Lexus Sales in China 2018

[flexus]

I look forward to the day when an IS model is really designed and built to take on the German trio. The current design is not "European" enough too many cuts and slashes - and the interiors whilst good do not match an Audi where everything is made to perfection and you not only see it you also feel it, the knobs are knurled and everything clicks together beautifully. the IS that was launched way back in 2004/5 was more European than the current model and had such niceties as soft closing doors which were not carried over to the current model. Lexus make brilliant cars but need to take a leaf from Hyundai who employed a German to design their Kia cars and we can all see where that has taken that brand! The Hyundai brand now also has European designer and their latest models are looking very good and Genisis is suddenly a real contender.

I would like to add that Kia, like Skoda, resembles very much BMW front grille and it looks cheap.

 

[Rob Grieveson]

Last year Japanese cars accounted 30% of global car sales. When you talk European design you mean German design. German car brands+Seat and Skoda had marketshare of only 17%. Have you ever seen PSA cars or Renault cars? They are very European too. Koreans have tradinionally copied Japan, US, Europe and China. They don't have nothing original that's why they don't succes in long term. German cars have gotten more lines in recent time and become more "Japanese". It was Lexus Who started boom for big front grilles.

Renault is now a very popular car in South Africa and i have owned one for eleven years - great motors and clever design ideas in my opinion pity they do not get to the USA possibly not big enough. Their success in F1 racing indicates their engine ability.
The big grille is a disaster for Lexus it is so ugly and divisive and now it is spreading to Toyota! Not sure where the boom is in big grilles there are more about but of course Peugeot with their 2005 407 model was probably the start of this trend. They have rather sensibly now abandoned that idea and their latest new model is nothing short of gorgeous to look at - another car that is essentially European as are the beautiful Alfas.
I guess South Africa is pretty European in its tastes and that is why Lexus is really struggling to get a foothold here against the Europeans. The big grille in the SUV range particularly the RX is another disaster! Really who designs their cars they need a new team. A luxury brand does not need to be so garish in its styling - the toned down grille in the new LS and LC look good but they need to continue this with the lesser models.

 

[flexus]

Renault is now a very popular car in South Africa and i have owned one for eleven years - great motors and clever design ideas in my opinion pity they do not get to the USA possibly not big enough. Their success in F1 racing indicates their engine ability.
The big grille is a disaster for Lexus it is so ugly and divisive and now it is spreading to Toyota! Not sure where the boom is in big grilles there are more about but of course Peugeot with their 2005 407 model was probably the start of this trend. They have rather sensibly now abandoned that idea and their latest new model is nothing short of gorgeous to look at - another car that is essentially European as are the beautiful Alfas.
I guess South Africa is pretty European in its tastes and that is why Lexus is really struggling to get a foothold here against the Europeans. The big grille in the SUV range particularly the RX is another disaster! Really who designs their cars they need a new team. A luxury brand does not need to be so garish in its styling - the toned down grille in the new LS and LC look good but they need to continue this with the lesser models.

If you are not fan of Lexus why are you member of this forum? Toyota has similar design language as Lexus and is number one brand in world. Renault doesn't make it even to top ten. And you are wrong. SA is developing country market, not any means European. I would comapare SA to Brasil or India. There are people that can afford Japanese or European cars but majority of people have no money to even afford a car.

 

[Rob Grieveson]

If you are not fan of Lexus why are you member of this forum? Toyota has similar design language as Lexus and is number one brand in world. Renault doesn't make it even to top ten. And you are wrong. SA is developing country market, not any means European. I would comapare SA to Brasil or India. There are people that can afford Japanese or European cars but majority of people have no money to even afford a car.

