Imagining a Next-Generation Lexus IS SportCross

How come then almost every other car-manufacturer(Audi(a4, a6), BMW(3, 5), Mercedes(C, E), Jaguar, Mazda, Honda, Volvo, Toyota etc.) offer all their most selling models as stationwagons as well as sedans? Thats weird if it "doesn't make sense", eh...

I agree with you..Even Jaguar are doing wagons now..Sometimes i think Lexus think wrong about many things

I guess you know the reasons better than i do... :-) How many wagons - no matter if it´s a IS wagon or GS wagon - do you think will Lexus sell in Europa per year? 1000 or 2000?? The "People" will find MANY reasons NOT to buy this Lexus wagon....you should know this!! And for Audi, BMW and MB Germany is there domestic market - they sell THOUSANDS of wagons per month!! That´s why i say it makes no sence for Lexus - it´s better to spend this Money elsewhere....

Hmm..I dont think it would be so expensive to build a wagon, i think it is more expensive to build a coupe. And i think if Lexus would build wagons and have little smaller engines like the 300h, i think they would sell bettter, that we will see soon..But i think they would sell more then 1-2000 in EU. And i think wagons will sell more in US to, just wait and see..

BMW, Audi and Mercedes sell more stationwagons over sedans in Europe! It's not like the sell a bunch of sedans and a few wagons. Wagons - in EU - ar the main-sellers. Even Alfa Romeo have understood this since 1997 when they became a wagon-maker. By the biggest internet car-market website in Germany, I can tell there are about 2700 Audi a4 sedan's newer than 2009 in the market today. In comparison there are nearly 9000 wagons. If Lexus wants to be something other than a niche i EU, they need wagon alternatives.

Of course it´s true what you say about Audi, BMW and MB. But would it be the same "Story" with a Lexus wagon? I don´t think so. Lexus does not have the Image in most of the EU markets to get notice from most of the People. Lexus offers more and more hybrid powertrains in there lineup. Most People in the EU likes to have an Diesel-engine. Europe isn´t "ready" for Hybrids, yet! Car magazines don´t write "positive" about Hybrid-cars as you know. This will Change when the Germans offer Hybrids either. This is what i think about wagons for the european market. And sorry for my Basic english here.

I agree little with you..But i dont think people take Lexus serious when they dont offer any wagons, or more engine choices..People drive diesels because they get good taxes, so that is why i think Lexus will sell more of the new is300h, because you get very good tax benefit with small diesel engines, and that will be the same with the new is300h.. That is why i think it is very good they do the new gs300h too, so Lexus can sell more..But still loose little because they have no wagon alternetiv, so familys with children must buy the rx450h for very much money, or buy a other brand, like audi, bmw or merc..

I agree with Pattebb lexus need wagon especially for Europe but it could be a benefit to US too. When you say Europe isn't ready for hybrids so why Lexus particularly sell the IS300h in Europe ? It doesn't make sense... And here in europe the old IS Sport combi is much more refined than the sedan. So if Lexus want to take Europe more seriously they need to offer wagons.

When i say "not ready for Hybrids" i always mean for the Mainstream like in the US or Japan. And when i say wagons aren´t the right way Lexus should go to boost there sells in Europa - that doesn´t mean wagons are wrong. I just don´t believe that Lexus will sell These big numbers some guys are hoping for.....

Here in Sweden Lexus think they will sell about 600 per year, from 100 before, but if they hade a wagon i think they would have sell easy 1000..But that is what i guess..And if they hade a starting price around 30.000 euro, with smaller engine, they would sell more ofcourse..Still what i think..lol

I can tell you know nothing or very little about Europe... Lexus do have a strong image in Europe, both the RX450h and CT sell very well over here, and the reason is because they are both hybrids and thus CO2 efficient hence lower tax. No one likes a diesel engine, but they are cheap because of lower emissions and thus lower tax and that's the only reason they sell. Now we are seeing a turn over to hybrid/gasoline engines again as they are getting cleaner and the diesel engines enormous NOx emissions are in some countrys and soon in the EU being taxed, so the economical advantage of diesels are soon gone.

That is do right Thomas, so it will be very interesting to see how much Lexus will sell with the new is300h, and when they come with the new gs300h...

Did a search for the Pontiac Vibe GT because I've never heard of it before, and boy is that an ugly car. Really ugly. Those people dont know a thing about design!

Simmer down there, Thomas.

And a response along the lines of "not quite to my tastes" was not an option because..? Let's not ruin the best blog there is with unkind remarks on something as subjective as design,please Thomas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1EAA7wjtVk compare it to other cars back in 2003, not now.... it has Celica GT 180hp engine, 6 speed manual, 0-60 in 7 seconds, and a design that looks aggressive and manly. Besides it is seriously practical flat seat fold down, and plastic cover. Anyways check the review.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v... compare it to other cars back in 2003, not now.... it has Celica GT 180hp engine, 6 speed manual, 0-60 in 7 seconds, 8000RPM redline, and a design that looks aggressive and manly. Besides it is seriously practical flat seat fold down, and plastic cover. I bet it will still beat today's IS250 in drag race. Anyways check the review.

I have always liked the design of the Toyota Matrix over the Pontiac Vibe. They are mechanically identical. Same opinion goes with the 2nd generation before Pontiac folded. The Vibe however did win some design points after the 2005 refresh, the original Vibe in 2003 just took to many design cues from the Pontiac Aztek. Especially the standard versions that came with the plastic colored fenders. At that time though I still would have went for a IS300 Sportcross if I wanted a hatch with better styling, practically, and performance capabilities.