Lexus: Sales, Marketing, and Financial News
06-09-2005, 12:09 PM
#81
The Third Ball
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Steak and a BJ with every oil change.
06-09-2005, 12:43 PM
#83
Moderator Alumnus
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Originally Posted by bl^5
For me customer service does make a big percentage of buying and owning a car. I can't wait for my wife to graduate from grad school so we can have two incomes again. First step is debt free, next step is buying luxury cars with cash money. I miss Acura's service so much!
I hear ya. First step is to be debt free, but the sticky point is, believe it or not, the second step. At least for us. What I mean is, after we paid all our debts (and I am not talking about credic cards, student loands, etc, we never had those, I am talking about paying off the house and both cars) and money started piling up quickly in the bank (because of zero payments to anyone - OK we owe Best Buy a couple of grand because of 0% financing deals I had to take), we found it very difficult to go and pay $55K as a lump sum to Mercedes, Lexus, whatever brand, for a damn car. We both know it's the smart finacial decision, but It hurts a lot more than when you finance a car. Leasing is out of the question btw, it's not smart financially.
Two additional items made it even harder for me to go and buy...say a new M3 cash, or a Boxster cash, etc:
1. I work out of the house. Hence I drive no more than 5K miles a year. If that.
2. That damn G35C 6MT with the VPP fully loaded will come to $36K. I JUST CANT JUSTIFY IT, EVEN TO MYSELF, LET ALONE TO THE WIFE, TO PAY $20K MORE FOR, SAY, AN SLK350. I just cant. It feels like highway robbery.
Bottom line, what I am trying to tell you is that, throughout the years, it has been proven to me that, the more money one makes, the more careful one usually could become with that money. IN the end, no super car in the garage
Damn! It's always something god damn it!!!
06-09-2005, 12:57 PM
#84
The sizzle in the Steak
Originally Posted by The Sarlacc
Steak and a BJ with every oil change.
06-09-2005, 12:59 PM
#85
Race Director
Originally Posted by gavriil
I hear ya. First step is to be debt free, but the sticky point is, believe it or not, the second step. At least for us. What I mean is, after we paid all our debts (and I am not talking about credic cards, student loands, etc, we never had those, I am talking about paying off the house and both cars) and money started piling up quickly in the bank (because of zero payments to anyone - OK we owe Best Buy a couple of grand because of 0% financing deals I had to take), we found it very difficult to go and pay $55K as a lump sum to Mercedes, Lexus, whatever brand, for a damn car. We both know it's the smart finacial decision, but It hurts a lot more than when you finance a car. Leasing is out of the question btw, it's not smart financially.
Two additional items made it even harder for me to go and buy...say a new M3 cash, or a Boxster cash, etc:
1. I work out of the house. Hence I drive no more than 5K miles a year. If that.
2. That damn G35C 6MT with the VPP fully loaded will come to $36K. I JUST CANT JUSTIFY IT, EVEN TO MYSELF, LET ALONE TO THE WIFE, TO PAY $20K MORE FOR, SAY, AN SLK350. I just cant. It feels like highway robbery.
Bottom line, what I am trying to tell you is that, throughout the years, it has been proven to me that, the more money one makes, the more careful one usually could become with that money. IN the end, no super car in the garage
Damn! It's always something god damn it!!!
Two additional items made it even harder for me to go and buy...say a new M3 cash, or a Boxster cash, etc:
1. I work out of the house. Hence I drive no more than 5K miles a year. If that.
2. That damn G35C 6MT with the VPP fully loaded will come to $36K. I JUST CANT JUSTIFY IT, EVEN TO MYSELF, LET ALONE TO THE WIFE, TO PAY $20K MORE FOR, SAY, AN SLK350. I just cant. It feels like highway robbery.
Bottom line, what I am trying to tell you is that, throughout the years, it has been proven to me that, the more money one makes, the more careful one usually could become with that money. IN the end, no super car in the garage
Damn! It's always something god damn it!!!
