KBB has released the “Interior Styling” results of their consumer automotive perceptions research study, and Lexus scored high in each of the luxury categories:

Luxury Sedans

1. Lexus 2. Mercedes-Benz 3. Infiniti

Luxury SUVs

1. Cadillac 2. Lexus 3. BMW

Convertibles/Sports Cars

1. Mercedes-Benz 2. Porsche 3. Lexus

From my own experience, I know Lexus would have been in tough against Mercedes in the Luxury Sedan category. Mercedes has a very commanding interior presence, and it’s no surprise that they came first in the Convertible/Sports Car category. The Cadillac Escalade interior was greatly improved in their 2007 redesign, and their first place finish in the SUV category is well deserved.

Lexus parent company Toyota almost swept the remaining non-luxury categories, with the except of Truck interiors, which went to GMC.

[Source: PR Newswire]

According to Forbes, the new Lexus LS600h is one of 2008’s most anticipated luxury cars. Hardly surprising, given that it’s the first hybrid available in the upper auto echelon.

Other cars on the list:

• Rolls Royce Drophead Coupe
• Audi R8
• Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren Roadster
• Infiniti G37
• Cadillac CTS
• Maserati GranTurismo
• BMW M3
• Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet
• Volvo C30

Most of these cars represent significant releases for their respective brands, particularly the Audi R8 & Volvo C30. At the high end of the scale, the Drophead Coupe and SLR McLaren are practically unobtainable, even if price was no object (the entire 2008 & 2009 production runs of both models are already spoken for).

Take a look at these cars in a Forbes slideshow to see them in all their pictorial glory.