With a 27% decrease overall, September was the worst month-to-month percentage drop in US automotive sales since 1991. Lexus certainly wasn’t exempt from the ill effects, with sales down 33.4%. Here’s the model-by-model breakdown:
| 2008 | 2007 | % Change | |
| IS250/350/F | 3,044 | 3,757 | -15.6 |
| ES350 | 4,042 | 6,491 | -35.1 |
| GS350/460/450h | 977 | 1,668 | -39.0 |
| SC430 | 129 | 297 | -54.8 |
| LS460/600h L | 1,238 | 2,918 | -55.8 |
| Total Cars | 9,430 | 15,131 | -35.1 |
| RX350/400h | 4,639 | 7,841 | -38.4 |
| GX470 | 1,329 | 1,964 | -29.5 |
| LX570 | 647 | 177 | 280.8 |
| Total Trucks | 6,615 | 9,982 | -31.0 |
| Total Sales | 16,045 | 25,113 | -33.4 |
The LX 570’s success isn’t just the anomaly at Lexus, but across the entire industry. In fact, by my quick scanning, the only comparable vehicles out there are the Audi A5/S5 with a 525.2% increase and the Nissan Rogue with 507.5%. However, neither of those vehicles weigh over 8,000lbs. and get a combined city/highway of 14MPG.