I am very much a Lexus fan, however surely that does not mean I cannot comment on their cars either favorable or otherwise.
Lexus in Durban has just closed down due to lack of sales performance! lexus now has to be bought through Toyota dealerships.
Yet Audi Bmw and Mercedes go from strength to strength - why? Personally I think due to their recent extrovert styling adventures, The GS has been a disaster world wide and is now to be discontinued? yet the previous shape sold well without the outrageous grille front end which I am not a fan of nor would it seem is the rest of the world.
I would really like Lexus to improve their looks because the rest of the car is so good. I am a serious fan but I also believe that the purpose of this site is not blind enthusiasium but rather constructive and real thoughts to be shared by fans who have the welfare and future of Lexus at heart.
By the way Renault I think you will find are well into the top ten when you consider their ownership of Nissan and more recently Mitsibushi.
I really do not understand fans who say everything about a product is perfect when there is always room for improvement no matter which brand you are discussing.
I am a car fan and can see beyond the brand I currently own and favour which is Lexus!

 

[Ian Schmidt]

Audi and BMW both ship or have shown bigger, uglier grills than anything Lexus has. Open your eyes.

 

[spwolf]

I am very much a Lexus fan, however surely that does not mean I cannot comment on their cars either favorable or otherwise.
Lexus in Durban has just closed down due to lack of sales performance! lexus now has to be bought through Toyota dealerships.
Yet Audi Bmw and Mercedes go from strength to strength - why? Personally I think due to their recent extrovert styling adventures, The GS has been a disaster world wide and is now to be discontinued? yet the previous shape sold well without the outrageous grille front end which I am not a fan of nor would it seem is the rest of the world.
I would really like Lexus to improve their looks because the rest of the car is so good. I am a serious fan but I also believe that the purpose of this site is not blind enthusiasium but rather constructive and real thoughts to be shared by fans who have the welfare and future of Lexus at heart.
By the way Renault I think you will find are well into the top ten when you consider their ownership of Nissan and more recently Mitsibushi.
I really do not understand fans who say everything about a product is perfect when there is always room for improvement no matter which brand you are discussing.
I am a car fan and can see beyond the brand I currently own and favour which is Lexus!

I am sure Lexus in South Africa leaves a lot to be desired... but for instance Lexus in North America are most profitable dealerships, so it greatly differs in different markets.

As to Renault, they usual sell cheaper models than Toyota even, and are for budget conscious shoppers. Toyota is really not the greatest at selling cheapest cars.

 

[ssun30]

Forgot to post 2018 sales summary. Free source from data miners are increasingly outdated this year. Retail figures can lag by two months which is frustrating.

1. ES 59,372 (40,397 Gas + 18,975 Hybrid)
2. NX 40,192 (29,901 Gas + 10,291 Hybrid)
3. RX 33,824 (30,431 Gas + 3,393 Hybrid)
4. IS 9,360
5. CT 8,982
6. LX 5,114
7. LS 4,569 (1,396 Gas + 3,173 Hybrid)
8. GS 2,524 (1,493 Gas + 1,031 Hybrid)
9. GX 353
10. RC 237
11. LC 180
Total 164,707

 

[maiaramdan]

for second month in row
ToMoCo is the largest automaker so far

https://dailykanban.com/2019/03/worlds-largest-automakers-2019-toyota-maintains-its-lead/

 

[spwolf]

@ssun30 Lexus was up 24% in Feb in China according to BSCB

 

[flexus]

Forgot to post 2018 sales summary. Free source from data miners are increasingly outdated this year. Retail figures can lag by two months which is frustrating.

1. ES 59,372 (40,397 Gas + 18,975 Hybrid)
2. NX 40,192 (29,901 Gas + 10,291 Hybrid)
3. RX 33,824 (30,431 Gas + 3,393 Hybrid)
4. IS 9,360
5. CT 8,982
6. LX 5,114
7. LS 4,569 (1,396 Gas + 3,173 Hybrid)
8. GS 2,524 (1,493 Gas + 1,031 Hybrid)
9. GX 353
10. RC 237
11. LC 180
Total 164,707

LC sales are one tenth of than in Japan doesnt Chinese like coupes or just aren't the Lexus coupes popular.

 

[ssun30]

LC sales are one tenth of than in Japan doesnt Chinese like coupes or just aren't the Lexus coupes popular.

Coupes in general don't sell in China. The LC actually outsold the RC. People with that kind of money buy luxobarges or big SUVs instead (just like anywhere else in the world).