I'm not sure I can even justify a 30k IS250 - never mind anything more expensive. I could care less about customer service at Lexus - it's a car - a commodity. Give it to me for a good price and I hope the reliability reputation holds up and I never have to see the dealer for at least 10 years.
06-09-2005, 01:33 PM
#86
Senior Moderator
Originally Posted by gavriil
I hear ya. First step is to be debt free, but the sticky point is, believe it or not, the second step. At least for us. What I mean is, after we paid all our debts (and I am not talking about credic cards, student loands, etc, we never had those, I am talking about paying off the house and both cars) and money started piling up quickly in the bank (because of zero payments to anyone - OK we owe Best Buy a couple of grand because of 0% financing deals I had to take), we found it very difficult to go and pay $55K as a lump sum to Mercedes, Lexus, whatever brand, for a damn car. We both know it's the smart finacial decision, but It hurts a lot more than when you finance a car. Leasing is out of the question btw, it's not smart financially.
Two additional items made it even harder for me to go and buy...say a new M3 cash, or a Boxster cash, etc:
1. I work out of the house. Hence I drive no more than 5K miles a year. If that.
2. That damn G35C 6MT with the VPP fully loaded will come to $36K. I JUST CANT JUSTIFY IT, EVEN TO MYSELF, LET ALONE TO THE WIFE, TO PAY $20K MORE FOR, SAY, AN SLK350. I just cant. It feels like highway robbery.
Bottom line, what I am trying to tell you is that, throughout the years, it has been proven to me that, the more money one makes, the more careful one usually could become with that money. IN the end, no super car in the garage
Two additional items made it even harder for me to go and buy...say a new M3 cash, or a Boxster cash, etc:
1. I work out of the house. Hence I drive no more than 5K miles a year. If that.
2. That damn G35C 6MT with the VPP fully loaded will come to $36K. I JUST CANT JUSTIFY IT, EVEN TO MYSELF, LET ALONE TO THE WIFE, TO PAY $20K MORE FOR, SAY, AN SLK350. I just cant. It feels like highway robbery.
Bottom line, what I am trying to tell you is that, throughout the years, it has been proven to me that, the more money one makes, the more careful one usually could become with that money. IN the end, no super car in the garage
Well stated.
06-09-2005, 06:24 PM
#89
Safety Car
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My dad and I visited a Lexus dealership yesterday. He wanted to compare the GS to the M. They're in new construction right now, building the new dealership right next to the old one. The salesman said that they were gonna level the old one for a parking lot, and that the new one will be spectacular. He even mentioned the Four Seasons (as per article) as a point of reference. I have no doubt that Lexus will do whatever it can to keep it's crown.
06-09-2005, 09:52 PM
#90
Racer
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Its great to see a company continue to try to improve. As someone stated, resting on laurels in this very competative industry is just dumb and will kill you.
They already have by far the best service/dealers, what can they think of next? I've never met an unhappy owner, no matter what damn lexus it was.
Its funny, I remember dealerships before Lexus and older guys here will too. They were crap. Luxury car dealers were bad, non-luxury brands were HORRIBLE. Lexus came and made EVERYONE get their shit together. It helped ALL customers.
They already have by far the best service/dealers, what can they think of next? I've never met an unhappy owner, no matter what damn lexus it was.
Its funny, I remember dealerships before Lexus and older guys here will too. They were crap. Luxury car dealers were bad, non-luxury brands were HORRIBLE. Lexus came and made EVERYONE get their shit together. It helped ALL customers.
06-10-2005, 03:03 AM
#92
The Third Ball
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Lexus in Glendale moved in to a newer larger buidling a few blocks down...the place is AMAZING.
its like walking into a Ritz Carlton. Huge art, lots of rich wood, leather, lcds panels, bug indoor waterfall sculpture....
place is $$$$
its like walking into a Ritz Carlton. Huge art, lots of rich wood, leather, lcds panels, bug indoor waterfall sculpture....
place is $$$$
06-10-2005, 06:03 PM
#93
Pro
Lexus sells the luxury experience, and these days for people with or without money, a pleasant experience associated with auto service is definitely worthwhile. I went to the "taste of luxury" event by Lexus last summer. It was very nice; great food and nice people, even a little gift at the end.
