Lexus Europe is reconsidering its hybrid-only plans, according to a Just-Auto report:
Paul Van der Burgh, director of Lexus Europe, said that customers, particularly in the top-selling countries – Russia and the UK – still want the option of a petrol engine rather than a hybrid.
He said: “There are some 7,000 petrol GS owners out there since the car was launched in 1993 and they have remained loyal to us and we want the keep them.
“We are making petrol models for other markets around the world so there is no great cost implication in making them available for Europe.”
The idea of selling hybrids only in Europe might make sense in the long term, but European customers prefer numerous engine choices — offering as many options as possible is likely the better direction, even if the existing engines don’t satisfy the European desire for diesel and lower-displacement powerplants.
(Curious to see if the new LS gets an additional engine option for Europe when it debuts at the end of the month.)
[Source: Just-Auto]
No discussion thread for this article yet.