i propose it has million hp, if 650 is not enough.
You find it funny, but that is just a marketing fact. Good luck changing game and reverse manipulating the brains. Unless going forward something changes, Lexus will be further away from the Germans in the coming years. That is not to say Lexus will end like Acura or Infiniti, they may very well be succsessful as we see, but the target group that is interested in performance might not be very interested in Lexus, rather those interested in Lexus will choose a little more performance, of which the GS is a good example, it is little more performance enough for Lexus buyer or others for whom it is sufficient, but not enough for those looking at German performance levels.
I am saying that, especially with regards to the European market, where there too are car youtubers. Young adults/adolescents wathc the supercars and performance cars of these 'nouveau-riche' and they are fed with RS, AMG, M, Porsche. That is what they feel is the car to have, and they'll get it soon even if it is a 318i or A4 20 FSI. Nowhere to they hear of Lexus F.
Yes it is basic, old technique, but it works every time. VAG is a huge company that has expanded in every niche, TMC does well, they have a different expanssion, but they did not expand as much as they could. Lotus was a lost opportunity IMO, so as Aston Martin (yet I can forgive that, culturally it looks difficult to make business with the Brits and BMW got two very easy to market brands, that is smart).
If Lexus want to take their route, they can, but will then never be compared to the German, which is fine, but then they have to continue pursuing their strategy a find a way not to be compared to them, because people still do compare and arrive to the conclusion that Lexus is inferior, except for reliabilty, in which case the Germans have improved and are acceptable, yet they (the customers) do not care because they lease.
Lexus (and Acura and Infiniti) had to aggressively market their performance brands in the NA market, only there it could take off and than at a later date be exported worldwide. They didn't and they failed. The NA is alot more open to different brands than any other market, if the product is right, Tesla could have been as successful even if it was not American, though that did contribute to their success. Yet how to explain that the EU market that that not like American cars, has such an ardent Tesla fanbase?
Lexus F can make competive products, it is the marketing strategy at which they fail.
The RC F got a new F engine, they car is heavier than it would have been but alright, Lexus needs an F car. Then comes the LC 500, it have everything of the F but is not an F car.
Well what is coming is quite clear. New IS, so no more F, the whole GR (except hybrid) retires, so as UR, not more F, no more V8 trucks. LC 500 get TT V6. Lexus needs a flagship F car to sell F Sport, so they bring TT V8 LC F (RC F flagship equivanlent). Then comes the LF1, TT V8 but not an F car, a Lexus flagship (as the LC 500), because in today's market LS is not enough for bling flagship model.
Lexus is a far more powerful brand than Infiniti, but Lexus is pulling an Infinit FX50 here. Infiniti came late with their 3.0l TT V6, the FX with its exclusive 5.0l NA V8 came when competitors were going TT V8 (FX45 was very successful and competitive in the markets where it was sold, despite Nissan interior). By the time LF1 is out, rivals will be on TTV8 hybrids. Let us hope that say s*ck. I read the V8 hybrids are fast in straight line but just way way too heavy, let us hope the journalists bash X8 M weight as they bashed the RC F.