04-16-2015, 10:12 AM
#94
Senior Moderator
Heh...neat video...
04-17-2015, 02:36 AM
#95
Team Owner
talking about reviving the dead....
03-28-2017, 06:34 AM
#96
Safety Car
AutoNews
http://www.autonews.com/article/20170326/OEM03/303279980/can-this-man-finally-deliver-lexus-envy
Can this man finally deliver 'Lexus envy'?
Toyota's luxury line turns to yachts, skyjets and coupes to catch up to Germans
March 26, 2017 @ 12:01 am
TOKYO -- Lexus has the quality, customer service and technology. But it still lacks that one thing its German luxury competitors have: cadres of ogling wannabes who are jealous of the driver.
"When you're stuck in traffic, people look at the driver in the Mercedes as a person who has made it in society, and they will envy you," concedes outgoing Lexus International President Tokuo Fukuichi. "We haven't fully achieved that compared with the German 3."
Call it "Lexus envy." Lexus now wants to finally possess it with a new multipronged branding push to sharpen its image as a lifestyle brand and further distance it from mass-market Toyota.
The campaign starts with a newly appointed chief branding officer -- Fukuichi himself.
Fukuichi will step down as president of Lexus International Co. on April 1 and take the newly created position of chief branding officer at Toyota Motor Corp. for Lexus and Toyota brands. Yoshihiro Sawa, Lexus executive vice president, will succeed him as global Lexus boss.
In his new role, Fukuichi wants to light up the Lexus identity.
The Tokyo media launch of the new Lexus LC gave clues to a more glamorous Lexus on the way. The sexy racer sits atop the lineup as beautiful eye candy with the street cred to match. It will sell for ¥13 million (about $115,650 at current exchange rates) in Japan and $92,995 including shipping, in the U.S., which should help burnish a premium brand that has lacked a halo car since LFA production ended in 2012.
Also on display was the sleek and bronze Lexus Sport Yacht, a high-end design exercise unveiled in January in Miami that screams privilege and exclusivity. The carbon-fiber vessel harnesses the power of twin 5.0-liter V-8 engines, based on the 2UR-GSE performance engine of the Lexus RC F coupe.
So was a mock-up of the single-seat white-and-blue Skyjet -- the Lexus-branded spaceship prop that will be featured in the upcoming science fiction movie Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. The film is set 700 years in the future -- a big-screen testimony to Lexus' wager on its long-lasting luxury legacy. Clearly visible on the movie prop is Lexus' trademark spindle grille and logo.
Even the media event itself evidenced a grander Lexus branding. The reveal was a rare glitz fest for Japan's auto industry, with techno music, mood lighting and waiters serving finger foods -- a departure from the more businesslike tradition of drab PowerPoint programs.
The ever-spritely Fukuichi, 65, was decked out in a loud pink polka-dot tie and a shirt with a black-and-white tablecloth-patterned collar.
Toyota President Akio Toyoda has given Fukuichi latitude to tackle any issue related to branding in his new role, from product planning and technology to marketing and advertising.
The price of premiumLexus U.S. transaction prices rose in February from a year earlier, but lag luxury competitors.Feb. 2017/Feb. 2016% changeLexus$48,274/$47,6311.40%Audi$51,973/$49,3785.30%BMW$53,316/$54,0091.30%Mercedes$55,614/$56,725–2.0%Cadillac$58,486/$57,5181.70%Overall industry2.50%Source: Kelley Blue Book
"I'm able to do whatever I want," said Fukuichi, who will continue in the additional role of the automaker's head of advanced design.
He now will be the final arbiter of outward image for all things Lexus and Toyota.
He says it is crucial that Lexus escape the perception of being just Toyota-Plus, bemoaning people who buy aftermarket Lexus grilles to slap on their downmarket Toyotas.
The problem was partly self-inflicted, he says, with platform sharing and thinly disguised rebadging between the brands, such as the Lexus HS and Toyota Sai hybrid siblings. Lexus has traditionally been the entry point for pricey new technology that then trickles down into Toyota.
