Rather than the mass-media marketing campaign expected with the release of a new vehicle, the Lexus IS-F will be promoted in a different fashion — letting potential customers test drive the car on race tracks across the United States:
Lexus will try and lure in buyers at the track, said Brian Bolain, Lexus’ national manager of interactive marketing and automotive events.
“The typical Lexus buyer is not going to be persuaded into an IS-F,” Bolain said. “It’s for someone who wants power and control. We are going to focus heavily on driving opportunities.”
Bolain said that Lexus’ performance credentials have fallen short of its European rivals and that many luxury car buyers see Lexus cars as quality vehicles but don’t rate it as a high-performance enthusiast car.
“We have a lot of ground to make up,” Bolain said.
This is a smart move, every IS-F review written so far has heaped accolades onto its track performance, and letting performance enthusiasts experience that themselves is bound to create some real interest.
These test driving events will happen at five race tracks, including the oft-mentioned Laguna Seca Raceway, with some additional street driving events thrown in for good measure.
[Via: EGMCarTech]