Lexus Dealers Weigh Impacts of Adding Century, GR Products to Showrooms

[Gecko]

Toyota has asked some Lexus dealers to prepare to sell Century and GR products alongside Lexus


The move changes Lexus’ single retail strategy to a mix of premium Toyota products and brands


Dealers weigh not just costs to support new brands, but the impact to Lexus within their own showrooms



Coming off what John Iacona describes as a banner 2025, Lexus dealers are now confronting an interesting challenge: whether to invest in retail operations for two additional Toyota Motor Corporation franchises that could fundamentally reshape their showroom strategies.
Iacona, chairman of the National Lexus Dealer Committee, emphasized that dealers will need to take a “holistic” approach when evaluating opportunities to add Century and GR brands to their stores. This isn’t simply about expanding inventory – it’s...

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[Kelvin2020]

TMC understand that GR buyers want a more premium experience by not having to park their GR Corolla next to a regular Corolla during service. But has TMC considered how LC,LS,GX, LX (also in some markets the LM) owners feel? People who spend over six figures on Lexus, are they really willing to share the same service purchase experience with GR products?

 

[CrisB]

Practically, the mother of all confusion.

Of course this insertion of ultra-luxury lines in Europe will not happen, because Lexus is no longer a premium brand.

They cut the whole range of sedans, coupes, F series and even the LS.

They left anonymous models such as LBX and UX to compete for sales with Korean and Chinese models, who are fierce and fight Lexus on the customer care front that has completely collapsed, the much vaunted "omotenashi" philosophy is just a distant memory, in the sales rooms today the same dealer can sell you a Yaris or an NX, no plus for the Lexus customer.

Very sad, really.

 

[ssun30]

Most Lexus dealers have zero experience selling an ultra premium product. The most expensive product they sell today is the LX700h.

I have never seen what a top level Lexus dealer is like in US (those that are allowed to sell the LFA) but vast majority of them are only qualified to sell a cookie cutter RX/TX350 with minimum effort. It takes a completely different skill set to sell a commuter car compared to a chauffeur car or performance car. That's why BMW dealers have separate sections dedicated to selling M cars.

In China they send Centuries to the most prestigious dealers and they sold 80 last year, and China is a much bigger chauffeur car market.

 

[Levi]

I don’t believe in GR GT and “electric LFA” selling side by side because I just don’t believe in that later car. For me it is just smoke and mirrors for people to forget that the GR GT is a rebadged racing Lexus.

GR GT is a race car with road legal version, nothing more. It better be good at racing.

I personally don’t think Lexus will see another coupe.

TMC clearly wants the Century Coupe to be the “new LC”.