That all blurs the brands and makes Lexus less coveted.
"Let's clearly define Lexus and wait and decide that some things can only be Lexus and not applied to Toyota," Fukuichi said. "I would like to clarify that sort of distinction."
Lexus' relentless pursuit of the Germans has been hard-fought and fitful.
On the global stage, Lexus fares even worse against its storied German competitors.
"The main thing the German brands have going for them is history and a long stream of good models," says Chris Richter, an auto analyst at CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets.
While Lexus routinely tops the charts for durability and customer satisfaction, it still fetches much lower transaction prices than the Germans, according to Kelley Blue Book.
In a Kelley Blue Book shopper survey of perceived luxury, Lexus outscored BMW and Audi and was ranked alongside Aston Martin and Porsche. But it still trailed Mercedes.
"Lexus' strengths such as quality and service can't be fully appreciated unless you're in the car driving," Fukuichi said. "Better quality isn't that necessary. Better brand power is."
As a design guy, Fukuichi fully appreciates the power of presentation.
It is part of a corporate vision that sees Lexus eventually wielding a kind of snob factor on a par with the Germans.
"After you purchase a Lexus, your whole lifestyle changes. The people you meet and circulate with change," he said. "That means with just 1 car, your total life image will change."
You can reach Hans Greimel at hgreimel@crain.com -- Follow Hans on Twitter: @hansgreimel
The sexy LC offers clues to a more glamorous Lexus.Send us a Letter
Have an opinion about this story? Click here to submit a Letter to the Editor, and we may publish it in print.TOKYO -- Lexus has the quality, customer service and technology. But it still lacks that one thing its German luxury competitors have: cadres of ogling wannabes who are jealous of the driver.
As Toyota's new chief branding officer, Tokuo Fukuichi is charged with sharpening Lexus' image as a lifestyle brand.
Call it "Lexus envy." Lexus now wants to finally possess it with a new multipronged branding push to sharpen its image as a lifestyle brand and further distance it from mass-market Toyota.
The campaign starts with a newly appointed chief branding officer -- Fukuichi himself.
Fukuichi will step down as president of Lexus International Co. on April 1 and take the newly created position of chief branding officer at Toyota Motor Corp. for Lexus and Toyota brands. Yoshihiro Sawa, Lexus executive vice president, will succeed him as global Lexus boss.
In his new role, Fukuichi wants to light up the Lexus identity.
The Tokyo media launch of the new Lexus LC gave clues to a more glamorous Lexus on the way. The sexy racer sits atop the lineup as beautiful eye candy with the street cred to match. It will sell for ¥13 million (about $115,650 at current exchange rates) in Japan and $92,995 including shipping, in the U.S., which should help burnish a premium brand that has lacked a halo car since LFA production ended in 2012.
The sleek Lexus Sport Yacht
So was a mock-up of the single-seat white-and-blue Skyjet -- the Lexus-branded spaceship prop that will be featured in the upcoming science fiction movie Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. The film is set 700 years in the future -- a big-screen testimony to Lexus' wager on its long-lasting luxury legacy. Clearly visible on the movie prop is Lexus' trademark spindle grille and logo.
Even the media event itself evidenced a grander Lexus branding. The reveal was a rare glitz fest for Japan's auto industry, with techno music, mood lighting and waiters serving finger foods -- a departure from the more businesslike tradition of drab PowerPoint programs.
The ever-spritely Fukuichi, 65, was decked out in a loud pink polka-dot tie and a shirt with a black-and-white tablecloth-patterned collar.
Toyota President Akio Toyoda has given Fukuichi latitude to tackle any issue related to branding in his new role, from product planning and technology to marketing and advertising.
The price of premiumLexus U.S. transaction prices rose in February from a year earlier, but lag luxury competitors.Feb. 2017/Feb. 2016% changeLexus$48,274/$47,6311.40%Audi$51,973/$49,3785.30%BMW$53,316/$54,0091.30%Mercedes$55,614/$56,725–2.0%Cadillac$58,486/$57,5181.70%Overall industry2.50%Source: Kelley Blue Book
The branded Skyjet movie prop
He now will be the final arbiter of outward image for all things Lexus and Toyota.
