USA
Lexus USA has reported 26,682 total sales for May 2016, a 2.6% decrease over last year — here’s the model-by-model breakdown:
| MONTH | Year to Date (*DSR) | |||||
| 2016 | 2015 | % CHG* | 2016 | 2015 | % CHG* | |
| CT | 797 | 1,436 | ‐39.9 | 3,730 | 6,005 | ‐37.4 |
| IS | 2,879 | 4,345 | ‐28.2 | 14,351 | 19,599 | ‐26.2 |
| RC | 823 | 1,343 | ‐33.6 | 4,505 | 5,601 | ‐18.9 |
| ES | 5,373 | 5,553 | 4.8 | 22,833 | 24,299 | ‐5.3 |
| GS | 1,111 | 1,884 | ‐36.1 | 6,101 | 9,499 | ‐35.3 |
| LS | 712 | 615 | 25.4 | 2,349 | 3,072 | ‐22.9 |
| LFA | 0 | 0 | N/A | 5 | 4 | 26.0 |
| Total Cars | 11,695 | 15,176 | ‐16.5 | 53,874 | 68,079 | ‐20.2 |
| NX | 4,031 | 4,014 | 8.8 | 19,221 | 16,546 | 17.1 |
| RX | 8,804 | 8,000 | 19.2 | 41,367 | 37,046 | 12.6 |
| GX | 1,859 | 2,182 | ‐7.7 | 9,052 | 9,612 | ‐5.1 |
| LX | 293 | 299 | 6.2 | 2,271 | 1,444 | 58.5 |
| Total Trucks | 14,987 | 14,495 | 12.0 | 71,911 | 64,648 | 12.1 |
| Total Sales | 26,682 | 29,671 | ‐2.6 | 125,785 | 132,727 | ‐4.5 |
Please note, all percentages are calculated by the Daily Sales Rate (DSR), which takes into account the number of days in the month that dealerships could sell cars. May 2016 had 24 selling days, May 2015 had 26 selling days.
There are two major takeaways from the May numbers, though the first point is reaching dead horse status — the market for cars has absolutely cratered. After finishing 2015 in a 50/50 split, SUV sales now make up 57% of total Lexus sales in 2016. The biggest contributor is the RX, which has stayed constant at 32% of total Lexus sales.
The second point to consider is inventory — Lexus USA general manager Jeff Bracken touches on the issue here:
“May finished at a lower than ideal supply for our luxury utility vehicles, a sign of continued demand, though likely limiting our full sales potential,” said Jeff Bracken, Lexus group vice president and general manager.
The cause for this supply constraint is very likely the two week plant shutdown in Japan due to the twin earthquakes. The NX, GX, and LX are all manufactured solely in Japan.