Lexus to Cancel CT in Favor of Sub-Compact Crossover?

[mikeavelli]

The CT has been a huge reason for success in Europe in particular. In other markets including the USA it has hit sales targets. I am really tired of media expecting every Lexus to sell like the RX, each car has a different sales goal and purpose.

If anything, the CT is BY FAR the most successful Luxury market hatchback in America as all the others the Germans tried failed in the same space failed miserably. However that is never ever stated.

Big ups to the CT.

 

[Tragic Bronson]

The CT has been a huge reason for success in Europe in particular. In other markets including the USA it has hit sales targets. I am really tired of media expecting every Lexus to sell like the RX, each car has a different sales goal and purpose.

If anything, the CT is BY FAR the most successful Luxury market hatchback in America as all the others the Germans tried failed in the same space failed miserably. However that is never ever stated.

I would think that its because "America" doesn't like hatchbacks, which is already a strike against it. Probably the rationale is "if a Toyota passenger vehicle isn't selling in the volume of a Camry or Corolla, it isn't successful."

If Lexus did ever come through with a CT-F stuffed with a 8AR paired with a manuel, I bet a lot of the enthusiasts would be s**ting their pants, including Jalopnik.

 

[meth.ix]

Why Lexus Why i mean the Hot hatch segment is were the CT should be heading to think as CT-F other brands like Ford Focus RS , VW Golf R, BMW 135i,Merc A45,Audi RS3 Lexus please relook at your strategy we need a Lexus Hot hatch!!

Couldn`t agree more!

 

[Daniel Guyton]

krew

View the original article post

maybe if they'd drop the 2.0L turbo into the CT it'd sell better? and add a manual to some models? audi kills lexus because of this

 

[krew]

If Lexus did ever come through with a CT-F stuffed with a 8AR paired with a manual, I bet a lot of the enthusiasts would be s**ting their pants, including Jalopnik.

:dizzy:

 

[mikeavelli]

I would think that its because "America" doesn't like hatchbacks, which is already a strike against it. Probably the rationale is "if a Toyota passenger vehicle isn't selling in the volume of a Camry or Corolla, it isn't successful."

If Lexus did ever come through with a CT-F stuffed with a 8AR paired with a manuel, I bet a lot of the enthusiasts would be s**ting their pants, including Jalopnik.

Whats crazy is technically the Panamera, A7/S7 are hatchbacks and sell very well and they are luxury sedans. So I guess people pick and choose which hatchbacks are cool or not.

 

[Tragic Bronson]

Perhaps the fact that the CT is a hybrid and all Prius underneath, if many folks were less willing to buy one.

 

[meth.ix]

I would think that its because "America" doesn't like hatchbacks, which is already a strike against it. Probably the rationale is "if a Toyota passenger vehicle isn't selling in the volume of a Camry or Corolla, it isn't successful"

America DOES like hatchbacks, it's just certain models just don't get sales. Just look at the Focus, Golf or Fiesta. The A3 hatchback was discontinued in North America due to poor sales however.

 

[Tragic Bronson]

America DOES like hatchbacks, it's just certain models just don't get sales. Just look at the Focus, Golf or Fiesta. The A3 hatchback was discontinued in North America due to poor sales however.

Sure they like some hatchbacks, even the Prius, but luxury hatchbacks like the old A3 haven't fared as well. Another reason why BMW only brought over the 1 Series as a coupe and not the hatchback they offer elsewhere. The buyers of a Golf, Focus, 3, etc. are a different breed than those in buying in the luxury segment.

 

[meth.ix]

Sure they like some hatchbacks, even the Prius, but luxury hatchbacks like the old A3 haven't fared as well. Another reason why BMW only brought over the 1 Series as a coupe and not the hatchback they offer elsewhere. The buyers of a Golf, Focus, 3, etc. are a different breed than those in buying in the luxury segment.

The CLA and A3 sedan are selling pretty good, but the A3 hatch, CLA wagon, and CT are barely getting enough sales. In the non-luxury market, hatchbacks are more popular than it's sedan version. What do you see on the road more often, the Focus hatch or sedan? Golf or Jetta? But in the luxury market, it's the total opposite. Weird, isn't it? I would personally rather buy a CT than a Corolla-based Lexus sedan.

 

[meth.ix]

I think the CT name should change. We all know that the S at the end of a Lexus model name means sedan and that X means SUV/Crossover, but what does T mean? I think that Lexus should make a CLA and A3 sedan competitor sedan based on the Corolla. The name would obviously end with an S then. Then make the CT successor a Sportcross version of the sedan. Since apparently luxury hatchbacks are getting fewer sales, Lexus should focus on smaller sedan first, and then a hatchback. This segment is pretty popular these days and will probably get hotter when a rumored 2-Series Gran Coupe comes out (previewed by the BMW Concept Compact Sedan).

 

[corradoMR2]

The CT may not be dead since the Prius just got a redesign and if like the 2010 Prius/2011 CT's launch, a new CT can launch in 12-18 months from now.

But, and it's a big one... the fact that Toyota has unveiled a production version of the small C-HR crossover (for sale sometime in 2017) designed to include the 1.8L Hybrid powertrain leads me to think a UX is a high possibility as a vehicle to "replace the CT". (Remember those test mules of a jacked up CT a couple years back...) With this powertrain in mind to meet European needs and the fact that the crossover market is booming, this could mark the axe for the CT...

http://www.caranddriver.com/toyota/c-hr

 

[mikeavelli]

The only A3 hatch in America today is the E-tron...electric car....Audi moved on to the Q3 I guess..

In addition the Q2 has launched in Europe and might come here..Not sure of Audi's new designer or design direction...

 

[IS-SV]

Lexus could do something like the A-Class and GLA-Class where the GLA is literally a lifted A with a slightly different looking front and rear.

Then the UX should be based on the CT! But if they are doing what Benz did with the wheelbase of the A and GLA being the same, the UX wheelbase would be only two inches shorter than the NX.

A-Class Wheelbase: 106.3 inches
GLA-Class Wheelbase: 106.3 inches

NX Wheelbase: 104.7 inches

CT Wheelbase: 102.4 inches
UX Wheelbase (if they use Benz strategy): 102.4

First of all, that would be only two inches shorter than the NX. Is that enough to make it a whole different class? And also, the UX would have a wheelbase that is a whole 4 inches smaller than that of the GLA.

I like your example using Mercedes A class ---> GLA for US market. My personal preference as a frequent compact Mercedes vehicle buyer in US/California favors the GLA too.

 

[spwolf]

UX name means that Lexus will continue their tradition of offering different vehicles inside/out that are based on same platform.

So we can have an UX but also have CT, and they wont look too much alike, unlike A and GLA for instance.

 

[krew]

Perhaps the fact that the CT is a hybrid and all Prius underneath, if many folks were less willing to buy one.

This is exactly why I wanted mine.

 

[spwolf]

This is exactly why I wanted mine.

many people got it as "better Prius"... of course, we are all well informed here and we know that it uses Auris platform, not specifically Prii one and for instance suspension is different... New version will likely have more similar with Prius than old one, but for American media unused to hatchbacks, it was easier to explain and understand it as a Prius.

 

[ka837]

Test Mule for Upcoming Model spotted in San Francisco, CA, 6/1/16.

 

[spwolf]

thanks for the pics, is it only me or does this look longer than C-HR? Are we sure it is a Lexus?

 

[meth.ix]

Test Mule for Upcoming Model spotted in San Francisco, CA, 6/1/16.

That rear looks like a mini minivan for some reason. I don't see a CT there.