Lexus September 2017 Sales Report

[spwolf]

The FAW-LC200 is being phased out because there is not enough demand to justify local production; the displacement tax is simply too harsh for it. As a result FAW equips the top trim LCP with a lot of amenities and offroad equipment to fill the spot previously occupied by the 4.0/4.6 LC200. The China-only LCP gets RX350's updated V6 with 300hp and an eight-speed which makes it more powerful than the GX400 (GX460 is not sold). It gets TSS+ as well while the GX400 does not have LSS yet.
A top-trim LCP pretty much kills any offroader in its league just like GX460 in the U.S.

It is still a Prado though... GX is much more luxurious. But the pricing likely kills it.

It is same situation in GCC countries where LX sells the best. LX sells really well, GX does not.

Interestingly, LX has outsold LS worldwide for at least 3 years.

 

[mmcartalk]

I don't think sedans will ever come back. This is not a trend, this is the new way.

While I certainly respect your view, I think it's too early to sound the death-knell for Lexus sedans...especially with the kind of sales-numbers that the ES350 is still racking up. It is one of the few sedans that seems to have a true cult-following....particularly with older drivers. A number of my colleagues drive an ES (one of them gets a new ES on a lease every 27 months)....and, as you know, I strongly considered one myself before I went with the Lacrosse.

 

[spwolf]

While I certainly respect your view, I think it's too early to sound the death-knell for Lexus sedans...especially with the kind of sales-numbers that the ES350 is still racking up. It is one of the few sedans that seems to have a true cult-following....particularly with older drivers. A number of my colleagues drive an ES (one of them gets a new ES on a lease every 27 months)....and, as you know, I strongly considered one myself before I went with the Lacrosse.

death of sedan is industry-wide phenomenon... it is really not subjective at all and statistically sedan sales are going down while SUVs are going up... industry wide.

 

[mmcartalk]

death of sedan is industry-wide phenomenon... it is really not subjective at all and statistically sedan sales are going down while SUVs are going up... industry wide.

Going down, though, doesn't mean that all of them are dying. Like I said above, check the September sales-numbers that Kevin posted. The ES still sells in SUV-numbers.

 

[spwolf]

Going down, though, doesn't mean that all of them are dying. Like I said above, check the September sales-numbers that Kevin posted. The ES still sells in SUV-numbers.

of course... but it does mean that some of them will die for sure... if market ends up 40% down compared to 2010, then we will have death of many sedans.
Just like with Camry and Accord being up last month but Hyundai, Ford and others being up to 40% down... those numbers are not sustainable for mass produced vehicles with low margins.

Just like Toyota is very happy with Rav4 doing better sales than Camry... they make more money on them.