I remember Akio Toyota saying he will work to keep Toyota alive another hundred years.
The Official "I'm Struggling with Lexus" Thread
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I remember Akio Toyota saying he will work to keep Toyota alive another hundred years.
- Killing Lexus reputation as a premium car brand in the process?
- A quote from something i read:
Profit margins are very tight if you’re not a premium car maker. Premium have double digit profits. Thatˋs why normal car makers aspire to bring premium into the line of the brand. The market is so cut-throat that normal car makers aspire to moderate single-digit figures, so if they have an underwhelming year, or if they find themselves behind the curve of a new trend, they can be scuppered for ages.
- Do not think people will see Toyota as a premium brand, even if itˋs a very nice product...
- But they happilly give for example Porshe nice profit margins buying a Cayenne or a Mackan...
- Apply this on Toyota, if customers start thinking of Lexus and itˋs models as not so premium anymore.
- So, is the Toyotas strategy a good one?
- A quote from something i read:
Profit margins are very tight if you’re not a premium car maker. Premium have double digit profits. Thatˋs why normal car makers aspire to bring premium into the line of the brand. The market is so cut-throat that normal car makers aspire to moderate single-digit figures, so if they have an underwhelming year, or if they find themselves behind the curve of a new trend, they can be scuppered for ages.
- Do not think people will see Toyota as a premium brand, even if itˋs a very nice product...
- But they happilly give for example Porshe nice profit margins buying a Cayenne or a Mackan...
- Apply this on Toyota, if customers start thinking of Lexus and itˋs models as not so premium anymore.
- So, is the Toyotas strategy a good one?
MichaelL
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I don't think many people here are happy with what is happening with Lexus, but what can we do? We are fans of the brand and have no say in the decision making at Lexus or Toyota. It isn't a secret that the product at Lexus is stale, old, and generally not competitive. There are some bright spots, the LS, LC, ES, and UX are current and up to date. Yes, the LS could use a V8 and the LC could use an F model, probably the LS too.
The main problems are with the other models, the RX is ok, the other SUVs are dated beyond belief, not sure who in their right mind would spend new car money on such dated models... killing the GS has angered many, and the halfhearted refresh of the IS is beyond disappointing. RC didn't even get that!
I agree with you, the investment should start with Lexus and roll down to Toyota, not the other way around. Feels like Toyota isn't really committed to Lexus any longer, hope that isn't the case, time will tell. Feels kinda like the Infiniti treatment by Nissan. There is absolutely no reason Lexus can't be completely competitive with the Germans if Akio wanted them to be. For some reason he doesn't want it, no idea why.
maiaramdan
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@Jonas
Before I answer your questions I need to ask you another questions
1) if you buy the same exact Lexus LS as Toyota Celsior with 5000 less will you see any difference? In other way are you brand oriented more than product oriented?
2) do you think that premium car maker role is the exact same as luxury car maker role?
Now answering your questions
1) regarding the LF-1 limitless until those lines its status is unclear, maybe it is a design study, maybe as some said will burn up to be Crown so nothing solid yet, but very soon we will see the answer
2) if Toyota is going up from mainstream to premium it's nothing new, we actually seeing right now Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Honda, Skoda and Seat doing the same, and we even watched in the past VW and Subaru, you can say premium is the new mainstream, and mainstream is the new budget!
Before I answer your questions I need to ask you another questions
1) if you buy the same exact Lexus LS as Toyota Celsior with 5000 less will you see any difference? In other way are you brand oriented more than product oriented?
2) do you think that premium car maker role is the exact same as luxury car maker role?
Now answering your questions
1) regarding the LF-1 limitless until those lines its status is unclear, maybe it is a design study, maybe as some said will burn up to be Crown so nothing solid yet, but very soon we will see the answer
2) if Toyota is going up from mainstream to premium it's nothing new, we actually seeing right now Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Honda, Skoda and Seat doing the same, and we even watched in the past VW and Subaru, you can say premium is the new mainstream, and mainstream is the new budget!
I am more on the halo or luxuary side. Have always ordered among the best Lexus offers.
If Toyota now focuses on making Toyota cars more premium or even premium, it is not enough for me.
I want Luxuary or at least sub-luxuary and a special car with some special features and design, as well as some special technology.
Lexus used to be there, or was almost there, loved Lexus as an alternative and the brands aspirations.
Now, I do not know what Lexus stands for or its aspirations. Lexus brand still though means a lot for me.
So, I have started to look at Porsche e-hybrids, Lamborghini, Jaguar SVR or E-pace and other products.
Toyota will though not be among the alternatives, what ever Akiodo succeds with for Toyota.
If Toyota now focuses on making Toyota cars more premium or even premium, it is not enough for me.
I want Luxuary or at least sub-luxuary and a special car with some special features and design, as well as some special technology.
Lexus used to be there, or was almost there, loved Lexus as an alternative and the brands aspirations.
Now, I do not know what Lexus stands for or its aspirations. Lexus brand still though means a lot for me.
So, I have started to look at Porsche e-hybrids, Lamborghini, Jaguar SVR or E-pace and other products.
Toyota will though not be among the alternatives, what ever Akiodo succeds with for Toyota.
Rydo
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Nah, that's just the car that Lexus could have been very early to the segment to and are now overtaken by several German competitors across numerous models (X6, GLE, Q8, Range Rover Velar)...
Tragic Bronson
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Beyond Marketing is the company that Gordon works for and does experiential marketing for the brand. They get a budget to build vehicles for the shows (Would've been SEMA), but yeah they depend a lot on their IG account.
Gecko
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I know the last 5-8 years have been pretty rough, but I feel like the tides are finally turning in Lexus' favor. New hybrids, new platforms and tech like Direct4 will bring the change and advancement that we've been hoping for. Counting out what we should see over the next 2-3 years...
IS 500
UX Refresh
New NX
NX 350
NX 350h
NX 450h+ (Direct4?)
New LX
LX 600
LX 600h?
New RX
RX 350
RX 350h
RX450h+ (Direct4?)
RX 500h (Direct4?)
New TX
TX 350
TX 500h (Direct4?)
New RZ (speculated CUV Coupe)
RZ 450e
Refreshed ES
Could it come with a Direct4 variant...?
Then, a little further out...
New LS
New ES
New GX
LC Refresh
RC replacement?
IS 500
UX Refresh
New NX
NX 350
NX 350h
NX 450h+ (Direct4?)
New LX
LX 600
LX 600h?
New RX
RX 350
RX 350h
RX450h+ (Direct4?)
RX 500h (Direct4?)
New TX
TX 350
TX 500h (Direct4?)
New RZ (speculated CUV Coupe)
RZ 450e
Refreshed ES
Could it come with a Direct4 variant...?
Then, a little further out...
New LS
New ES
New GX
LC Refresh
RC replacement?
Expected bhp and 0-100 km/h for 450h+ 500h or above?
Gecko
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We know little to nothing about final powertrains, weights, specifics about AWD systems, etc. so... somewhere between 4 seconds and 10 seconds, and 300 and 500hp, I would say. 😂
knowing lexus closer to 10 sec and 300 ps