Like many of your other "the sky is falling" posts, you've interpreted this article with your own confirmation bias filter. Look I get it, you think Lexus is failing at everything, ok great opinion . But somebody reading your post as opposed to the actual Q&A would be getting two completely different stories. I don't know if that is your intent or not but as an Admin, I believe you do have a responsibility as a sort of forum influencer. New readers/members may come and see that Admins bashing Lexus non-stop and think that is the norm here.
Happy to take discussions about my Admin/Moderating style offline with you via PM.
There is no subtext needed, because he literally elaborated right after.
Yes, so lets go ahead and post the full quote:
Right now, what's the bigger concern for Lexus dealers: profitability or affordability? And why?
Profitability. We actually have a committee on that which I'm a part of. But I think that the easiest way that we fix that, which I have said to some other individuals, is that profitability comes from having exciting, desirable product. That's not new. That is the silver bullet, and that is what makes us the best brand, from way back when we launched this company 30-plus years ago — having great product in a luxury market that brings consumers in, because it is value-priced, but with exceptional quality and desirable vehicles.
Translation, and you're free to disagree with me here:
"Profitability is the bigger concern and we have a committee to try to fix that issue. The best way to fix it is to have exciting, desirable product. This is obviously not brain science and it's something that Lexus has historically been very good at over our brand history, but right now, we aren't. I'm going to put a quick spin on us as a value brand with high quality. This isn't wrong, I'm just trying to answer the question in a way that still puts the brand in a positive light."
Your other misinterpretation about the LC500 was also incorrect. He did not say he "would rather" have SUVs over the LC500 vert, he said the convertible was a miss because they wanted it earlier. SUVs was added to the conversation as a side note, bonus.
Once again:
AN: What do you think is missing from the Lexus lineup?
--cut text about redesigns and model cadences--
One of our biggest misses, and it's great to say it's coming, is the new LC 500 convertible. That's very helpful, to be back in the convertible conversation, although at a very low volume. It's great that we have that, but some of the other things that we are working on that are going to be coming soon are some larger SUVs — I'll call them people movers. It seems like Lexus has a desire, and dealers have a desire, to have a seven-passenger [Cadillac] Escalade fighter, or a Denali fighter or a Lincoln Navigator fighter. Truly having the prestigious seven-passenger, people-moving, kids' soccer-family-moving vehicle. The LX is great; that vehicle will be getting an enhancement soon.
But the biggest want right now, unanimously through Lexus dealers, is to have something in that larger luxury-vehicle segment. That larger vehicle is really a big miss for us in an LUV/SUV world, where gas prices are pretty stable and with the job the nation has done to become energy independent.
Translation:
"The LC 500 is cool and it's nice to be back in that segment, but nobody really asked for it because what we've been asking for all along is a large luxury SUV and Lexus didn't deliver it, so that's pretty frustrating. Lexus says they want it, and we definitely want it, and we're losing marketshare to Cadillac, GMC and Lincoln because we don't have one. I'm going to coincidentally, not coincidentally mention the new LX here. *wink wink*"
There is little sense in splitting hairs on this stuff. The text is filled with PR speak but there are dashes of honesty and promise, which is what most of these news bites are built on. If you can read through the standard company verbiage, the themes of what he is saying are pretty clear, IMO.