He says it is crucial that Lexus escape the perception of being just Toyota-Plus, bemoaning people who buy aftermarket Lexus grilles to slap on their downmarket Toyotas.
The problem was partly self-inflicted, he says, with platform sharing and thinly disguised rebadging between the brands, such as the Lexus HS and Toyota Sai hybrid siblings. Lexus has traditionally been the entry point for pricey new technology that then trickles down into Toyota.
That all blurs the brands and makes Lexus less coveted.
"Let's clearly define Lexus and wait and decide that some things can only be Lexus and not applied to Toyota," Fukuichi said. "I would like to clarify that sort of distinction."
Lexus' relentless pursuit of the Germans has been hard-fought and fitful.
"Lexus' strengths such as quality and service can't be fully appreciated unless you're in the car driving. Better quality isn't that necessary. Better brand power is."
In the U.S., the younger Japanese challenger was long the luxury-segment sales leader. But more recently, Mercedes-Benz and BMW have dueled each other for that distinction. Their U.S. sales were up through February, while Lexus volume tumbled 23 percent in the 1st 2 months to land Lexus in a distant 3rd place.Tokuo Fukuichi
On the global stage, Lexus fares even worse against its storied German competitors.
"The main thing the German brands have going for them is history and a long stream of good models," says Chris Richter, an auto analyst at CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets.
While Lexus routinely tops the charts for durability and customer satisfaction, it still fetches much lower transaction prices than the Germans, according to Kelley Blue Book.
In a Kelley Blue Book shopper survey of perceived luxury, Lexus outscored BMW and Audi and was ranked alongside Aston Martin and Porsche. But it still trailed Mercedes.
"Lexus' strengths such as quality and service can't be fully appreciated unless you're in the car driving," Fukuichi said. "Better quality isn't that necessary. Better brand power is."
As a design guy, Fukuichi fully appreciates the power of presentation.
It is part of a corporate vision that sees Lexus eventually wielding a kind of snob factor on a par with the Germans.
"After you purchase a Lexus, your whole lifestyle changes. The people you meet and circulate with change," he said. "That means with just 1 car, your total life image will change."
You can reach Hans Greimel at hgreimel@crain.com -- Follow Hans on Twitter: @hansgreimel
03-28-2017, 08:15 AM
#97
hmm i'm torn... i am all about innovation and exploring new territory to push the envelope (look at the LFA and LC and what they accomplished), but there is always fear of spreading too thin and losing sight of what you are good at... Toyota/Lexus is great at making cars... if they have oogles of money to throw at boats and jets... they still have a very big hump to get over with their brand... the only way would be to JV with another expert in the field... is it cool to get out of my RC-F/GS-F at the dock and get into my boat that has two of the same motors... yes... but i'm not sure yacht owners will turn to Lexus as a first choice... not unless they can bring loads of value to penetrate the market first...
I waited a long time for the GS-F to release... and for Lexus, the GS-F was a first good first step into the ring against the German 3... but they still fell short with the value... if they keep working at this, and build better offerings of the RC-F/GS-F to compete against the M3/5, C/E63 and S4/6, they have a good shot at building the brand that way... they will sink a lot more money trying to explore new territory with Boats and Jets vs putting it into their auto R&D and using that to better their whole lineup...
"The main thing the German brands have going for them is history and a long stream of good models," says Chris Richter, an auto analyst at CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets.
build your history Lexus!!!
I waited a long time for the GS-F to release... and for Lexus, the GS-F was a first good first step into the ring against the German 3... but they still fell short with the value... if they keep working at this, and build better offerings of the RC-F/GS-F to compete against the M3/5, C/E63 and S4/6, they have a good shot at building the brand that way... they will sink a lot more money trying to explore new territory with Boats and Jets vs putting it into their auto R&D and using that to better their whole lineup...
"The main thing the German brands have going for them is history and a long stream of good models," says Chris Richter, an auto analyst at CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets.
build your history Lexus!!!
