall of the of the Tundra six cylinder twin turbo motor.
Thanks, David! I have a question. If you compare the 2nd gen LS to today’s LS in terms of quality and refinement (given technology available in their respective eras), would you say the 2nd gen LS was peak Lexus? I might be old and biased, but I think the 2nd gen LS was the best Lexus ever built. The materials, attention to detail, and styling were top notch. The door close of the back doors on that 2nd gen LS was the best door close sound ever. When I was a teen, I would visit the Lexus dealer just to open and close the door several times to hear and feel it. I remember the dampening on the ash tray, cup holders, and glove compartment on that LS were synchronized and they all glided open at the same pace. I just wanted to hear your opinion, if possible! Thanks!!
I think the end of the first Gen was the best because the engine was the most robust and I like the styling better than the 430.. I have two, just having purchased a really nice "survivor" - a 2000 in great shape. Some of the later models are actually downgrades - cheaper materials, more exposed metal etc.. just look at the sales. Won't surprise me at all if they cancel the LS soon.
David, Maybe the next time you are over there you can show the equivalent details for the frames underpinning the TNGA-F SUVs built on the other side of the plant. 😁
David, another fantastic video presentation. Please... more video's on the Tahara plant's excellent quality, and the models that they build which are available in the U.S.
Great news, but what models are they porting this technology to, since the LS is being discontinued? Any insights as to the next gen ES replacing the LS? News on that would be fantastic! Some of us still love sedans. Thanks David!
Had never heard about laser welding, but did spot welding and brazing back in the 80s myself. It’s interesting to see some of the same technology is still around, even though there are other improvements upon them. 9:14
As fascinated at some of these new assembly techniques, I have a concern when it comes to repair: so many new cars end up being totaled after a fender-bender because of the large amount of the vehicle that would need to be rebuilt. The 'mega' pieces would force major replacements. Can laser welding be affected in repairs at your local Lexus repair garage? Things I'm eager to see, but also give me pause...
VW used/uses seam welding vs. the brazing to connect the roof and side panels. Seems like this is a simpler method and high weld surface area. The Passat used this technique.
no, because though the tool is different the affected metal is essentially still the same (with less weld spatter) - just a lot more welds to drill out.
I come to the realisation that what David (and Car Care Nut) tell us, Toyota/Lexus or any car made in the US and sold in the American continent, does not represent the design, level and quality of cars sold in the rest of the world. Maybe David can do a special on this. Why vehicles for the rest of the world is different and in the Japan HQ, planning comes 1st for which market.
Hang on a minute. Since you know the processes, how can you say this stuff? Laser spot welding and resistance spot welding both add no mass, affect only a spot and work by fusing the to metal sheets together. laser welding may arguably be a slightly better finish but its a distinction without a difference. I don't know about cycle time per spot, but otherwise how are they fundamentally any different? Laser welding isn't materially any stronger and only is better in the end product due to the reduced pitch of the welds. They could get most of the way there simply by reducing the weld pitch of the old process. Laser does allow a narrower pitch, but that's only an advantage if they add the extra welds. Much ado about nothing. If they really want a rigid structure and truly "one piece", get rid of all this and use "giga casting" like Tesla. "one piece flow" is mentioned totally out of context. a "piece" isn't a weld, and they aren't all done simultaneously in any case. "one piece flow" means one work piece through a process not one step in the process. I'm a big fan of structural adhesives, but that does add some weight though its lower cost than continuous seam welding and achieves some of that benefit at a lot lower cost. The roof ditch weld is nothing new. The automation on it reduces cycle time and but its fundamentally the same as it was in the 30's when they did it with lead - not at all impressive and still highly inefficient. Why not continuously laser weld there? You compared aluminum to steel as though they would be used 1 for one in mass but they aren't, so the material weight is only part of the total mass equation. I'm a Lexus fan and have two LS400's so this isn't about the cars its about the content. Overall I generally like your content, but this was a word salad of regurgitated mostly BS PR with so many technical inaccuracies that I can't catalog them all, even though the summary benefits comments were correct. This is quite disappointing coming from an engineer. Lexus is good enough without the phony magic show.
why? It improves standardization, and thus lowers cost, improves quality and reduces time for model changes with higher quality at changeover. What's the downside?
Thanks for covering Tahra Plant so well keep the videos coming :)
Lexus amazing quality as usual. 👌
Toyota/ Lexus still and always number 1
Lexus amazing quality as usual 👌
@beri232 . So who's number 1 then ??
@beri232 . Nissan ?😬. Your obviously not a mechanical technician like me and my father.
I learn so many things every time I watch David’s videos! TY for the insights and for sharing your extensive knowledge! Very fascinating.
Great one! Love to see more of the in-factory demo videos.
Thanks for sharing especially your knowledge...
Thank you I always learn something from you and greatly appreciated your knowledge you share. Thanks again for explaining the recall of the of the Tundra six cylinder twin turbo motor.
Love your videos
Cut-a-way car and manufacturing videos are cool!
Thanks, David! I have a question. If you compare the 2nd gen LS to today’s LS in terms of quality and refinement (given technology available in their respective eras), would you say the 2nd gen LS was peak Lexus?
