@Sakura Cars do not have to be the same to compete for the same target customer. 1 Series is RWD and competes against FWD A Class. But you start sounding like a broken record. Nobody on here disputes the fact that the ES is not the same as the GS or the German rivals you mention, but they nonetheless compete with each other. If the RWD is so important, why did Lexus sell (in Europe) only 12K units in 6 years?
The ES the same size as the A6 in every measure. The new S6 gets only turbo V6.
If I'm a broken record, then everyone else that has been debating with me on this opinion is too. We are all just going back and fourth so how is it that I'm the only broken record? Don't get hostile.
I never said cars has to be in the same segment to target the same customer. Customers have liquidity - they can buy whatever they want. The point was that the Lexus ES doesn't compete against the A6, 5 and E.
Secondly - like I mentioned before. Cars within a segment have to be comparable on multiple departments to be in the same segment together. RWD or FWD alone - doesn't matter - its how the FWD drives or RWD drives. IE: The Civic Type R (FWD) competes with STi and Golf R.
Similarity - the 1 Series RWD (which will be FWD in 2019) competes with the A-Class likely due to its ability that they both share good driving dynamics and other factors. If - the Lexus ES had a longitudinal FWD layout - I would say it definitely competes with the A6, 5, and E. But because it has a transverse FWD layout with MacPherson suspensions that aren't reworked, it'll just never feel like a A6, 5, or E. To add further evidence - the Lexus ES in Europe is only the hybrid model with the CVT. This is not a recipe to dethrone the 5 Series or E-Class in Europe.
Actually - people did. Spwolf believes that the ES competes with the A6, 5 and E. And that's what we were talking about.
To understand why the Lexus GS didn't sell well in Europe, you have to understand the European market. No Japanese brand does well in Europe and this is why no Japanese brand really targets Europe heavily. There is a reason why the new Lexus ES is created for the Chinese market because the USA and Chinese market is the biggest market right now. There is a reason why only 1 version (hybrid) of the Lexus ES is selling in Europe. If Lexus was gunning for the 5 and E they would have probably introduced more ES models to the European market. A Hybrid ES with a CVT isn't going to dethrone the 5 Series or E-Class sales. Toyota knows this - this is why they aren't really pushing it. Toyota likely want the ES in Europe to just fill a GS void temporarily; Toyota released a statement they canceled the GS in Europe due to emissions - not sales. Meaning - the GS can come back to Europe once they figure out a more efficient engine that can sustain with Europe's future emission laws.
The 5 Series and E-Class are on home territory. The 5 Series and E-Class are almost impossible to beat in Europe; just like how Hyundai and KIA are impossible to beat in Korea.