Last edited by KaMLuNg; 03-28-2017 at 08:23 AM.
04-03-2017, 01:30 PM
#98
Burning Brakes
I think Lexus has been on this path for several years now. It's sad to see "the relentless pursuit of perfection" now turning into a quest for snob appeal. Particularly telling is the quote about how better quality isn't necessary--it used to be the hallmark of Lexus.
Furthermore, this is going to leave a void in the market. There are plenty of affluent customers who couldn't care less what others think of them and who don't buy their cars hoping their "total life image will change". They just want a luxurious vehicle that is rock-solid dependable, reliable, and comfortable. Acura, if they are smart, could move up into this niche without too much effort.
Furthermore, this is going to leave a void in the market. There are plenty of affluent customers who couldn't care less what others think of them and who don't buy their cars hoping their "total life image will change". They just want a luxurious vehicle that is rock-solid dependable, reliable, and comfortable. Acura, if they are smart, could move up into this niche without too much effort.
04-03-2017, 03:12 PM
#99
Furthermore, this is going to leave a void in the market. There are plenty of affluent customers who couldn't care less what others think of them and who don't buy their cars hoping their "total life image will change". They just want a luxurious vehicle that is rock-solid dependable, reliable, and comfortable. Acura, if they are smart, could move up into this niche without too much effort.
April 1st was 2 days ago.
Last edited by AZuser; 04-03-2017 at 03:14 PM.
04-04-2017, 11:35 AM
#100
Burning Brakes
I know it's cool to bash on Acura here at this site, but the reality is that they *could* move from premium to luxury without too much effort. The underlying products are solidly built and still reliable. Styling is subjective, but I don't think the current lineup is ugly, so with a little tweaking it could be truly attractive. They could improve the fit-and-finish of interior materials and step up their game in terms of infotainment systems, which are relatively simple enhancements. They could improve the general standard of the dealership experience, which has lagged in recent years. Again, this doesn't take millions of dollars or years to achieve. And while we'd all like to see a V8 and a RWD platform, the reality is that these are not requirements for a lower-cost alternative to the big boys. If one wants to spend $50k on a rebadged Camry, Lexus offers that. If one wants to spend $40k on a car that is superior in every way besides badge envy, the TLX could and should offer that.
04-04-2017, 05:53 PM
#101
Team Owner
I think Lexus has been on this path for several years now. It's sad to see "the relentless pursuit of perfection" now turning into a quest for snob appeal. Particularly telling is the quote about how better quality isn't necessary--it used to be the hallmark of Lexus.
Furthermore, this is going to leave a void in the market. There are plenty of affluent customers who couldn't care less what others think of them and who don't buy their cars hoping their "total life image will change". They just want a luxurious vehicle that is rock-solid dependable, reliable, and comfortable. Acura, if they are smart, could move up into this niche without too much effort.
Furthermore, this is going to leave a void in the market. There are plenty of affluent customers who couldn't care less what others think of them and who don't buy their cars hoping their "total life image will change". They just want a luxurious vehicle that is rock-solid dependable, reliable, and comfortable. Acura, if they are smart, could move up into this niche without too much effort.
You know you are contradicting yourself right?
I think you need to know what Luxury is.
Go buy Accord or Camry if you want
rock-solid dependable, reliable, and comfortable
04-04-2017, 05:58 PM
#102
Team Owner
I know it's cool to bash on Acura here at this site, but the reality is that they *could* move from premium to luxury without too much effort. The underlying products are solidly built and still reliable. Styling is subjective, but I don't think the current lineup is ugly, so with a little tweaking it could be truly attractive. They could improve the fit-and-finish of interior materials and step up their game in terms of infotainment systems, which are relatively simple enhancements. They could improve the general standard of the dealership experience, which has lagged in recent years. Again, this doesn't take millions of dollars or years to achieve. And while we'd all like to see a V8 and a RWD platform, the reality is that these are not requirements for a lower-cost alternative to the big boys. If one wants to spend $50k on a rebadged Camry, Lexus offers that. If one wants to spend $40k on a car that is superior in every way besides badge envy, the TLX could and should offer that.
