Gecko
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Two points:
1) So much changed with the 5LS that I think it's hard to pinpoint any one issue for lackluster sales.
Constant improvement and change shows car buyers that your brand is innovative and keeping pace with the industry and expectations. It would be hard to keep buying LSs when you see constant improvement in the S Class, or GSs in comparison to the E Class or 5er, and same for the IS in relation to C/3er. There will always be loyalists and enthusiasts, but for the general car buying public, Lexus' sedan lineup is either very stale or radically different from what they're used to. Then you have the "basic transportation" formula like ES that just hits the sweet spot for luxury, features and service around $40-45k.
We now have rumors of 3IS lasting into 2020 or 2021, so that is another 6-7 year cycle when you consider how long the car has been on the road. Adding Apple CarPlay and something like 275hp 2.0T and 375hp 3.0T V6 would go a long way towards adding some pizazz in the lineup, but we know Lexus isn't packing that type of fire power. Over time, this lack of investment in the product sends car shoppers elsewhere and other brands have done a much better job of keeping their product lines fresh and innovative - making consumers feel like they're getting more for their money, and definitely having a better experience. These defected customers then stay where they're at because they're bought into a system that's working for them.
Truthfully, their SUV lineup is not much better but is being buoyed by sales trends. Not good.
1) So much changed with the 5LS that I think it's hard to pinpoint any one issue for lackluster sales.
- One size fits all - and it's bigger than it's ever been, when most LSs before were sold as SWB or only offered SWB
- Compromised rear seat room vs. a historically cavernous rear seat area (even the Honda Accord has more legroom)
- Less headroom
- Losing the V8 - some folks might not like the V6
- IS - 2IS ran an 8 year cycle and introduced IS F, no 3IS F, 3IS had carryover engines at first, lackluster 2.0T option, strange packaging with IS 300 AWD, changing names from IS 250 to IS 200t to IS 300, etc.
- GS - 3GS went from GS 300 to GS 350 in the second year, which outpowered the GS 430, then we got the GS 460 with a detuned LS V8, barely any support for GSh, then 4GS launches with the carryover V6 only, no marketing support for new GS 450h, GS F shows up 3 years late and 150hp short
- LS - 4LS was a ten year model cycle with two refreshes, SWB and LWB options, V8-only, 5LS debuts sharing very little DNA or identity with the car before, one size only, no V8 option at all, rear seat that is smaller than the 4LS SWB, being a one-size-fits-all model that's very large, there was a significant price hike for some customers on the new model
- ES - The only model that's ever had any consistency because it follows the Camry and Avalon, which are Toyota's bread and butter so they stick to a strict schedule with refreshes and redesigns.
Constant improvement and change shows car buyers that your brand is innovative and keeping pace with the industry and expectations. It would be hard to keep buying LSs when you see constant improvement in the S Class, or GSs in comparison to the E Class or 5er, and same for the IS in relation to C/3er. There will always be loyalists and enthusiasts, but for the general car buying public, Lexus' sedan lineup is either very stale or radically different from what they're used to. Then you have the "basic transportation" formula like ES that just hits the sweet spot for luxury, features and service around $40-45k.
We now have rumors of 3IS lasting into 2020 or 2021, so that is another 6-7 year cycle when you consider how long the car has been on the road. Adding Apple CarPlay and something like 275hp 2.0T and 375hp 3.0T V6 would go a long way towards adding some pizazz in the lineup, but we know Lexus isn't packing that type of fire power. Over time, this lack of investment in the product sends car shoppers elsewhere and other brands have done a much better job of keeping their product lines fresh and innovative - making consumers feel like they're getting more for their money, and definitely having a better experience. These defected customers then stay where they're at because they're bought into a system that's working for them.
Truthfully, their SUV lineup is not much better but is being buoyed by sales trends. Not good.
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