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In a sense, Lexus did create a LWB ES for all markets when, for the 6th generation, it went from being Camry-derived to Avalon-derived. As I noted back in 2012 ( http://kaizen-factor.com/lexus-es-gets-the-ponce-de-leon-spa-treatment/ ):The Germans introduced a slew of "LWB" cars for the China market, including a new LWB BMW X1 (I know lol wut) but they are hits there. Interesting Lexus ES does not offer it but rear seat space is great.
In a marvel of space efficiency, while the wheelbase has grown 1.8″ and overall length has stretched by just 1″ versus the previous ES, rear seat head, knee and legroom have all increased, the latter by a whopping 4.1″, essentially matching the length increase of many of the Germans’ (and the Jaguar XJ’s) short-vs-long-wheelbase offerings. Does this come at the expense of front seat legroom or trunk space? Front seat legroom did see a nominal decrease (from 42.2″ to 41.9″), as did front hip room and rear shoulder room. Trunk space, on the other hand, is also larger, growing from 14.8 cubic feet in the previous 5th-gen ES to 15.2 in the new ES 350...Overall EPA passenger volume grows from 95.4 cubic feet in the previous ES 350 to 100.1 cubic feet in the new generation...
In a sense, Lexus did create a LWB ES for all markets when, for the 6th generation, it went from being Camry-derived to Avalon-derived. As I noted back in 2012 ( http://kaizen-factor.com/lexus-es-gets-the-ponce-de-leon-spa-treatment/ ):
Very true.Since there is no SWB, I don't consider it a LWB. I would assume a LWB version would be even longer. I do get the gist of what you are saying though.
Very true.
Going off on a bit of a tangent here, Cadillac recently stated that, for the future successors of the present ATS and CTS (CT3 and CT5?), they would no longer be playing the Chinese game of offering SWB and LWB versions, but only a single worldwide "right-sized" length that would probably fall in between their current SWB and LWB lengths - precisely what Lexus did with the ES since the 6th-gen's launch. As an aside, the rear legroom figure for the current ES is very close to that of the current LWB Lexus LS.
Isn't it called the Q70L? And what would be the difference between the LS and GS LWB in terms of wheelbase?I've heard rumors of a LWB GS.....even for the American market....
No one knows it exists but the LWB Q70 is easily the way to go in their range. Tons more room in the back. I find myself more and more struggling with the overall point of a mid-size sedan with a tight rear....
...the sales of Lexus stood at 32,509 units, up by 40.1% against last year, boosted by its ES, NX and RX. To be more specific, the sales of its ES totaled 9,400 units, accounting 44% of the company’s total sales.
And here's an overall sales ranking of luxury car brand sales in China for January thru April 2016:
1) Mercedes-Benz (including Smart) - 147,907 (+ 40.5% vs Jan-Apr 2015)
2) Audi - 188,906 (+5.8%)
3) BMW (including Mini) - 162,221 (+6.0%)
4) Jaguar/Land Rover - 37,099 (+16.6%)
5) Lexus - 32,509 (+40.1%)
6) Cadillac - 27,698 (+9.2%)
7) Volvo - 23,922 (-0.5%)
8) Infiniti - 11,310 (-2.9%)
Good post! China is and will be a huge market for luxury car brands for a long time. Lexus needs to do something more specially for that local market, but shouldn't count on the market in China the same as North America.Going back to the gist of the article that started this thread, I just stumbled upon a Gasgoo.com article discussing China luxury car brand sales for the first 4 months of 2016 ( http://autonews.gasgoo.com/china-news/the-sales-of-luxury-brands-in-china-for-the-first-160525.shtml ). Here's what they have to say about Lexus:
And here's an overall sales ranking of luxury car brand sales in China for January thru April 2016:
1) Mercedes-Benz (including Smart) - 147,907 (+ 40.5% vs Jan-Apr 2015)
2) Audi - 188,906 (+5.8%)
3) BMW (including Mini) - 162,221 (+6.0%)
4) Jaguar/Land Rover - 37,099 (+16.6%)
5) Lexus - 32,509 (+40.1%)
6) Cadillac - 27,698 (+9.2%)
7) Volvo - 23,922 (-0.5%)
8) Infiniti - 11,310 (-2.9%)
NOTES, THOUGHTS and COMMENTS:
- It is unclear if Rolls-Royce is included in the BMW numbers. Mercedes' are probably helped some by Mercedes-Maybach devolving into a glorified trim level, as opposed to a stand-alone brand like it used to be.
- Speaking of Mercedes, its 40.5% growth over the same period in 2015 is the highest of the lot, propelled primarily by the CLA 4-door coupe, C-Class sedan and GLC crossover. The latter two are locally built by Beijing Benz.
- All the more impressive is Lexus' 40.1% growth, only a couple of tenths below Mercedes', and achieved without a single Chinese-built model (the only one of the luxury top 8 for which this claim can be made).
- Although the precise split between the 2 brands is unclear, if Jaguar and Land Rover sales were broken out separately, they would probably propel Lexus into the #4 spot in China.
- Contrary to its stodgy, aging reputation in the U.S., Cadillac's XTS large FWD-centric sedan saw sales more than double, showing a 112% increase (it is unclear if this was for the whole Jan-Apr period or for April alone). Also, the just-launched XT5 crossover already sold 1863 units in April in China.
- Infiniti's China sales performance can only be described as pathetic. Q50L sedan sales only stood at 433 units, down by 74%, while the sales of the QX50 crossover only totaled 150 units, down by 82.4%. (To add insult to injury, the article keeps referring to the brand as Infinite. Infinite downward spiral, perhaps?)
View the original article postSales in August up 70%, and the brand is well on target for 100k sales in China.
Very nice!Saw a LC500 uncovered today
And here's an overall sales ranking of luxury car brand sales in China for January thru April 2016:
1) Mercedes-Benz (including Smart) - 147,907 (+ 40.5% vs Jan-Apr 2015)
2) Audi - 188,906 (+5.8%)
3) BMW (including Mini) - 162,221 (+6.0%)
4) Jaguar/Land Rover - 37,099 (+16.6%)
5) Lexus - 32,509 (+40.1%)
6) Cadillac - 27,698 (+9.2%)
7) Volvo - 23,922 (-0.5%)
8) Infiniti - 11,310 (-2.9%)