What made Hermes or LV so much more expensive than Guess or Michael Kors.
Final question, then why can't Acura sell cars if they are so good? If Acura's sales #s are good, then we will all shut up because sales #s speak for themselves. You can try to defend Acura all you want, bottom line is the sales # is shitty. The product might be good, but if it does not sell, then it means nothing.
BTW: Lexus is the cheaper alternative to the Germans FYI. and Acura is the cheaper alternatives to Lexus if you can even call it an Alternative.
Last edited by oonowindoo; 04-04-2017 at 06:02 PM.
04-04-2017, 07:19 PM
#103
Acura has been trying to sell a $50K-$60K rebadged Honda Accord (i.e. RLX) for the past decade. Actually, more. They can't. Lexus sells at least 2x as many LS models vs the RLX (I'm comparing flagship sedan vs flagship sedan here). If you were to compare the RLX to the GS (because of similar price points), it's even worse. The GS outsells RLX by at least 4 to 1.TLX? Acura's struggling to sell that too. The Lexus ES outsell it as does the IS.
Adding all those things you mentioned (improved fit and finish, improved materials, improved infotainment, better dealership experience, etc.) will add to the price of an Acura, and Acura already struggles to sell pricier models (the I-4 TLX outsells the V6 TLX). People go to Acura because they're seen as a value brand. If people are going to pay more for an Acura than they do now, chances are they'll look to Audi, BMW, Mercedes, and Lexus instead
Last edited by AZuser; 04-04-2017 at 07:22 PM.
04-04-2017, 08:48 PM
#104
Azine Jabroni
This is key. Acura shoppers often crossshop Hondas, Mazdas, Buicks. I tested the Speed3 and the Verano when I bought my TSX. When I decided I wanted a luxury vehicle, I went Lexus, Audi, BMW, Merc, and through in a TLX to see what the comparison was like. The TLX and the Lexus IS were far and away the worst.
04-04-2017, 10:38 PM
#105
Team Owner
He says it is crucial that Lexus escape the perception of being just Toyota-Plus, bemoaning people who buy aftermarket Lexus grilles to slap on their downmarket Toyotas.
The problem was partly self-inflicted, he says, with platform sharing and thinly disguised rebadging between the brands, such as the Lexus HS and Toyota Sai hybrid siblings. Lexus has traditionally been the entry point for pricey new technology that then trickles down into Toyota.
That all blurs the brands and makes Lexus less coveted.
"Let's clearly define Lexus and wait and decide that some things can only be Lexus and not applied to Toyota," Fukuichi said. "I would like to clarify that sort of distinction."
Lexus' relentless pursuit of the Germans has been hard-fought and fitful.
"Lexus' strengths such as quality and service can't be fully appreciated unless you're in the car driving," Fukuichi said. "Better quality isn't that necessary. Better brand power is."
The problem was partly self-inflicted, he says, with platform sharing and thinly disguised rebadging between the brands, such as the Lexus HS and Toyota Sai hybrid siblings. Lexus has traditionally been the entry point for pricey new technology that then trickles down into Toyota.
That all blurs the brands and makes Lexus less coveted.
"Let's clearly define Lexus and wait and decide that some things can only be Lexus and not applied to Toyota," Fukuichi said. "I would like to clarify that sort of distinction."
Lexus' relentless pursuit of the Germans has been hard-fought and fitful.
"Lexus' strengths such as quality and service can't be fully appreciated unless you're in the car driving. Better quality isn't that necessary. Better brand power is."
"Lexus' strengths such as quality and service can't be fully appreciated unless you're in the car driving," Fukuichi said. "Better quality isn't that necessary. Better brand power is."
Last edited by TacoBello; 04-04-2017 at 10:42 PM.
04-05-2017, 10:40 PM
#106
If one wanted to get a non-hybrid LS right now, still would be stuck with the same old 380 HP 4.6 V8.
The FWD Lexus models really don't compete with MB and BMW, but instead compete with the likes of Acura, Lincoln, Volvo, certain Cadillacs and Infinitis and yes, Buick.
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