Overall, the brand seems to be doing well despite an aging lineup and lack of EV with sales at all time highs globally, including the US. But what do you think are some small things Lexus can do that are small wins or can even have a big effect?
Here are some of my suggestions:
- Consolidate social media presence with a global account, particularly on Instagram where each market has their own (@lexususa, @lexusuk, @lexusqatar) vs. MB/BMW which still has their markets specific ones like @bmwusa but their main account @bmw has the most followers. Actually just searched Lexus on IG and just found out about @discoverlexus, which is apparently the official global account. For one, why couldn’t they secure @Lexus? Two, it has a paltry 69k followers versus @lexususa 3.8m followers. Their following pales in comparison to @mercedesbenz (31.8m) and @bmw (30.3m)
- New steering wheel design. If you can’t afford to redesign interiors, at least modernize your steering wheels and move away from the flat pancake, circular steering wheels. They are the only ones in the luxury space that’s keeping these 90s style flat circles.
- Shorter front overhangs. (This was mentioned as something Lexus have heard and are taking into consideration.)
- Ditch the all red interior for F models. We’re not in the late 2000s anymore.
- Bring back the classic LFA “star” wheels for the LC
- For the next-generation LS and LX (and any “L_” flagship), add an all-saddle tan color and suede just like in the LC
- Remove piano black from interior material palette
- Fresh design leadership. This is not really a small change, but the designer of the IS exterior should take over all of Lexus design.
These are pretty fair suggestions. I also can attest that Lexus has a relatively weak social media following. And I think a huge reason why Lexus is weak online is I think a lack of motorsport activity. Lexus only really did SuperGT (and prototypes more than a decade ago) and is now only involved in GT3 racing now that the GR Supra took over as TMC's entry in the GT500 class.
I said this more than 3 years ago when I joined LE and made my first post in the Lexus Racing Megathread, Lexus needs to be on a flagship motorsports series to really shake fear into their competitors. F1 is that perfect series for them to join. It's becoming more cost-efficient in the next few years and the main reason why Toyota hadn't returned in these past several years was really because of development costs. The next aspect is that the formula is exactly the technology that Toyota and Lexus have achieved perfection in for decades.
They need to have an upstart team exactly how Mercedes joined in 2010 and to a lesser degree, Aston-Martin this year and bring a whole new breath of fresh air to the grid. They can have a junior team to increase the grid size too. Lexus has the money, the technological prowess, and now with the new wave of people who are leading Lexus, the balls to fight against their competitors instead of pushing pencils and doing nothing notable. I was one of those super fans who was probably the loudest voice out there on the internet in wanting Toyota (or a new Lexus entry) to return to F1 for many years. In the past couple of months however, it genuinely seems like the idea of Toyota returning to F1 has been gaining serious traction among F1 fans. Many of them are adamant to see TMC come back again and really kick some serious ass.
It is a
fact that all automotive legends were made via participation in motorsports. I can list twenty cars right off my head that are legends because of their relationship with motorsports. If Lexus wants to take that next step into becoming a legend (and a manufacturer that's not just a really good Japanese luxury brand), even into in a world where everything is mostly hybrid, they need to make a move like this to cement their legacy for many decades in the future.