I might be old and biased, but I think the 2nd gen LS was the best Lexus ever built. The materials, attention to detail, and styling were top notch. The door close of the back doors on that 2nd gen LS was the best door close sound ever. When I was a teen, I would visit the Lexus dealer just to open and close the door several times to hear and feel it.
I remember the dampening on the ash tray, cup holders, and glove compartment on that LS were synchronized and they all glided open at the same pace.
I just wanted to hear your opinion, if possible! Thanks!!
I think the end of the first Gen was the best because the engine was the most robust and I like the styling better than the 430.. I have two, just having purchased a really nice "survivor" - a 2000 in great shape. Some of the later models are actually downgrades - cheaper materials, more exposed metal etc.. just look at the sales. Won't surprise me at all if they cancel the LS soon.
@@spinnetti For me, the 2nd generation LS was the 1995 to 2000 LS400.
Man the engineer. Impeccable
David, Maybe the next time you are over there you can show the equivalent details for the frames underpinning the TNGA-F SUVs built on the other side of the plant. 😁
David - yes and maybe more on the upcoming TNGA-E platform updates and models.
David, another fantastic video presentation. Please... more video's on the Tahara plant's excellent quality, and the models that they build which are available in the U.S.
Great news, but what models are they porting this technology to, since the LS is being discontinued?
Any insights as to the next gen ES replacing the LS? News on that would be fantastic! Some of us still love sedans. Thanks David!
Had never heard about laser welding, but did spot welding and brazing back in the 80s myself. It’s interesting to see some of the same technology is still around, even though there are other improvements upon them. 9:14
I still have to agree with you that Toyota should learn from Porsche in the aesthetic design category.
Any new cars beauty is a trick of the mind.
@Edison73100 of course it is, all esthetics are.
As fascinated at some of these new assembly techniques, I have a concern when it comes to repair: so many new cars end up being totaled after a fender-bender because of the large amount of the vehicle that would need to be rebuilt. The 'mega' pieces would force major replacements. Can laser welding be affected in repairs at your local Lexus repair garage? Things I'm eager to see, but also give me pause...
Do you still plan to do a tour of the 4Runner build at the Tahara factory?
VW used/uses seam welding vs. the brazing to connect the roof and side panels. Seems like this is a simpler method and high weld surface area. The Passat used this technique.
Agreed, and higher strength too.
LS without the V8 is boring. Imagine a Hybrid 2UR (525hp) with a ZF8 weighing around 4200lbs.
4200 lbs part is not going to happen. GS450H with NA V6, and eCVT is about 4200 lbs, so LS is going to be at least 5000k in the best case.
So Tesla Giga Casting will be implemented at Toyota?
👏🏻
Doesn’t LSW have repair issues vs spot welds which can be drilled out?
no, because though the tool is different the affected metal is essentially still the same (with less weld spatter) - just a lot more welds to drill out.
I come to the realisation that what David (and Car Care Nut) tell us, Toyota/Lexus or any car made in the US and sold in the American continent, does not represent the design, level and quality of cars sold in the rest of the world.
Maybe David can do a special on this. Why vehicles for the rest of the world is different and in the Japan HQ, planning comes 1st for which market.
2 cool
Hang on a minute. Since you know the processes, how can you say this stuff? Laser spot welding and resistance spot welding both add no mass, affect only a spot and work by fusing the to metal sheets together. laser welding may arguably be a slightly better finish but its a distinction without a difference. I don't know about cycle time per spot, but otherwise how are they fundamentally any different? Laser welding isn't materially any stronger and only is better in the end product due to the reduced pitch of the welds. They could get most of the way there simply by reducing the weld pitch of the old process. Laser does allow a narrower pitch, but that's only an advantage if they add the extra welds. Much ado about nothing. If they really want a rigid structure and truly "one piece", get rid of all this and use "giga casting" like Tesla. "one piece flow" is mentioned totally out of context. a "piece" isn't a weld, and they aren't all done simultaneously in any case. "one piece flow" means one work piece through a process not one step in the process. I'm a big fan of structural adhesives, but that does add some weight though its lower cost than continuous seam welding and achieves some of that benefit at a lot lower cost. The roof ditch weld is nothing new. The automation on it reduces cycle time and but its fundamentally the same as it was in the 30's when they did it with lead - not at all impressive and still highly inefficient. Why not continuously laser weld there? You compared aluminum to steel as though they would be used 1 for one in mass but they aren't, so the material weight is only part of the total mass equation. I'm a Lexus fan and have two LS400's so this isn't about the cars its about the content. Overall I generally like your content, but this was a word salad of regurgitated mostly BS PR with so many technical inaccuracies that I can't catalog them all, even though the summary benefits comments were correct. This is quite disappointing coming from an engineer. Lexus is good enough without the phony magic show.
Wait we have lasers that can melt metal but we dont have laser weapons yet?
I'm sure there is laser weapons plus much more we don't know about yet...
We do... some of them are made not far from me in Ft Worth Texas.....
Yes, let’s hope they make them more beautiful because we’ll be sitting there staring at them as we wait to have their engines replaced
It's a Toyota so not in your lifetime.
@@briandavid4796 So you haven't heard of the 108,000 engines that are being recalled ?
Now there's problems with Tacoma transmissions
TNGA sucks
why? It improves standardization, and thus lowers cost, improves quality and reduces time for model changes with higher quality at changeover. What's the downside?